Oklahoma bands planning Haiti benefit shows
Stardeath and White Dwarfs
Several Oklahoma bands are planning to perform at benefit shows to help humanitarian efforts in earthquake-ravaged Haiti. Here is a list of a few of the upcoming charity concerts:
- The Raising Haiti Benefit featuring Sugar Free Allstars, Aliens vs. Robots, Dustin Prinz, The Buckners, Kyle Kubiak and Red Dirt Poetry is set for 8 tonight at VZDs, 4200 N Western. Information: 524-4203 or www.vzds.com. Proceeds will go to the American Red Cross’ Haiti relief efforts. (As of this afternoon, this show was still on, but in light of today’s inclement weather, you probably want to call ahead before heading out to VZDs tonight.)
- Stardeath and White Dwarfs, Colourmusic and The City Lives will play a Haiti relief show at 7 p.m. Monday at The Conservatory, 8911 N Western. Profits will go to Red Cross Haiti relief. Information: www.conservatoryokc.com.
- “Concert for Haitian Aid,” including Built for Speed, Hoppy Niles & One Arm Bandit and Loose Change, at 7 p.m. Thursday at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63. The event will include a raffle and cash bar and benefit the Red Cross’ relief efforts. To get information or donate to the raffle, contact Dennis Grigsby at 392-2494 orsoundman@pldi.net or Roy Dickinson at 919-2302 or roy.d@coxinet.net.
- The South 77 Band, Aaron Vaughn, Maggie McClure, Emit, the Shining Lights and Union Soul will perform a benefit at 7 p.m. Thursday at Hidden Castle, 1309 24th Ave. SW. All proceeds will go to missionofhopehaiti.org, via Journey Church of Norman. Information: Jason Hemesley at 306-0036 or e-mail jasonhem54@hotmail.com.
- BAM
Leon Russell to perform with Zac Brown Band at Sunday’s Grammy Awards
Leon Russell
Tulsa Sound legend Leon Russell is planning to take the Grammys stage Sunday night, about after two weeks after undergoing surgery for a brain-fluid leak.
The Lawton-born singer/musician is set to perform with country group Zac Brown Band, which is nominated for best new artist, best country album and best country performance by a duo or group with vocals.
USA Today reports that Uncle Leon was at Grammy rehearsals with Zac Brown Band earlier this week. They were rehearsing “America the Beautiful,” Russell’s “Dixie Lullaby” and the band’s hit “Chicken Fried” (the song that earned them their best country performance nod) for a medley they will perform during the awards show.
Russell is set to play piano and provide vocals during the performance, which will mark his debut on the Grammy stage, according to USA Today.
“I’m tired, but otherwise OK; it’s a pretty quick recovery,” Russell told the publication. “I’m going to be in the background, and I don’t have to walk a red carpet.”
The Grammys will air live at 7 p.m. Sunday on CBS, and it will be a joy to see Uncle Leon playing at the show.
Remember to follow my live-blog of the Grammy Awards Sunday night. And pick up your free 3-D Grammy glasses at Target before the show so you can get the full effect of the 3-D tribute to Michael Jackson, featuring Oklahoma native Carrie Underwood, during the show.
-BAM
Weekend Warmup for Jan. 29-31, 2010
Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant (Photo by Steve Sisney/The Oklahoman Archives)
Here is a list of events happening around Oklahoma this weekend (Jan. 29-31). Due to the winter weather in the state, please call ahead or check the venue’s Web site before heading out to any of these events. Some may be canceled or postponed because of inclement weather and road conditions.
For more activities, go to www.wimgo.com. And above all, please have a safe weekend!
- Watch the Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Denver Nuggets tonight at the Ford Center, 100 W Reno. Or see the Thunder play the Golden State Warriors at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Ford Center. Information: www.thunder.nba.com.
- NORMAN — Listen to Grammy-nominated folk singer-songwriter Eliza Gilkyson at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Santa Fe Depot, 200 S Jones Ave. The show is part of the Performing Arts Studio’s Winter Wind concert series. Information: 307-9320 or www.thepas.org. (Gilkyson’s show set for tonight at Tulsa’s All Souls Acoustic Coffeehouse has been canceled due to bad weather; the venue is trying to reschedule the show for a later date and encourages ticketholders to keep their tickets. Information: www.allsoulcoffeehouse.com.)
