Youssou N'Dour IPA: [jusun̩ˈduːʀ] (born October 1, 1959 in Dakar) is a Senegalese singer and percussionist. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive."[1] He helped develop popular music in Senegal, known in the Wolof language as mbalax, a blend of the country's traditional griot percussion and praise-singing with the Afro-Cuban arrangements and flavors which made the return trip from the Caribbean to West Africa in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s and have flourished in West Africa ever since. Beginning in the mid-1970s the resulting mix was modernized with a gloss of more complex indigenous Senegalese dance rhythms, roomy and melodic guitar and saxophone solos, chattering talking-drum soliloquies and, on occasion, Sufi-inspired Muslim religious chant. This created a new music which was at turns nostalgic, restrained and stately, or celebratory, explosively syncopated and indescribably funky. Younger Senegalese musicians steeped in Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, James Brown, and the whole range of American jazz, soul, and rock music, which Senegal's cosmopolitan capital, Dakar, had enthusiastically absorbed, were rediscovering their heritage and seeking out traditional performers, particularly singers and talking drummers, to join their bands. (The griots—musicians, praise-singers and storyteller-historians—comprise a distinct hereditary caste in Wolof society and throughout West Africa.) As it emerged from this period of fruitful musical turbulence, mbalax would eventually find in Youssou N'Dour the performer who has arguably had more to do with its shaping than any other individual. He began performing at the age of 12. Within a couple of years he was performing regularly with the Star Band, Dakar's most popular group in the early 1970s. Several members of the Star Band joined Orchestre Baobab about that time.

Mail, West Africa

Sleeping Wide Awake, Salt

Every day is the day of love.

And 7 more songs

Tamia Hill (born Tamia Marylin Washington May 9, 1975), professionally known as Tamia, is an American Grammy Nominated R&B singer. Tamia was born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. She aspired to be a vocal coach, but during a trip to Los Angeles, her 5 octave voice caught the attention of producer Quincy Jones at a 1994 awards show after party. In 1994, at the age of eighteen, Tamia recorded vocals for a Quincy Jones' song "You Put a Move on My Heart" from his Q's Jook Joint album. Jones released the song as a single in 1995, and it was nominated for a Grammy Award. Later that year, Tamia participated in another collaboration, "Missing You", a single from the Set It Off soundtrack which also featured singers Brandy, Chaka Khan, and Gladys Knight. The song was also nominated for a Grammy Award. In 1998, Tamia released her self-titled debut album, Tamia. The album debuted at number sixty-seven on the Billboard 200 and number eighteen on the Billboard Top R&B Albums Chart. The album was certfied Gold by the RIAA. The first single off "Tamia" was "Imagination". The single peaked at thirty-seven on the Hot 100 and number twelve on the Billboard R&B Charts. The second single, "So Into You", peaked at number thirty on the Hot 100 and number seven on the Billboard R&B Charts. The third single off her debut album was "Falling for You", which did not manage to debut on any chart. The fourth and final single, "Loving You Still", peaked at number seventy-eight on the Billboard R&B Charts while missing the Hot 100. On October 24, 2000 Tamia released her second album, "A Nu Day". The album debuted at number forty-six on the Billboard 200 and number eight on the Top R&b/Hip-Hop Albums Chart. On June 4, 2001, "A Nu Day", was certeified Gold by the RIAA. "A Nu Day" is Tamia's best selling album to date. The first single from "A Nu Day" was "Can't Go for That" which was written by Missy Elliott. The single charted at eighty-four on the Billboard Hot 100 and number twenty-three on the R&B charts. The second single from "A Nu Day" was the hit "Stranger in My House". The single went to number ten on the Billboard Hot 100, number three on the Billboard R&B chart and to number one for ten weeks on the Billboard Hot dance chart. Stranger In My House still remains Tamia's biggest hit to date. The third and final single from "A Nu Day" was "Tell Me Who". The single missed the Hot 100, peaked at sixty-three on the R&B charts and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot Dance chart. On April 6, 2004 Tamia released her third studio album, More. The album debuted at number seventeen on the Billboard 200 and number four on the Billboard R&B Album chart. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA. The lead single "Into You" , a collaboration with rapper Fabolous which sampled the chorus from 1998's "So Into You", taken from her self-titled debut album. The song soared to number four on the Hot 100 and to number one on the Billboard R&B charts. The second single "Officially Missing You" peaked at number eighty-three on the Billboard Hot 100 and thirty-one on the R&B charts. The third single, "Questions", missed the Hot 100 and Peaked at number forty on the R&B charts. The fourth and final single, "Still", peaked at number eighty-three on the R&B charts and number thirty-four on the Hot Dance Chart. In 2005, Tamia split from Atlantic Records. On November 14, 2006, Tamia released Between Friends. The album has three tracks produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins; the rest is produced by Shep Crawford. The Album peaked at number sixty-six on the Billboard 200 and number nine on the Billboard Top R&B albums chart. To date, Between Friends has sold more than 290,000 copies in the United States, 116,500 in South Africa, and more than 550,000 worldwide. The first single off Between Friends was "Can't Get Enough". The single peaked at number twenty-six on Billboard's R&B chart. While missing the Hot 100. The second single off the album was "Me", which was written by Shep Crawford who wrote "Stranger In My House". "Me" peaked at twenty-nine on Billboard's R&B chart, also missing the Hot 100. The third single slated for release has been "Almost". On October 27, 2007, Tamia will release an album titled A Gift Between Friends, which will be the release of Tamia's first christmas album according to her myspace page.

