( rJ I L n T A IN r J1 E N T BRIEFS E zy E, Not To B Outdon . Sc:am Eazy-E (1bumb' of the a pochm'. It the �aJb\InJadakmhM done with tbe award-winning JIOdudIwchn � bqpIII\WIkln ApiL Virgtn Jqa t> abfp � ftlOOId by Clvistnw.. Labya.Jacboo 1m bem sigPcd b a CD-)ar � gig at Pam' finled MQinR09- Eddl Propo ? Eddie Murphy's days • a �maybecxm­ ingbanm AI.mtdq t>. an iIxhBtry 1radc magazine, "TM Hollywood � Muqily IIB.ml the mother of his two-year-old da�r, Brla, ., many him. In fact, ID)dd Nb>1c MitttJl is � a 7-arat dimmrxt q MranwbDe, a court dcddcd J.t )ear 1bat Muqily's "Caning To Amtrica" WM based em an idea sdxniued by Inm:»m Art Blx:h­ wald. Now,B\d!waJd'sabDC)'S- scekq $18 miDion in � Ca tlng b gin for Jack on rl. ��mIm«dra em � Jacbm FIYe is fimJly F'- 1ing ctf� pm. 1k bIr-liu ABC mfni..a bqpIII will the � of Ka� mJ Joe Jadamml�wi1b "17re VICIrJr)' TCI'-" PIodlx*G In Api1. A mdoowidc 1IbJt aadl II behW play the Jackson S. Send your �":"� Dream", 11901 Santa tmnica BMl, &Ji1e SS2, Los CA �. _ coeplled by K. Bub _ Sptcil' CODtrlbaton: UN Colliu (Bdlad-no-ScoDo IDd RadloScope. •• T1lo Col ... D , Glorge Pettus . . Vernell "The great thing about jaxz," says Vernell Brown Jr., "is that everybody bas the opportunity to put their own personality in the music. Improvisation and spontaneity. are the main distinguishing charac­ teriltics; funk and r&b are just grooves. "Bven when I'm playing funk, I might play TbelonioUi Monk or Bud Powellllc over the rhythm." Stay Tuned is the second album by the ccompliahcd and versatile young pianisl His May 1990 debut, A Total Eclipse, placed on the nation's jaxz charts, and was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award. The material on Stay Tuned il an imaginative variety of tyles ranging from "pure" jazz to funk, an even dozen original tuDes that cover ter­ ritory from dreaming to dancing and back with equal enthusiasm and fluency. "Everything here is centered," � explains. "I'm also more focused on thJa one." Brown notes that the new album is more liatener-friendly, retlectcd by hJa remarkable range of material featured in this collection. Stay Tuned mara Brown'l debut a producer, collaborating with his drummer and longtime friend, Land Richards. -rillS ALBU II definitely me," Brown empbalizCI. "I'm powina a oompoaer, and I have more to lay. The album. wu recorded live in the ItudiO, ing my own bud plUllOmc special gucs1l. The mUlic is very aggresalve and hal a real spiritual element." "My coustic p1aoo II tbe i .. tN­ ment," he continuel, ·with electronics uaCd for texture. There are lyrics on the new album, IOme­ thing that a pater majority of the publiC can lilten to." With the rei of Thi.J Is Your Night, oond CAalbum, Min- neapolls-ba ed Giorge Pettu demo tra that '1 oomlort- able exp Ing hi If a roman- tic ball deer be 1 yin into a funlcy'n'hip groove. With produc­ tion or from the li of D YO 'Pic' Conley (of the hit group Sur­ facc), Angela Winb h nd the legendary Ronald ley of the ley Brothers, Ion ide newer na like Wilton Rabb and Eric Daniell, Larry Hatcher & Keith Andes and Mikki Bleu, Giorge' latest project is an exciting mix of contemporary groove nd traditional soul inging at i be t. "This i an album for those ho appreciate good music," Giorge says, with justifiable pride. "I don't go for gimmic : this reeord l all about real singing and everything I do, I can do live." Whether he' giving hi distinctive interpretation to the dreamy "1 Wish" (originally recorded by the Isley Brothers three years ago), the first single from the LP, or sizzling with the new jack­ flavored "You Can Depend On Me, " Giorge is clearly at home with a whole range of musical styl • "I w in the tudio with some great people," eommen Giorge. "I worked with Angela and Ronald on three songs and just meeting them was a great pleasure. Then, 'Pic' Conley came up with the funky groove-oriented material like 'R U Inquisitive' and tDon't Put Me Off 'Til Tomo"ow'. I also got a chance to co-wrne and oo-produc:e 0 lOng myself: 'Where Your Love Lia' is b ed on personal experience." To his latest album Giorge brings a wealth of experience, much of it gained as a live performer. The talented singer w invited by super­ star Whitney Houston to be the open­ ing act on a European tour that took him to 41 citie in the United Kin dom, S tzerland, Germany, Holland, Italy, and sweden. "It flnt time I'd ever formed in front of audie of be- n 20,000 and 40,000 people. I a little scared hen I pee 0 from behind the curtain but 0 I hit the tage I ne." ouurp ly, European audie (known for t�ir ccrning ppreciation 0 t r b) immedi tely embraced Giorge' potent brand of musical magic. THE OUNDATION for Ill.' entry into the world of oontemporary music wa ere ted when Giorge began inging in church in Southampton, Long Island. Ab­ sorbed in go pel music, Giorge taught himself to play piano. While tbe r&b/pop tyle of uch major ar­ tists as Marvin Oaye