- Hear pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin perform with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Civic Center, 201 N Walker. And the philharmonic’s Discovery Family Series continues with “Music in Motion” at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Civic Center. Information: 842-5387 or www.okcphilharmonic.org.
Estelle Parsons in “August: Osage County”
- TULSA — See the national touring production of Pulitzer Prize-winning drama “August: Osage County,” written by Tulsa-born playwright Tracy Letts, at 7:30 p.m. today and 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Tulsa Performing Arts Center, Third and Cincinnati. Information: (800) 364-7111 or www.tulsapac.com.
- Listen to Oklahoma indie singer-songwriters Jacob Abello and Sherree Chamberlain at 10 tonight at 51st Street Speakeasy, 1114 NW 51. Information: 463-0470 or www.myspace.com/51speakeasy.
- Check out the 17th Annual Cafe City Arts celebration and arts sale at 7:30 tonight at City Arts Center, 3000 General Pershing Blvd. at State Fair Park. The fundraising event featuring works from national, regional and emerging artists, a chance to meet many of the artists and refreshments from some of the metro’s finest eateries is still on for tonight. Information or tickets: www.cityartscenter.org.
Eli Young Band
-TULSA – Hear Eli Young Band and Sean McConnell at 8:30 p.m. today and Saturday at Cain’s Ballroom, 423 N Main. Doors open at 7 p.m. Reckless Kelly will join the lineup for the Sunday show. Information: www.cainsballroom.com.
- TULSA – Listen to Oklahoma band the Red Dirt Rangers at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center Williams Theater, Third and Cincinnati. Information: www.tulsapac.com.
- Take part in the Raising Haiti Benefit featuring Sugar Free Allstars, Aliens vs. Robots, Dustin Prinz, The Buckners and Kyle Kubiak at 8 tonight at VZDs, 4200 N Western. Information: www.vzds.com.
BradChad Porter
- Laugh along at the OKC Improv showcase at 8 and 10 p.m. Saturday at Ghostlight Theatre Club, 3110 N Walker in the Paseo Arts District. The 8 p.m. show will include Crayons Improv, Tulsa’s top short-form troupe that specializes in creating innovative family-friendly comedy, followed by the jazzy relationship-driven comedy of Oklahoma City troupe The Ones Your Mother Warned You. The 10 ap.m. show will feature OKC stand-up comic BradChad Porter, followed by The Closers, an OKC troupe that specializes in creating 45-minute improvised plays in the style of writer David Mamet (”Glengarry Glen Ross,” “The Untouchables”). Information: www.okcimprov.com.
- See the new exhibit “Jason Peters: Anti.Gravity.Material.Light” this weekend at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive. Information: www.okcmoa.com.
- TULSA – Mark the release The Non’s new CD at a show also featuring Dead Sea Choir and Scales of Motion at 7 tonight at The Marquee, 222 N Main. Information: www.myspace.com/themarqueetulsa.
-BAM
OKC Improv continuing inaugural run with colorful Saturday show
Crayons
OKC Improv, Oklahoma’s first ongoing professional showcase of local and regional improv comedy and theater, continues its current seven-week run every Saturday night through Feb. 27 with two shows each night at 8 and 10 p.m. at Ghostlight Theatre Club, 3110 N Walker, and will feature a variety of improv acts from across the state along with the occasional special guest.
This Saturday’s 8 p.m. show includes Crayons Improv, Tulsa’s top short-form troupe that specializes in creating innovative family-friendly comedy, followed by the jazzy relationship-driven comedy of The Ones Your Mother Warned You About that The Oklahoman theater reviewer Elizabeth Hurd said “appeals to a sophisticated … audience” that balances “zaniness with superb expression and movement.”
