(etching by Goya, c. 1799)]] Reason is a mental faculty (or ability) found in humans, that is able to generate conclusions from assumptions or premises. In other words, it is amongst other things the means by which rational beings propose specific reasons, or explanations of cause and effect. In contrast to reason as an abstract noun, a reason is a consideration which explains or justifies.

Reason is particularly associated with human nature, that which is unique and definitive about being human. As a way of coming to conclusions, it is often contrasted not only with the ways in which non-human animals appear to make decisions, but also with decisions based upon authority, intuition, emotion, mysticism, superstition, and faith. Reason is thought by rationalists to be more reliable in discovering what is true or what is best. The precise way in which reason differs from emotion, faith, and tradition is controversial, because all three are considered to be both potentially rational, and potentially in conflict with reason.

The essential difference between reason and other modes of consciousness is in explanation: thinking is more reasoned or rational if it is more consciously thought through in a way which can be expressed in language.

Psychologists and cognitive scientists study how people reason, which cognitive and neural processes are engaged, how cultural factors affect the inferences people draw. The properties of logic which may be used to reason are studied in mathematical logic. The field of automated reasoning studies how reasoning may be modelled computationally.

Etymology

The meaning of the word "reason" in senses such as "human reason" overlaps to a large extent with "rationality" and the adjective of "reason" in philosophical contexts is normally "rational", rather than "reasoned" or "reasonable". The concept of "reason" is closely related to the concepts of language and logic, as reflected in the multiple meanings of the Greek logos, the root of logic, as per -logy, which translated into Latin became ratio (including mathematical ratio) and then in French raison, from which the English word "reason" was derived.

Reason compared to logic, cause-and-effect thinking, and symbolic thinking

The terms "logic" or "logical" are sometimes used as if they were identical with the term "reason" or with the concept of being "rational", or sometimes logic is seen as the most pure or the defining form of reason.

Reason and logic can however be thought of as distinct, although logic is one important aspect of reason. Reason is a type of thought, and the word "logic" involves the attempt to describe rules by which reasoning operates, so that orderly reasoning can be taught. The oldest surviving writing to explicitly consider the rules by which reason operates are the works of the Greek philosopher Aristotle, especially Prior Analysis and Posterior Analysis. Although the Ancient Greeks had no separate word for logic as distinct from language and reason, Aristotle's newly coined word "syllogism" (syllogismos) identified logic clearly for the first time as a distinct field of study. When Aristotle referred to "the logical" (hē logikē), he was referring more broadly to rational thought.

Author Douglas Hofstadter, in Gödel, Escher, Bach, characterizes the distinction in this way. Logic is done inside a system while reason is done outside the system by such methods as skipping steps, working backward, drawing diagrams, looking at examples, or seeing what happens if you change the rules of the system.

Another way to consider the confusion between logic and reason is that computers and animals sometimes perform actions which are apparently logical: from a complex set of data, conclusions are achieved which are "logical". Being a cause of something which humans find logical does not necessarily mean that computers or animals have reason, or even logic in the strict sense. Some animals are also clearly capable of a type of "associative thinking"—even to the extent of associating causes and effects. A dog once kicked, can learn how to recognize the warning signs and avoid being kicked in the future.

Human reason is more than logic, requiring not just the possibility of associating perceptions of smoke, for example, with memories of fire, but also the ability to create and manipulate a system of symbols, as well as indices and icons, according to Charles Sanders Peirce, the symbols having only a nominal, though habitual, connection to either smoke or fire.

The connection of reason to symbolic thinking has been expressed in different ways by philosophers. Thomas Hobbes described the creation of "Markes, or Notes of remembrance" (Leviathan Ch.4) as "speech" (allowing by his definition that it is not necessarily a means of communication or speech in the normal sense; he was clearly using "speech" as an English version of logos in this description). In the context of a language, these marks or notes are called "Signes" by Hobbes.

Logical reasoning methods and argumentation

Looking at logical categorizations of different types of reasoning the traditional main division made in philosophy is between deductive reasoning and inductive reasoning. Formal logic has been described as "the science of deduction". The study of inductive reasoning is generally carried out within the field known as informal logic or critical thinking.

Deductive reasoning

Reasoning in an argument is valid if the argument's conclusion must be true when the premises (the reasons given to support that conclusion) are true. One classic example of deductive reasoning is that found in syllogisms like the following: :Premise 1: All humans are mortal. :Premise 2: Socrates is a human. :Conclusion: Socrates is mortal.

The reasoning in this argument is valid, because there is no way in which the premises, 1 and 2, could be true and the conclusion, 3, be false.

Validity is a property of the reasoning in the argument, not a property of the premises in the argument or the argument as a whole. In fact, the truth or falsity of the premises and the conclusion is irrelevant to the validity of the reasoning in the argument. The following argument, with a false premise and a false conclusion, is also valid (it has the form of reasoning known as modus ponens). :Premise 1: If green is a color, then grass poisons cows. :Premise 2: Green is a color. :Conclusion: Grass poisons cows.

Again, if the premises in this argument were true, the reasoning is such that the conclusion would also have to be true.

In a deductive argument with valid reasoning the conclusion contains no more information than is contained in the premises. Therefore, deductive reasoning does not increase one's knowledge base, and so is said to be non-ampliative.

Within the field of formal logic, a variety of different forms of deductive reasoning have been developed. These involve abstract reasoning using symbols, logical operators and a set of rules that specify what processes may be followed to arrive at a conclusion. These forms of reasoning include Aristotelian logic, also known as syllogistic logic, propositional logic, predicate logic, and modal logic.

