Aboriginal singer Gurrumul has made his US debut in the Big Apple.
The blind musician told the sold-out venue: “We love you, New York!”
Dubbed “Australia’s most important voice”, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu is performing at several venues across the US.
Born blind, Gurrumul sings in his tribal Gumatj dialect (Yolngu language), spoken by no more than 3,000 people.
The concert was co-presented by music producer Quincy Jones, who has called Gurrumul “unbelievable”.
Quincy Jones’ endorsement is what brought Marc Storey to Wednesday night’s concert (“Quincy knows his stuff”), on a visit to New York from Britain.
“I’m a new fan,” Quincy Jones said, describing the music as “enchanting”.
Gurrumul remained silent between songs, leaving the talking to his collaborator, double bassist Michael Hohnen.
The singer, who lives on the isolated northern Australian island of Elcho, did speak briefly to thank the crowd.
Along with Quincy Jones’ support, Gurrumul has attracted praise from other high-profile musicians, including Sting and Elton John.
Gurrumul plays at the New Orleans Jazz Festival on May 1st, before heading to gigs in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
It’s My Party singer Lesley Gore has died from lung cancer aged 68.
Lesley Gore’s partner of 33 years, Lois Sasson, confirmed the singer-songwriter had died at a New York City hospital. .
The singer was only 1-year-old when she topped the US charts with It’s My Party.
Lesley Gore’s hits include feminist anthem You Don’t Own Me and the Oscar-nominated Out Here On My Own from 1980 film Fame.
“She was a wonderful human being – caring, giving, a great feminist, great woman, great human being, great humanitarian,” Lois Sasson told the Associated Press.
Lesley Gore was discovered by Quincy Jones as a teenager and signed to Mercury Records, before going on to record tracks including Judy’s Turn to Cry, She’s A Fool, Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows, That’s the Way Boys Are and Maybe I Know.
In 2005, she released comeback album Ever Since, her first album in 30 years and in an interview that year said that unlike Hollywood, the music industry has “always been a man’s world.”
However, Lesley Gore credited Quincy Jones as a “great mentor” saying that he was “a very sensitive man and a beautiful human being.”
Lesley Gore was born in Brooklyn and raised in New Jersey and had graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with a degree in English/American literature.
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Music mogul Quincy Jones is suing the estate of Michael Jackson for $10 million in unpaid royalties.
Quincy Jones says Michael Jackson’s estate and Sony Music Entertainment improperly re-edited songs to deprive him of royalties and production fees.
The music producer says they also broke an agreement giving him the right to remix master recordings for albums released after Michael Jackson’s death in 2009.
Quincy Jones produced some of Michael Jackson’s top discs including Off the Wall and Thriller.
The Jackson estate said that it was saddened by the lawsuit.
Quincy Jones produced some of Michael Jackson’s top discs including Off the Wall and Thriller
“To the best of its knowledge, Mr. Jones has been appropriately compensated over approximately 35 years for his work with Michael,” a statement said.
Earlier this month the family of Michael Jackson lost a negligence case against concert promoters AEG Live over the death of the 50-year-old pop star.
A jury concluded Dr. Conrad Murray, who was looking after the singer ahead of his concert tour, was not unfit for his job – and so AEG had not been negligent in hiring him.
Michael Jackson died in 2009 after taking an overdose of a surgical anaesthetic.
