RockOm

PRNewswire/ Bermudatourism.com

Legendary producer & composer Quincy Jones (or "Q" as he has come to be known amongst fans and friends alike) and boxing–turned–entertainment promoter Rock Newman today unveiled the growing group of award-winning musicians that will assemble to perform with Quincy for one weekend only at the 14th Annual Bermuda Music Festival.

Quincy Jones and Friends will be staged over three days from October 29-31, 2009, in a spectacular setting on the tip of the island of Bermuda, surrounded by crystal blue waters and performed under the stars. On the final night, October 31st (Halloween) there will be a special performance of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" – 25 years after the best-selling album of all-time was first produced by Quincy Jones.

During this historic weekend of performances, Bermuda’s Premier Dr. the Hon. Ewart F. Brown will honor Quincy Jones' lifetime contributions to culture and humanity with the African Diaspora Heritage Trail Award. Jones changed the way music and philanthropy interact through his star-studded collaboration "We Are the World", the best-selling single of all time. Produced and arranged by Quincy Jones, this single raised $63 million for Ethiopian Famine Relief and shined a much-needed spotlight on the Ethiopian drought.

He continues his worldwide philanthropic efforts through music, in collaboration with institutions such as Harvard University, entertainers including Bono and Oprah Winfrey, and through his personal foundation, The Quincy Jones Foundation.

"It is my distinct honor to receive the African Diaspora Award from Premier Brown and the people of Bermuda and to join with them to celebrate the beauty and wonder of Bermuda during the 14th Annual Bermuda Music Festival. The line-up of artists that we have assembled for this year's festival are some of the most talented performers of their generation and, like me, understand and respect the diverse musical and spiritual influences that are reflected in Bermuda's rich cultural history. I promise that this year's festival will be one that you definitely will not want to miss… it's going to be hot."

The Bermuda Music Festival, sponsored by the Bermuda Department of Tourism, broke all attendance records last year when Beyoncé and Alicia Keys performed on the island. This October, the Festival will take its musical presentation to another level by showcasing the many talents of living legend Quincy Jones – a 27 time Grammy Award winner, with a record 79 Grammy nominations. The prolific Jones will conduct, arrange and perform with artists who share his passions, many of whom he has mentored or guided at different points in their careers.

Yesterday at 5pm EDT, festival promoter Rock Newman and Wyclef Jean - recently in the studio recording a song for the yet-to-be-released Quincy Jones Tribute Album – will make an exclusive LIVE appearance on www.BMF09.com/chat. Quincy described Wyclef’s performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival this summer as "a show that nobody in the world could follow." Wyclef will share his insights with Rock into Quincy's magic, their shared musical history, and what can be expected from this star-studded orchestra of "Friends" in Bermuda in October.

The lineup – like Quincy's own career - mixes a broad variety of talent, range and style. The elite group of musicians share both musical roots and – in some cases personal ties – with the man who has collaborated with talents as diverse as Frank Sinatra, Will Smith and Ella Fitzgerald. The 2009 Bermuda Music Festival artists, with over 45 Grammies between them, are: Patti Austin, Erykah Badu, James Ingram, Wyclef Jean, John Legend, Michael McDonald, Kenny Rogers and Naturally.

The artists will perform with an international orchestra, assembled by Quincy and comprised of some of the music world’s most respected talents: Greg Phillinganes, music director, writer, arranger, producer and 34-year veteran musician; R&B guitar phenom Paul Jackson Jr.; and John Robinson, Q's drummer since 1979 and the drummer for Barbra Streisand from 1993 through the present. Local Bermudian musicians will also join these global talents for a truly unique collaboration.

The 2009 Bermuda Music Festival is once again being produced by Gibraltar Promotions LLC., in association with Yhoshi Productions LTD. The producers would like to thank Fairmont Hotels and Resorts Bermuda for their support as the host hotel sponsor for the 14th Annual Bermuda Music Festival.

Tickets for the Music Festival are on sale now, and are available at the iStore and Fabulous Fashions at the Heron Bay Plaza. Tickets are also available online at www.bdatix.bm. For more information please visit www.bermudatourism.com or www.BMF09.com.

By Trevor Harden, trevor@RockOm.net

We all require companions for the journey. Friends are indeed our very support system and the best friends not only accept us for who we are but spur us on to all that we can potentially become.

For this reason, artists and musicians throughout all time have sung the praises of camaraderie. Some of have been sappy ("Friends" by Michael W. Smith or "That's What Friends Are For", anybody?) and others have spoken to generations ("Bridge Over Troubled Water"). But as it is the artist's job to reflect upon life, it is no wonder there are so many songs about friendship.