At 10 p.m. Saturday, BradChad Porter, one of Oklahoma’s most furiously funny stand-up comedians makes his debut on the OKC Improv stage, followed by The Closers, an OKC troupe that specializes in creating 45-minute improvised plays in the style of writer David Mamet (“Glengarry Glen Ross,” “The Untouchables”), characterized by fast-flying witty dialogue, complex plots and an exploration of just how far desperate people will go to get their way.
According to www.okcimprov.com, Saturday’s show is still on despite this week’s wintry weather. The site will be updated if the show has to be canceled.
Other troupes scheduled to perform during the seven week run include OKC’s Everybody and Their Dog, OKC Improv All-Stars and Twinprov, Norman’s O.U. Improv, and Stillwater’s Ham Wallet and Cueless.
In her rave review, Elizabeth Hurd of The Oklahoman declared “OKC Improv puts Oklahoma City on the map for comedy, stand-up or ROTFLOL (rolling on the floor laughing out loud)” and that “Professional quality improvisation is not for the faint of heart. But anyone who likes a little irreverent humor will appreciate one of these hilarious shows.”
According to Janet Patterson of The Edmond Sun, “Ghostlight Theatre Club’s intimate atmosphere, with its small stage and cash bar, is a perfect setting for the unabashed adult entertainment OKC Improv provides. At $10 per ticket, it’s affordable, interactive and an interesting alternative to traditional scripted theater.”
For more information go to www.okcimprov.com. Reservations are encouraged and can be made via e-Mail at okcimprov@gmail.com or by calling 343-1570.
OKC Improv is produced in conjunction with Ghostlight Theatre Club by Marcy Fleming, Buck Vrazel, Clint Vrazel and Eric Webb for Mirror Image Productions.
See the full schedule for OKC Improv’s remaining January/February run after the break.
UPDATED: Parachute and Safetysuit show among events postponed tonight due to winter weather
Parachute
The winter weather has caused some venues around the state to postpone or cancel tonight’s events.
In other cases, venues are holding off on confirming or rescheduling events until later today, after the status of the weather and roads becomes more certain.
Here are a few of tonight’s events that I’ve heard have been postponed or canceled, as well as some that seem to be going on as planned.
My advice: Before you go anywhere tonight, call ahead or check the venue’s and/or performer’s Web site before hitting the road. Also, check NewsOK.com or other sites to get an idea of road conditions in your area. Having a good time on a Friday night is one thing, but remember, safety first.
Postponed/canceled for tonight:
- Tonight’s Parachute and Safetysuit show, which also was to feature Oklahoma City’s own Graham Colton, at the Diamond Ballroom has been postponed. According to www.diamondballroom.net, the concert has NOT been canceled, just put off to a later (hopefully more weather-friendly) date. Ticketholders are instructed to hold onto their tickets since they will be honored for the rescheduled date. Ticketholders are urged to monitor www.dcfconcerts.com or www.diamondballroom.net for updates on the new show date.
- Red Dirt Improv has delayed tonight’s Very Vrazel Farewell show, according to the troupe’s Facebook page. The show will instead take place at 9 p.m. next Friday, Feb. 5 at IAO Gallery, 706 W Sheridan.
- TULSA – Eliza Gilkyson’s concert tonight at All Soul’s Acoustic Coffeehouse has been canceled, according to www.allsoulcoffeehouse.com. The venue is working to reschedule the date. Ticketholders should keep their tickets and check the venue’s Web site for updates on a new show date.
Gilkyson also is scheduled to perform Sunday night at Norman’s Santa Fe Depot as part of the Performing Arts Studio’s Winter Wind concert series. As of now, that show is apparently still on; neither www.thepas.org nor www.elizagilkyson.com/Calendar.htm has Sunday’s show listed as canceled or delayed.
- The Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, has canceled tonight’s screenings of the films “Half-Life” and “Red Cliff.” According to www.okcmoa.com/film, the “Half-Life” screenings set for 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, as well as the 8 p.m. Saturday showing of “Red Cliff” are still on for now.
Still on for tonight:
- TULSA – Eli Young Band is set to perform at 8:30 tonight at Cain’s Ballroom, 423 N Main. As of Thursday, www.cainsballroom.com was reporting the show was still on, and the band members just posted on Twitter (www.twitter.com/EliYoungBand) a few minutes ago that they have made it to Tulsa from Arkansas. So, it’s a pretty good bet this show will happen as scheduled.