and Stevie Wonder drew Giorge'l attention during his teelll, gospel w ItIll blI first love and, • a aull, Oiorp with vario local gospel groupl. Bmbarking on a m cal career, Giorge spent time developing hiI songwriting skills with the New York office of Chappell Muaic and later with New Jersey-b eel HelL Records. During his ltint .with the Indie label, Oiorge worked with the late Van McCoy (of "The HU6tle" fame) and the recording group The SoftTon . ' Th e experiences ltood Giorge in good stead when, in 1981, he moved to MinneapoUa, a city then In the procell of rapidly puttiq i If on the nation' musical map. Per­ forming on local television shows and releuing a Ingle, "WortiIIOtt MyStrategy, "Giorge soon became a local favorite; it wu a result of a live show at the well-mown "FIrat Avenue" club (renowned the p�ace where Prince worked during hfa piano UDder the private tutelage of Terry Trotter, woo often playa with Larry Carlton, and Charlie Shoemaker. "Terry mainly taupt me lOme Bach invcndoDl. Cbarlie knows a lot about impro�tion and the style of bebop." He also took special classes at California State Univel1ity, Los Aogclea. For his sopOOmore year, yemeU tranlferred to Hamilton Hlah School� where be came 10 tbe atten­ tion of A&M RecoJdl' ChaIrman, Jerry MOIl, while playlngpiaoowith French bom player Richard Todd at a Recording Amdemy "Jazz in the Schoola" program. Before bIa A&M oonnact w. ligned, Vernell attended 'one aemeater at tile Berklcec Scbobl or -Muaic in Bolton. Along the way, he'l won a lAonan\ Feather plaao scholarship, a Bertlee scbolmhlp, a Yamaba Music Corporation award, and a Belt IDItrumentalilt dtation in Down Beat mapzlne'l 12th annual ltudent m ic awardI. IN aDd 1989, Vemell ... a fIDaUIt in tile TbDloaIouI Moat Ia-' temadoaal JIZZ PIIDO CompeddOD, a ooD t tIIIt belped IaUDell the lIbI . of MarcUI Robel1l and Joey Do- PraDCeICO. . .PoUowiD& the relelle of A TDtIIl Bcllpte, VemeU u featured on te on proaIlIDI, played aenhwln'. ·RbaplOdy in Blue" wldl . t Symphony Or­ cbcltla, IDd spent niDe days tourtna Europe 001010 ICOUidc piano-be'l eDdorlodbyY� BnblDCed by several Loa An­ -bIIod mUlidaDI and aeulon � bad ODs,., n-d caadl1lof tben � ad Darryl drua;w aDd roedI; lit Smelt TIbbIIDCl �tariat Gtepry Cook. ,. VemeU,' "LiDd played I' . RETURNlNGfromhil higbly I Itlnt opening for Whitney In Europe, Gio bepn the of WOltin& on '1'Id.J I. YOflT Ni in 1989. "Tbc album too a 0 yean to "Oiorae . COIIUDen "but I believe in that old phDoeophy: Rome w n't built in a day. ADd all· FOd thfnp come to thole wbo waltl" The walt been worthwhile, .. music fans will agree: Giorge is truly meamerlzlni on tile hypnotic "Sotrte­ body I UMl To KIIow, " bile hiI reading of the laleya' Seventiel hit "Groove With You"iI brimming with oulful uaUty. Giorae weave. his way in and out of tile upbeat "So IrruUtible, '! w "WIIeN'1'IteLove LIa, " recorded at tbe famed Pailley Park fadlid in Mlnneapolll, II clearly ODe of tbe album'utaDdou . "Tbat'l aD emodoDlllOng �or thole in love, " Oi DOtea. Oio Pettul glwa blI all on 11aJs I, YDIU' Ni;rI, a cltzzJing IOOwCIIC for a man with a whole lotta soul. The lyrics on "Everybody Needs A Friend," "Stay Tuned" .and "�er YouAre" are by Will Jen­ nings, whose previous credi1l in­ clude such hI1I as "Up Where We Belong," "SOnteWMre in 1M Night" and "1'11 Never Love Thi8 Way Again." The two met when Vemell was playing the prestigious London jazz room, Ronnie Scott's. BOm on August 13, 1971 and raised in I..aI Angeles, Vemcll be­ came intel'Cltcd in muaic at a young age. He took one piano lcuon at the age of four, he says, but wan't drawn to tho inatrument. Still, a piano was in the house, and be taughl himself to play by ear. He oon­ centra1edinltea4on drums: " .... little funk, and a little rock with a baud of my friends," and'took up violin at 9. By age 13, he w already flllt cbair in his junior high Ichool ordatra. The Brown family'l music 001- lcction oolllilted of "everything in­ cluding jazz - there were. even country inFrs like John Denver, Charley- PrIde aDd the Oak Ridge Boya, plus a lot of�&b, Motown � pop." "THE MUSIC WAS playing all tbe time, but I never really focused on il The only thing I dug wu funk; the Gap Band and other tuff that you collld daDce 10. I've lOt to hear funkybeal· . HIa bUerelt in piaDo WII U'OUIed by a Iubldtute band dMI • "There a break in c an he ltarted playing a boogie-woqgie riff on the piano. I ted how be played it, and then used it • an audldon piece for the LoI County Hlp SdIooI for tbe.Ala - tIIIt ad a� I'd up, readlna tbo . t IDUIlc ad leandD& the piece in fragme ." He bepn ItudylDa jazz and clII­ Ileal muaic., ooncentratiDa on the ro r c I for Gladys Knlpt, Patti A tin, Jamea IDpm, Bobby Lyle aDd AI Janeau. Darryl Jed with DavId PelltoD, . HeDde ... aDd 0dI Day cl tbe KDI • I bIve kDown Bnat lince blp Icbool, aDd Gregory my mUllcai dlJector In I a band teod yeaD 110, a brother aDd