— The seventh annual Urban Organic Festival is slated for Nov. 14-16 in Detroit. Host hotel is the Hilton Garden Inn. Complementing daytime panel encompassing promotion and radio programming will be various performances by such major label and indie acts as N’Dambi, Wes Felton, L’Renee and Doc Holiday. Veteran songwriter/producer/artist Leon Ware (Marvin Gaye, Minnie Riperton) will be presented with the Urban Organic Soul Elder Award on Nov. 15.
— To celebrate the release of his fifth album, “On My Radio,” Musiq Soulchild will headline the Heineken New Legends Series at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, NY. The Dec. 9 concert shares the same release date as the Atlantic album, whose lead single is “IfULeave.”
— The Soul of John Black, a new music project featuring John Bigham, will release the new album “Black John” through Eclecto Groove Records on Feb. 17, 2009. Bigham, who has previously collaborated with Dr. Dre, Eminem and Fishbone, is backed by a musical collective that includes drummer Oliver Charles (Ben Harper), bassist Shawn Davis (Beck) and Bill Botrell (Sheryl Crow). The Soul of John Black recently completed a set of opening dates for singer Nikka Costa.
