French famous guitarist to launch concert in Myanmar

A classical guitarist from France, Thibault Cauvin, will launch a one-man guitar concert for the first time in Myanmar\’s two major cities this month under the cultural exchange program of Myanmar and France, the local weekly Myanmar Times reported in this week\’s issue.

The 24-year-old Parisian musician\’s concert in Myanmar, which is part of his 10 performances in Asia, will take place in Yangon on Sept. 24 and in Mandalay on Sept. 26, the French Embassy was quoted as saying.

The French artist will proceed to Hanoi, Vietnam at the end of this month and then to China\’s Taipei and China\’s Hong Kong next month, the report said.

Thibault Cauvin, winner of 13 international first prizes, started learning guitar from his father at the age of six and recorded his first album aged 16 for the independent French label KI Record.

He has been traveling the world with his guitar and so far performed more than 600 concerts in major cities such as New York, Hong Kong, London, Sau Paulo, Istanbul, Melbourne and Singapore.

Meanwhile, other two world\’s famous Jazz musicians, Franck Me\’dioni and Pianist Stephan Oliva of France, also launched music concerts in Yangon in February this year.

(Xinhua News Agency September 17, 2009)

MTV China launches inspirational \’True Campaign\’

Mei Yan, the chief executive officer of MTV China (4th from Left) and Chinese musicians, including China\’s \”Father of Rock\” Cui Jian (4th from Right), rising pop singer Zhang Liangying (2nd from Right) and veteran singer Wang Feng (3rd from Right) jointly launch an inspirational campaign in China on September 3rd to encourage youngsters to promote true lifestyle and real music. [Xu Liuliu/CRI]

The largest music television network in the world, MTV, launched an inspirational campaign in China on Thursday to encourage youngsters to promote true lifestyle and real music.

MTV joined renowned Chinese musicians, including China\’s \”Father of Rock\” Cui Jian, rising pop singer Zhang Liangying and veteran singer Wang Feng, at a press conference in　Beijing to call for public awareness of real music.

Dame Vera Lynn

Dame Vera Lynn, known as \”Forces\’ Sweetheart,\” topped Britain\’s album chart 70 years after she first stepped into a recording studio.

The 92-year-old singer on Monday became the oldest living artist to have a number one record in Britain when her album \”We\’ll Meet Again — The Very Best of Vera Lynn\” beat the Arctic Monkeys and even the Beatles to capture the No. 1 record in Britain.

Lynn was known as the \”Forces\’ Sweetheart,\” and her songs were evocative reminders of home for British soldiers during World War II. Besides \”We\’ll Meet Again — The Very Best of Vera Lynn,\” her songs also include \”We\’ll Meet Again,\” \”As Time Goes By,\” and \”White Cliffs of Dover.\”

\”In a sense, it\’s comfort music,\” said music writer John Aizlewood. \”These are quite uncertain times, and quite austere times, as well. And in these times, you need music to help pull you through.\”

He attributed much of Lynn\’s resurgence to nostalgia, a longing for simplicity and old-fashioned values, and \”pensioner power.\”

Broadcaster Paul Gambaccini attributed part of the attraction to the convenience of having all of Lynn\’s seminal songs in one place.

Lynn said she doesn\’t intend to record again and told the BBC she was puzzled by her comeback.

\”I think it\’s because of the problems going on with fighting in various parts and a bit of nostalgia, but I don\’t know,\” Lynn said. \”I\’d like someone to tell me.\”

Lynn is still working hard to urge support for troops fighting in Afghanistan.

(Xinhua/Agencies September 15, 2009)

Beatles storm back into the US charts

The Beatles: Stereo Box Set

The Beatles boasted some of the best-selling albums on the American pop chart yesterday after nostalgic fans scooped up the Fab Four\’s much-hyped reissues.

The Beatles sold 626,000 albums during the week ending September 13, according to tracking firm Nielsen SoundScan. Until last week, they had sold 635,000 copies this year, a low tally by their standards as buyers held out until the 09-09-09 release date.

Their best-seller last week was 1969\’s \”Abbey Road,\” which moved 89,000 copies, making it the third-most-popular album in the United States. \”Sgt. Pepper\’s Lonely Heart\’s Club Band,\” the 1967 release that often tops lists of the greatest albums of all time, was No. 5 overall with 74,000.

But don\’t look for either album to appear on the benchmark Billboard 200 chart, which generally ranks only those albums released in the past 18 months – not catalog items.

On Billboard\’s Top Catalog Album Chart, the Beatles claimed 15 of the top 18 places with their 13 studio albums, the \”Past Masters\” compilation reissue and the 2000 \”1\” compilation. Michael Jackson was at Nos. 6, 15 and 16.

Behind \”Abbey Road\” and \”Sgt. Pepper\’s\” were \”The Beatles\” with 60,000, \”Rubber Soul\” with 58,000, and \”Revolver\” with 46,000. All were among the 10 biggest albums in the US. The least-popular Beatles reissue was \”Yellow Submarine\” with 14,000.

The Billboard 200 was led by Jay-Z, who sold 476,000 copies of \”The Blueprint 3,\” his fifth No. 1 album. The only other act to reach the top more times is the Beatles with 19.

The Beatles managed to log two new entries on the Billboard 200 – the boxed sets containing all their albums. The new packages were offered in stereo and mono, stirring up an intense debate about which one was better. Consumers cast their votes for the stereo version, which sold 26,000 copies and landed at No. 15. The mono version, preferred by purists, ranked at No. 40 with 12,000 copies. Each boxed set counts as one unit.

