Piracy

GULLIBLE consumers are taken for a ride by DVD and CD piracy which thrives in the black market.
The illicit trade is now an industry on its own and targets people who either know nothing about technology or are desperate to get the latest release in music and film.
Little do consumers know the costly consequences that lie ahead and damage the digital equipment have.
When gospel musician Ellias Shongwe grabbed illegal music cassettes from illicit traders in the street it was the least punitive measure he could mete to the street sellers.
At worst, the law provides that people caught in the act of piracy deserve a jail term.
So serious is the industry, that the Ministry of Enterprise and Employment was at one stage asked by operators of video shops to solve the impasse, threatening to close shop. Bongisile Dlamini, an assistant at a Mbabane video shop, said piracy was one of the major challenges faced by the industry.
“Pirates succeed in convincing the public that they sell the latest of movies. They also claim to provide five movies in one compact disc. But it cannot be denied that the quality of the picture and sound is far too poor and out of the five movies, only one plays well,” she said. Dlamini said her video shop came close to collapsing when the pirate videos first came to the market.

Tags: Piracy, Bongisle Dlamini, Ellias Shongwe,

Source: The Swazi Obsever

Donnie visits Logan

He sang in English. Then in Japanese, then Dutch, then Spanish and finished it up with a little Russian. The students at Logan Elementary School ate it all up. By the time their session with Grammy-award-winning singer/songwriter Donnie McClurkin ended, the fifth-graders were lined up for hugs and handshakes. Then, as they exited the classroom, they made sure not to touch anything with the hands McClurkin had shaken.
It's great that he's here,'' one of them said.
McClurkin spent several hours at Logan on Tuesday working with the fifth-grade students and performing for the whole school. Terra Webster, interim principal at Logan, said bringing in McClurkin was an attempt to address students' questions about music.
"The fifth-graders are studying songwriting and instrumental music and began to ask questions about what can I do with this beyond school?'' she said. "The questions were getting much more sophisticated than we could answer.
"We said, 'What if we could bring in a musician to talk?' Mr. McClurkin and I attended the same church years ago, and we got in contact. He was going to be in the (area) this week and agreed to come. He's never done this with a school before.''
McClurkin is a gospel singer who released the double-platinum-selling "Live in London'' in 2000 and the gold-selling "Again'' in 2003. That record won a Grammy in 2003. His latest CD, "Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs,'' debuted in 2005 as No. 1 on the gospel charts and No. 5 on the R & B charts.
The sessions with the fifth-graders Tuesday focused on songwriting.
The students had written a blues song and sang it for him. Each student in the class had written different lyrics. The class voted on the lyrics and chose the top two to sing for McClurkin.

Tags: McClurkin, Gospel Chart, Latest Album, Logan Elementary Shool

Rebirth and Changing lives

In April, thousands of artists, journalists and industry professionals converged in Nashville for the 37th annual Gospel Music Week and GMA Music Awards show. The recurring theme of the event seemed to be the change and rebirth that led up to the annual celebration. To highlight just a few news items:
Right in the middle of GMA week, Jeremy Camp and his wife, Adie, celebrated the birth of their second daughter, Arianne Mae. On April 5 at 1:44 a.m. Arianne Mae was born, weighing 5 pounds, 13 ounces and was 19 inches long. She joins her proud big sister, Isabella Rose, now 18 months old. It was a busy GMA week for Jeremy Camp. In addition to the birth of his new daughter, he had five Dove nominations, performed at the GMA Awards show in a tribute to Steven Curtis Chapman, and nabbed awards for Songwriter of the Year and Song of the Year at the 28th Annual ASCAP Christian Music Awards.

Tags: Gospel, UNILAG Faces, GMA Awards , Dove Awards, ASCAP, Rebirth ,

Carol Mujokoro Releases Her Sixth Album

Harare CELEBRATED gospel diva Carol Mujokoro-Chivengwa is set launch her sixth album entitled Nditungamirei at the Harare International Conference Centre VIP Lounge today.