Inductive reasoning

Induction is a form of inference producing propositions about unobserved objects or types, either specifically or generally, based on previous observation. It is used to ascribe properties or relations to objects or types based on previous observations or experiences, or to formulate general statements or laws based on limited observations of recurring phenomenal patterns.

Inductive reasoning contrasts strongly with deductive reasoning in that, even in the best, or strongest, cases of inductive reasoning, the truth of the premises does not guarantee the truth of the conclusion. Instead, the conclusion of an inductive argument follows with some degree of probability. Relatedly, the conclusion of an inductive argument contains more information than is already contained in the premises. Thus, this method of reasoning is ampliative.

A classic example of inductive reasoning comes from the empiricist David Hume: :Premise: The sun has risen in the east every morning up until now. :Conclusion: The sun will also rise in the east tomorrow.

Abductive reasoning

Abductive reasoning, or argument to the best explanation, is a form of inductive reasoning, since the conclusion in an abductive argument does not follow with certainty from its premises and concerns something unobserved. What distinguishes abduction from the other forms of reasoning is an attempt to favour one conclusion above others, by attempting to falsify alternative explanations or by demonstrating the likelihood of the favoured conclusion, given a set of more or less disputable assumptions. For example, when a patient displays certain symptoms, there might be various possible causes, but one of these is preferred above others as being more probable.

Analogical reasoning

Analogical reasoning is reasoning from the particular to the particular. An example follows: :Premise 1: Socrates is human and Socrates died. :Premise 2: Plato is human. :Conclusion: Plato will die.

Analogical reasoning can be viewed as a form of inductive reasoning, since the truth of the premises does not guarantee the truth of the conclusion. However, the traditional view is that inductive reasoning is reasoning from the particular to the general, and thus analogical reasoning is distinct from inductive reasoning. An example of inductive reasoning from the particular to the general follows: :Premise 1: Socrates is human and Socrates died. :Premise 2: Plato is human and Plato died. :Premise 3: Aristotle is human and Aristotle died. :Conclusion: All humans die.

It has been argued that deductive, inductive, and abductive reasoning are all based on a foundation of analogical reasoning.

Fallacious reasoning

Flawed reasoning in arguments is known as fallacious reasoning. Reasoning within arguments can be bad because it commits either a formal fallacy or an informal fallacy.

Formal fallacies

Formal fallacies occur when there is a problem with the form, or structure, of the argument. The word "formal" refers to this link to the form of the argument. An argument that contains a formal fallacy will always be invalid. Consider, for example, the following argument: # If a drink is made with boiling water, it will be hot. # This drink was not made with boiling water. # This drink is not hot.

The reasoning in this argument is bad, because the antecedent (first part) of the conditional (the "if..., then..." statement) can be false without the consequent (second half) of the conditional being true. In this example, the drink could have been made with boiling milk, or heated in the microwave, and so be hot in spite of the truth of statement 2. This particular formal fallacy is known as denying the antecedent.

Informal fallacies

An informal fallacy is an error in reasoning that occurs due to a problem with the content, rather than mere structure, of the argument. Reasoning that commits an informal fallacy often occurs in an argument that is invalid, that is, contains a formal fallacy. One example of such reasoning is a red herring argument.

An argument can be valid, that is, contain no formal reasoning fallacies, and yet still contain an informal fallacy. The clearest examples of this occur when an argument contains circular reasoning, also known as begging the question.

Reason, truth, and "first principles"

Since classical times a question has remained constant in philosophical debate (which is sometimes seen as a conflict between movements called Platonism and Aristotelianism) concerning the role of reason in confirming truth.

Both Aristotle and Plato, like many philosophers throughout history, wrote about this question, which can be explained as follows.

People use logic, deduction, and induction, to reach conclusions they think are true. Conclusions reached in this way are considered more certain than sense perceptions on their own. On the other hand, if such reasoned conclusions are only built originally upon a foundation of sense perceptions, then, the argument being considered goes, our most logical conclusions can never be said to be certain because they are built upon the very same fallible perceptions they seek to better.

This leads to the question of what types of first principles, or starting points of reasoning, are available for someone seeking to come to true conclusions. Empiricism (sometimes associated with Aristotle but more correctly associated with British philosophers such as John Locke and David Hume, as well as their ancient equivalents such as Democritus) asserts that sensory impressions are the only available starting points for reasoning and attempting to attain truth. This approach always leads to the controversial conclusion that absolute knowledge is not attainable. Idealism, (associated with Plato and his school), claims that there is a "higher" reality, from which certain people can directly arrive at truth without needing to rely only upon the senses, and that this higher reality is therefore the primary source of truth. Whereas secular reason begins with observable reality and applies logic to it to derive conclusions, theological reason begins with a predetermined conclusion or unquestionable sacred text and verifies it by using logic to reinterpret or to reject observable reality.

In Greek, "first principles" are archē, "starting points", and the faculty used to perceive them is sometimes referred to in Aristotle and Plato as nous which was close in meaning to "awareness" or "consciousness".

Philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Al-Farabi, Avicenna, Averroes, Maimonides, Aquinas and Hegel are sometimes said to have argued that reason must be fixed and discoverable—perhaps by dialectic, analysis, or study. In the vision of these thinkers, reason is divine or at least has divine attributes. Such an approach allowed religious philosophers such as Thomas Aquinas and Étienne Gilson to try to show that reason and revelation are compatible. According to Hegel, "...the only thought which Philosophy bring with it to the contemplation of History, is the simple conception of reason; that reason is the Sovereign of the World; that the history of the world, therefore, presents us with a rational process."

