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ENTERTAINMENT
BRIEFS
The Magic Touch
Lakers tar Magic Johnson
i turning his magic touch to
retail clothing with the
opening of hi first tore in the
predominantly Black
community of Baldwin Hill
(Lo Angeles). The clothing
tore-"Magic's 32", i the
first of ral he will open,
offering sports paraphernalia,
clothing, hoes, and
accessorie . The tores will be
run by Magic' wife, Cookie.
oun tr c
A ill d n8
in their seats when they catch
the beat of Tony I Toni!
Tone's! "House Party 2" "/
Don't Know What You Come
To Do" and Ralph Tresvant's
"Yo Baby Yo," both 'featured
on the sizzling MCA Records
oundtrack of House Party 2,
which opens nationwide in
late October.
On the home front
Former Laker great
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has put
his Bel-Air home up for sale
for a cool $4.3 million. The
10,()()() square foot home set
on 1.5 acres boasted our
bed-rooms, maids quarters,
14-foot high ceilings and extra
• large, 12-foot deep stairs.
Additionally, Jabbar had a
sports center built on the
property, that featured a
s ubterranean racquetball •
court, gym, bar, steam rooms
and showers,
Hammerha
a new project
M.C. Hammer is busy at
work on the soundtrack of
Paramount's upcoming "The
Addams Family". Don't be
surprised if the theme song
turns up a lead single from his
next album, due next month.
Hammer is working feveri hly
in Minneapolis (as of this .
writing) to complete the
project on chedule.
Whitfield - An
II around winner
Topping off the recent birth
of her first child, Lynn
Whitfield was radiant as she
walked off with the Emmy for
lead actress in a miniseries.
Her hubby Biran Gibson won
the director's nod. The couple
who were wed in June of 1990,
have a near one month-old
daughter, Grace.
By the way
If you can prove you
purcha ed Milli Wanilli
albums, ca ettes, CDs, and or
concert tickets before
November 27, 1990, you're
due a parti 1 refund from
Art ta and BMG, due to a
recent court order.
co... by KMCene Barka
-Lila Co coatrlbutecl
(It See)
pnm
I
E executive
producers, Kenneth Gamble Leon A Huff,
Phyllisno tbatPrimeofMyLifei analbum
that' important to her "because it' the
second time in my career where I've felt that
I've been with people who re pect my ideas,
who let me create, people who really bow
that they care about me and what I'm doing
musically. All of that kind of upport helps an
artist to deliver work they can be proud of. "
As a female vocalist whose name has be­
come synonymous with quality - m ic
through both her recordin and her dynamic
live performances, Phyllis Hyman has created
career of which he can be proud. Born in
Philadelphia but raised in Pit burgh, Phylli
began singing in school and became a mem­
berofthe All-City Choir. Her early influences
ranged from James Brown, Nancy Wllsonand
Minnie Riperton to Nin Simone and the Last
Poets.
In 1971, Hyman began her prof ional
career in earnest, traveling with a number of
different Top 40 and R&B bands and finally
settling in Miami, where he formed her own
group known the P /H F ctor. Moving to
ew York City at the end of 1975, Phyllis
began establi bing he If among the local
entertainment community as vocali t to be
reckoned with, and it w during a club p­
pearance that musidan/ producer Norman
Jon Lucien
During his ab ence fromthe
forefront of the music industry, Jon
retreated to the laid back Caribbean
nctuary of his native St. Thomas
in the Virgin I lands. He tayed there
from 1985 to 1989, a period during
which he ays,"1 just stopped sing­
ing. I played my bass in little jazz
combos making one hundred dollBIS
a night. That might ound crazy but
itwasjust omethingI needed to do".
It w n't until he moved to the rural
hill of Puerto Rico (where he till
resides) that the urge to record once
a in surfaced.
Uvi peacefully in the solitude
of the beautiful rain forest, he enjoy
the luxury of i land living where he
finds the tranquil beauty to be crea­
tive nd where he deals with the in-
dustry more on his own terms, where
maturity calmed his fcan of new
musical trends ueh as rap and hip­
hop, preventing. hi music from
being heard. " I can't worry about
that now. America speaks several
different languages. You know;
there's the treet, the intellectual.
the rich, the poor, the white collar,
the blue collar, and 0 forth. 1 just
speak my language as best 1 can
through my music". ,
With uch rhythmically ensual
romantic songs like; "Swea Con­
trol", "Nothing Last$ Forever", "Lis­
ttfnLo�"; and "You. TalceMy Breath
way", there'. no doubt that thi new
album will place Jon Lucien b ck in
the forefront of the music cene." 1
can't let the fear of musical barriers
hinder me", he adds, summing it all
up. "Seca in the finalanaly i it'
humans tbatare I teningand they're
going to make tiller own choices" .
1 •
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Prime of My Life' not only the title 0
Phyll Hyman' new album for Philadelphia
In matio I Records, it' an accurate
d ription of what thi formidable arti t .
experiencin these ys, both personally and
prof ionally.
On her first album in five years, the upero
ongs - wb e distinctive vocal tyle
has helped her create a olid and loyal follow­
ing among music lovers worldwide - dis­
play the kind of musical maturity and growth
that com from her clo e to 15 years a
uccessful recording artist.
Sensitive yet oulful, Prime of My Life
reflects Phylli ' innate ability a m ical
interpreter, her skill as one of the vocal tylists
in contemporary music. With production by
Kenneth Gamble, Nic Martinelli, Gene Mc­
Daniel , Marti Sharron, Roland Chambers
. and Terry Burrus, Phyllis' new album is filled
with ongs that are tailor-made for this uni­
quely talented lady, who e popularity has
grown with each successive recording.