Also, Eli Young Band is set to play Cain’s again at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
- The Oklahoma City Thunder will be taking on the Denver Nuggets at 7 tonight at the Ford Center, 100 W Reno. According to www.okfordcenter.com, the venue’s box office for the game won’t open until 2 p.m. today due to the weather. On Twitter, Thunder mascot Rumble the Bison (www.twitter.com/rumblethebison) reported this morning: “Yes, the game is on tonight! The Nuggets are here, the refs are here, and the 1st 10,000 fans get a Thunder/MidFirst beanie. Perfect timing!”-
- The 17th Annual Cafe City Arts celebration and arts sale will take place at 7:30 tonight at City Arts Center, 3000 General Pershing Blvd. at State Fair Park. I received an e-mail from City Arts Center this morning that the fundraising event, featuring works from national, regional and emerging artists, a chance to meet many of the artists and refreshments from some of the metro’s finest eateries, is still on for tonight. For information or to buy tickets, go to www.cityartscenter.org.
- TULSA — The national touring production of Pulitzer Prize-winning drama “August: Osage County,” written by Tulsa-born playwright Tracy Letts, will be staged at 7:30 p.m. today at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center as planned, according to www.tulsapac.com.
Additional performances are set for 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Tulsa PAC, Third and Cincinnati. For more information, call (800) 364-7111 or go to www.tulsapac.com.
-BAM
Michael Buble to play Tulsa’s BOK Center June 22; tickets on sale Feb. 5
Grammy Award-winning crooner Michael Bublé is coming to BOK Center for one night only at 8 p.m. June 22.
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Feb. 5. Prices are set at $51.50, $71.50 and $91.50.
Tickets will be available online at www.bokcenter.com, at the Arby’s Box Office and all Tickets.com outlets or by phone at (866) 7BOKCTR.
Touring in support of his No. 1 selling release, “Crazy Love,” Bublé has been called “one of the most likeable performers on Earth.” His previous tour sold out in 90 U.S. cities where he performed for more than 650,000 fans. His “Crazy Love Tour” will be his biggest and most exciting tour to date. His stage show is propelled by a string of smash hits including “Home,” “Everything” and his current No. 1 single “Haven’t Met You Yet,” along with his distinctive interpretations of classics like “Cry Me a River,” “Stardust” and “You’re Nobody ‘til Somebody Loves You.”
“I’m an entertainer… It’s what I live for… I can’t wait to get back on tour. The show will be bombastic, cinematic and at the same time a very intimate experience. And besides, I can’t wait to see my fans, I’ve missed them,” said Bublé in a news release.
-BAM
Bublé’s new CD “Crazy Love” entered Billboard Top 200 Chart at #1 and remained there for two consecutive weeks. Critics and fans agree that this is his best album to date.
BAM’s Blog winter/spring film round-up
“Green Zone”
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Bright spots accent field of late winter, spring film offerings
Unfortunately for film fans disposed to the wintertime blahs, movie seasons tend to mimic the natural seasons of the year.
After the colorful glory and good cheer of the fall and holiday awards-worthy releases, Hollywood settles into its winter dormancy, with only the occasional great film popping up amid the dull castoffs and leftovers from more robust seasons. As spring nears, the movies steadily become brighter and more promising.
Fortunately, this winter and spring features several potential bright spots cropping up like hopeful daffodils, including Martin Scorsese’s thriller “Shutter Island,” Tim Burton’s vivid version of “Alice in Wonderland” and the Oscar-caliber remake of “The Wolfman.”
As you peruse the list of this season’s film choices, remember that movie studios often shift release dates, so check your local listings before heading to the theater.
“Crazy Heart”
Today
Jeff Bridges won a Golden Globe and is considered an Oscar front-runner for his amazing turn as a washed-up country singer in “Crazy Heart.”
In “Edge of Darkness,” Mel Gibson plays a cop desperately trying to track his daughter’s killers.