Since the 17th century rationalists, reason has often been taken to be a subjective faculty, or rather the unaided ability (pure reason) to form concepts. For Descartes, Spinoza and Leibniz, this was associated with mathematics. Kant attempted to show that pure reason could form concepts (time and space) that are the conditions of experience. Kant made his argument in opposition to Hume, who denied that reason had any role to play in experience.

Justifying reason itself

Stronger forms of Cartesian skepticism might well ask "Why use reason?". How a philosopher answers this question depends on their definition of Truth, particularly their Theory of justification. Ludwig Wittgenstein's ordinary language philosophy would at least have us deconstruct the question, for if it is taken to mean "What reasons are there to use reason?" then there can be no non-circular answer - there is no way of reasonably justifying reason. Agree upon first principles, including laws of logic, are necessary (see above). Language philosophy might then suggest that the asker is asserting that they accept the discussion's premise that rationality will be used (although they unknowingly ask an incoherent question) or else they are denying the premise. Pragmatism quickly points out the obvious that, if a person actually refuses to use reason, then rational discussion is impossible.

Reason, imagination, mimesis, and memory

Reason and imagination rely on similar mental processes. Imagination is not only found in humans. But Aristotle, for example, stated that phantasia (imagination: that which can hold images or phantasmata) and phronein (a type of thinking which can judge and understand in some sense) also exist in some animals. Both are related to the primary perceptive ability of animals, which gathers the perceptions of different senses and defines the order of the things that are perceived without distinguishing universals, and without deliberation or logos. This is equivalent to the habitual thinking about cause and effect discussed by Hume, and mentioned above. But this is not yet reason, because human imagination is different.

The recent modern writings of Terrence Deacon and Merlin Donald fit into an older tradition which makes reason connected to language, and mimesis, but more specifically the ability to create language as part of an internal modeling of reality specific to humankind. Other results are consciousness, and imagination or fantasy. In more recent times, important areas of research include the relationship between reason and language, especially in discussions of origin of language. Modern proponents of a priori reasoning, at least with regards to language, include Noam Chomsky and Steven Pinker, to whom Donald and Deacon can be usefully contrasted.

If reason is symbolic thinking, and peculiarly human, then this implies that humans have a special ability to maintain a clear consciousness of the distinctness of "icons" or images and the real things they represent. Starting with a modern author, Merlin Donald writes

A dog might perceive the "meaning" of a fight that was realistically play-acted by humans, but it could not reconstruct the message or distinguish the representation from its referent (a real fight). [...] Trained apes are able to make this distinction; young children make this distinction early – hence, their effortless distinction between play-acting an event and the event itself

What Donald refers to here can be compared to Plato's term, eikasia as explained for example in Jacob Klein's commentary on Plato's dialog concerning learning, the Meno, which contains a long digression on this subject. According to this, an important aspect of human thinking in the Ancient Greek philosophical terminology of Plato is eikasia. This is the ability to perceive whether a perception is an image of something else, related somehow but not the same, and which therefore allows us to perceive that a dream or memory or a reflection in a mirror is not reality as such. What Klein refers to as dianoetic eikasia is the eikasia concerned specifically with thinking and mental images, such as those mental symbols, icons, "signes" and marks which are discussed above as definitive of reason. Explaining reason from this direction: human thinking is special in the way that we often understand visible things as if they were themselves images of our intelligible "objects of thought" as "foundations" (hypothēses in Ancient Greek). This thinking (dianoia) is "an activity which consists in making the vast and diffuse jungle of the visible world depend on a plurality of more 'precise' noēta".

In turn, both Merlin Donald and the Socratic authors emphasize the importance of mimesis, often translated as "imitation". Donald writes

Imitation is found especially in monkeys and apes [... but ...] Mimesis is fundamentally different from imitation and mimicry in that it involves the invention of intentional representations. [...] Mimesis is not absolutely tied to external communication.

Mimēsis is a concept, now popular again in academic discussion, which was particularly prevalent in Plato's works, and within Aristotle, it is discussed mainly in the Poetics. In Michael Davis's account of the theory of man in this work.

It is the distinctive feature of human action, that whenever we choose what we do, we imagine an action for ourselves as though we were inspecting it from the outside. Intentions are nothing more than imagined actions, internalizings of the external. All action is therefore imitation of action; it is poetic...

...Thus Davis is here using "poetic" in an unusual sense, questioning the contrast in Aristotle between action (praxis, the praktikē) and making (poēsis, the poētikē)...

...Human [peculiarly human] action is imitation of action because thinking is always rethinking. Aristotle can define human beings as at once rational animals, political animals, and imitative animals because in the end the three are the same.

We can also note that Donald also shares with Plato and Aristotle (especially in On Memory and Recollection), an emphasis upon the peculiarity in humans of voluntary initiation of a search through one's mental world. The ancient Greek anamnēsis, normally translated as "recollection" was opposed to mneme or "memory". Memory, shared with some animals, requires a consciousness not only of what happened in the past, but also that something happened in the past, which is in other words a kind of eikasia "but nothing except man is able to recollect". Recollection is a deliberate effort to search for and recapture something which was once known. Klein writes that, to "become aware of our having forgotten something means to begin recollecting".

Donald calls the same thing "autocueing", which he explains as follows:

Mimetic acts are reproducible on the basis of internal, self-generated cues. This permits voluntary recall of mimetic representations, without the aid of external cues – probably the earliest form of representational "thinking".

In a celebrated paper on this subject of modern times, the fantasy author and philologist J.R.R. Tolkien wrote in his essay "On Fairy Stories" that the terms "fantasy" and "enchantment" are connected to not only "the satisfaction of certain primordial human desires" but also "the origin of language and of the mind".