(Shanghai Daily/Agencies September 17, 2009)

Britney Spears wants Madonna on tour

Britney Spears wants Madonna to join her on her upcoming \”Circus\” tour. Wade Robson – who is choreographing the 27-year-old singer\’s comeback shows – has revealed Britney is keen for her 50-year-old idol to join her on stage at one of her concerts.

He said: \”I\’m choreographing and set-designing Britney\’s tour. There has been talk of Madonna making an appearance, and there\’s so many place we could take that. At this point, the main issue is timing.\” This would not be the first time Britney and Madonna have appeared on stage together.

They famously locked lips at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, and Britney also performed \”Human Nature\” with Madonna as part of her \”Sticky and Sweet\” world tour last month. It was recently reported Britney\’s tour, to support her new LP \”Circus\”, is inspired by her breakdown, and will see the mother-of-two flee to the circus before emerging from the end of a rainbow following a thunderstorm.

A source said: \”Britney is well aware of what a roller coaster she has been on. She thought the best metaphor to use would be the circus. Fans get to travel with her through her fall from grace and her eventual rehabilitation.\”

Britney, 27, famously went off the rails following the end of her marriage to Kevin Federline. She shaved her head in February 2007 and was hospitalised several times – most famously in January of this year when she refused to return sons Sean Preston, three, and Jayden James, two, to their father.

Since then, Britney\’s dad Jamie has taken on co-conservatorship of her affairs and she has begun to turn her life and career around. \”The Circus Starring Britney Spears\” begins in New Orleans on March 3.

(China Daily/Agencies December 16, 2008)

Madonna arrives in Brazil for five concerts

U.S. mega star Madonna arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Friday to start her five concerts in Brazil.

Madonna is to stage her performances in the world-renowned Maracana stadium in Rio on Sunday and Monday.

This will be the first time that Madonna performs in the city in 15 years. After Rio, she will travel to Sao Paulo for three more concerts scheduled for Dec. 18, 20 and 21 in the Morumbi stadium.

More than 350,000 people are expected to attend Madonna\’s conerts in Rio and Sao Paulo.

The singer and her production crew will be staying at the world-famous Copacabana Palace Hotel until next Wednesday. The group occupied the entire sixth floor of the hotel, just as the Rolling Stones did during their last concert in the city.

A large security operation has been set for Madonna\’s stay in order to prevent fans from getting too close.

The singer has expressed an interest in meeting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva before the Rio concerts. The Brazilian presidency confirmed the singer\’s interest, but said that a meeting has yet to be scheduled.

Madonna, who travels with her three children, is expected to visit a school in neighboring Nilopolis.

Rio de Janeiro State Governor Sergio Cabral, who declared himself to be a fan of the singer, has invited Madonna to visit a social program in a slum in the city. The visit has not been confirmed.

(Xinhua News Agency December 13, 2008)

Lisa Ono to present China concert tour

Lisa Ono performs at Shanghai\’s annual Jazz Week on May 2, 2007. [Oriental Morning Post]

For many Chinese music fans, Bossa Nova is associated with only one name – Lisa Ono. Now the most acclaimed Asian Bossa Nova singer is set to begin a concert tour of China to mark the 20th anniversary of her musical career.

The Japanese songstress will first take to the stage in the eastern city of Hangzhou on January 3rd, before moving on to Beijing\’s Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium on January 10th.

On January 16th, Lisa Ono will revisit Shanghai\’s annual Jazz Week and stage a gig at the 8,000-seat Shanghai Grand Stage. When Ono performed in Shanghai\’s Fuxing Park last year, the 1,900-seat tent specially built for the Jazz Week was nearly unsettled by a full house of ardent fans.

The concert\’s set list will be mainly composed of tracks off Ono\’s 2007 album, \”The music of Antonio Carlos Jobim: Ipanema,\” the Shanghai-based Oriental Morning Post reported, quoting the event organizers.

Lisa Ono, 46, was born in Sao Paulo and raised in Japan. She was musically influenced by her father, a bossa nova fan who at one time managed the legendary Baden Powell and owned music clubs in both Brazil and Japan.

(CRI December 9, 2008)

Noel Gallagher quits Oasis

Noel Gallagher (L) and Liam Gallagher

Oasis\’ lead guitarist Noel Gallagher said he was quitting the British rock group because he can no longer work with his brother Liam, plunging the future of the group into doubt.

In a brief statement on the band\’s website, Noel said he was announcing \”with some sadness and great relief\” that \”I quit Oasis tonight.\”

He added: \”People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.\”

He made the announcement after the group suddenly cancelled a concert at a music festival near Paris on Friday, with organisers saying the brothers had had a fight backstage shortly before they were to play.

A spokesman for the organisers of the Rock en Seine festival announced to the 30,000 crowd: \”The group no longer exists. They will not play tonight and they are cancelling the rest of their European tour.\”

The director of the festival, Francois Missonnier, told journalists: \”For reasons which are unclear a fight broke out between the brothers. Noel left the festival and no one could make him come back.\”

British singer Amy Macdonald, who was playing at the festival, wrote on her Twitter page: \”Oasis cancelled again with one minute to stage time! Liam smashed Noel\’s guitar, huuuge fight!\”

Lead singer Liam and Noel, his older brother and the main songwriter, have had a notoriously stormy relationship since Oasis were formed in 1991, but rumours grew in recent days that their differences had become insurmountable.

Last weekend the band pulled out of a concert at the V Festival in Chelmsford, southern England, with organisers saying Liam had lost his voice due to viral laryngitis.

But the following day, Liam used his Twitter page on to deny that the band were about to split up.

After Paris, Oasis had been scheduled to play at the Rock am See festival in Germany and in Milan. In his statement, Noel apologised to fans who had bought tickets for the concerts.

Liam revealed this month that his relationship with his brother was so bad that they no longer speak, travel separately on tour and only see each other on stage.