Mary J Blige

When Mary J. Blige came on the music scene in 1992 with her debut album, the New Yorker earned such respect for the way she combined various R&B and hip-hop strains that she was almost immediately dubbed the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul. That album, titled "What's the 411?," offered thundering street beats, lilting melodies and soulful harmonies.

A promising young talent on tenor saxophone (and nephew of smooth jazz artist Kirk Whalum), Kenneth Whalum III has been carving a path of his own through the New York City scene. Whalum has backed Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige and Maxwell on the road, and his recent album, "To Those Who Believe," marks him as an artist to watch in his own right. The Blue Whale. 123 Astronaut E S Onizuka St. Suite 301, Sat. , 9 p.m. $15. http://www.bluewhalemusic.com.

Mary J. Blige | "The Living Proof" | "The Help" When it comes to writing a song for a film, R&B star Mary J. Blige has a list of criteria that the movie must first fulfill. "It has to be something that touches my heart," said Blige, who wrote "Colors" for 2009's "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire. " "It has to touch my heart because it has to be relevant to me and what I've seen in my life, or what I've watched someone else experience," she continued.

As music's biggest night approaches, so does a tidal wave of parties. The Grammys reel in star power like few events of its kind, and there is no end to the parade of industry fetes seeking to share the spotlight. Here's a roundup of some of the most noteworthy soirees. -- FRIDAY 23rd annual MusiCares Person of the Year tribute to Bruce Springsteen The Boss happens to be a 20-time Grammy winner. He'll be honored in a star-studded gala at the Los Angeles Convention Center by the MusiCares Foundation, which provides support to musicians in financial, medical or personal need.

Clint Eastwood's soliloquy about unoccupied furniture   has been the most entertaining spectacle to emerge from this year's party conventions so far,   although the Democratic Party will make its own go of it with a big roster of pop musicians this week. The  Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., wraps up with a concert at Bank of America Stadium on Thursday, with headliners including Foo Fighters, Mary J. Blige, Earth Wind & Fire, James Taylor and Marc Anthony singing the national anthem.

When D'Angelo sat at his electric piano Sunday night at the Gibson Amphitheatre and played the first bars of his hit “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” women screamed with Pavlovian memories of the song's video, which starred his oiled abs, pelvic muscles and, it's rumored, the rest of the singer as well. Grown men leaped to their feet and yelled, “Give 'em more, D!” like they were cheering an action-movie hero. But then D'Angelo stopped. He walked out from behind the piano, stood before the crowd and waited.

Following showings at the BET Awards and the House of Blues that earned D'Angelo stellar reviews, the soul singer is continuing his (extremely welcomed) return to form by announcing a late summer tour. The performer, who is carefully making a comeback after more than a decade in seclusion, is set for a co-headlining trek, dubbed the Liberation Tour, on which he will be joined by the reigning Queen of Hip-Hop Soul,Mary J. Blige. Only six dates were unveiled on Monday, the first being an Aug. 18 stop in Virginia Beach, Va. Blige told Rolling Stone the tour will be 20 dates.

Mary J. Blige blinked back tears and buried her head in her hands when she recently heard "Need Someone," an emotional ballad off her new album "My Life II ... The Journey Continues (Act 1). " The song, said Blige, is actually an ode to her younger, more troubled self. "From where you stand there's no way to change it, no way to make it make sense and it's lonely there in the spotlight," she sings over lush strings and piano. "Well honey, don't I understand you need someone to love you. " Blige, 40, is revisiting — and comforting — her 23-year-old self for a reason.

Mary J. Blige's fifth album does nothing to threaten her reign as the queen of hip-hop soul. The collection entered the Southern California sales chart at No. 1, and nationally at No. 2. On the singles chart, TLC is back in the picture, while Enrique Iglesias remains No. 1 in the Southland for the second week. TOP 10 ALBUMS *--* Title, Artist (Nat'l Rank) Last Week 1 Mary, Mary J.

Veteran hip-hop soul diva Mary J. Blige had all the trappings of a live pop-R&B extravaganza during her sold-out Sunday concert at Gibson Amphitheatre: a sprawling set, costume changes, video screens, eight-piece band, guest appearances, even pyrotechnics. But all that faded into the background as Blige remained the focal point with her blend of Aretha Franklin-style vocals, testifying and learn-from-my-life motivational speeches -- always aimed at the ladies, who shouted, "Yeah!"

