Island Records stars pay tribute at Montreux Jazz Festival

MONTREUX (Reuters) – Baaba Maal and Angelique Kidjo were among the headliners in a tribute to Island Records founder Chris Blackwell that rocked into the early hours at the Montreux Festival on Saturday.

"Without Mr Chris Blackwell you wouldn't have me before you tonight. That's all I have to say," Angelique Kidjo, the Grammy Award-winning Beninese singer-songwriter discovered by Blackwell in 1991, said.

Kidjo, Maal and the other gathered musicians, who all recorded for Blackwell's boundary-crossing label during their careers, knocked dead the packed Stravinski Auditorium on the shores of Lake Geneva with a mold-breaking evening of musical acrobatics marking the label's 50th anniversary.

Blackwell, who started Island Records in 1959 with 1,000 pounds ($1,600), worked with local ska and reggae singers in Jamaica, where he grew up, before moving to London.

There he scored his first big transatlantic hit with Millie Small's cover of "My Boy Lollipop" set to a romping ska beat.

Big media seek 21st century business models

SUN VALLEY, Idaho (Reuters) – Media moguls at this week's Sun Valley conference have spent as much time discussing how to reconfigure business models disrupted by the Web as they have worrying about the weak economy.

With difficult credit markets and an unclear future, talk of dealmaking has been at a minimum this year. Yet there has never been a more important time for media conglomerates and their financiers to act and adapt to the Internet age.

The mood at the conference was described as "somber" and "very bearish" by executives. While the recession was a key reason, the other was the uncertainty over how future profits can be made from distributing news and entertainment online and across devices like smartphones.

"We're not using long-form content on the Web because it's not clear to us that's the way people want to consume content, said David Zaslav, chief executive of Discovery Communications Inc, which owns the Discovery Channel.

Black Eyed Peas claim top 2 singles in U.S

NEW YORK (Billboard) – The Black Eyed Peas held on to the top two spots on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for a second week on Thursday.

"I Gotta Feeling" led the field, while "Boom Boom Pow" followed at No. 2. The latter track ruled the Hot 100 for 12 weeks until "I Gotta Feeling" replaced it last week. Both come from the hip-hop act's album "The E.N.D.," which fell to No. 5 on the Billboard 200 Wednesday after three weeks at No. 1.

Elsewhere on the Hot 100, Drake's "Best I Ever Had" stayed at No. 3, Keri Hilson's "Knock You Down," featuring Kanye West and Ne-Yo, at No. 4, and Lady GaGa's "LoveGame" at No. 5.

Sean Kingston's "Fire Burning" rose one to No. 6, and Jeremih's "Birthday Sex" was also up one, to No. 7. Pitbull's "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)" fell two to No. 8, and Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me" rose two to No. 9. Linkin Park's "New Divide" slipped one to No. 10.

Brooke Shields signs for role in family film

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – After a 10-year hiatus from mainstream movies, Brooke Shields is returning to the big screen in the family comedy "Furry Vengeance."

Also joining the Summit/Participant Media project are Dick Van Dyke, Ken Jeong and Samantha Bee.

Brendan Fraser is playing the lead in director Roger Kumble's live-action film, which centers on a real estate developer who gets more than he bargained for from a band of raccoons when he pushes into pristine territory. Shields will play the wife of Fraser's character.

The role marks the actress's first mainstream film work since 1999, when she starred in James Toback's hip-hop drama "Black and White." Since then, she has had parts in animated and DVD fare.

Over the past decade Shields, who is known for such movies as "The Blue Lagoon" and "Endless Love" earlier in her career, has concentrated on television and Broadway. She starred in the recently canceled NBC comedy-drama "Lipstick Jungle."

KKR, Bertelsmann plan music venture

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Media group Bertelsmann and private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co are to form a music rights management joint venture, KKR said on Tuesday.

The deal, expected to be announced Wednesday, will create a venture 51 percent owned by KKR and 49 percent owned by Bertelsmann, KKR said.