During a trip to Italy, an unlucky-in-love New Yorker (Kristen Bell) suddenly attracts several potential beaus when she snatches coins from a magical fountain in “When in Rome”
Feb. 5
A soldier (Channing Tatum) and a college student (Amanda Seyfried) find their love tested by war in the romantic drama “Dear John,” based on a Nicholas Sparks novel.
Despite the title, “From Paris With Love” isn’t a romance but an actioner about a young embassy employee (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) who works with an FBI agent (John Travolta) to prevent a terrorist attack in Paris.
“The Wolfman”
Feb. 12
Oscar winner Benicio Del Toro takes on the hairy and harrowing title role in “The Wolfman,” which also stars Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt and Hugo Weaving.
An all-star cast including Jessica Alba, Bradley Cooper and Anne Hathaway plays interrelated Los Angeles residents dealing with love and heartache around “Valentine’s Day.”
In “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,” based on the children’s books by Rick Riordan, a teen (Logan Lerman) learns he is the son of the god Poseidon (Kevin McKidd) and sets out to settle a feud between his father and other Greek deities.
“Shutter Island”
Feb. 19
Director Martin Scorsese reunites with star Leonardo DiCaprio for his latest thriller, about a pair of U.S. marshals (DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo) investigating the disappearance of a killer (Emily Mortimer) from the menacing mental institute on “Shutter Island.”
Feb. 26
Kevin Smith (“Clerks”) directs Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan as police partners hunting a rare and valuable baseball card in the comedy “Cop Out.”
Hollywood again destroys the world in “The Crazies,” about a toxin that turns the mild-mannered residents of an Iowa hamlet into, well, crazies.
“Alice in Wonderland”
March 5
Visionary director Tim Burton takes Johnny Depp, Alan Rickman and Anne Hathaway through Lewis Carroll’s looking glass with “Alice in Wonderland.” In Burton’s version, 19-year-old Alice (Aussie actress Mia Wasikowska) returns to the enchanted land she visited as a child to depose the terrible Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter).
“Remember Me”
March 12
Oscar winner Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass (“The Bourne Supremacy” and “Bourne Ultimatum”) reunite for another adventure in “Green Zone,” which stars Damon as an Army officer who goes rogue while looking for weapons of mass destruction.
In the romantic drama “Remember Me,” “Twilight” heartthrob Robert Pattinson and Emilie de Ravin of TV’s “Lost” play new lovers trying to cope with family tragedies in both their lives.
In “She’s Out of My League,” an average guy (Jay Baruchel) lets his lack of confidence threaten his budding relationship with his ideal girl (Alice Eve).
A young couple’s (America Ferrera, Lance Gross) decision to marry upsets their feuding fathers (Forest Whitaker, Carlos Mencia) in the comedy “Our Family Wedding.”
“The Runaways”
March 19
“Twilight” star Kristen Stewart plays Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning plays Cherie Currie in “The Runaways,” the biopic about the trailblazing 1970s all-girl rock band.
In “The Bounty Hunter,” a fugitive recovery agent (Gerard Butler) tracks down his ex-wife (Jennifer Aniston), a reporter delving into a murder cover-up.
Four discontented middle-aged pals (John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke) travel back to the 1980s in a time-shifting whirlpool in “Hot Tub Time Machine.” The film reteams Cusack and director Steve Pink, who wrote together on the scripts for “Grosse Pointe Blank” and “High Fidelity.”
Nicolas Cage stars as a medieval knight tasked with escorting a peasant girl accused of dark magic to trial in “Season of the Witch.”
In the romantic drama “Last Night,” Keira Knightley and Sam Worthington play a married couple trying to stay faithful while the husband is away on business with a lovely colleague and the wife encounters an old flame.
“Clash of the Titans”
March 26
Sam Worthington (who is now officially in everything), Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes get into Greek mythology with “Clash of the Titans,” a remake of the 1981 action-adventure.
In the animated movie “How to Train Your Dragon,” Viking youth Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third (voice of Jay Baruchel) must tame a wild dragon as a rite of passage. “Lilo & Stitch” helmers Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders co-direct.
