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| Dr. John Signs With the Savoy Label Group Iconic American musician and unofficial ambassador to New Orleans, the legendary Dr. John (aka Mac Rebennack, Jr.), has signed a multi-record agreement with the Savoy Label Group's 429 Records and is in the midst of recording his definitive musical response to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina on his beloved Crescent City. Tentatively titled "THE CITY THAT CARE FORGOT, " Mr. Rebennack promises a strong song cycle that has casually been referred to by some as the "What's Going On" for New Orleans. Featuring guest star turns by a host of celebrated musicians the project will be a clarion call to the continuing plight of the Crescent City. Dr. John is currently, and not surprisingly, one of the leading voices protesting the inept response to the disaster, tirelessly performing benefit shows and setting up relief fund support in an effort to keep the issue in the public eye. With "THE CITY THAT CARE FORGOT" Dr. John will doubtlessly distill the spectrum of intense passions into an eloquent musical dissertation. The project is tentatively set for a May, 2008 release on Savoy's 429 Records imprint. Dr. John has long been considered the physical embodiment of the vibrant culture of New Orleans throughout his illustrious musical career - from his roots as a New Orleans-based session musician back in the 1950s playing with legends like Professor Longhair, Art Neville and Joe Tex to forging his distinctive voodoo-inflected rhythm and blues psychedelia throughout the 60s and 70s to his tireless efforts recording, performing and being a spokesman for the city today. His colorful persona and talents transcend musical genres and art forms garnering respect from fans, cultural peers, civic leaders and beyond. Says Steve Vining, President of the Savoy Label Group: "We're thrilled to have Dr. John join the Savoy Label Group and for the opportunity to partner with him on what will undoubtedly be one of the most significant recordings of the year." 429 Records is a unit of the Savoy Label Group (SLG). SLG is the North American unit of CME (Columbia Music Entertainment), the oldest music company in Japan. The Savoy Label Group has evolved into a leading independent company in the adult music genres consistently outperforming competitors in key music categories as monitored by Billboard Magazine. SLG is lead by Steve Vining and CME is headed by Chairman Strauss Zelnick, founder of Zelnick Media, which owns interests in and manages an array of media companies write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Jazz News :: home page |