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We're thrilled to announce that WE'RE BACK BABY, after this wild pandemic rollercoaster ride! ...and guess what? We're not just back, ....we're back to take YOUR music to great new heights!
April 26, 2023JAMBOX Entertainment Studios and Lee Evans Remembers Harry Belafonte Growing up in a Jamaican household with lots of music, Harry Belafonte was a big part of my parents musical culture. As a result, I had all of his popular songs ingrained in my head. I also got to meet and work with Mr Belafonte briefly while I was recording the soundtrack for the movie 'Beat Street' which he is listed as a Producer. That was a very inspirational time for me. So to honor his legacy I put together some of his achievements below. Harry Belafonte was an American singer, songwriter, activist, and actor born in Harlem in 1927. Born of Jamaican decent, He became one of the most successful and influential American pop stars in music history making and popularizing Jamaican Classics such as -The Banana Boat song -Jump In the Line
-Jamaica Farewell
-Man Smart (Woman Smarter).
-Matilda
- Mr. Belafonte was dubbed the "King of Calypso" for popularizing that Caribbean musical style with an international audience in the 1950s.
- His breakthrough album Calypso (1956) is the first million-selling LP by a single artist.
- Belafonte is best known for his recording of "The Banana Boat Song", with its signature lyric "Day-O".
- Belafonte won three Grammy Awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award.
- He starred in several films, including Otto Preminger's musical Carmen Jones (1954), Island in the Sun (1957), and Robert Wise's Odds Against Tomorrow (1959).
- Belafonte was an early supporter of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s, and one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s close confidants. Throughout his career, he was an advocate for political and humanitarian causes, such as the Anti-Apartheid Movement and USA for Africa. Since 1987, was been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
- Mr Belafonte had a major involvement with Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie's iconic 'We Are The World by USA for Africa"
- Mr Belafonte was also the American Civil Liberties Union celebrity ambassador for juvenile justice issues.
- In 1989, he received the Kennedy Center Honors. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts - in 1994. In 2014, he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy's 6th Annual Governors Awards.
- In March 2014, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Mr Belafonte died on April 25 2023 at the age of 96 years. This man has led an amazing life,
written by Lee Evans
February 15, 2021RIP To Chick Corea..One of My Biggest Music InfluencesTotally Amazing Innovater ...Chick Corea: The music world has suffered a tragic loss with the passing of the great Chick Corea. Chick Corea was a supernatural icon among us human musicians. Most of us are either average, good, really good and some of us great, but there are a handful of super elite musicians that have the ability to change and shape our world when we listen to them and their music. They draw the admiration of the best of the best of us...they are legendary. Chick Corea was one of these God like people in my eyes. He is someone that heavily impacted my music styles from when I first discovered him in the 70s with his band Return To Forever (RTF). (I couldn’t ‘hang with the cats’ unless I was able to play and jam out on “Spain” back in my college days practice room jams. I felt kinda awesome about myself once I learned how to play that front lick). His albums with RTF, Romantic Warrior, Music Magic and Armando’s rumba from that time, changed my world. RTF’s main lineup was a quartet (Chick, Lenny White, Stanley Clark and Al Dimeola on guitar). They served as my great introduction to Jazz Fusion (a progressive version of jazz really popular with ‘70s musicians). I couldn’t believe my ears that it was even possible to conceive write and play this stuff. Not only was Chick Corea and example of technical perfection, his melodies would touch your soul. His licks were awe inspiring, and his Improvs would take you to places you’ve never imagined beforeAmongst countless other accomplishments, Chick Corea has won 23 Grammys as of my latest count. Chick, We will miss you. I know your music will live on to inspire future generations of countless musicians. Thank you so much for what you’ve give it to us all. My Spanish Heart 1976 https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nCNKB3bIp-9ZVi3SSDIGTBIZgF5PeLBXc My Spanish Heart 2019 featuring Ruben Blades Spain The Musician Written by Lee Evans
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