HARRY CONNICK, JR., MATTHEW PERRY, JEREMY IRONS AND KATHY BATES ARE AMONG THE FEATURED GUESTS ON “THE VIEW”, FEBRUARY 28 – MARCH 4

Jazz Bassist/Singer Esperanza Spalding, Recently Crowned “Best New Artist”
at the 2011 Grammy(tm) Awards, Performs Live, March 2

Donnie Dunagan (the Original Voice of Bambi in Walt Disney’s “Bambi”)
And Peter Behn (the Original Voice of Thumper in “Bambi”) Will Meet
Face to Face for the Very First Time on “The View,” March 4

Actress Nia Long to Guest Co-host Live, March 1

Crooner Harry Connick, Jr., Matthew Perry (“Mr. Sunshine”), actress Jacqueline Bisset, Jeremy Irons (“The Borgias”), Kathy Bates (“Harry’s Law”), ABC News legal analyst Dan Abrams, as well as Donnie Dunagan (original voice of Bambi in Walt Disney’s “Bambi”) and Peter Behn (original voice of Thumper in “Bambi”) — who will meet for the first time — are among the guests on ABC’s “The View” (11:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, ET) on the ABC Television Network. Actress Nia Long will guest co-host Tuesday, March 1.

Jazz bassist/singer Esperanza Spalding, who was recently crowned “Best New Artist” at the 2011 Grammy Awards, performs live, Wednesday, March 2.

Donnie Dunagan (the original voice of Bambi in Walt Disney’s “Bambi”) and Peter Behn (the original voice of Thumper in “Bambi”) will meet face to face for the very first time on “The View,” Friday, March 4.

Scheduled guests the week of FEBRUARY 28 – MARCH 4 are as follows (subject to change):

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28 – Co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s workout routine; “V-Mail: Ask ‘The View’” . . . Lawyers.

TUESDAY, MARCH 1 – Guest co-host Nia Long; Contemporary crooner Harry Connick, Jr.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2 – Matthew Perry (“Mr. Sunshine”); Jazz bassist/singer Esperanza Spalding (“Chamber Music Society”), crowned Best New Artist at the 2011 Grammy Awards, performs; Jacqueline Bisset.

THURSDAY, MARCH 3 – Jeremy Irons (“The Borgias”); “American’s Most Wanted” host John Walsh, his wife, RevŽ Walsh, and Joe Matthews, founder of DNA Life Print identification kit.

FRIDAY, MARCH 4 – Kathy Bates (“Harry’s Law”); ABC News legal analyst Dan Abrams; Donnie Dunagan (original voice of Bambi in Walt Disney’s “Bambi”) and Peter Behn (original voice of Thumper in “Bambi”) meet face to face for the very first time; Dani Johnson (“Secret Millionaire”).

“The View” features Daytime Emmy Award-winning hosts Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Sherri Shepherd. It’s the original forum in which real women discuss everyday issues, share their opinions and engage in colorful conversations. “The View,” broadcast in HDTV and produced in 2-channel stereo sound, is now available to watch online daily at 4:00 p.m., ET/1:00 p.m., PT on the ABC Digital Full Episode Player at ABC.com. “The View” is produced by ABC Daytime and Ms. Walters’ Barwall Productions, with Ms. Walters serving as executive producer along with Bill Geddie, who also serves as executive producer for “The Barbara Walters Specials.” “The View” is directed by Mark Gentile.

