Jessica Sanchez marches on to her new and exciting career successes following her being abused in the American Idol finals - (Staff Sgt. Teddy Wade photo)

Video Beat EXTRA EXTRA - JESSICA SANCHEZ - PHIL SPECTOR are HOT TOPICS

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

Jessica Sanchez was pumped and dumped in the American Idol final after being given a terrible song which resulted in her losing. Her fortunes have turned around and she is touring and doing songs that fit her talent. She is also taking on acting - PHIL SPECTOR THE MURDERER was recognized as one of the music industries most talented producers. His penchant for guns and violence resulted in murder and a prison sentence. A film about Spector airs on HBO ... - Recommended TV Listings

Monday, March 25, 2013

JESSICA SANCHEZ TURNS THE BEAT AROUND

It's good news for Jessica Sanchez who has survived being trashed during the American Idol final last season. Sanchez was excited about her post Idol career as she has been busy touring, modeling, recording and acting. The most significant good news for the now 17-year-old little lady is supposed to be on Glee in a reoccurring role.

Hopefully that will materialize but one can't forget how Glee treated Charice who after much fanfare appeared briefly on the show, did a great job but never returned. That mystery has yet to be explained and Charice can't figure out the reasons why and would like to be cast on the show.

Sanchez was ecstatic as she shared her post Idol experience when she appeared as a guest talent this past weeks Idol results show singing her debut single "Tonight," featuring singer Ne-Yo who also accompanied her performance. This song is MORE IN HER LANE as the current Idol judges Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban often say.

"Tonight" is more of a hip-hop; rap song that Sanchez has incorporated her dancing skills. The tune shows her youth and gives her a chance to prance around the stage displaying her perky, sassy side. The ironic twist to this scenario is she signed with Jimmy Iovine's Interscope Records which signing binding contracts is part of the deal to appear on American Idol who have a reputation of having contestants sign contracts that control their careers.

The good song selection reinforces our opinion that Iovine set Sanchez up to fail in the finals last season by giving her a song that was as wrong for her as it could be to enable Phillip Phillips to receive a more positive viewer and judge response so he could win by giving him a good sing that fit his one octave style and limited quality voice.

That decision caused many Filipino's to think that Idol is a racist show which is bolstered by the comments that are easily found on the Internet as well as conversations I've had with Filipinos that I play basketball with. The good news is Sanchez's career is off to a flying start and she's excited.

The biggest change in her life is acting. She was selected for full scholarship training at the Theater of Arts in Hollywood and is currently a home-schooled high school student in 12th grade. This will be a major factor in her career. She has expressed that she loves modeling and dancing and with her super voice this Latin lady is on her way.

On the Idol results show they showed Sanchez visiting her mother's home country the Philippines where she performed in her sold out concert. As she was driving around the city she was overwhelmed at the number of advertisements of her that in many cases covered the entire side of a building. On stage at her concert she showed how brassy and confident she can be in a staged introduction with her back to the audience addressing the crowd and facing the TV cameras which made the crowd go crazy. They LOVE JESSICA In the Philippines.

After American Idol, Sanchez has piled on the credits to her resume. She sang the U.S. National Anthem, "God Bless America" and "The Prayer" at the PBS' National Memorial Day Concert from the west lawn of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. on May 27, 2012.

She performed the U.S. National Anthem during the Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley fight on Saturday, June 9, 2012 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. She also sang the U.S. National Anthem during the 2012 NBA finals Heat vs. Thunder.

Sanchez has signed a record deal with Interscope Records. During the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2012 press junket, Sanchez confirmed to interviewers that she was in fact working on her debut album. On August 29, 2012 on a tour stop in New York City at iHeartRadio, Sanchez sang a new song, "Fairytale", from her upcoming album.

 

Phil Spectors pictured at the height of his career prior to his fall from grace - (Ray Avery photo)

Phil Spector in a 2009 prison photograph - (North Kern State Prison, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation photo)

She also performed at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina on September 5, 2012 with other artists and musicians, such as DJ Cassidy and Branford Marsalis. She performed the song "You're All I Need to Get By" by Marvin Gaye.

