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http://www.thechariottepost.com
1D Arts A
Cljarlotte ^osit
THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2004
NTERTAINMENT
Music substance over style
“At Atlantic, we spent most of our money on imaging,” she said.
“They wanted to make me the Dolche and Gahbana girl.”
Benson, who is with the new label DKG Music, said she hasn’t gone
through the image drama, but she has heard the horror stories.
“I’ve been sheltered from that side of the business,” she said. “But
I’ve talked to people at major labels!who deal with that).”
Lina and Benson have sounds that aren’t like the popular R&B
that clogs radio airways. In other words, they sing rather than rely
on catchy hip-hop beats.
“Music is so diluted,” said Lina, whose single “Come to Moma” is
expected to go to radio in the next few weeks. She added that many
labels just put a short skirt on a pretty girl and put her in front of a
camera and microphone. Or, she said, labels put an artist in a cer
tain category.
“When I got to Atlantic, they wanted me to be hard and cursing,”
she said. But Hidden Beach, she said, just wants her to be herself.
“They want the realness of the artist.”
Benson said music has always been something she loved and it
took a near death experience to put her on the path to starting her
career. She received a degree in economics and was at Harvard Uni
versity working on her masters when her mother got sick in London
and became her caretaker. Her mother was diagnosed with cancer
and was given a few months
to live. “Luckily, touch
wood,” she said. “She’s stiU ,
here,”
Hidden Beach recording artist Lina says her label allows her to
concentrate on music not style.
By Cheri.s F. Hodges
cheris.hodges@thec}Kiri)ttejx)st.com
In the image-conscious music industry, two soul singers aren’t
standing on designer threads and revealing outfits. They’re bringing
music to people.
Newcomer Rhian Benson has sold close to 100,000 copies of “Gold
Coast” through word of mouth. Her style brings to mind old school
singers like Nina Simone.
“My style is dictated by the way I sing,” she said last week at the
Pantene Tbtal You Tbur. “I grew up hstening to a lot of old music.”
Hidden Beach recording artist Lina tells a similar story. Her first
album, “Stranger on Earth,” was released by Atlantic Records. Lina’s
music drew comparisons to jazz legend Billie Holiday.
This time around, Lina said the music is the most important thing.
Her first Hidden Beach release, “Inner Beauty,” will be released in
September.
Benson said that expe
rience showed her that
life is short and it has to
be lived to the fullest.
So, she moved to Los
Angeles to jump-start
her career. Benson
started singing at
open mic clubs.
She said a friend
knew the CEO of
DKG Music and
introduced the
two. “I got
lucky,” she said.
And Lina also
said she feels
her deal with
Hidden Beach
is a good fit as
weU.
“(Hidden
Beach) said we
fight to be
first, not sec- ]
ond,” Lina
said.
PHOTO/PAUL WILLIAMS
‘Shrek’ sequel at least equal to original tale
By Cheris F. Hodges
cheris.hodges@thecharlottepost.com
The test of a sequel is if it can stand on its
own.
In the case of “Shrek 2,” it can. DreamWorks
has done it again and this movie will be a hilar
ious hit for the summer.
“Shrek 2” picks up where the first left off
Shrek and Fiona return from their honeymoon
to find a letter from Fiona’s parents inviting the
newlyweds over for dinner. 'The only problem is
that they have no idea that their daughter is
now an ogre. So the newlyweds and annoying
Donkey head off to a kingdom Far, Far Away.
Eddie Murphy, who voices Donkey, is so
behevable as a friend who doesn’t know how to
shut up. He keeps asking questions and going
on and on about nothing.
When they arrive at Fiona’s parents home —
the king and queen — everyone is expecting her
to be beautiful and married to Prince Charm
ing. Instead she is there with big old green
Shrek and not the beauty she once was.
Now, in most fairy tales, we know the fairy
godmother is a sweet pixie who will make all of
your dreams come true. Not this rotten lady
who is Prince Charming’s mother and supposed
to be Fiona’s mother-in-law. The king made a
deal with this double crossing witch and he is in
jeopardy of losing his happily ever after if he
doesn’t get rid of Shrek.