Such a deal could be a more efficient way of managing rights under one roof, and would mark a more aggressive push into the music business for the privately held German media giant, which has largely exited the industry.

Bertelsmann pulled out of a recorded music joint venture with Sony Corp in August 2008 and sold its music publishing business in 2006.

However, in October it announced plans to build a new music rights business called BMG Rights Management.

It launched that business with a selection of European music catalogs retained from the venture with Sony, which included about 200 artists such as the Scorpions and Terence Trent D'Arby, the firm has previously said.

Romance rocks wizard world in new Potter movie

LONDON (Reuters) – Romantic comedy meets the wizarding world in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," the sixth installment in the hit movie franchise in which hormones, as well as hexes, are on the loose at Hogwarts school.

And with filming on the final two pictures due to wrap up in 2010, the young actors who spent much of their teen years on set and coping with the superstardom their success has brought are finally looking ahead to life after Potter.

"It was nice to be back and to know that this film is, to me, more of a romantic comedy than ever before and that we would have a chance to focus more on that side of things," said Emma Watson, who plays the feisty bookworm Hermione in the films.

"Sometimes I have to bring myself back with Hermione, because she is so innocent and so naive and she really is very vulnerable in this film," the 19-year-old actress told reporters on Monday at a press conference to publicize the movie.

Lawyers set to square off over Jackson estate

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Lawyers for Michael Jackson and his family on Sunday prepared to square off in a courtroom hearing over control of the singer's estate as media reports mounted about powerful drugs that may have contributed to his death.

One legal expert predicted the existence of a 2002 will signed by Jackson means his mother, 79-year-old Katherine Jackson, will likely be forced to give up temporary control she now has over his affairs.

"Given the existence of the will and the expression of Michael's intentions, the only likely outcome is Katherine's powers will be terminated and she will no longer have any power to deal with the estate," Los Angeles-based family law attorney Michael G. Dave said on Sunday.

Lawyers for Katherine Jackson and for two men named co-executors of the will -- attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain -- that surfaced late last week will meet in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday.

Beatles, Stones ex-manager Allen Klein dies

Beatles, Stones ex-manager Allen Klein dies

Powerful sedative found in Michael Jackson's home

LOS ANGELES – The powerful sedative Diprivan was found in Michael Jackson's home, a law enforcement official said Friday as the city planned for a massive crowd at the singer's memorial service.

Diprivan is an anesthetic widely used in operating rooms to induce unconsciousness. Also known as Propofol, it's given intravenously and is very unusual to have in a private home.

The law enforcement official spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak about the matter.

A Los Angeles Police spokesman, Lt. John Romero, declined to discuss the case. "It's an ongoing investigation," he said.

The cause of Jackson's death has not been determined. Autopsy results are not expected for several weeks.

"Ice Age" heats up box office with record opening

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" grossed a cool $13.8 million in North American theaters on Wednesday, marking Hollywood's biggest mid-week opening for an animated film.

The previous record Wednesday opening in the United States and Canada for a cartoon feature was "Shrek 2," which sold $11.8 million its first day in May 2004, according to the film tracking service Hollywood.com Box-Office.

The third installment of "Ice Age," the hit film franchise starring a computer-animated cast of prehistoric critters, also bested the blockbuster "Transformers" sequel, which sold $11.2 million on Wednesday, its eighth day in release.

"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," which opened last week at the top of the box office, has now amassed domestic ticket sales of about $240 million.

Box office analysts say "Transformers 2" has a chance of holding on to the No. 1 spot for the U.S. July 4th holiday weekend as a whole, but the 3-D movie "Ice Age" is considered the front-runner for first place.

Jackson will sets family trust, funeral sketchy

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A will signed by Michael Jackson putting his multimillion-dollar estate in a trust for his children and mother was filed in court on Wednesday, as details of his highly-anticipated funeral remained sketchy.

