Cheryl James. Sandra Denton. Deidra Roper. Just two nursing students in college and a teenager in high school. Brought together to help a friend record a school project that would find its way onto the radio and ultimately land them a record deal. Some modest track released as a B-side would dominate the rap scene and catapult their first album to hit gold, then platinum, a history-making first for an all female hip hop act that would be known across the world as Salt-N-Pepa and DJ Spinderella. From Push It to Let’s Talk About Sex, from Shoop to Whatta Man to None of Your Business, these women were naughty by nature and just as unabashed as their male counterparts in their songs about sex. And that kind of swagger earned them the Grammy, another history-making first. Now, Salt-N-Pepa have executive produced a biopic about their rise to fame and their struggle to win control over the direction of their careers. With outstanding performances by G.G. Townson (All American), Laila Odom (For the Love of Jason), Monique Jasmine Paul (The Next Step), Arnold Pinnock (The Expanse), Cleveland Berto (Lucifer), Jermel Howard (Equal Standard), Eddie G. (Transplant), Daniel Keith Morrison (TallBoyz), Denver Taylor (The Creator), and Bronson Phillip Lake (American Gods), Salt-N-Pepa is here in effect.

The “Salt-N-Pepa” biopic is airing on Lifetime and streaming here.

Concerts as we know them are still canceled for now but the music never stops.  For Billie Eilish the year started with the release of a song and accompanying video she’s been collaborating on since 2019 with the stunning Barcelona born singer Rosalia.  Lo Vas A Olvidar (English translation – You Will Forget Her) is the first original song Billie has ever released in Spanish but I have a feeling it won’t be her last.  The hauntingly beautiful duet also appears on a recent special episode of HBO’s Euphoria.

Secure your subscription for Apple TV+ and mark your calendars for February 26^th for the release of Billie Eilish’s documentary The World’s A Little Blurry.   The film takse an intimate look through home movies dating back to her toddler years and follows her rise to teenage stardom.  Billie also graces the cover of Vanity Fair’s March issue – on stands now – is which she discusses a variety of topics that she has faced in her rise to young fame. If that’s not enough, Billie has a number of nominations for more Grammys this March for her recording of Everything I Wanted.  And since virtual concerts are the best we can get right now – check out iHeartRadio for some exclusive live footage that Billie and her crew recorded for the fourth annual ALTer EGO show and first ever virtual CES show.

For all things Billie, click here.

Like so many other entertainment venues during the Covid-19 health crisis, the legendary Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood finds itself facing a financial conundrum. With no income since closing its doors on March 14 of last year, the popular Hollywood night spot is struggling to meet all its monetary obligations — including paying the rent and paying the staff. “In times of crisis when we feel broken, helpless, and alone, we turn to music,” said Catalina Popescu, club founder and owner. “Music is an elixir for the soul and that is precisely why Catalina Jazz Club has been devoted to bringing LA the finest in live musical entertainment for the past 34 years!”

The club started a GoFundMe campaign back in June and it’s still going strong. On Friday, February 12, at 6pm (PST), this beloved venue is presenting A Catalina Soulful Valentine to benefit the campaign. Co-hosted by Emmy Award-winner Sally Struthers and singer/trumpeter Chris Norton, the virtual concert will stream live on Facebook and YouTube. The show is set to star a sparkling array of Catalina favorites including Lucie Arnaz, Carole J. Bufford, Trenyce Cobbins (American Idol), Grammy Award nominee Kay-Ta Matsuno, Jeffrey Scott Parsons, Linda Purl, Jake Simpson, James Snyder (Harry Potter), Nita Whitaker (Star Search Grand Champion), and special guest Mary Wilson (founding member of The Supremes). With more performers still to be announced, this will be a great way to kick off Valentine’s Day weekend!

Catalina Jazz Club is located at 6725 Sunset Boulevard.

Our last Beatle standing once again has topped the charts in the UK with his eighteenth solo album McCartney III. A serendipitous and welcome addition to the McCartney collection, this album flaunts the musical prowess of this one man band as he plays every instrument himself. If McCartney was the embrace of a grittier guitar, and McCartney II was the exploration of early electronica, then McCartney III is the beautiful culmination of this artist’s flair for eccentricity. Out of the eleven tracks, hardly any of them follow the hackneyed conventions of pop rock. Instead the music flows through the soul like a curious stream of consciousness just as the whimsical opening song Long Tailed Winter Bird does. Lyrics on a loop that are neither verse nor chorus come to life in haunting harmonies and ride above a deconstructed acoustic dabbling into some brassy folk blues. Standout tracks like Deep Deep Feeling and Deep Down are both playful yet odd, but McCartney still manages to enchant us through the weirdness. And for those longing for the signature sweet spot of McCartney’s weathered tenor, you can find it on Find My Way and The Kiss of Venus, the album’s more upbeat sing-along escapes. It’s clear Sir Paul isn’t trying too hard; he’s just kicking back and having fun, and that’s the magic of McCartney III.

For all things Paul McCartney, click here.