“The Last Song”
April 2
Miley Cyrus steps away from her breakout role as Hannah Montana with the Disney family drama “The Last Song,” starring as a mutinous teen spending the summer with her estranged father (Greg Kinnear).
Jeff Kinney’s best-selling illustrated novel “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” gets a big-screen adaptation, with Zachary Gordon playing the wise-cracking seventh-grader chronicling his daily misadventures.
In the futuristic thriller “Repo Men,” Jude Law plays an agent who repossesses costly artificial organs when the recipients don’t pay up, only to find himself on the run when he can’t afford his lifesavingÖ new heart.
Writer-director Tyler Perry again sends four couples on vacation to scrutinize their marriages in “Why Did I Get Married Too,” the sequel to his 2007 hit.
April 9
Based on Andy Diggle’s graphic novel, “The Losers” stars Zoe Saldana, Chris Evans and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as members of a highly trained Special Forces team out for revenge after they are betrayed and left for dead.
In “Date Night,” a married couple’s (Tina Fey, Steve Carell) romantic night out takes a surprising turn through a case of mistaken identity.
Inspired by a true story, “Letters to God” centers on a boy who touches the lives of others by penning letters to God during his battle with cancer.
“The Back-up Plan”
April 16
Oklahoma native James Marsden, Zoe Saldana and Chris Rock flex their comedic muscles in the star-studded remake of the 2007 British film “Death at a Funeral.”
Directed by Matthew Vaughn (“Stardust”) and based on the comic by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr., “Kick-A--” follows a teen fanboy (Aaron Johnson) who reinvents himself as a superhero, despite his dearth of powers. Along the way, he inspires copy cats, garners enemies and meets a father-daughter duo (Nicolas Cage and Chloe Moretz) with similar superheroic aspirations.
A singleton (Jennifer Lopez) meets a potential husband (Alex O’Loughlin) on the day she is artificially inseminated in the rom-com “The Back-up Plan.”
April 22
Disneynature explores the flora, fauna and terrain of the “Oceans,” opening on Earth Day.
April 23
Director Oliver Stone and star Michael Douglas reunite for the sequel “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.” Douglas, who won an Oscar for the 1987 original, plays fallen stockbroker Gordon Gekko, who teams with a young broker (Shia LaBeouf) to track a murderer and warn of an imminent financial meltdown.
Leonardo DiCaprio narrates the space documentary “IMAX: Hubble 3D.”
Based on a “Saturday Night Live” spoof, “MacGruber” follows a former special agent (Will Forte) brought back into action to defeat his nemesis (Val Kilmer).
“A Nightmare on Elm Street”
April 30
Jackie Earle Haley (“Watchmen”) dons the razor-clawed glove, striped sweater, brown fedora, facial scars and dream-destroying powers of Freddy Krueger in the remake of “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”
In “Furry Vengeance,” woodland critters in the Oregon wilderness target a cocky real estate developer (Brendan Fraser) planning to demolish their homes.
Also for winter/spring
These films also are planned for winter or spring releases, but they do not have firm opening dates for Oklahoma City:
Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke and Don Cheadle play conflicted cops whose paths fatefully cross in the crime thriller “Brooklyn’s Finest,” from director Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day”).
Auteur Roman Polanski, currently under house arrest in Switzerland and fighting extradition on his 32-year-old guilty plea to having sex with a minor, directs Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan and Kim Cattrall in the political thriller “The Ghost Writer.”
The documentary “Babies” follows a year in the life of four infants from around the world, from Mongolia, Namibia, San Francisco and Tokyo.
-BAM
Oklahomans competing in several Grammy categories
Above: Checotah native Carrie Underwood is shown backstage at the 2009 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. Underwood is nominated for two Grammys and will perform during a special tribute to the late Michael Jackson during Sunday’s 2010 Grammys. Below left: Oklahoma City-born musician Matthew Followill of rock band Kings of Leon performs last year at the Clive Davis pre-Grammy party in Beverly Hills, Calif. Below right: Tulsa native Charlie Wilson is nominated in two R&B categories at this year’s Grammy Awards. (Associated Press file photos)
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman. Contributing: The Associated Press
Musicians with Oklahoma ties vie for Grammys
Carrie Underwood, other artists will aid in tribute to late Michael Jackson during Sunday’s 7 p.m. telecast
With Kings of Leon, Carrie Underwood, Charlie Wilson and more among the nominees, Oklahoma will be represented in categories crossing several musical genres at Sunday night’s Grammy ceremonies.