What follows is a short list of those that stand out to me. There are hundreds of popular songs about friendship, so I invite you to leave your favorites in the comments.

SONG: "Lean On Me" by Bill Withers (Listen)

EXCERPT: "Lean on me, when you're not strong / And I'll be your friend / I'll help you carry on / For it won't be long / 'Til I'm gonna need / Somebody to lean on"

REFLECTION: Sometimes the simplest statement is the most profound. With a melody and lyrics known the world over, "Lean On Me" is one of those timeless songs that continues to speak today. Simply put the song speaks to relying on one another - and how that's not only alright, but is somewhat expected. It's so easy to let pride and ego get in the way. We don't want to seem needy. We don't want to look like we can't take care of things ourselves. But sometimes we can't. And yet true friends have no issue in picking up your slack or lending a hand. "If there is a load you have to bear that you can't carry, I'm right up the road. I'll share your load, if you just call me."

SONG: "With a Little Help from My Friends" by The Beatles (Listen)

EXCERPT: "I get by with a little help from my friends / get high with a little help from my friends / gonna try with a little help from my friends"

REFLECTION: As mentioned in this post's intro, our friends do indeed support us, providing stability in times of weakness. You could even say that their presence grants us strength. When you need help getting by, climbing out of depression or gathering courage in the face of difficulties, knowing you have folks on your team can really give you the mental fortitude to pull through. "Do you need anybody?" Your friends "need someone to love." Let that be you.

SONG: "Umbrella" by Rihanna (Listen)

EXCERPT: "Said I'll always be a friend / Took an oath, I'ma stick it out till the end / Now that it's raining more than ever / Know that we'll still have each other / You can stand under my umbrella"

REFLECTION: While this song has somewhat come and gone from the pop scene, it's one of the most popular recent songs about friendship. The sentiment is that as we move through life, our truest friends remain even as life circumstances (physical location, status, lifestyle, etc.) change. And although critics often dog on Facebook for actually preventing people from having true relationships, I've found that its been an amazing way to stay in touch with friends from past "eras" of my life such as college and high school. Our circumstances have no doubt changed, but I'm quite confident that if "the rain ever came", these folks would be there to offer support in whatever way they would be able to.

SONG: "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd (Listen)

EXCERPT: "How I wish, how I wish you were here / We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl / year after year / Running over the same old ground."

REFLECTION: I chose this last song as one that speaks to the opposite of friendship."Wish You Were Here" is ultimately about detachment, alienation, and withdrawal. It is an encouragement to not only empathize with the pain of those who experience these feelings but also a warning to not allow ourselves to slip into this mode. When the darkness comes in the form of loneliness or it seems the only answer is to retreat within yourself, you can take a cue from any of the other songs on this list and realize, as James Taylor puts it, "all you have to do is call and I'll be there... you've got a friend."

YOUR TURN: Which of the many songs about friendship speak the most to you?

The Free Times of Columbia, South Carolina writes, "Chris Compton is a songwriting chameleon, equally able at penning power-pop hooks as he is ingeniously off-kilter folk tunes." Chris Compton adores the marriage of words with melody while playing a wide array of instruments on his recordings in the studio. But one thing that seems to flummox the poet turned musician is talking about himself. He'd much rather discuss songs from his new CD Field Tech, his band The Fossil Record and how he's inspired by the universality of all that music conveys.

RockOm's featured track this week is Chris' song "Friends" - an instantly infectious reflection written about a fellow musician whose life was cut short by cancer. "Friends" will be featured all week on the homepage for your listening pleasure.

Also, on Thursday be sure to catch the latest RockOm podcast for an interview with Chris Compton.

by Chris Compton

Visit Chris at...

MySpace

Chris Compton is a singer/songwriter from Columbia, SC who, when not writing and recording with his band The Fossil Record, is pumping out honest and well-written solo pop-folk songs.

Featured Track: "Friends"

"I only knew local Columbia, South Carolina musician Chris Conner for the last few years of his life and we were never that close (our common denominator was having recently had baby boys). But when he passed away in 2007, I was overwhelmed by the number of people he touched. I heard that his funeral was packed with friends and fellow musicians paying tribute. Now, I am not such a warm and gregarious person and I suffer from a painful shyness, so I don't connect with people as much as I should. That got me thinking and made me realize the obvious, which is that what matters in life is the relationships you create with others and the love you share. I've been missing this the whole time. So if there is no one at my funeral, I have only myself to blame " (Chris C.)

Click to Play