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Category Archive: Music and dance

Zendaya – actress and singer

Zendaya – actress and singer

Zendaya – actress and singer

Zendaya is an American actress, singer, dancer and model. She is best known for her role as Rocky Blue in the television series Shake It Up.
Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman was born on September 1, 1996 in Auckland, California. She has three sisters and two brothers. The girl spent her youth at the California Shakespeare Theater in Orinda, where her mother worked as a theater manager. Zendaya took part in many productions and helped her mother to sell lottery tickets.
During her studies at the Oakland School for the Arts she played in the musical Once on This Island, as well as performed in Caroline, or Change. Later, the actress attended California Shakespeare Theater Conservatory and American Conservatory Theater.
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Patti Smith – godmother of punk rock

Patti Smith - godmother of punk rock

Patti Smith – godmother of punk rock

Patti Smith is an American singer and poet. She is called “godmother of punk rock” because of her debut album Horses, which played a significant role in the formation of the genre. The first steps in the music Smith did in the 70s on the stage of the New York club CBGB, along with other artists of the new wave. Her most famous song Because the Night was written in collaboration with Bruce Springsteen. In 2005, Smith was awarded the French Order of Arts and Letters, and in 2007 she was inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Patricia Lee Smith was born on December 30, 1946 in Chicago. In 1949 the family moved to Philadelphia and in 1957 to New Jersey. Her mother was a jazz singer and a waitress, and her father worked at a factory. Patti was the eldest of three children. As a school girl, she was fond of Arthur Rimbaud’s poetry, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, The Doors, and especially Bob Dylan.
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Antonio Stradivari – great master

Antonio Stradivari – great master

Antonio Stradivari – great master

The secret of the greatest master Antonio Stradivari has not managed to solve anyone for several centuries. His violins sing like angels. Modern science and the latest technology are not able to achieve such results. But it was only craft for genius.
As a child, Antonio was fond of sounds of music. But when the boy tried to express his feelings in singing others laughed at him. Stradivari had another passion: he liked to cut wood. Parents hoped that their son would be a cabinetmaker. However, 11-year-old boy heard that Nicolo Amati, the best violin-maker all over Italy, also lived in their city. The news had changed the fate of Antonio. In 1655 he became one of the many students of Amati, who worked free on the master in exchange for knowledge. Stradivari’s career began with the post of errand boy.
However, Amati taught all secrets only the eldest son. This was the tradition of the old masters: the most important secrets were to remain in the family.
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Jim Croce – American singer

Jim Croce - American singer

Jim Croce – American singer

Jim Croce was an American singer and songwriter. From 1966 to 1973, Croce recorded five studio albums and 11 singles. His songs Bad, Bad Leroy Brown and Time in a Bottle had long been at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.
James Joseph Croce was born on January 10, 1943 in South Philadelphia in an Italian family of James Albert and Flora Mary Croce. Since childhood Jim showed interest in music. At the age of 5 he could play the song Lady of Spain on the accordion.
Croce studied at Upper Darby High School in the suburb of Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. After graduation in 1960, he was trained in Malvern Preparatory College before entering the Villanova University, where he actively studied psychology and German language. He graduated from Villanova University in 1965 with a BA. James sang in the choir of Villanova University (Villanova Singers) and in the group Villanova Spires, collected from the members of the choir.
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Ladysmith Black Mambazo – South African male group

Ladysmith Black Mambazo - South African male group

Ladysmith Black Mambazo – South African male group

Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a South African male a cappella group. Joseph Shabalala founded the group in 1960. He invented new musical style called isicathamiya (which means go soft, e.g. tiptoeing) for the group. Joseph Shabalala is a soloist in the group. There are also seven bass singers, alto and tenor. They were invited by the American singer Paul Simon to take part in the recording of his album Graceland, which was released in 1986, and achieved international popularity.
On March 2, 1988 Ladysmith Black Mambazo became the first South African group, which received Grammy award. The award-winning Shaka Zulu album was produced by Paul Simon. Since then, the group was nominated for this award many more times, including album Live From Royal Albert Hall in 2001.
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Mel Galley – British guitarist

Mel Galley - British guitarist

Mel Galley – British guitarist

Mel Galley was a British guitarist and songwriter. He was a member of the groups Whitesnake, Trapeze, Finders Keepers and Phenomena.
Melville Galley was born on March 8, 1948 in Cannock, Staffordshire.
Galley’s name first came to the fore in the 1960s when he played with Glenn Hughes (later of Deep Purple and Black Sabbath) and drummer Dave Holland (later of Judas Priest) in Finders Keepers. They formed the nucleus of Trapeze and recorded albums Medusa (1969) and You Are the Music … We’re Just the Band (1970). Galley was the only constant member of Trapeze.
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Ari Up – Ariane Daniela Forster

Ari Up - Ariane Daniela Forster

Ari Up – Ariane Daniela Forster

Ari Up was a British rock singer, best known as a founder and lead singer of the punk band The Slits.
Ariane Daniela Forster was born on January 17, 1962 in Munich, Germany and grew up in London. Her father Frank Forster was a German singer, artist and painter, the son of a wealthy owner of the newspaper, and her mother Nora had to do with the rock industry: she was well acquainted with Jimi Hendrix, and dated Chris Spedding for three years. It is known that Jon Anderson was the godfather of the girl. Later, Nora married John Lydon, former frontman of the Sex Pistols. Joe Strummer of The Clash taught Ariane play the guitar.
In January 1977 fourteen-year-old Forster founded a girl’s punk band The Slits. Group members were Palmolive (drums), Kate Korus (guitar) and Suzi Gutsy (bass guitar), who was replaced by Tessa Pollitt.
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