The eight-track album is the second to be recorded at Ngaavongwe Records, a stable that also plays host to Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave, Elias Musakwa and Donna Chibaya among others. According to Carol, the album talks about the last days as seen by the natural disasters, hunger, diseases, deaths and wars in other countries. "Some of the things might not relate to Zimbabwe but are happening in other countries. So this album may lead people in prayer and minister the word of God. "I'm encouraging people to seek guidance and help from God through Jesus Christ in these hard times," Carol said. Asked why she took long to record, she said she wanted to perfect the album. "I think the album is as refreshing as it is spiritually uplifting. I have tried to make it a universal album because I minister in any church," she said. In the past 15 years, Carol has had a successful career, which has seen her working with the Ezekiel Guti Evangelistic Association (Egea) Gospel Train where s he recorded four albums.

Her last album Mufudzi Wakanaka (The Good Shepherd) was recorded after her visit to Israel in 2004. The latest Nditungamirei features eight tracks emphasising God's position and role in people's lives. The album features such tracks as Kupa Kune Mufaro, Magumo; Zororo; Ivai Chiedza; Ndinoda and Ndichamunamata. The songs appeal to the human spirit and address the aspects of giving, vigilance, punishment of evil and the Lord as our light and leader amongst others. The songs are worship songs, which give listeners a package that can lead them into worship. Carol is set to perform all the songs on the album as well as minister through music. The launch ceremony is expected to start at 5:30pm with guest appearances by Fungisai and Shingisai Suluma.

Tags: Harare, zimbabuwe, Carol Mujokoro, Gospel, Latest Album

Gospel Top Ten

Five new CDs debuted in the top ten this week, resulting in another dip for Carrie Underwood’s Some Hearts on the Billboard 200. It dropped from #11 to #15. The album charted at #4 on the Country chart.
Kelly Clarkson’s Breakaway had a good week, though, jumping up six spots to #20 on the Billboard 200. The news wasn’t as positive for Bo Bice, however. His album, The Real Thing, took another turn. Read More

Tags: Gospel, Gospel chart

From Pulpit To iPods

With the ubiquitous white-wired earphones dangling from his neck, Terry Stibbards, a 40-year-old project manager, walks to his business meetings while taking in the sounds and spirit of the Boston Worship Center's service on his iPod.
Mariela Buchin, a second-year MIT student, uses her laptop to replay the Sunday sermon while relaxing in her dormitory room. And Timothy ''Ace" Jenkins, a Boston University sophomore, not also taps into the church's weblog daily to discuss and sometimes debate pastor Nick Fatato's advice and admonitions.
From the pulpit to the podcast, finding God in a digital world has never been so easy; in fact, it already has a moniker: Godcasting.
Ministers, pastors, and cantors nationwide are seizing increasingly upon the latest technology -- iTunes, iPods, MP3 players, and blogs -- to spread the gospel, making church more accessible to members who may miss a Sunday or two. The trend, for some, is also the latest attempt to rejuvenate a dwindling flock while giving their church a worldwide reach online. Read More
p>Tags:
iPods, gospel,

Cali Gospe Singers in UK

A group of Californian gospel singers was today preparing for a performance in a sister church in Sunderland as part of a 15-day UK tour.
The Pasadena Tabernacle Songsters have travelled from Pasadena, north of Los Angeles, and will perform at the Salvation Army's Sunderland Monkwearmouth church and community centre on April 5.
The group are members of the Salvation Army church and community centre in Pasadena which opened in 1888.
Ranging in age from 14 to 65-years-old, the Pasadena Tabernacle Songsters have released six recordings so far. Their latest song "Amazing Love" is due to be launched during the group's Easter tour.
Major Keith Williams, leader of the Salvation Army's Sunderland Monkwearmouth base, said: "We are very pleased we are able to bring such a talented group of singers all the way from Pasadena to the community of Sunderland.
"Their performances are very vibrant and fun and it promises to be a great evening of entertainment. This is a fantastic opportunity for The Salvation Army to share their international talent."
The performance will take place at 7.30pm at Sunderland Monkwearmouth church, Roker Avenue.
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