Moving from the emotional intensity of
ballads like "Walk AWa:M H "Whatever Hap­
JH!1U!d to Our Love!" and "When / Give My
Love "to the mellow melancholy of "Meet Me
on th« Moon," and on such groove-laden,
infectious tracks as "Don � Wanna Clumge t�
WorldH (the first Ingle) and "I Can" Take It, "
Phyllis Hyman has delivered an album that is
yet anotber reminder of ber enduring talent.
mooth
and Easy:
Jo'n
Lucien
Jon LUCien, international per­
forming and recording arti t,
musician. composer and arranger,
re-enters the music scene with a bril­
liant new album "USTEN LOVE":
his debut release on Mercury
Records.
Smooth and e y, with a pleasing
aftertaste that genUy care the tas­
tebuds, Jon's new album frames the
magnificence of this rare performer.
His warm rhythmical lyrics and
melodies reflect the essence of his
native St. Thomas, where, as a young
boy, he learned the musical skills of
his father, Eric, an accomplished
classic guitarist, and hi mother,
Eloise, a Inger ..
America spesks
several different
languages. You
know, there's the
street, the
Intellectual, the
rich, the poor, the'
white collar, the
blue collar, ena so
forth'. I [u t p ak
my language B
best I can through
, my mu Ic.
Dubbed "The Archi iecrof Aural
Seduction," Jon's the frontrunner to
musical ducers like AI Jarreau and
Luther Vandro . Jon w nominated
, twice in the me category for the
Grammy Awards for his compo i­
tions "Lady Love" and "Rashida"
from the lbwn of the me name.
Hi di tinctive voice has been
featured in over a dozen television
and radio commercial endorsements
including: Air Jamaica, Almond Joy,
Burger King, Diet Seven Up, Exxon
and U.S. Virgin Islands.
NOW, A self-imposed
hiatut ting almost a decade, Jon
Lucien, the man hose seductive
tenor-baritone vocal put the quiet in
the torm, i back with "USTEN
LOVE" which he produced nd
wrote. Jon also utilized the remark­
able talent \ of Jeff Lorber to.
produce two of the cu .
,
Connors caught her how.
Phyllis recorded three songs for Connors'
u ful You Are My Starship album, in-
cluding "Betclul By GoUy W� " which con­
tinues to be one of the cornerstones of her
repertoire. In 1977, Buddah Records
rel ed Phylli 'debut album which featured
thehi "LosingYou,Lo ing'You"and"l Don't
Wanna Lose You. "
During her five years with Arista Records,
Phyllis expanded her international audience
S •• HYMAN, 8·3,
Peabo Bryson's Sack
RadioScope ... The Column
From Bailey Broadcastin
S.,..,k.s V/Q S.rra SrNliclllloll
Peobo Bry on's back with "Can
You Stop The Rain ", the title track off
his new album. It's not that Peabo's
o interested in the weather, it' more
that he ee rain an emotional
metaphor. And Peabo Bryson is in a
heavy duty state of mind the e days.
After many years as a bachelor, he's
found that special someone. He's
engaged to Juanita Leonard, the ex­
wife of boxer Sugar Ray Leonard.
They originally met 11 years ago
while he wa still married. Peabo
and Juanita decided to get married
after he popped the question over
the telephone whil he was working
on hi current album.
At. pres time, the two hadn't tied
the knot yet, but from. the way
Peabo' talking, it could happen at
any moment.
"She's a female version of me",
he says of Juanita. "I know that
sounds really egotistical and trite on
my part, but I feel a kind of kin
manship that' very special. in that
we've had to survive some of the
same things on the same levels, and
I'd much rather have someone who'
seasoned.
"I don't want to be anyone's men­
tor. Having been in thi busines as
long I have, i t's a cary thing for a
woman to be serious about someone
like me. It requires an above normal
o sense ofsecurity,
"Fortunately, for me, I've just
found that and I'm holding on tight
to it."
Duets are one of Peabo's
specialitie. Over tbe years be'
teamed up with some of the loveliest
ladie in the busine - Natalie
Peabo Dry on
Cole, Roberta Flack, Meli sa
Minch ter and Regina Belle. (On
this album, he's hooked up again
wi th Regina on a song called "I Can't
/mtJgine").
Peabo says he and Regina have a
natural vibe going. "We like each
other very much and we're very
respectful of each other's talents. I
think mutuality is the key word
here."
Incidentally, Peabo's love theme
album isn't strictly from a male
viewpoint. One of his favorites is .
"You Don't Have To Beg", a song he
say women would identify with.
What's more, no one need beg for
Peabo to put out another mooth
album. With "Can You Stop The .
Rain", he' done it again. You won't
be disappointed by the latest offering
from thi one-of-a-kind balladeer
who's always got love on hi mind,
- and thi time it' for real.
The Queen of Soul Ar ha
Franklin has postponed all
h r W st Coe t tour date and
puzzled fans are wond ring
'why.
A pok sperson told u
th t It' because Areth-.
ha n't quite conquer d h r
fear of flying. Th t' right
Ar tha won't fly.
She u ually tr vel to tour
date from h r 0 trolt home
by bu . But the trek w t Is Ju
bu •
Aretha' tour
postponed
•
I
. Aretb klI
t too far to cov r by