Reason and emotion or passion

In western literature, reason is often opposed to emotions or feelings—desires, fears, hates, drives, or passions. Even in everyday speech, westerners tend to say for example that their passions made them behave contrary to reason, or that their reason kept the passions under control (often expressed in colloquial terms as the dilemma between following "the head" (reason) "or the heart" (emotions)) . Many writers, such as Nikos Kazantzakis, extol passion and disparage reason.

It has also become common, particularly since the writings of Freud, to describe reason as the servant of the passions—the means of sorting out our desires and then getting what we want, or perhaps even the slave of the passions—allowing us to pretend to reason to the object of our desire. Such feigned reason is called "rationalization".

Philosophers such as Plato, Rousseau, Hume, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche have combined both views—making rational thinking not only a tool of desires, but also something privileged within the spectrum of desires, being itself desired, and not only because of its usefulness in satisfying other desires.

Modern psychology has much to say on the role of emotions in belief formation. Deeper philosophical questions about the relation between belief and reality are studied in the field of epistemology, which forms part of the philosophical basis of science, a branch of human activity that specifically aims to determine (certain types of) truth by methods that avoid dependence on the emotions of the researchers.

Reason in political philosophy and ethics

Near the beginning of political philosophy, Aristotle famously described reason (with language) as a part of human nature which means that it is best for humans to live "politically" meaning in communities of about the size and type of a small city state (polis in Greek). For example...

It is clear, then, that a human being is more of a political [politikon = of the polis] animal [zōion] than is any bee or than any of those animals that live in herds. For nature, as we say, makes nothing in vain, and humans are the only animals who possess reasoned speech [logos]. Voice, of course, serves to indicate what is painful and pleasant; that is why it is also found in other animals, because their nature has reached the point where they can perceive what is painful and pleasant and express these to each other. But speech [logos] serves to make plain what is advantageous and harmful and so also what is just and unjust. For it is a peculiarity of humans, in contrast to the other animals, to have perception of good and bad, just and unjust, and the like; and the community in these things makes a household or city [polis]. [...] By nature, then, the drive for such a community exists in everyone, but the first to set one up is responsible for things of very great goodness. For as humans are the best of all animals when perfected, so they are the worst when divorced from law and right. The reason is that injustice is most difficult to deal with when furnished with weapons, and the weapons a human being has are meant by nature to go along with prudence and virtue, but it is only too possible to turn them to contrary uses. Consequently, if a human being lacks virtue, he is the most unholy and savage thing, and when it comes to sex and food, the worst. But justice is something political [to do with the polis], for right is the arrangement of the political community, and right is discrimination of what is just. (Aristotle's Politics 1253a 1.2. Peter Simpson's translation, with Greek terms inserted in square brackets.)

The concept of human nature being fixed in this way, implied, in other words, that we can define what type of community is always best for people. This argument has remained a central argument in all political, ethical and moral thinking since then, and has become especially controversial since firstly Rousseau's Second Discourse, and secondly, the Theory of Evolution. Already in Aristotle there was an awareness that the polis had not always existed and had needed to be invented or developed by humans themselves. The household came first, and the first villages and cities were just extensions of that, with the first cities being run as if they were still families with Kings acting like fathers....

Friendship [philia] seems to prevail [in] man and woman according to nature [kata phusin]; for people are by nature [tēi phusei] pairing [sunduastikon] more than political [politikon = of the polis], inasmuch as the household [oikos] is prior [proteron = earlier] and more necessary than the polis and making children is more common [koinoteron] with the animals. In the other animals, community [koinōnia] goes no further than this, but people live together [sumoikousin] not only for the sake of making children, but also for the things for life; for from the start the functions [erga] are divided, and are different [for] man and woman. Thus they supply each other, putting their own into the common [eis to koinon]. It is for these [reasons] that both utility [chrēsimon] and pleasure [hēdu] seem to be found in this kind of friendship. (Nicomachean Ethics, VIII.12.1162a. Rough literal translation with Greek terms shown in square brackets.)

Rousseau in his Second Discourse finally took the shocking step of claiming that this traditional account has things in reverse: with reason, language and rationally organized communities all having developed over a long period of time merely as a result of the fact that some habits of cooperation were found to solve certain types of problems, and that once such cooperation became more important, it forced people to develop increasingly complex cooperation—often only in order to defend themselves from each other.

In other words, according to Rousseau, reason, language and rational community did not arise because of any conscious decision or plan by humans or gods, nor because of any pre-existing human nature. As a result, he claimed, living together in rationally organized communities like modern humans is a development which has many negative aspects compared to the original state of man as an ape. If there be anything specifically human in this theory, it is the flexibility and adaptability of humans. This view of the animal origins of distinctive human characteristics later received support from Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution.

The two competing theories concerning the origins of reason are relevant to political and ethical thought because according to the Aristotelian theory, there is a best way of living together which exists independently of historical circumstances. According to Rousseau, we should even doubt that reason, language and politics are a good thing, as opposed to being simply the best option given the particular course of events which lead to today. Rousseau's theory, that human nature is malleable rather than fixed, is often taken to imply, for example by Karl Marx, a wider range of possible ways of living together than traditionally known.

However, while Rousseau's initial impact encouraged bloody revolutions against traditional politics, including both the French Revolution and the Russian Revolution, his own conclusions about the best forms of community seem to have been remarkably classical, in favor of city-states such as Geneva, and rural living.