Lgrimas Negras

VIVA LA CUBA AND ALL ITS BEAUTY

And 94 more songs

Kenneth Brian "Babyface" Edmonds (born April 10, 1958 in Indianapolis, Indiana), is an American R&B and pop singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, record producer, film producer, and entrepreneur. Edmonds, who is the fifth of six brothers (Kevon Edmonds also had a solo album), attended North Central High School and as a shy youth, wrote songs to express his emotions. Edmonds later played with funk megastar Bootsy Collins, who tagged him "Babyface" while he was still a teen, and the nickname has stuck with him throughout his life. He also played in the groups Manchild (which had a 1977 hit "Especially for You" with band member Daryl Simmons), then in the light-funk and R&B group The Deele (which also included Antonio "L.A." Reid, with whom he would later form a successful writing and producing partnership). One of his first major credits as a songwriter for outside artists came when he co-wrote the tune "Slow Jam" for the R&B band Midnight Star in 1983. The tune appeared on Midnight Star's double-platinum No Parking On the Dance Floor album, and while it never hit the charts, the song has since become a quiet storm staple and a semi-classic of the genre. Meanwhile, Babyface remained in The Deele until 1988, when both he and Reid left the group. In the late 1980s, he was responsible for contributing to the creation of new jack swing and was responsible for writing music for the likes of Bobby Brown, Karyn White, Pebbles and Paula Abdul. In 1989, Edmonds co-founded LaFace Records with Reid. Two of the label's first artists Toni Braxton and TLC achieved massive success. Braxton's eponymous 1993 debut album went on to sell over eight-million copies, and earned her a Grammy Award as the year's best new artist in 1994. Meanwhile, TLC's two albums on LaFace — 1992's Ooooooohhh.... On the TLC Tip and 1994's CrazySexyCool — combined to sell more than 15 million copies, and CrazySexyCool won the 1996 Grammy Award for Best R&B album. Babyface was also instrumental in forming the popular late-90's R&B group, Az Yet. Edmonds is also behind some of the biggest successes in contemporary music. “I’m Your Baby Tonight”, produced for Whitney Houston, is his first #1 hit in the US. He also wrote and produced Boyz II Men's "End of the Road" and "I'll Make Love To You", both of which established records for the longest stay at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He co-wrote, co-produced, and provided backing vocals on Madonna's 1995 7 week-#1 hit "Take a Bow", he shared billing with Eric Clapton on the chart-topping Grammy winner "Change the World" from the Phenomenon soundtrack. He also wrote and produced the #1 hit "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" for Whitney Houston as well as the rest of the critically acclaimed 10 million selling Waiting to Exhale soundtrack in 1995, which spawned additional hits for Houston, Brandy and Mary J.Blige. Additionally, he has produced and written music for many artists including Diana Ross,Toni Braxton, Michael Jackson, Paula Abdul, Pebbles, Bobby Brown, Whitney Houston, Brandy, Mary J.Blige, Tamia, Janet Jackson, Shola Ama, Sisqo, Dru Hill, C�line Dion, Katharine McPhee, Mariah Carey, Vanessa L. Williams, En Vogue, Eric Clapton, Madonna, Aretha Franklin, Japanese singer Ken Hirai, Pink, Sheena Easton, Marc Nelson and Phil Collins among others, and he has received an amazing three consecutive Grammy Awards for Producer of the Year, in 1995–1997. In the mid-1990s, Edmonds and his then wife, Tracey Edmonds, expanded into the business of motion pictures, setting up "Edmonds Production Company" and producing films such as Soul Food (1997) and Josie and the Pussycats (2001). They are the current executive producers of the hit BET reality series College Hill. Edmonds also worked with David Foster to compose "The Power of the Dream", the official song of the 1996 Summer Olympics. Linda Thompson provided the lyrics. In 1999, a 25-mile (40-km) stretch of Interstate 65 that runs through Indianapolis was renamed Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds Highway. In October 2005, Edmonds and his wife, Tracey, announced that they were ending their marriage of thirteen years. They have two sons, Brandon and Dylan Michael. Babyface also participated as a duet partner on the FOX reality show Celebrity Duets. Babyface also participated as a duet partner on the FOX reality show Celebrity Duets. Babyface has recently signed a new deal with Island Records to release his new album, His new album, Playlist, consist of eight cover songs which includes Bob Dylan’s "Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door," Dan Fogelberg’s "Longer," Dave Loggin's "Please Come To Boston", Bread's "Diary", Jim Croce's "Time In A Bottle," Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight" and James Taylor’s "Fire & Rain" and "Shower The People". The two original works in the album are entitled "Not Going Nowhere" and "The Soldier Song". It was released on September 18, 2007. It will be the first album on the newly re-launched Mercury Records Label.

