• It's still raining hits for ex-Spice Girl Geri
• EVE NELSON is one of the industry's busiest and most successful well-kept secrets.
• "Michael Crawford: The Disney Album'' Climbs to No. 1 Position on the Australian Charts
• 'Bridges: The Best of Ravi Shankar' To Be Released May 15th on Private Music, Celebrating the Sitar Master's Groundbreaking Cross-Cultural Experiments
• Gracenote and Pioneer Announce Music Recognition Service for Automobiles
• Music Industry Veteran Rob Dillman Appointed CEO, Gold Circle Entertainment to Oversee Gold Circle Label Group
• Gracenote Files Lawsuit Against Roxio, Inc.
• Donnie McClurkin

It's still raining hits for ex-Spice Girl Geri

LONDON: Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell has retained the No. 1 position in the British pop charts with her single "It's Raining Men." It was the second week in the top spot for the remake of the Weather Girls 1984 hit of the same name.

The song, which features on the soundtrack of the film Bridget Jones's Diary, is Halliwell's fourth number one hit as a solo artist. She also had seven number ones as a Spice Girl before splitting from the British supergroup in 1998.

At the London premiere of Bridget Jones, Halliwell told reporters that she totally identified with the 30-something, "singleton" Jones character. "I have had so many Bridget moments," she said at the time.  "It's Raining Men" kept teeny-pop band S-Club7 in second place with their single "Don't Stop Movin'."

Rapper Nelly, featuring guest artist City Spud, was at number three with "Ride Wit Me," while another new entry, "You Are Alive" by Fragma came in at number four.

M.O.P.'s "Cold as Ice" dropped down one place to number five, while "Who's that Girl" by US rapper Eve debuted at number 6. British diva Gabrielle fell to seven from five with "Out of Reach" while Jennifer Lopez was the week's biggest casualty - "Play" dropped five places to eight from three after just one week in the UK charts.

Destiny's Child's "Survivor" fell to nine and US rocker Bon Jovi spent his first week in the UK charts at number 10 with "One Wild Night."

EVE NELSON is one of the industry's busiest and most successful well-kept secrets. 

You may already be familiar with EVE - one of the hottest producers in music today.  If you don't yet know her name, you surely are familiar with the hit artists with whom she is associated.  At present, she is in the spotlight with Billy Crawford, whose recently-released single "When You're In Love With Someone" (V2 Records) was reviewed in Billboard as follows: : "The glowing love song bubbles with melodious charm, without resorting to the usual tricks of the trade.  It's a grand, mature outing that could easily charm the softer side of pop radio, and it's a natural for AC stations." 

EVE produced and co-wrote that track, along with other tracks on the album.  EVE's work is also represented by the late Eva Cassidy, whose posthumous album is riding the charts in the UK; EVE co-wrote a track on that CD.  She produced and co-wrote two tracks on the forthcoming Willa Ford CD (Lava Records), is producing three sides on the Laura Branigan CD in-the-works, is scoring the soundtrack for an independent film entitled "Crooked Lines" (featuring a song by Buster Poindexter), and sports production and/or songwriting credits for upcoming releases by Heather Nova (V2), Emelia Andreen CD (Edel Records Sweden), and Motorbaby (Ten Wings Music), to name a few.

All this, and EVE also is mistress of two fully equipped recording studios - one in the heart of Manhattan's Chelea area, and the other in the artist's colony of The Springs in East Hampton.

With manager Bernadette O'Reilly, EVE is partner in NELSON-O'REILLY PRODUCTIONS, a self-contained production company focusing on the cultivation of artist development.  The visions of these two very talented women are kaleidoscopic in that they do not follow any formula -artists are nurtured on an individual basis according to their needs.

She is engaging, charming, intelligent and happy to share tales of her career. Please let me know what you think you might be able to do in reference to an article about this rising star in the music industry.

I look forward to your reply. 