Reason and faith

Though theologies and religions typically do not claim to be irrational, there is often a perceived conflict or tension between faith and tradition on the one hand, and reason on the other, as potentially competing sources of wisdom, law and truth. Defenders of traditions and faiths from claims that they are irrationalist for ignoring or even attempting to forbid reason and argument concerning some subjects, typically maintain that there is no real conflict with reason, because reason itself is not enough to explain such things as the origins of the universe, or right and wrong, and so reason can and should be complemented by other sources of knowledge. The counter claim to this is that such a defense does not logically explain why arguments from reason would be forbidden or ignored.

There are enormously wide differences between different faiths, or even schools within different faiths, concerning this matter.

Some commentators have claimed that Western civilization can be almost defined by its serious testing of the limits of tension between "unaided" reason and faith in "revealed" truths—figuratively summarized as Athens and Jerusalem, respectively. Leo Strauss spoke of a "Greater West" which included all areas under the influence of the tension between Greek rationalism and Abrahamic revelation, including the Muslim lands. He was particularly influenced by the great Muslim philosopher Al-Farabi. In order to consider to what extent Eastern philosophy might have partaken of these important tensions, it is perhaps best to consider whether dharma or tao may be equivalent to Nature (by which we mean physis in Greek). According to Strauss the beginning of philosophy involved the "discovery or invention of nature" and the "pre-philosophical equivalent of nature" was supplied by "such notions as 'custom' or 'ways which appear to be "really universal" "in all times and places". The philosophical concept of nature or natures as a way of understanding archē (first principles of knowledge) brought about a peculiar tension between reasoning on the one hand, and tradition or faith on the other.

A Hindu approach to faith and reason is summarized by Swami Tripurari:

Faith fully understood amounts to conformity to truth, whereas rational thought is but an imperfect means of apprehending truth. Conforming to truth involves apprehending or understanding it theoretically, but theoretically understanding truth does not necessarily involve conforming to it.

Psychology

Scientific research into reasoning is carried out within the fields of psychology and cognitive science. Psychologists attempt to determine whether or not people are capable of rational thought in various different circumstances.

Assessing how well someone engages in reasoning is the project of determining the extent to which the person is rational or acts rationally. It is a key research question in the psychology of reasoning. Rationality is often divided into its respective theoretical and practical counterparts.

Behavioral experiments on human reasoning

Experimental cognitive psychologists carry out research on reasoning behaviour. Such research may focus, for example, on how people perform on tests of reasoning such as intelligence or IQ tests, or on how well people's reasoning matches ideals set by logic (see, for example, the Wason test). Experiments examine how people make inferences from conditionals e.g., If A then B and how they make inferences about alternatives, e.g., A or else B. They test whether people can make valid deductions about spatial and temporal relations, e.g., A is to the left of B, or A happens after B, and about quantified assertions, e.g., All the A are B. Experiments investigate how people make inferences about factual situations, hypothetical possibilities, probabilities, and counterfactual situations.

Developmental studies of children's reasoning

Developmental psychologists investigate the development of reasoning from birth to adulthood. Piaget's theory of cognitive development was the first complete theory of reasoning development. Subsequently, several alternative theories were proposed, including the neo-Piagetian theories of cognitive development.

Neuroscience of reasoning

The biological functioning of the brain is studied by neurophysiologists and neuropsychologists. Research in this area includes research into the structure and function of normally functioning brains, and of damaged or otherwise unusual brains. In addition to carrying out research into reasoning, some psychologists, for example, clinical psychologists and psychotherapists work to alter people's reasoning habits when they are unhelpful.

Automated reasoning

In artificial intelligence and computer science, scientists study and use automated reasoning for diverse applications including automated theorem proving the formal semantics of programming languages, and formal specification in software engineering.

Meta-reasoning

Meta-reasoning is reasoning about reasoning. In computer science, a system performs meta-reasoning when it is reasoning about its own operation. This requires a programming language capable of reflection, the ability to observe and modify its own structure and behaviour.

See also

Calculation

Conscience

Consciousness

Deism

Empiricism

Epistemology

Intellect

Inquiry

Knowledge

Fantasy

Fideism

Foucault/Habermas debate

Language

Logic

Mimesis

Mind

Nous

Practical reason

Rationality

Rationality and power

Speculative reason

Truth

Further reading

Beer, Francis A., "Words of Reason", Political Communication 11 (Summer, 1994): 185-201.

Tripurari, Swami, On Faith and Reason, The Harmonist, May 27, 2009.

References

Footnotes

Category:Epistemology Category:Belief Category:Thought Category:Concepts in logic

Coordinates	38°53′51.61″N77°2′11.58″N
Name	Tracy Chapman
Background	solo_singer
Born	March 30, 1964
Origin	Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Instrument	Vocals, guitar, harp, bouzouki, banjo, clarinet, keyboards, organ, percussion, harmonica
Genre	Folk, blues-rock, pop, soul
Occupation	Singer-songwriter, musician
Voice type	Alto
Years active	1988–present
Label	Elektra Records
Url	www.tracychapman.com

Tracy Chapman (born March 30, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her singles "Fast Car", "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution", "Baby Can I Hold You", "Give Me One Reason" and "Telling Stories". She is a multi-platinum and four-time Grammy Award-winning artist.

Biography

Tracy Chapman was born in Cleveland, Ohio, where she was raised by her mother. Despite not having much money, her mother recognized Tracy's love of music and bought her a ukulele at the age of three. Tracy Chapman began playing guitar and writing songs at the age of eight. She says she may have been first inspired to play the guitar by the television show Hee Haw.

Chapman was raised Baptist and went to an Episcopalian high school. At Tufts she graduated with a B.A. degree in anthropology and African studies.