Shrek, Fiona and Donkey return for DreamWorks’ “Shrek 2.”
Enter one of the funniest things ever seen on
screen - Puss in Boots. Who knew Latino actor
Antonio Banderas - known for serious roles
and action movies — could be so funny. He and
Donkey fight for Shrek’s affection and the title
of best friend.
Shrek is conscious of his looks and tries to get
Fairy Godmother to help him with a potion so
that he and Fiona can have their happily every
after.
No one knows that Fairy Godmother isn’t the
sweet old lady she appears to be.
Now, I’m not one to go ga-ga over computer
graphics, but DreamWorks’ team of designers
have to be geniuses. There are parts of the
movie that look as if it is Uve action, I do hate
the ending - it seemed like a rehash of the end-
See SHREK/2D
Filmmaker shows different image of blacks
Wif*fred Cross
Sights
Diana Krall
The Girl In The Other Room
Tommy LiPuma and
Diana Krall, producers
Veiwe Records
Diana Krall departs from her
smoky renderings of jazz stan
dards by offering a CD of new
material written with new hubby
Elvis Costello. Yes, THAT Elvis
Costello.
It may not sound like a match,
but the pair work wonderfully
together. Costello hasn’t lost his
touch with a clever lyric and KraU
certainly knows how to interpret
such. This recording works
because Krall may have strayed
from her material, but not style.
She sings Costello’s pop creations
with the same verve as her jazz
leanings.
And she doesn’t stop at her col
laborations with Costello. Krall is
sensational on Van Morrison’s
“Temptation” as well as Mose
Alhson’s “Stop This World.”
Krall shines best on the new
stuff. The title song is haunting
and engaging, giving Krall the
chance to flex her wonderful voice
and fingers on the ivory. “I’ve
Changed My Address” speaks of a
woman who is on the move emo
tionally. “I’m Coming Through”
picks up the pace a bit - just a bit
- for a nice change of pace.
Krall has one heck of a lineup in
the background. Christian
McBride elegantly plucks the
base while 'Iferri Lyne Carrignton
plays the drums on a few songs.
The sound of this CD is pristine.
My review copy was a Super
Audio CD (SACD) and the mix
was Hvely, Krall’s voice floated
from the center chaimel while
piano, drums, bass and guitar
seem to envelop me from the
other speakers.
This isn’t Krall’s best, but I like
what I hear. “The Girl In The
Other Room” is the right career
move.
Ratings
Classic;
t-'
Elxcellen^
^ ^
Good
■P ■P'
Fair
Why?
’V? '
No stars -
A mess
By Cheris F. Hodges
cheris.hodges@thechariottepost.com
Steve Rutherford saw one too many nega
tive images of black folk on the local TV news.
The former TV reporter saw images of black
people being arrested, getting killed and
killing others for five years. When he tried to
get his editors to do a “positive” story on
African Americans, typically, they said no,
Rutherford said.
“They feel like they have to shock people to
keep the ratings up,” he said. Rutherford
added that he often wondered why couldn’t
stations go to a “trailer park and get the same
thing.”
Rutherford said enough was enough and he
left TV news so that he could show a side of
black people that isn’t normally seen at 6 p.m.
and 11 p.m. Documentaries on African Ameri
cans made by African Americans, he said,
have more power.
“When you are cormected with a subject, you
have a vested interest in it,” he said. “I want
us to look great on screen and a lot of times we
do not.”
Last year, Rutherford started Production 13
Films. His documentary “My Soul Speaks,”
prerrriered at Spirit Square last weekend.
The docirmentary was shot over a seven-
month period on location in Charlotte and
Greensboro.
The film takes the viewer into a sub-culture
of urban poets where they talk about relation
ships, love, sex, corrrrrritment and politics.
Please see RUTHERFORD/3D
€)#0
Filmmaker Steve Rutherford