Tag: Michael Jackson

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3/3/16 O&A NYC CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH- THROWBACK THURSDAY: Diana Ross- Standing Room Only Live At Ceasar’s Palace (1980)

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The HBO special, first aired in early 1980 as part of the network’s Standing Room Only series. It was taped in 1979 at Caesar’s Palace as Ross promoted her then-current album, The Boss. The album, featuring writers/producers Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson, featured songs that showed off a range and power that many had forgotten Diana Ross possessed. This was a peak time in the diva’s career; Ross dazzled audience around the world with her demanding, Tony Award-winning An Evening With Diana Ross stage show, and starred with protege Michael Jackson in the 1978 film The Wiz.  Continue reading

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11/28/15 O&A NYC Saturday Morning Concert: Bruno Mars Vivo Rock In Rio (2015)

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Bruno Mars mentions Prince, Michael Jackson, and Elvis Presley as artists who influenced and inspired him. Bruno Mars’ vocal prowess is a tenor with a three-octave vocal range. Throughout his journey to stardom, Mars was surrounded by the right support, influence, and mentors. His family of musicians started him early on, exposing him to different instruments they played and different songs genres they performed.  Continue reading

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1/13/22 O&A NYC THROWBACK THURSDAY: Michael Jackson – Earth Song

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Earth Song is the third single from Michael Jackson’s album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. The ballad incorporates elements of blues, gospel and opera. Jackson had a long-standing history of releasing socially conscious material such as We Are the World, Man in the Mirror and Heal the World. However, Earth Song was the first that overtly dealt with the environment and animal welfare.   Continue reading

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10/31/15 O&A NYC Song Of The Day: Michael Jackson’s Thriller

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Michael Jackson’s Thriller is a 13-minute music video for the song of the same name released on December 2, 1983. It was directed by John Landis, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Michael Jackson. It was MTV’s first world premiere video. Continue reading

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10/28/15 O&A NYC With WaleStylez- Song Of The Day: Michael Jackson – Ghosts

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Michael Jackson’s Ghosts is a 1997 short film starring Michael Jackson, co-written by horror novelist Stephen King and directed by film director and special effects guru Stan Winston which could also be classified as a long-form music video. Continue reading

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10/18/15 O&A NYC Gospel Sunday: The Life of Andraé Crouch

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GOSPEL SUNDAY

"Chris Gwynn"

Andraé Crouch died on Thursday, January 8, 2015 after being admitted to the hospital following a heart attack. The Grammy-winning gospel singer, songwriter and choir director graced songs by Michael Jackson and Madonna and movies such as The Lion King. O&A NYC takes a look at the diverse career of this prolific artist.

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8/7/15 O&A Shall We Dance Friday: Michael Jackson – Smooth Criminal

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Shall We Dance

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Smooth Criminal is the seventh single from Michael Jackson’s 1987 Bad album. Jackson originally wanted to make the music video in the western genre, but he later decided after watching “The Third Man” with Director Colin Chilvers to change it to a 1930s gangster style. Jeffrey Daniel of the soul music group Shalamar co-choreographed the Smooth Criminal video with Jackson and Vincent Paterson, who was a back-up dancer in Beat It and Thriller.

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The dance sequence of the video in the 1930s style lounge (and Jackson’s white suit and fedora) pays tribute to the Fred Astaire musical comedy film The Band Wagon. Jackson and some of the dancers around him perform a seemingly impossible forward lean. For the video, this was done using harness cables. To accomplish this maneuver for stage performances, though, Jackson co-patented a hitching mechanism which was built into the floor of the stage and the performer’s shoes.

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Michael Jackson – Smooth Criminal

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5/2/15 O&A Its Saturday- Anything Goes: Diana ! Diana Ross Special Featuring The Jackson 5 (1971)

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It is Saturday

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Diana! Diana Ross’ first solo TV special, which aired on ABC on April 18, 1971. The special featured performances by The Jackson 5, and Jackson 5 lead singer Michael Jackson’s solo debut. Other guests included Danny Thomas and Bill Cosby. Continue reading

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1/11/15 O&A Gospel Sunday: Andraé Crouch

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GOSPEL SUNDAY

"Chris Gwynn"

Andraé Crouch died on Thursday, January 8, 2015 after being admitted to the hospital last weekend following a heart attack. The Grammy-winning gospel singer, songwriter and choir director graced songs by Michael Jackson and Madonna and movies such as The Lion King. Continue reading

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2/13/16 (REPOST) O&A NYC ITS SATURDAY ANYTHING GOES: Naomi Campbell Supermodel

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Naomi Elaine Campbell, an English-born model, of African Jamaican descent and Chinese Jamaican ancestry through her paternal grandmother, who carried the family name Ming. Recruited at the age of 15, she established herself among the top three most recognizable and in-demand models of the late 1980s and the 1990s, and she was one of six models of her generation declared supermodels by the fashion world. Continue reading