In the mid-1990s Chapman dated author Alice Walker.

In May 2004, Tufts honored her with an honorary degree of Doctor of Fine Arts, for her strongly committed contributions as a socially conscious and artistically accomplished musician.

Chapman often performs at and attends charity events such as Make Poverty History, amfAR and AIDS/LifeCycle. She currently lives in San Francisco and says she enjoys going to the beach, going to the woods, a really good meal with friends, and fresh organic food.

Career

During college, Chapman began street-performing in Harvard Square and playing guitar in Club Passim and within other coffeehouses in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Another Tufts student, Brian Koppelman, heard Chapman playing and brought Chapman to the attention of his father, Charles Koppelman. Koppelman, who ran SBK Publishing, signed Chapman in 1986. After Chapman graduated from Tufts in 1987, he helped her to sign a contract with Elektra Records.

Her follow-up album Crossroads (1989) was less commercially successful, but still achieved platinum status. By 1992's Matters of the Heart, Chapman was playing to a small and devoted audience. However, her fourth album, 1995's New Beginning proved successful, selling over three million copies in the U.S. The album included the hit single "Give Me One Reason", which won the 1997 Grammy for Best Rock Song and became Chapman's most successful single to date, peaking at Number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her next album was 2000's Telling Stories, which featured more of a rock sound than folk. Its hit single, "Telling Stories", received heavy airplay on European radio stations and on Adult Alternative and Hot AC stations in the United States. She toured Europe and the US in 2003 in support of her sixth album, Let It Rain (2002).

Where You Live, Chapman's seventh studio album, was released in September 2005; a brief supporting tour in major US cities followed in October and continued throughout Europe over the remainder of the year. The "Where You Live" tour was extended into 2006; the 28-date European tour featured summer concerts in Germany, Italy, France, Sweden, Finland, Norway, the UK, Russia and more. On June 5, 2006, she performed at the 5th Gala of Jazz in Lincoln Center, New York, and in a session at the 2007 TED (Technology Entertainment Design) conference in Monterey, California.

Chapman composed original music for the American Conservatory Theater production of Athol Fugard's Blood Knot, an acclaimed play on apartheid in South Africa staged in early 2008.

On November 11, 2008, Atlantic Records released Chapman's eighth studio album, Our Bright Future. Following the album's release, Chapman completed a 26-date solo tour of Europe. She toured Europe and selected North American cities on an encore tour during the summer of 2009. She was backed by Joe Gore on guitars, Patrick Warren on keyboards, and Dawn Richardson on percussion.

Discography

Contributions

Duet songs:

"The Thrill Is Gone" with BB King from his album Deuces Wild

"Give Me One Reason" with Eric Clapton from the album A Very Special Christmas Live

"Baby Can I Hold You" with Pavarotti from the DVD/Album Pavarotti and Friends for Cambodia and Tibet

"Ain't No Sunshine" with Buddy Guy from his album Bring 'Em In

"Trench Town Rock" with Stephen and Ziggy Marley at the One Love Bob Marley All Star Tribute

"The Maker" with Dave Matthews on October 21, 2001 at the Bridge School Benefit

Covered songs:

"The House of the Rising Sun" – Rubáiyát (LP)

"The Times They Are A Changin" – Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Celebration (LP)

"O Holy Night" – A Very Special Christmas 3 (LP) and A Very Special Christmas Live (LP)

"Three Little Birds" – Live at the One Love Bob Marley All Star Tribute

"Get Up Stand Up" – by Bob Marley featured on the Let It Rain tour edition CD2 (LP)

"Stand By Me" – by Ben E. King on the XM Hear Music Radio Sessions Volume 1 (LP)

Cover versions:

"Sorry (Baby Can I Hold You?)" – Foxy Brown on the Taxi riddim produced by Steely & Clevie

"Baby Can I Hold You?" – reached number 2 on the UK chart in 1997 performed by Boyzone

"Talkin' Bout a Revolution" – Reel Big Fish, Our Live Album Is Better Than Your Live Album, Disc 1, 2006

"The Promise" – Steve Coleman (singer), "Not Making Much Sense" 2005

"Talkin' Bout a Revolution" – Playing for Change, Songs Around The World, 2009

Awards and nominations

References

External links

Official website

Tracy Chapman Atlantic Records

Category:Living people Category:1964 births Category:1980s singers Category:1990s singers Category:2000s singers Category:2010s singers Category:African American female guitarists Category:African American female singer-songwriters Category:American buskers Category:American female guitarists Category:American folk guitarists Category:American folk singers Category:Atlantic Records artists Category:BRIT Award winners Category:Fast Folk artists Category:Grammy Award winners Category:People from Chico, California Category:People from Cleveland, Ohio Category:Musicians from Cleveland, Ohio Category:Pescetarians Category:Tufts University alumni

Coordinates	38°53′51.61″N77°2′11.58″N
Name	Rachael Yamagata
Background	solo_singer
Born	September 23, 1977 Arlington, Virginia
Instrument	PianoGuitarVocals
Voice type	Contralto
Genre	Adult alternativeBlues rock
Vocal type	Contralto
Occupation	Singer-songwriter
Label	RCA Victor (2003-2007); Warner Bros. Records (2008-)
Associated acts	Bumpus
Url	rachaelyamagata.com

Rachael Yamagata (born September 23, 1977) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. Born in Arlington, Virginia, she is a Yonsei or fourth-generation Japanese American on her father's side and of Italian and German ancestry on her mother's side.