When D'Angelo sat at his electric piano Sunday night at the Gibson Amphitheatre and played the first bars of his hit “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” women screamed with Pavlovian memories of the song's video, which starred his oiled abs, pelvic muscles and, it's rumored, the rest of the singer as well. Grown men leaped to their feet and yelled, “Give 'em more, D!” like they were cheering an action-movie hero. But then D'Angelo stopped. He walked out from behind the piano, stood before the crowd and waited.

The inaugural iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas last September marked the launch of the new iHeartRadio digital music service in sensational style and to incredible effect. Featuring A-list performers from Lady Gaga and Jay-Z to Coldplay and Carrie Underwood, it was the biggest live concert festival in radio history and helped iHeartRadio - a free digital music service that offers instant access to more than 1,000 of the nation's most popular radio stations, plus user-created Custom Stations - attract 10 million registered users in just eight months (faster than all other popular entertainment and communication platforms, including Facebook and Twitter)

Clint Eastwood's soliloquy about unoccupied furniture   has been the most entertaining spectacle to emerge from this year's party conventions so far,   although the Democratic Party will make its own go of it with a big roster of pop musicians this week. The  Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., wraps up with a concert at Bank of America Stadium on Thursday, with headliners including Foo Fighters, Mary J. Blige, Earth Wind & Fire, James Taylor and Marc Anthony singing the national anthem.

Following showings at the BET Awards and the House of Blues that earned D'Angelo stellar reviews, the soul singer is continuing his (extremely welcomed) return to form by announcing a late summer tour. The performer, who is carefully making a comeback after more than a decade in seclusion, is set for a co-headlining trek, dubbed the Liberation Tour, on which he will be joined by the reigning Queen of Hip-Hop Soul,Mary J. Blige. Only six dates were unveiled on Monday, the first being an Aug. 18 stop in Virginia Beach, Va. Blige told Rolling Stone the tour will be 20 dates.

Mary J. Blige | "The Living Proof" | "The Help" When it comes to writing a song for a film, R&B star Mary J. Blige has a list of criteria that the movie must first fulfill. "It has to be something that touches my heart," said Blige, who wrote "Colors" for 2009's "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire. " "It has to touch my heart because it has to be relevant to me and what I've seen in my life, or what I've watched someone else experience," she continued.

SERIES Terra Nova: When Lucas, Mira (Ashley Zukerman and Christine Adams) and the mysterious Phoenix group try to pillage the past, Taylor and Jim (Stephen Lang, Jason O'Mara) team to take a stand in the two-hour season finale (8 p.m. Fox). The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: The women debate the challenges and risks that would be involved in turning Taylor away from Kyle's party after her husband threatens Camille with a lawsuit in this new episode (9 and 10 p.m. Bravo)

The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul is back -- not that she ever really left. Mary J. Blige has been on a major career run in recent years, and she's still working it with "Growing Pains," her eighth studio album, which debuts this week at No. 2 on U.S. album chart with 629,000 copies sold. Blige started this year with the most nominations at the 49th annual Grammy Awards, and she hasn't taken her foot off the accelerator.

Mary J. Blige is happy. And that's a hard-won state for the singer whose pain has helped define a sound and style that shaped a generation of female vocalists. Blending pure soul emotion with hip-hop beats, cool and attitude, over the past decade she's become perhaps the single central figure in contemporary R&B -- the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, a new Aretha Franklin. But happy? The sound that infused five multi-platinum albums came straight from her open wounds -- at a punishing cost.

Mary J. Blige blinked back tears and buried her head in her hands when she recently heard "Need Someone," an emotional ballad off her new album "My Life II ... The Journey Continues (Act 1). " The song, said Blige, is actually an ode to her younger, more troubled self. "From where you stand there's no way to change it, no way to make it make sense and it's lonely there in the spotlight," she sings over lush strings and piano. "Well honey, don't I understand you need someone to love you. " Blige, 40, is revisiting — and comforting — her 23-year-old self for a reason.

People often ask jazz vibraphonist Roy Ayers how, even after five decades of recording, he is still finding ways to introduce his sound to the masses. In his case, necessity has always been the mother of reinvention. "If I didn't have music I wouldn't even want to be here," Ayers, 71, said. "It's like an escape when there is no escape. An escape for temporary moments. " Over the years his escape came in many forms: hard-bop, psychedelic R&B, disco, afro beat, hip-hop and house music.