"Michael Crawford: The Disney Album'' Climbs to No. 1 Position on the Australian Charts

BURBANK, Calif.- May 15, 2001--Just two weeks after its release, Walt Disney Records' "Michael Crawford: The Disney Album" rose to No. 1 on the charts in Australia.

The album has been certified gold by the Australia Record Industry Association and is rapidly approaching platinum status. This marks the first time in more than 30 years the label has achieved this coveted chart position. The album also certified gold and ranked No. 2 for sales in New Zealand.

Michael Crawford originated the famed title role in the smash musical "The Phantom of the Opera" for which he earned an astonishing amount of critical recognition, culminating with a Tony Award win. Now Michael Crawford brings the passion of his vocal performance to the great timeless and beloved Disney ballads with "Michael Crawford: The Disney Album," scheduled for release in the United States on Sept. 18.

His debut recording for Walt Disney Records was executive produced by Jay Landers, noted for his work with Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond and many other legendary artists.

'Bridges: The Best of Ravi Shankar' To Be Released May 15th on Private Music, Celebrating the Sitar Master's Groundbreaking Cross-Cultural Experiments

NEW YORK, May 14 Private Music honors sitar legend and composer Pandit Ravi Shankar with the May 15th release of ``Bridges: The Best of Ravi Shankar.'' Originally recorded by noted producer Peter Baumann, the selections on ``Bridges ... '' document three of the most important and groundbreaking recording projects of Shankar's career, including 1987's pioneering Indian classical/electronic fusion record Tana Mana with former Beatle and Indian music aficionado George Harrison (tracks 2, 3, 6, 8 & 9). ``Inside the Kremlin,'' documents a series of live 1988 performances in Moscow that brought together leading Indian and Russian musicians (tracks 1, 5, 11); and 1990's ``Passages,'' a project that partnered Shankar with celebrated American composer Philip Glass (tracks 4, 7, & 10). Collectively, these recordings form an integral part of the legendary artist's discography. Using melody and rhythm as his raw materials for these sessions, Ravi Shankar builds musical bridges that draw upon a vast world of styles and influences, and express some of the strongest -- and most universal -- of human emotions: joy, longing, devotion, despair, hope, and love.

Born April 7, 1920, in the holy city of Benares, Ravi Shankar grew up surrounded by music and the arts: he made his professional debut at age 13 dancing and playing various instruments in his brother Uday's famed Company of Hindu Dancers and Musicians. He later became the student of Ustad Allaudin Khan, one of the foremost Indian classical musicians of the twentieth century and father of Shankar's frequent collaborator, sarodist Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. He performed his first public recital in 1939 at a music conference in Allahabad, India, and went on to become a prominent in-house performer for New Delhi's All-India Radio. Shankar's fame spread to Europe and the United States, with appearances at the Monterey Pop Festival, the Concert for Bangla Desh, and the Woodstock Festival. His career has embraced both Hindustani (North Indian) classical music tradition and more experimental forays with artists from other disciplines, including noted classical musicians Andre Previn, Sir Yehudi Menuhin, Philip Glass, Jean-Pierre Rampal and Zubin Mehta; and jazz artists Buddy Rich and Paul Horn. His film score credits include ``Gandhi'' and Satyajit Ray's ``Apu'' trilogy. He has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Indian government's prestigious ``Padma Vibhushan'' title, two Grammys®, and fourteen honorary doctorates. As India's best-known musical ambassador, Shankar has been cited by countless musicians as the artist who opened their ears to music from beyond Europe and America, including The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Mickey Hart, and Ry Cooder as well as George Harrison and The Beatles.

At age eighty-one, the vivacious Shankar continues to perform around the world for sold-out audiences, now often appearing with his daughter and sitar protegee Anoushka Shankar. In 1999, he published his second autobiography, ``Raga Mala.'' Recently, he founded the Ravi Shankar Institute, currently under construction in New Delhi, which will be dedicated to promoting the ancient traditions of Indian classical music and to preserving Shankar's personal archives.

