Mos Def will next month return to famed New York jazz nightclub the Blue Note's Another Side Series, at which he performed last year. The rapper-turned-actor will perform two shows a night Nov. 3-5 backed by an acoustic band featuring Living Colour drummer Will Calhoun and pianist Orrin Evans. The artist's musical diversity comes through on his just-released Rawkus/Geffen album "The New Danger," which debuted this week at No. 5 on The Billboard 200. While there is plenty of hip-hop throughout the set, the Blue Note stand will likely find Mos Def singing and scatting more than rapping.
On the acting front, Mos Def will next be seen in "A Confederacy of Dunces" and "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," both set to premiere in 2005.
-- Barry A. Jeckell, N.Y.
Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder is a last-minute addition to the lineup for Neil Young's annual Bridge School Benefit, to be held this weekend in Mountain View, Calif. Vedder joins a bill that already boasts Young, Paul McCartney, Sonic Youth, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ben Harper, Tony Bennett, Los Lonely Boys and Tegan & Sara.Having just wrapped their run on the Vote for Change tour, Vedder and Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready continued their activism with a surprise appearance Tuesday during filmmaker Michael Moore's Slacker Uprising outing at Seattle's Key Arena. Vedder offered solo renditions of the Beatles' "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" and Cat Stevens' "Don't Be Shy" before being joined by McCready for a run through Bob Dylan's "Masters of War."
-- Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Tim Booth will release his debut solo album, "Bone," Jan. 25 in the United States via Koch Records. After a period of DJing, screenwriting and acting, the former James frontman launched his solo recording career with the album's U.K. release in June via Sanctuary. "There's some dark lyrics on there," Booth says about the album's content, "but ultimately, I'm an optimist. I like my happy endings."
Booth has spent the past few months performing throughout Europe with his band, the Individuals, will launch another leg of dates there Nov. 2 in Lisbon. A brief U.S. tour is being planned to coincide with the Stateside release of "Bone."
-- Barry A. Jeckell, N.Y.
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