Early life

A child of divorced parents, Yamagata divided her time growing up between her Japanese American father, a Washington, D.C.-based attorney and Harvard graduate; and her Italian-German mother, an artist/painter in New York City. Yamagata graduated from the Holton-Arms School for Girls in Bethesda, Maryland, and attended Northwestern and Vassar. She has a twin brother, Benji and a half brother named Josh Ruben (a successful actor and director).

Music career

Bumpus

Yamagata became the vocalist for the Chicago funk-fusion band Bumpus, spending six years writing and recording three albums with the band and touring the country. In 2001, after having written a number of songs that didn't fit with the funk style of the band, Yamagata decided to take the songs and launch a solo career. In September 2002, she landed a two-record deal with Arista's Private Music and her self-titled EP produced by Malcolm Burn, Rachael Yamagata EP was released in October.

Solo career

Her first full-length album, Happenstance, followed in June 2004. It received generally positive reviews from critics. It was produced by John Alagia (Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Ben Folds Five) at Compass Point Studios. "I Want You" features several members of prominent American Klezmer group The Klezmatics. Videos were made for the first and second singles "Worn Me Down" and "1963".

Her songs have featured on several TV shows, including The L Word, Charmed, How I Met Your Mother, ER , Nip/Tuck, Men in Trees, Alias, One Tree Hill, Brothers & Sisters, Grey's Anatomy and The O.C., to which she made a guest performance in season 2. Yamagata also contributed a song to Mandy Moore's 2007 album, Wild Hope. She also toured with Moore, opening many of her shows around the country.

On May 22, 2008, a new banner was added to her site indicating the digital release of a new EP, Loose Ends, with three new songs, serving as a preview for the now delayed release of her second full-length album.

In early 2008, her site featured a "teaser video" for the new album. The album was finally released on October 7, 2008. It was originally slated for release in the late-summer of 2007.

On October 9, 2008, a two-song live acoustic video performance premiered on LiveDaily Sessions, featuring the songs "Faster" and "Sunday Afternoon".

On April 2, 2009, she performed her single "Elephants" on One Life to Live in the fictional Capricorn Cafe.

She previewed the song "Jonah" on October 10, 2009 on her official website. Later on in November 2, Yamagata premiered the song "He Loves You Deep Inside". Both songs were recorded for Elephants...Teeth Sinking into Heart but were not included with the original release. "Jonah" was included as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of the album while "He Loves You Deep Inside" was only made available for online stream.

She made an appearance in Jason Mraz's second album, Mr. A–Z, singing a song with him called "Did You Get My Message?". She also sings on "Fireflies" and "The Believer" on Rhett Miller's solo CD The Believer; on Toots & the Maytals True Love; "Barfly" on Ray Lamontagne's Till the Sun Turns Black; and "Let it Ride", "Sweet Illusions", "Cold Roses", and "Friends", on Ryan Adams' Cold Roses. She sings backup on six tracks on the Bright Eyes' album Cassadaga. She co-wrote "Kaleidoscope" with Jill Cunniff, formerly of Luscious Jackson, for Cunniff's solo album City Beach and also plays keyboards and second vocals. Yamagata also performs with an ensemble cast on the 30 Rock episode "Kidney Now!" The soundtrack for the film Dear John features the song "You Take My Troubles Away," Yamagata's duet with Dan Wilson.

Discography

Studio albums

Happenstance (2004)

Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart (2008)

EPs

EP (2003)

Live at the Loft & More (2005)

Loose Ends (2008)

Singles

Worn Me Down

Letter Read

1963

River

Elephants

Faster

Sunday Afternoon

Be Be Your Love

Bumpus

Bumpus (1999)

Steroscope (2001)

Live/Compilations

Live at the Bonnaroo Music Festival (2004), released exclusively on Bonnaroo

Sony Connect Sets (2005), released exclusively on Sony Connect

(2005), released exclusively on iTunes

(2005), released exclusively on Napster

Other contributions

- "Worn Me Down" (2004)

Toots & the Maytals - True Love (2004)

Ryan Adams - Cold Roses (2005)

Jason Mraz - Mr. A-Z (2005)

Chris Holmes - Blister of the Spotlight (2006)

Rhett Miller - The Believer (2006)

Ray LaMontagne - Till the Sun Turns Black (2006)

Bright Eyes - Four Winds (2007)

Bright Eyes - Cassadaga (2007)

Ben Arthur - Mouhfeel (2007)

Mandy Moore - Wild Hope (2007)

Jill Cunniff - City Beach (2007)

Katharine McPhee - Unbroken (2010)

Songs in other media

Yamagata's songs have appeared in a number of films and television shows. These include:

References

External links

Official website

Rachael Yamagata: Confessions on Happenstance

Elephants Review

Category:1977 births Category:Alumnae of women's universities and colleges Category:American female singers Category:American pop pianists Category:American pop singers Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American people of German descent Category:American musicians of Italian descent Category:American musicians of Japanese descent Category:Living people Category:Northwestern University alumni Category:People from Arlington, Virginia Category:RCA Records artists Category:Musicians from Virginia

Coordinates	38°53′51.61″N77°2′11.58″N
Name	Nami Tamaki玉置成実
Background	solo_singer
Born	June 01, 1988
Origin	Wakayama, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan
Genre	J-Pop, Dance-pop, Pop rock, Disco
Years active	2001—present
Label	Sony Music Japan2002–2008)Universal Music Japan2009–presentTofu Records
Url	Official site (Universal-J)Official site (Smile Company)

is a Japanese pop singer, who is known for her youth and her unique, yet powerful dancing. Her career took off when she was selected out of 1,000 other contestants in a Sony Music Japan Audition in 2001–2002, singing and dancing to Destiny's Child's "Survivor". She has various commercial tie-ins with the Japanese anime and games industry, and has also performed in a stage musical and a movie. According to a fan page devoted to her, her musical influences include American singers such as Britney Spears, Madonna, and Janet Jackson.