 Gracenote and Pioneer Announce Music Recognition Service for Automobiles

Gracenote CDDB(R) Service Set to Enhance Consumer Electronic Devices Worldwide

BERKELEY, Calif., May 14 (formerly CDDB), a content delivery platform specializing in music recognition services, today announced that it is providing its industry standard CDDB Music Recognition Service(SM) to Pioneer's Japan-based Navigation Systems Department, the established leader in car electronics products. This agreement enables Pioneer's Carrozzeria AVIC-H09, AVIC-H07 and AVIC-XH07V models to access Gracenote's comprehensive global music database and recognition services, and provide an enhanced music listening experience for Pioneer customers.

Gracenote will provide an embedded version of the CDDB international database -- complete with their patented music recognition technology -- that resides within Pioneer's car navigation system. When a consumer plays a CD, these products automatically recognize the disc and display the associated metadata: the name of the artist, album and song. For newly released CD's that are not found on the embedded database, the unit allows consumers to dial up to a CDDB server via a mobile phone which then returns the associated metadata to the unit.

``This is a monumental leap for music fans around the world,'' said David Hyman, President of Gracenote. ``Online listeners have come to expect this service on their PC's, and now people will have it in their cars and homes.''

``Pioneer consistently leads the charge in the adoption of cutting-edge technology,'' said Tamihiko Sudo, Vice President -- MEC, Pioneer Corp. ``Our partnership with Gracenote demonstrates our continuing commitment to provide our customers with the highest quality products and services on the market.''

Gracenote worked closely with Rainbow Partners, their Japan-based reseller, and AIM Company Ltd. of Japan, to develop the embedded application in conjunction with Pioneer. Gracenote CDDB technology makes international music recognition seamless with multi-character set support that enables displays in Kanji, Hiragana and Katakana. Yomidata, a Katakana translation provided by AIM Company Ltd., and delivered via Gracenote, enables the device to be controlled through voice recognition. The product is expected to ship in Q3 of 2001.

About Pioneer

Pioneer Corporation is a leader in optical disc technology and a preeminent manufacturer of high-performance audio, video and computer equipment for the home, car and industrial markets. Its Vision 2005 business plan focuses on four core business domains including DVD, display technologies, Digital Network Entertainment(TM) and components. Founded in 1938 in Tokyo, Pioneer Corporation employs more than 29,000 people worldwide. The Company's annual revenue is in excess of $5.2 billion (for the year ended March 31, 2001, calculated at the rate of Y124=U.S.$1.00.) Its shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PIO. For more information about Pioneer, go to http://www.pioneer.co.jp/ .

About Gracenote

Gracenote is a content delivery platform offering music recognition technology that enables relevant information and services to enhance the music listening experience. Gracenote designed its platform for makers of media players and encoders, consumer electronics manufacturers, record companies, and on and off-line consumer brands. Its network of technology and services opens new direct interactive channels to online music fans worldwide. Over 4,000 partners worldwide, serving more than one million consumers daily, rely on Gracenote's CDDB® technology, which is the industry standard in Music Recognition Services. Gracenote was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Berkeley, California. For more information about Gracenote, go to www.gracenote.com.

Music Industry Veteran Rob Dillman Appointed CEO, Gold Circle Entertainment to Oversee Gold Circle Label Group

Gold Circle Entertainment Chairman Norman Waitt Jr. today announced the appointment of Rob Dillman as president/chief executive officer, Gold Circle Entertainment.

Waitt established Gold Circle Entertainment in 1996 with the aim of developing, creating and presenting quality music for discerning audiences via the Gold Circle Music Label Group.

Dillman, who most recently held the post of vice president, Promotion/Operations, at Epic Records headquarters in New York, said of his professional move to Gold Circle Entertainment: "I'm thrilled at the opportunity to work with Gold Circle, and to build it into a music company that will thrive for a very long time. I've had the chance to work with some of the most talented folks in this industry, and I hope I can take what I've learned from them and apply it here."