The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards will air live from 7 to 10:30 p.m. Sunday from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on CBS.
Rockers Kings of Leon boast four Grammy nominations, including nods in the cross-genre record and song of the year categories for their hit “Use Somebody.” The band also is nominated for best rock song and best rock vocal performance with vocals for “Use Somebody.”
Kings of Leon includes three brothers —Caleb (vocals, guitar), Nathan (drums) and Jared (bass) Followill — and their first cousin Matthew Followill (lead guitar). Matthew and Nathan were born in Oklahoma City, and the Followills grew up traversing the Bible Belt between Memphis, Tenn., and Oklahoma City with the brothers’ Pentecostal preacher father.
Alice in Chains, which includes Jerry Cantrell, who has an Atoka ranch, is nominated for best hard rock performance for “Check My Brain,” from the band’s album “Black Gives Way to Blue.”
Several Oklahoma stars will vie for awards in the country music categories. Checotah native Carrie Underwood is nominated for best female country vocal performance for her chart-topper “Just a Dream.” She will compete in the best country collaboration with vocals category for her rendition of “I Told You So” with Randy Travis.
In addition, Underwood will join fellow previous Grammy winners Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson and Usher in a special 3-D tribute to the late Michael Jackson during the show.
Along with Underwood, Tishomingo resident Miranda Lambert also is nominated for best female country vocal performance for her brokenhearted ballad “Dead Flowers.”
Duo Brooks & Dunn, which includes former Tulsan Ronnie Dunn, is nominated for best country performance by a duo or group with vocals for the tearjerker “Cowgirls Don’t Cry.” It will apparently be the last nomination for the duo, since Dunn and Kix Brooks plan to end their musical partnership this year.
Trio Rascal Flatts, which includes Joe Don Rooney of Picher, also have a nomination for best country performance by a duo or group with vocals for the heartrending “Here Comes Goodbye.”
Tulsa native and GAP band founder Charlie Wilson boasts two nominations, for best R&B album for “Uncle Charlie” and best male R&B vocal performance for “There Goes My Baby.”
In the classical categories, Norman-born harpist Yolanda Kondonassis shares her first Grammy nomination with flutist Joshua Smith and violist Cynthia Phelps for best chamber music performance. The nod is for their performance of late Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu’s 
“And Then I Knew ‘Twas Wind,” from their album “Air.”
Tom Paxton, a Bristow High School and University of Oklahoma graduate, has his rendition of “I Remember Loving You” featured on the compilation “Singing Through the Hard Times: A Tribute to Utah Phillips,” which is nominated for best traditional folk album.
Tulsa-born actress Alfre Woodard is nominated for co-producing “Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktale,” a nominee for best spoken word album for children.
Mason Williams, who grew up in Oklahoma City, has a nomination for best historical album for co-producing “Woodstock — 40 Years On: Back to Yasgur’s Farm.”
“My Dusty Road,” a box set chronicling the career of Okemah-born songwriting icon the late Woody Guthrie, is nominated in the best historical album and best album notes categories.
Among the performers, Tulsa Sound legend Leon Russell is planning to take the Grammys stage Sunday night, about after two weeks after undergoing surgery for a brain-fluid leak. The Lawton-born singer/musician is set to perform with country group Zac Brown Band, which is nominated for best new artist, best country album and best country performance by a duo or group with vocals.
Going into Sunday’s show, pop diva Beyonce carries a leading 10 nominations, among them, album of the year for her double CD, “I Am … Sasha Fierce,” song of the year for her hit anthem “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)” and record of the year for “Halo.” Contemporary country star Taylor Swift is close behind with eight nominations, including nods for album of the year for her sophomore CD “Fearless” and record and song of the year for “You Belong With Me.”
