‘Little Broken Hearts’ is an album all about jealousy, heartache, betrayal, and all of the emotions that come with a tough break-up. It is Norah Jones fifth solo album and it is wonderfully beautiful and dark. Those who have been through a relationship that has met its end will love this album.

The record is produced by Brian Burton also known as Danger Mouse. He has collaborated with artists The Black Keys, Gnarls Barkley, and Beck, among others. Burton and Jones make an excellent team as they together wrote and composed all twelve tracks on the record. ‘Little Broken Hearts’ also marks the first time that Norah wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album and it is different from anything that Norah has ever done in the past.

For starters, take a look at the amazing cover. It differs from previous album covers with its striking photo of Norah. The cover art was inspired by the poster to the film ‘Mudhoney’ from 1965. The story behind is that while recording the album at Brian Burton’s studio, Jones saw the poster on the wall as Burton has a collection of Russ Meyer posters in his studio. The poster was right over the couch where she would sit everyday and she thought it would be a great visual with herself as the vixen.

As always, Norah’s vocals are excellent. Her voice is darker than her previous albums, and this album reflects a woman who has gone through an emotional ordeal and as a result is damaged and dangerous, but ultimately in a happier place. The songs are fraught with sadness as she pours out her heart but the album is excellently build around the stages of coping: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

The songs on ‘Little Broken Hearts’ are raw and emotionally charged as Norah wrote the tunes after a rough break-up. The compositions are experimental and unique. There is a mixture of jazzy and upbeat tracks, all the way down to somber, stark, and low sounds.

Brian Burton is truly a master of sound and knows how to woo the listener - the track “Good Morning” is beautiful and elegant, while the track “Miriam” expresses an “I know what you did and you’re gonna pay” attitude with its angry vibe. “Happy Pills” is the most upbeat track on the record with its catchy and jazzy sound. It tells the story of Jones realizing that she is better off alone after being free from a relationship.

In all, ‘Little Broken Heart’s is an excellent album and fans will be pleased. Norah has taken the off beaten path and in doing so has created an amazing piece of art. The album was released May 1 and Norah is currently touring. Visit her site to find out when she’s going to be in a city near you.

Rating: 5/5

Image Courtesy of   asterix611

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VH1 has announced the newest artist lineup of its critically-acclaimed original music franchise, ”VH1 Storytellers.” This season will continue to deliver the intimate stories and live performances from some of the most popular and influential music artists of our time.

Featured artists premiering this season will include multi-platinum selling artist Jason Mraz ,Grammy-winning chanteuses Norah Jones and Jill Scott and roots rockers Grace Potter & the Nocturnals .

“We’re so proud to announce these exceptionally talented artists as part of our 16th season of VH1 Storytellers,” said Tom Calderone, President, VH1. “Our audience is hungry for the kind of deeper musical experience and connection to artists that Storytellers brings.

That connection has cemented the series’ status as a jewel of the entertainment world where artists intimately share their music and the often revealing and poignant stories behind their songs.”

Premiere dates for the upcoming season of “VH1 Storytellers” include:

Jill Scott - May 21
Jason Mraz - June 1
Norah Jones - June 8
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals- June 15

“VH1 Storytellers” is a VH1 original series in which singer/songwriters perform and tell stories in front of an intimate audience about their lives, lyrics and careers.

The series premiered in 1996 with Ray Davies.  Since then, “VH1 Storytellers” has showcased some of the greatest names in music. David Bowie, Kanye West, Bruce Springsteen, Mary J. Blige, Green Day, Elton John, Coldplay, Jay-Z, Billy Joel, Pearl Jam, Dixie Chicks, Johnny Cash, Foo Fighters, John Mayer and Christina Aguilera and many others have graced the Storytellers stage. For more information about the series and to watch video clips from past performances go to Storytellers.VH1.com.

“VH1 Storytellers” is a production of VH1. Lee Rolontz, Rick Krim and Bill Flanagan serve as executive producers.