In October 2012, it was announced that Sanchez will have a recurring role in the fourth season of Glee.

Sanchez released a new music video for the song "Jump In" with The Black Eyed Peas member Apl.de.ap. The music video was shot in September 2012 in the Philippines when Sanchez visited Manila for the American Idol Live Tour. The song and video were released in the Philippines on October 20.

Sanchez performed at the 26th Annual Carousel Ball of Hope, City of Hope Spirit of Life Awards Gala, 2012 BAFTA Los Angeles Brittania Awards and the Trevor Live event by the Trevor Project.

On February 14, 2013 Sanchez hosted her first major solo concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in the Philippines, where she sang songs from her time on American Idol and two new songs, "Fairytale" and "Jump In."

She said of her new single "Tonight," as being "fun, clubby dancy song." Her debut album will be released on April 30, 2013.

PHIL SPECTOR THE MURDERER

Phil Spector has long been recognized as one of the music industries most talented producers. His credits include being the originator of the "Wall of Sound" production technique, a pioneer of the 1960s girl-group sound that resulted in over 25 Top 40 hits in 1960-1965. Among his famous girl groups are the Ronettes and the Crystals. After this initial success, Spector later worked with artists including Ike and Tina Turner, John Lennon, George Harrison, and the Ramones with similar acclaim. He produced the Beatles' album Let It Be, and the Grammy Award-winning Concert for Bangladesh by former Beatle George Harrison. In 1989, Spector was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. The 1965 song "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'", produced and co-written by Spector for the Righteous Brothers, is listed by BMI as the song with the most U.S. airplay in the 20th century.In 2009, Spector was convicted of second-degree murder in the 2003 shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson in his Alhambra, California home. He is serving a prison sentence of 19 years to life.

This is of particular interest to me as I was subject to Spector pulling a gun on me and threatening my life at A&M recording studios while he was teaching our Sherwood Oaks Music College record production class in the mid 70's. I was taping the class as were two other students when he spotted my recorder and called me into the bathroom. He was accompanied by another individual and Al Lewis the actor that played grandpa in the famous Munster TV series.

Spector went crazy, took my tape, broke the cartridge and threw it in the toilet and continued to rant threats. The question is would this skinny little runt do that without a gun and two friends standing behind him?

His insanity affected others. Following my experience in the late 1970s, Spector produced and co-wrote a controversial 1977 album by Leonard Cohen, entitled Death of a Ladies' Man. The album angered many devout Cohen fans who preferred his stark acoustic sound to the orchestral and choral wall of sound that the album contains. The recording of the album was fraught with difficulty.

After Cohen had laid down practice vocal tracks, Spector reportedly mixed the album in "secret" studio sessions, literally locking Cohen, who usually took a strong role in the mixing, out of the studio. Cohen said Spector once threatened him with a crossbow, a claim, according to newspaper reports, others would make about their dealings with Spector. Cohen has remarked that the end result is "grotesque", but also "semi-virtuous". Cohen, however, still includes a reworked version of the track "Memories" in live concerts.

An HBO film based on his life will be televised tonight Monday March 25th in East Asia on HBO. It stars Al Pacino as Spector, Helen Mirren, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jeffrey Tambor. It is a must watch. If you miss it look out for the repeat airings.

FILM REVIEW

The above was written prior to our viewing this 90 minute film. After doing so we found it to be lacking in substance and covered only the murder trial portion of his life. The project came off as a cheap low budget stage show. It is Helen Mirren's film as she has the strongest role with the focus of the movie coming from her point of view playing the part of the lawyer defending Spector during the first murder trail which ended in a mistrial. The closing credits noted that Spector was convicted of murder in the second trail.

This film is more interesting to those that are familiar with Spector's career, work or are curious about a well known personality in the music business. It does not stand alone as a strong well constructed movie. Pacino does a decent job but after his roles in The Godfather and Serpico it is insipid by comparison.

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