spanish gospel

And 28 more songs

Eddie Palmieri (born December 15, 1936), is a Puerto Rican-American pianist, bandleader and musician, best known for combining jazz piano and instrumental solos with Latin rhythms. Palmieri's parents immigrated to New York from Ponce, Puerto Rico in 1926 and settled down in Spanish Harlem, a Hispanic neighborhood in Manhattan. Both he and his older brother, the late Charlie Palmieri, were born in New York City. When he was only 8 years old, he used to musically accompany Charlie and together they would enter and participate in many talent contests. Palmieri attended the city's public school system and here was constantly exposed to music and loved jazz. He took piano lessons for a while and performed at Carnegie Hall when he was 11 years old. His biggest piano influences were Thelonious Monk and McCoy Tyner. He was inspired by his older brother and was determined to someday form his own band - something he achieved in 1950, when he was just 14. During the 1950s, Palmieri played in various bands, including Tito Rodriguez's. In 1961, Palmieri formed the band Conjunto La Perfecta, which included trombone player Barry Rogers and singer Ismael Quintana. During that decade, the Charanga was the Latin dance craze. The music to the Charanga required an orchestra with a flute and violins, but Eddie also added a mixture of trumpets and trombones. He also experimented by including a touch of jazz in his recordings. He recorded, among others, Lo Que Traigo Es Sabroso (What I Bring is Juicy) and Mozambique, before the group disbanded in 1968. In 1971, Palmieri recorded Vamonos Pa'l Monte (Going to the Mountain) with his brother Charlie at the organ. That same year he also recorded Eddie Palmieri & Friends in Concert, At the University of Puerto Rico. In 1974, Eddie won the first ever Grammy Award for Best Latin Recording with The Sun of Latin Music. On July 21, 1979, he appeared at the Amandla Festival along with Bob Marley, Dick Gregory and Patti LaBelle, amongst others. In the 1980s, Ismael Quintana returned to the band, which also included Cheo Feliciano. Palmieri won two Grammys for the recordings of Palo Pa Rumba and Solito. He also recorded the album La Verdad (The Truth) with salsa singer Tony Vega in 1987. Next year the happiness of his success was set back by the sudden death of his brother, Charlie. In the 1990s, Palmieri had participated in various concerts and recordings with the Fania All-Stars and the Tico All-Stars; he also introduced La India with the production of Llego La India via Eddie Palmieri (La India has arrived via Eddie Palmieri), released in 1992. In 2000, Palmieri announced his retirement from the world of music. However, he recorded Masterpiece with Tito Puente and won 2 Grammys; additionally he was also named the "Outstanding Producer of the Year" by the National Foundation of Popular Culture. Palmieri has won a total of 9 Grammy Awards in his career, most recently for his 2006 album Simp�tico. On November 6, 2004, Palmieri directed a "Big Band Tribute" to his late brother Charlie at Avery Hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Eddie Palmieri currently continues to be actively involved with music. He formed a new band La Perfecta II, with whom he recorded the CD Ritmo Caliente (Hot Rhythm). On April 30, 2005, "Mi D�a Bonito" a tribute to Eddie Palmieri, celebrating his 50 years in the world of music, took place at the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. The event included the participation of Lalo Rodriguez, Ismael Quintana, Cheo Feliciano, La India, Herman Olivera, Jerry Medina, Luis Vergara and Wichy Camacho. In November/December 2005, Eddie teamed up with longtime trumpeter and bandmember Brian Lynch to record the Artistshare CD release, "The Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project: Simp�tico." This CD and accompanying multimedia web site features music by an all-star roster of jazz and Latin jazz artists, including: Phil Woods, Lila Downs, Donald Harrison, Conrad Herwig, Giovanni Hidalgo, Gregory Tardy, Mario Rivera, Boris Kozlov, Ruben Rodriguez, Luques Curtis, Robby Ameen, Dafnis Prieto, Pedro Martinez, Johnny Rivero, Edsel Gomez, Yosvany Terry. In 2007, the recording was awarded a Grammy as the best Latin Jazz Recording.