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with TV series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in 99 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital channels and services including VH1Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1 Mobile, and extensive video on VH1.com. Connect with VH1 at VH1.com

Image Courtesy of    http://www.flickr.com/photos/owenwbrown/

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Tony Bennett made music history with the Grammy-nominated CD Duets II when it debuted at the top of the Billboard Album charts, making Bennett the oldest vocal artist ever to achieve the number one spot. Recently nominated for three Grammys, including Best Traditional Pop Vocal, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s), the critically acclaimed album followed the 85-year-old singer’s Grammy-winning 2006 Duets CD, which had, in turn, been released in honor of his 80th birthday.

Tony Bennett: Duets II, a presentation of THIRTEEN’s Great Performances, features the singer’s greatest hits, performed by Bennett and today’s biggest stars, including John Mayer, Michael Buble, k.d. lang, Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson, Queen Latifah, Norah Jones, Josh Groban, Faith Hill, Alejandro Sanz, Carrie Underwood and more.

The sessions, filmed to capture the magic of these performers singing with the master of the Great American Songbook, airs on Friday, January 27, 2012, at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings).

Great Performances is a production of THIRTEEN for WNET, one of America’s most prolific and respected public media providers. For nearly 50 years, WNET has been producing and broadcasting national and local arts programming to the New York community.

The album took more than six months to record, with each track recorded face-to-face with his singer partners in studios around the world, from LA to Nashville to London.  Among the many highlights is Amy Winehouse’s last recorded track (“Body and Soul”), which was produced in London’s famous Abbey Road Studios in March. Other tracks were recorded in New York in late July: the Richard Rodgers-Lorenz Hart classic, “The Lady Is a Tramp,” with Lady Gaga, and the Alan and Marilyn Bergman classic, “How Do You Keep the Music Playing,” with Aretha Franklin , and “Stranger in Paradise,” with Andrea Bocelli , recorded at the singer’s Italian home (see full track listing below).

The CD received kudos from all quarters. The Wall Street Journal noted that the singer was “…constantly reaffirming his position as pop music’s greatest living patriarch,” and Associated Press observed, “Tony Bennett is as timeless as the songs he sings on ‘Duets II.’”

The musical segments are highlighted by insights on the process from the performers, making for an up-close look at one of the year’s most celebrated recordings. The sessions were filmed by Oscar-winning cinematographer Dion Beebe (“Chicago,” “Memoirs of a Geisha,” “Collateral”), providing a personal, behind-the-scenes look at Bennett’s latest collaborations and his artistic approach with each song.

Entering his seventh decade as a recording artist with more than 100 albums and 15 Grammy Awards including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Bennett has earned his legendary status many times over. He remains the Columbia recording artist with the greatest longevity at the label. His 2007 primetime special, “Tony Bennett:  An American Classic,” won seven Emmy Awards and was directed by Academy Award winner Rob Marshall.

He has performed for Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Carter, Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama. He also worked with and marched alongside Martin Luther King in his 1965 civil rights march and was honored with the Martin Luther King’s Salute to Greatness Award.

In addition to performing, he is a visual artist as well, with three of his original paintings featured in the permanent collection at the Smithsonian, including his portraits of Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington. His humanitarian efforts are renowned, and the United Nations honored him with their Humanitarian Award in 2007.

He has published three books — his autobiography, The Good Life, and two collections of his paintings,Tony Bennett: What My Heart Has Seen and Tony Bennett in the Studio: A Life of Art and Music. Bennett founded, in association with the Department of Education in New York City, the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts — a public arts high school in his hometown of Astoria, Queens. With his wife, Susan, he established Exploring the Arts, a charitable organization that supports arts education in NYC public high schools. Exploring the Arts supports 14 public high schools throughout New York City.

In the fall of 2007, a documentary of Bennett’s life and career, produced by Clint Eastwood, “Tony Bennett: The Music Never Ends,” aired on THIRTEEN’s American Masters on PBS.