To see the nominees in all 109 Grammy categories, go to www.grammy.com.
Follow the live blogs
My colleague George Lang and I plan to live blog along with the Grammys Sunday night. Follow the live blogs here at BAM’s Blog at blog.newsok.com/bamsblog and at George’s Staticblog at blog.newsok.com/staticblog.
-BAM
CD review: “Crazy Heart” soundtrack
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Country
Various artists “Crazy Heart: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Deluxe Edition” (New West Records)
A cannily chosen combination of classic country, twangy blues and rootsy original songs bestow vital authenticity on “Crazy Heart,” the engrossing cinematic saga of washed-up, booze-ravaged country singer Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges).
Co-producers T Bone Burnett, a 10-time Grammy winner, and Stephen Bruton, a respected Texas guitarist/songwriter who died of cancer last year, capture the spirit of the film by tapping country pioneers like Buck Owens, Kitty Wells and Waylon Jennings. (Jennings’ “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way,” one of my all-time favorite country hits, perfectly suits the storyline.)
Country-blues songs from George Jones, Lightnin’ Hopkins and the Delmore Brothers also convey Bad Blake’s struggle to cast off his inner demons and find redemption.
In choosing more recent material to fit the modern story, the co-producers wisely eschew slick contemporary country in favor of roots singer-songwriters like Lucinda Williams, Sam Phillips and Ryan Bingham. Bingham and Burnett co-wrote the film’s evocative theme, “The Weary Kind,” for which they won a well-deserved Golden Globe.
But the stellar performances movie stars Bridges and Colin Farrell give on the other original songs are the album’s real revelation. Farrell’s Irish brogue is nowhere to be heard as he croons the spirited honky-tonker “Gone, Gone, Gone.”
As with the film, the soundtrack’s success hinges on Bridge’s superlative turn as a burned-out singer, which has won him a Golden Globe and made him an Oscar frontrunner. With his gravelly, world-weary drawl on “Hold on You,” “I Don’t Know” and “Fallin’ & Flyin’,” Bridges moves beyond merely playing a role to truly embodying — and giving voice to — Bad Blake.
— BAM
DVD review: “New York, I Love You”
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
“New York, I Love You”
Like a patchwork quilt made by a diverse group of artisans, the cinematic pastiche “New York, I Love You” features vivid, well-crafted segments stitched together with unremarkable scraps.
Following the 2006 collaboration “Paris, je t’aime,” it is the second anthology film in the planned “Cities of Love” series exploring romance and devotion in the world’s metropolises. Rio, Shanghai and Mumbai are reportedly set to get similar cinematic treatments.
“New York, I Love You” brings together an eclectic set of directors and big-name stars to create short films about love in various recognizable Big Apple locales. Each short was shot in two days and lasts mere minutes, and their divergent characters are often linked by random encounters on street corners, in taxi cabs and in shops around the bustling city.
The vignettes range from Allen Hughes’ sexy story of a pair of barflies (Bradley Cooper, Drea de Matteo) mulling a possible reunion to Joshua Marston’s sweet tale of a bickering couple (Cloris Leachman, Eli Wallach) celebrating their 63rd anniversary with a walk to Brighton Beach.
Surprisingly, Brett Ratner contributes one of the most memorable and uproarious yarns, about a high school senior (Anton Yelchin) who is dumped on the eve of prom. The local druggist (James Caan) convinces the teen to take his daughter (Olivia Thirlby), who uses a wheelchair. The twist ending and Yelchin’s wry narration make the story laugh-out-loud funny.
Unfortunately, not all the shorts make a good impression. Chinese helmer Jiang Wen’s opening segment starring Hayden Christensen and Andy Garcia as pickpockets vying for the same girl (Rachel Bilson) gets the collection off to an uninspired start. And Japanese director Shunji Iwai fails to put a satisfying conclusion on his story of a phone romance between a frustrated film composer (Orlando Bloom) and a production assistant (Christina Ricci).
DVD features: Five director interviews and two bonus segments, including Scarlett Johansson’s lackluster directorial debut.
— BAM