For breaking news and updated videos follow “The View” (@theviewtv) and hosts Barbara Walters (@BarbaraJWalters), Joy Behar (@JoyVBehar), Elisabeth Hasselbeck (@ehasselbeck) and Sherri Shepherd (@SherriEShepherd) on Twitter.(tm)

HARRY CONNICK, JR., JOAN RIVERS, JACKIE CHAN & JADEN SMITH (“THE KARATE KID”) AND BETHENNY FRANKEL ON “THE VIEW,” JUNE 7-11

Music from Train, Usher and Jason Derulo

E.D. Hill Co-Hosts, Live, June 7 and Danielle Fishel (Style Network’s “The Dish”) Co-Hosts, Live, June 9
Harry Connick, Jr., Joan Rivers, Jackie Chan & Jaden Smith (“The Karate Kid”), Bethenny Frankel (“Bethenny Getting Married”) and musical guests Usher, Train and Jason Derulo are all scheduled to appear JUNE 7-11 on ABC’s “The View” (11:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, ET). American news anchor E.D. Hill returns to co-host, live, MONDAY, JUNE 7, followed by Danielle Fishel, host of Style Network’s “The Dish,” WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9.

Scheduled guests for the week of June 7-11 are as follows (subject to change):

MONDAY, JUNE 7 – Guest co-host E.D. Hill; musical guest Train; behind the scenes of co-host Sherri Shepherd’s Broadway show, “Love, Loss & What I Wore.”

TUESDAY, JUNE 8 – Joan Rivers (“Piece of Work”); co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s QVC spring fashion line, “Dialogue by Elisabeth Hasselbeck.”

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9 – Guest co-host Danielle Fishel (host, Style Network’s “The Dish”); Harry Connick, Jr.; musical guest Jason Derulo.

THURSDAY, JUNE 10 – Musical guest Usher; Bethenny Frankel (“Bethenny Getting Married”); TJ Maxx fashion show.

FRIDAY, JUNE 11 – Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan (“The Karate Kid”).

Harry Connick, Jr. and wife Jill Goodacre at the luncheon for “Nine”

Singer/actor Harry Connick Jr. and wife model Jill Goodacre attend a luncheon for The Weinstein Company’s ‘NINE’ at Per Se on December 14, 2009 in New York, New York. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for The Weinstein Company)Content © 2009 Getty Images All rights reserved

Harry Connick, Jr. – Your Songs (a J!-ENT World Groove Album Review)

“A cover album featuring a collaboration between Harry Connick, Jr. and legendary music producer Clive Davis.  The best cover album by Harry featuring covers of popular songs originally sung by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole and even songs sung by The Beatles, Billy Joel, Elton John, Roberta Flack and more.  Definitely recommended!”

ARTIST: Harry Connick, Jr.

ALBUM: Your Songs (Digital Version)

LABEL: Columbia

DURATION: 49:37

RELEASE DATE: September 22, 2009

1. All the Way
2. Just the Way You Are
3. Can’t Help Falling in Love With You
4. And I Love Her
5. (They Long to Be) Close to You
6. Besame Mucho (Kiss Me Much)
7. The Way You Look Tonight
8. First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
9. Your Song
10. Some Enchanted Evening
11. And I Love You So
12. Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)
13. Smile
14. Mona Lisa

NOTE: In different countries, the album has additional tracks which include “Killing Me Softly”, or “And I Love Her” (with Carla Bruni) and in Japan, “Killing Me Softly”, “Who’s Sorry Now” and “Answer Me My Love”.

I can easily remember my first introduction to Harry Connick, Jr.’s music and that was through the film “When Harry Met Sally” back in 1989.  Needless to say, I’ve been a big fan of Harry since that release, buying every jazz or funk album he had release, catching his live shows and even purchasing his videos on VHS and LD’s and needless to say, with each release, I’ve always enjoyed his music.

With the release of “Your Songs”, the album features a collaboration with Harry and well-known record producer Clive Davis.  The songs are classics that were chosen by Clive Davis and arranged by Harry.

Favorites of mine on the album include “All the Way” by Frank Sinatra and written by James Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn features a collaboration with Harry and  Branford Marsalis.  A beautifully arranged track with a good touch of brass and strings made even more smoother with Harry’s vocals.