The full song program follows:

“The Lady Is a Tramp” (Lady Gaga)
“One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)” (John Mayer)
“Body and Soul” (Amy Winehouse)
“Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” (Michael Buble)
“Blue Velvet” (k.d. lang)
“How Do You Keep the Music Playing” (Aretha Franklin)
“The Girl I Love” (Sheryl Crow)
“On the Sunny Side of the Street” (Willie Nelson)
“Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)” (Queen Latifah)
“Speak Low” (Norah Jones)
“This Is All I Ask” (Josh Groban)
“Watch What Happens” (Natalie Cole)
“Stranger in Paradise” (Andrea Bocelli)
“The Way You Look Tonight” (Faith Hill)
“Yesterday I Heard the Rain” (Alejandro Sanz)
“It Had to Be You” (Carrie Underwood)

Image Courtesy of  Tony Bennett

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Back in early 2010 after a huge media backlash, John Mayer seemed to disappear. Now, after almost two years, Mayer has returned in an unexpected way.

John Mayer first came on the music scene with the success of his first album Room for Squares in 2001. Songs such as “No Such Thing,” and “Your Body is a Wonderland” gained popularity and even resulted in a Grammy Award win for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. Since then, Mayer has been nominated for 18 Grammys and has won seven. He has collaborated with Herbie Hancock, Norah Jones, B.B. King, Kanye West and other notable celebrities.

Mayer’s accomplishments, however, have often been looked past by his relationships with famous women such as Minka Kelly and Jessica Simpson, among many others. As a result, Hollywood has dubbed him a “womanizer.”

In February 2010, John Mayer’s infamous Playboy interview became a heated topic as he discussed his controversial feelings on race, past relationships with Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Anniston, and homosexuality.  Readers and fans of Mayer found more information than they wanted whereas his toughest critics found more ammunition.

Almost immediately, numerous groups such as GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) called on Mayer to apologize after he used anti-gay slurs. Notable movie critic, Roger Ebert called Mayer out on his twitter,  ”To John Mayer regarding black women: What’s not to like?”, as the musician said he said he wouldn’t open up himself to dating black women.

Many people were offended by Mayer’s remarks and he expressed regret concerning the interview. “Maybe I need to take a break from trying to be clever… I quit the media game. I quit the sound byte game,” Mayer said to a Nashville, TN crowd as he took an emotional break during his concert shortly after the interview was released.

Mayer also took to his Twitter account to apologize for the interview and the actions he has taken in the past few years to his 3.7 million followers. Since then, he has deleted his account and moved to Tumblr. His last tweet, “What does this button do?” was posted in September of 2010.

Since then, Youtube videos have surfaced of Mayer performing surprise concerts at small cafés. His hair is grown out with plenty of facial hair and wearing a fedora, a look that resembles Johnny Depp. Even at the 2011 Grammy Awards where the musician performed a short version of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” with Norah Jones and Keith Urban, Kanye West tweeted,“I didn’t know Johnny Depp played guitar.”

Despite all of the heartache, Mayer seems to be coming back in the spotlight. Rollin’ With Zach is a new television show on Oprah Winfrey’s Network, OWN, where John Mayer lends his talents for the show’s opening theme song. Zach Anner, the host of the show, is a stand up comedian with cerebral palsy who travels across the United States to historic cities.

Anner won Winfrey’s competition, Your OWN Show in early 2011 with the help of Mayer. People were able to go online and vote for their favorite contestant. However, Anner was lacking in votes until his favorite musician posted a video encouraging fans to vote for the aspiring television host. A day after the video was posted, Anner was well into the lead and won by a large gap this past January.

Rollin’ With Zach airs every Monday on OWN at 8pm.

“Let the Boy,” the title song for the show’s theme, is the first official song John Mayer has released in over two years.

After the song was recorded, Mayer was diagnosed with granuloma, a serious throat condition in which an enlarged nodule sits just above the vocal cords. The granuloma was taken out in late October, but it hindered his upcoming album being released. “I am now on complete vocal rest for a month or more,” Mayer wrote on his Tumblr and also added, “I stay in at night…dreaming of playing on the big stage.”

The Grammy-winner’s fifth studio album, Born and Raised, is set to be released in early 2012.

Gustavo Miguel Fernandes / Shutterstock.com

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