Atlantic Records

For the final Record Rack of 2009, we take a look at some of the year's most prominent soundtracks and scores. "Avatar" James Horner (Atlantic Records) . 1/2 James Cameron's "Avatar" succeeds in introducing filmgoers to a new world; James Horner's score follows the filmmaker's lead. It's mood-setting music, at times full of wonder. Iridescent synths mix with woodwind instruments, and "The Bioluminescence of the Night" is New Age glitter. Horner avoids sci-fi and fantasy clichés -- choirs and sound effects whiz by, and orchestral flourishes descend into tribal nuances without warning.

Imagine this: By day, you're a typical businessman, working the 9 to 5. Your nights and weekends, however, are spent sharing a stage with nine other guys just like you -- performing a cappella songs in small venues while recording an album for Atlantic Records. That was the double life for the members of Straight No Chaser, an a cappella choir of 10 men who formed in 1996 during their college years at Indiana University. They say their pursuit in music was experimental at first.

The Internet has transformed how bands interact with their fans. But that can lead to troublesome consequences. A lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court alleges that Warner Music Group, Atlantic Records and other music industry organizations helped coerce a 16-year-old girl into making pornographic rock videos when a band advertised for extras on MySpace, News Corp.'s teen-oriented social networking site. The companies and musicians' representatives deny they did anything wrong.

Warner Music Group, in a sign that the struggling recorded music company is seeking to bolster its ranks of artists, has tapped producer Rob Cavallo for the newly created position of chief creative officer. In that role he will help develop acts across all of the Warner music labels including Atlantic, Asylum, Electra and Warner Bros. Cavallo, a multiple Grammy winner, has a strong track record with credits that include Green Day's "American Idiot," Kid Rock's "Rock N Roll Jesus" and most recently the top-10 release "Brand New Eyes" from the rock band Paramore.

Geffen Records, long frustrated by Donna Summer's inability to regain her late-'70s superstar status in pop, looks like it may have finally come up with the right formula to put Summer back on the charts. The irony: A rival company will reap the possible benefits. Geffen executives put Summer together last year with Stock/Aitken/Waterman, the red-hot trio of British record producers who have designed hits for such dance-oriented artists as Rick Astley, Bananarama and Kylie Minogue.

Singer Solomon Burke, keyboardist Keith Emerson and songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller are scheduled to speak tonight at a tribute to Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun at American Cinematheque's Mods & Rockers Film Festival. Ertegun, a native of Turkey, would have been 84 today. He died last December after suffering a head injury in October. The 7:30 p.m.

Atlantic, REV Entertainment to Offer "CD+": Atlantic Records is entering the business with a long-term agreement with REV Entertainment to create interactive multimedia titles featuring Atlantic artists. The releases are expected to be on a new "CD+" format that can play on audio CD players as well as CD-ROM equipment attached to computers. Upcoming titles include "Rap Basketball," a street basketball game that will include music from Atlantic rap artists.

Warner Music Group, in a sign that the struggling recorded music company is seeking to bolster its ranks of artists, has tapped producer Rob Cavallo for the newly created position of chief creative officer. In that role he will help develop acts across all of the Warner music labels including Atlantic, Asylum, Electra and Warner Bros. Cavallo, a multiple Grammy winner, has a strong track record with credits that include Green Day's "American Idiot," Kid Rock's "Rock N Roll Jesus" and most recently the top-10 release "Brand New Eyes" from the rock band Paramore.

Pervis Jackson, 70, the man behind the deep, rolling bass voice in a string of 1970s R&B hits by The Spinners, died Monday morning at Detroit Sinai-Grace Hospital after being diagnosed last week with brain and liver cancer after feeling ill for several weeks, said his wife, Claudreen Jackson. A native of the New Orleans area, he was one of the original five members of the group, which started out in the late 1950s singing doo-wop in Detroit. They worked under the Motown label in the 1960s but shot to stardom after moving on to Atlantic Records in the 1970s.

Singer Solomon Burke, keyboardist Keith Emerson and songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller are scheduled to speak tonight at a tribute to Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun at American Cinematheque's Mods & Rockers Film Festival. Ertegun, a native of Turkey, would have been 84 today. He died last December after suffering a head injury in October. The 7:30 p.m.

Even if you didn't know a thing about Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegun, who died in December at 83, you'd instantly glean his monumental significance in the history of popular music from the footage of him in PBS' latest "American Masters" documentary. We see him laughing and swapping anecdotes with such rock, R&B and jazz titans as Mick Jagger, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and Wynton Marsalis.

EDITORS' CHOICE: They're full of forced cheeriness and rife with the danger that you'll make a career-ending remark to your boss. In fact, many workers say they'd rather not go to company holiday parties. But that isn't stopping employers from holding the soirees. BUSINESS, C1 * The World South Korean is new U.N. chief South Korea's former foreign minister, Ban Ki-moon, is sworn in as the United Nations' eighth secretary-general.

THE popular notion is that without Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Little Richard, there wouldn't have been rock 'n' roll. But it may be closer to the truth to say there wouldn't have been rock 'n' roll without Ahmet Ertegun. The co-founder of Atlantic Records loved to say he was just lucky to have worked with such landmark artists as Ray Charles, Led Zeppelin, Aretha Franklin and Cream.

The Internet has transformed how bands interact with their fans. But that can lead to troublesome consequences. A lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court alleges that Warner Music Group, Atlantic Records and other music industry organizations helped coerce a 16-year-old girl into making pornographic rock videos when a band advertised for extras on MySpace, News Corp.'s teen-oriented social networking site. The companies and musicians' representatives deny they did anything wrong.

Each week the spotlight will be on musicians who are making a commercial breakthrough. -- Chris Lee D4L "Down for Life" Asylum/Atlantic Records Artist info: The Atlanta-based rap quartet's major-label debut album jumped onto the national sales chart at No. 22 on Wednesday minus the trappings that have become nearly indispensable for hip-hop success -- that is, without the help of superstar producers, R&B backup singers or A-list vocal cameos.