A cover of the popular song “Smile” which I enjoyed Nat King Cole’s version (written by Charlie Chaplin,  John Turner, Geoffrey Parsons) but Harry manages to bring another dimension to the song courtesy of its featuring a beautiful arrangement and another Nat King Cole favorite of mine is “Mona Lisa (written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans) with its piano accompaniment and beautiful strings in the background and a good touch of brass.

Other covers that are also well done include “Just the Way You Are”, a cover of the popular Billy Joel song; Connick’s cover of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” (written by George David Weiss, Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore) and a collaboration with Wynton Marsalis; a cover of the Beatles song  “And I Love Her” (written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon); a cover of the popular song “(They Long to Be) Close to You” by the Carpenters (written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David); a cover of Consuelo Velsquez’s “Besame Mucho”; a cover of Frank Sinatra’s “The Way You Look Tonight”; a cover of “Some Enchanted Evening” sung by Frank Sinatra and Perry Como (written by Oscar Hammerstein and Richard Rodgers); a beautiful cover of Don McLean’s “And I Love You So” (which was sung also by Perry Como) and a cover of “Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)” sung by Tony Bennett (written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley).

Some covers, I found to be OK is Harry’s covers of “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” which I can’t see anyone singing the song but Roberta Flack and “Your Song” by Elton John.

But overall, this is a very good cover album.  We have had cover albums from Harry Connick, Jr. before.  But this has to be the best one release in his long career of releases thus far.   It’s one thing to have Harry Connick, Jr.’s beautiful vocals but the arrangement on the album is top notch.  Great collaboration once again with Branford and Wynton Marsalis but also with the brass courtesy of Leroy Jones, Roger Ingram, Wayne Bergeron, Warren Lunning and John Fumo.  And of course, you have to give it up for Harry’s big band and the string orchestra.

Overall, “Your Songs” is another Harry Connick, Jr. album that is definitely recommended!

Harry Connick, Jr. – What a Night! A Christmas Album (a J!-ENT World Groove Album Review)

“It’s Harry Connick, Jr.’s third Christmas album and for me, a Harry Connick Jr. Christmas album is always welcomed during the Holiday Season!  Featuring covers of popular Christmas hits, newly written songs and more!”

BUY THIS ALBUM:

ARTIST: Harry Connick, Jr.

ALBUM: What a Night! A Christmas Album (Digital Version)

LABEL: Columbia

DURATION: 58:55

RELEASE DATE: November 4, 2008

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

1. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
2. What a Night!
3. Christmas Day
4. Have a Holly Jolly Christmas
5. Please Come Home For Christmas
6. O Come All Ye Faithful
7. Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies
8. Let There Be Peace On Earth
9. Winter Wonderland
10. It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
11. Santariffic
12. Jingle Bells
13. Zat You Santa Claus
14. We Three Kings
15. Song for the Hopeful (feat. Kim Burrell)

As a long time listener of Harry Connick, Jr., one of my favorite Holiday-related album (and laserdisc) that I purchased was from Harry Connick, Jr. back in 1993 with “When My Heart Finds Christmas”.

Fifteen years later, I still listen to the album a lot and although Harry released a sophomore Holiday album in 2003 with “Harry for the Holidays”, it didn’t capture the same magic as the first album but still enjoyable.

So, here we are five years later, with another Christmas album from Harry Connick, Jr. and it features a good combination of Harry Connick, Jr.’s style of singing popular Christmas classics, his own written songs and also featuring instrumental tracks as well.  Most of all, Harry and his big band is back.  So, you get a bit of music that are jazzy or songs that other beautiful arrangements featuring an orchestra.

In this album, there are a few interesting collaborations.  The first is with jazz/gospel artist Kim Burrell who joins Harry Connick, Jr. for “Let There Be Peace on Earth” and “Song for the Hopeful”.   With the former featuring a beautiful orchestra-style arrangement and the latter featuring a Harry Connick, Jr. written song featuring a more jazz, contemporary style of track.