Prior to his tenure with Epic, Dillman served as senior director of National Promotion for Disney's Hollywood Records, and, preceding that, held a variety of promotion posts for the then-PolyGram-owned Mercury Records. Dillman's extensive promotion career began in Seattle with the BMG-distributed Imago imprint. Before that, Dillman spent nine years in radio programming in the greater New York area.

Gold Circle Entertainment is dedicated to releasing quality music by compelling artists and creating individualized to-market plans for delivering the specifically targeted demographic in the most effective and efficient way.

The Gold Circle Music Label Group consists of three divisions: Gold Circle Records (whose roster includes CPR, the acclaimed trio made up of Rock `n' Roll Hall of Famer David Crosby, his son James Raymond and Jeff Pevar; Glen Phillips, formerly of Toad the Wet Sprocket, in his solo debut; legendary jazz keyboardist Jeff Lorber; soulful smooth-jazz sax great Michael Lington; and veteran jazz and R&B guitar ace Doc Powell, as well as multi-platinum recording artist John Waite, former frontman for the Babys and Bad English, who is about to embark on a major summer tour with Peter Frampton and Journey); Soundtrack division Gold Circle Soundtrax; and Amsterdam-based Gold Circle International. Gold Circle Entertainment is distributed domestically by RED Distribution, and by various entities worldwide.

As Gold Circle Entertainment's flourishing and diversified Label Group continues to grow, Dillman's multifaceted and well-seasoned background and leadership expertise will no doubt be invaluable assets.

Gold Circle Entertainment's headquarters is located at 1544 20th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404. The telephone number is 310/828-6656. They can be found on the Worldwide Web at www.goldcircle.com Contact; Jensen Communications, Michael Jensen, 626/585-9575 michael@jensencom.com

Gracenote Files Lawsuit Against Roxio, Inc.

Gracenote Alleges Roxio Breached Contract, Infringed Its Patents, Violated The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and Improperly Used Its Trademarks

BERKELEY, Calif., May 10  Gracenote (formerly CDDB®, a content delivery platform provider specializing in music recognition services, today announced a lawsuit against Roxio, Inc., at present, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adaptec, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADPT - news) for breach of contract, patent infringement, trademark infringement and other violations of Federal law. The lawsuit claims that Roxio is infringing on Gracenote's patents by illegally inducing the use of Gracenote's industry acclaimed patented music recognition inventions, which utilize a database and server software to provide online music listeners with information about artists and their recordings. In addition to patent infringement, Roxio is violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act by offering products that circumvent Gracenote's technological measures to obtain access to an unauthorized derivative of the CDDB copyrighted database.

"We hope to engage in productive discussions with Roxio to review and quickly resolve the matter in the best interest of everyone involved. However, our intellectual property is at stake," said Dave Marglin, General Counsel for Gracenote. "We spent a great deal of time, energy and money developing the CDDB Music Recognition Service. Roxio's breach of contract and unauthorized use of the technology and data infringes on our patents and violates State and Federal law. We will pursue all legal processes to make sure they are respected."

The Gracenote CDDB® Music Recognition Service is the world's most comprehensive database of music information in the world and is accessed by 1 million users per day and features 11 million tracks across 880,000 titles. The service allows users to play a CD in a CDDB-enabled music player or consumer electronics device and receive core metadata including album, artist, song title and genre. As part of its commitment to enhancing the online music listening experience, Gracenote makes CDDB available to other companies by maintaining an open licensing policy. Gracenote has licensing agreements with 4,000 companies including AOL, Real Networks and MusicMatch.

About Gracenote

Gracenote is a content delivery platform offering music recognition technology that enables relevant information and services to enhance the music listening experience. Gracenote designed its platform for makers of media players and encoders, consumer electronics manufacturers, record companies, and on and off-line consumer brands. Its network of technology and services opens new direct interactive channels to online music fans worldwide. Over 4,000 partners worldwide, serving more than one million consumers daily, rely on Gracenote's CDDB® technology, which is the industry standard in Music Recognition Services (MRS). Gracenote was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Berkeley, California. For more information about Gracenote, go to www.gracenote.com.