Some media outlets reported a memorial service would take place this coming Tuesday at Los Angeles' Staples Center arena and others pointed to the city's Coliseum sports stadium, but a spokesman for Jackson's family could not confirm those reports nor could officials with the venues.

Jackson's family did issue a statement saying the pop star would not be buried at his Neverland Valley Ranch in central California and no funeral or memorial service would take place there. Media outlets earlier in the week said the family was considering Neverland as a possible burial ground.

The will values the "Thriller" star's estate at more than $500 million, and puts his assets in the Michael Jackson Family Trust, which ultimately benefits his three children, his mother and unnamed charities.

Michael Jackson to reign on U.S. catalog chart

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) – Michael Jackson is about to rock the U.S. album charts.

Nielsen SoundScan's sales numbers won't be released until Wednesday morning, but industry prognosticators indicate that three of Jackson's albums -- "Number Ones," "The Essential Michael Jackson" and "Thriller" -- each sold around 100,000 copies last week. The sales tracking week ended at the close of business Sunday night.

To compare, Jackson's entire catalog of solo albums sold 10,000 in the week ended June 21. Jackson, 50, died of cardiac arrest on June 25.

The aforementioned titles will be the top three albums on Billboard's Top Pop Catalog chart, and Jackson may lock up between six and nine slots in the tally's top 10.

Other Jackson albums looking to make a big splash on the chart are "Off the Wall, "Bad," "Dangerous" and his boxed set "The Ultimate Collection." Additionally, two Jackson 5 compilations -- "The Ultimate Collection" and "20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection" -- are doing brisk business.

Rock legends form new band, call it Chickenfoot

LONDON (Reuters) – Some of the biggest names in rock have banded together to form a new supergroup. They call it Chickenfoot, a name they readily admit is "silly."

While the name may not be to everyone's taste, Van Halen veterans Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and virtuoso guitarist Joe Satriani rose high in the U.S. charts with their eponymous debut album this month.

"We called ourselves Chickenfoot as a kind of a joke, and people started digging it, and so Chad's going, 'Let's start a real band'," Hagar said during a boisterous interview with the band in London, where they performed during a European tour.

"Joe had a band called the Squares -- all of a sudden Chickenfoot sounded like a really good name," Hagar joked.

Hagar and Anthony used to jam together at Hagar's club in Mexico, and when Smith joined them, they gelled. Smith, who still plays for the Chili Peppers, suggested forming a group, and Satriani was invited as the final piece in the jigsaw.

Jackson's final hours puzzle doctor, family

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Both Michael Jackson's family and his personal physician were at pains to explain on Sunday what caused the troubled pop star's sudden death weeks before his long-awaited comeback.

Dr. Conrad Murray, who was at Jackson's side when he died, told police he did not inject the singer with painkillers before his fatal cardiac arrest on Thursday, his lawyer said on Sunday after reports he received a shot of narcotic Demerol.

When asked at Sunday's BET Awards about the care his son received from doctors in his last moments, Jackson's father, Joe, said, "I have a lot of concerns. ... I can't get into that, but I don't like what happened."

He said funeral arrangements for the King of Pop were still being discussed. A family friend said services could take place on Wednesday and the body could be buried at Jackson's famous Neverland Ranch.

Doctor queried in Michael Jackson death, 2nd autopsy held

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Los Angeles police on Saturday again questioned Michael Jackson's doctor, while the family of the pop music icon ordered its own private autopsy two days after his death shocked fans around the world.

Jackson's father issued a statement urging fans not to despair because the singer "will continue to live on in each and every one of you."

The family sought a second autopsy -- the official one was conducted on Friday -- amid reports about the 50-year-old singer's reliance on prescription medications.

Jackson's personal physician, Texas cardiologist Dr. Conrad Murray, who was with the singer when he collapsed at his rented mansion on Thursday, hired an attorney to accompany him to what was expected to be a lengthy meeting with the Los Angeles Police Department late on Saturday.