The surprise on the Christmas album is the duet with Harry Connick, Jr.’s second daughter Sarah Kate singing with her father.  She does a very good job and has her father’s flair.  What’s interesting is that Sarah wasn’t even born when the first Holiday album was released and when the second was released, she was only five.  So, it’s good to see Harry and his daughter (now at the age of 11) singing on this album, considering that Harry Connick Jr. first recorded an album at ten which was titled “Eleven”.

There is also a third collaboration with Harry’s long time friend and trombone player Lucien Barbarin who joining Harry Connick Jr. in an enjoyable big band style song “Santariffic” which is an original Christmas song by Harry Connick Jr.

Overall, I did enjoy “What a Night! A Christmas Album”, I still enjoy the first album more for its holiday ballads and of course, it’s more of nostalgia for me and my family.  But it’s still an enjoyable Christmas album that Harry Connick, Jr. fans will truly enjoy.

NOTE: There are various versions of this album available.   The digital version I am reviewing only has 15 tracks.   The Amazon digital version has one extra track with track 16 “Auld Lang Syne” and the Barnes and Nobles exclusive version features an additional nine tracks.

MY DOG SKIP (a J!-ENT DVD Review)

BUY THIS DVD

MOVIE COMPANY: ALCON Entertainment / Warner Bros.

CAST: Starring Frankie Muniz, Diane Lane, Luke Wilson and Kevin Bacon.  Voice by Harry Connick Jr.
DIRECTED BY: Jay Russell
PRODUCED BY: Mark Johnson, John Lee Hancock, Broderick Johnson and Andrew A. Kosove.
RATING: Rated PG
INTERNET MOVIE DATABASE URL: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0156812
TYPE OF MOVIE: Drama
DURATION: 95 minutes

Who says best friends have to be human?  Not Willie Morris (Frankie Muniz), who receives a talented terrier named Skip for his birthday.  With Skip’s remarkable and unconventional help, Willie and Skip turn bullies into friends, tangle with hapless moonshiners, and even win the affections of the prettiest girl in school.  Shining with warmth and humor, My Dog Skip unleashes a story that will have the entire family sitting up and begging for more!

DVD EXTRAS:

• Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only)
• Color
• Commentary by director Jay Russell
• Commentary by Frankie Muniz
• Theatrical trailer(s)
• Full-screen format

KNOWN DVD SECRET(S): None that I could find.

DVD REVIEW:

I didn’t watch the movie in the theater because I figured that it’s one of those children movies and I probably won’t enjoy it.  After reading about three reviews on Amazon.com and the good reviews from the viewers (dog lovers) out there, I had to give it a try.

My wife and myself watched the movie with our two dogs sitting next to us.  We love our dogs but I wanted to watch the movie not because of the story of a boy and his dog (I could have watched “Ben”) but because I wanted to see this touching story and the relationship one has with their pets, that’s what I was interested in.

After we were done watching, we were both in tears.  I looked at my two dogs and it reminded me of how much these pets are a part of our lives.  The storyline of a kid who is bullied and how his dog helps him through his young life and eventually gains friends to the last 15 minutes which will nearly shatter your heart.  An emotional roller coaster this movie is.

Ok…as for the DVD, the audio is mostly dialogue but the rear speakers are used pretty well.    Especially during the baseball game.  The video is clear and the colors are good.    As for the special features, you get two feature-length audio commentaries.  One with Frankie Muniz and animal trainer Mathilde DeCagney and the other with director Jay Russell.  It was cool to see the deleted scenes and part of me wishes they left it in and I wish the director elaborated why he removed them from the movie.  And of course, the ever loveable trailer and scene selections which I don’t count as special features (all DVD’s should have those).

All in all, “My Dog Skip” is a wonderful movie.  I recommend this movie to all dog lovers.  Those who dislike canines or any pets would probably not watch this movie anyway… Highly recommended for the dog lovers and remember to have the tissue box nearby.

THE MOVIE:  A
THE DVD EXTRAS:  B+
THE DVD OVERALL:  A-