Career

Beginnings

Nami auditioned for Sony Music Japan in 2001 when she was thirteen years old. The audition took place between 2001–2002 when she performed cover songs of Destiny Child hit "Survivor" and Core of Soul "Full Moon Prayer". She was selected out of 1,000 applicants and would soon start her career in 2003 with her debut single Believe. Her first concert performance was opening for T.M.Revolution at the Pacific Media Expo 2004.

She graduated from high school in March 2007; her first Best (Greatest Hits) Album was released on November 29, 2006 to mark the event, and soon began an acting and stage performing career. The first event after her graduation was her first concert tour, Nami Tamaki Best Concert “My Graduation”, on the 11th, 17th, 23rd and 31 March 2007 at various places in Japan.

In 2008, Nami released her 4th Studio Album entitled "Don't Stay". The album contained songs from her singles Brightdown, Cross Season and Winter Ballades as well as some new tracks. The album did not chart or sell as well as her previous albums. Nami held a special live tour "Anniversary Live 5", which took place in Tokyo and Osaka. In the latter part of 2008, she conducted concert tours for her 6th album Don't Stay~GO!!~

Record label transfer & "nami"

For 2008, Nami's live events were in full motion; However after her 4th album Don't Stay launched on April 23, 2008, fans experienced a long gap of nothing new from Nami besides live performances. Speculation and rumors surfaced about Nami leaving Sony Music Japan to another record label however the transfer was finally confirmed by Nami Tamaki herself in a recent live performance on September 22, 2008 at the GIRLS ENTERTAINMENT vol.1 stating that she is indeed transferring but everything now is still secret. Towards the end of September 2008, her monthly issue of her Amour Fanclub volumes released an official confirmation about the transfer, and that Nami would be transferring to Universal Music Japan.

Amour Fanclub Manager states:

Debut 5th Year Anniversary was welcomed, Nami moves forward with a jump for her record company transfer to UNIVERSAL-J from Sony Music Records. Currently, we are earnestly working with the new system. Release time is undecided, but until settlement of assurance we will notify you.

Please continue to support Nami chan!!

On January 15, 2009, Nami's official website, tamaki-nami.net, announced the release of a new single expected to be due out March 25 called "Give Me Up". This single would be her first under the Universal-J label and her 16th career single. The single would feature a more positive upbeat sound compared to her previous singles.

After the somewhat successful release of Give Me Up in January 2009, Nami continued to release new music with new singles: "Friends!" (Single #17) and "Moshimo Negai ga..." (Single #18). A new single, her 19th career single and her 4th under the UNIVERSAL-J label, "Omoide ni Naru no?" is set to be released February 10, 2010. Universal-J has also given Nami Tamaki a stage name as "nami" as opposed to her full name in kanji. Her first album under Universal-J is to be released on the 24th of February, and will be titled Step.

Anime and game industry

Nami has a relatively close relationship with the ACG (Anime, Comics, Game) industry, as she contributed to several ACG franchises with her music. Well-known examples of her contributions include those in the Gundam SEED and Gundam SEED Destiny franchise, Brightdown, an opening song of the anime series D.Gray-man as well as Sanctuary, an opening song of the anime series Kiba.

She also performed the song Fortune as the main theme for the PS2 role-playing game "Radiata Stories", and CASTAWAY as the theme song for a GBA turn-based strategy game, Super Robot Wars J.

Nami's 16th single, Give Me Up was used as the theme song for the anime Yatterman. Another song, "Negai Hoshi", which is included in her 17th single, is the theme song for the new Wii RPG game, "Arc Rise Fantasia", while her 18th single, "Moshimo Negai ga..." is also the theme song for another Wii RPG game, ""; Both games were released by Marvelous Entertainment.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Sony Music Japan

Universal Music Japan

Other compilation songs

Note: The songs below are tributes to several famous Japanese singers and are not presented in any of Nami Tamaki's singles or albums.

Blue Jeans Memory – Matchy Tribute (January 25, 2006)

Storm – Luna Sea Memorial Cover Album -Re:Birth- (December 19, 2007)

Tonari no TOTORO by JAZZIDA GRANDE feat.Nami Tamaki – Ghibli meets Lovers Reggae (July 8, 2009)

DVDs

Believe DVD – November 12, 2003

Realize DVD – December 17, 2003

Greeting DVD – May 19, 2004

Make Progress DVD – July 6, 2005

NAMI TAMAKI 2nd CONCERT "Make Progress～road to～" DVD – October 5, 2005

Speciality DVD – August 30, 2006

NAMI TAMAKI Best CONCERT"My Graduation" DVD – June 13, 2007

Gundam OP/END COLLECTION Volume2–21st Century- August 25, 2009

STEP DVD- February 17, 2010

Performances

Concert

* Pacific Media Expo 2004, opening for T.M.Revolution

* FanimeCon 2004, MusicFest event

Musical

* Sweet Charity (スウィート・チャリティ) as Charity

High School Musical ON STAGE!(JPN ver.) (ハイスクール・ミュージカルON STAGE!) as Gabriella Montez

* All Shook Up (JPN ver.)

Movie

Lovely Complex (ラブ★コン) as

Commercial tie-ins

Animation, Comics, and Games (ACG)

Gundam Seed, Gundam Seed Destiny and related franchise: Believe, Realize, Reason, Result, IDentity (Collaborated in the Gundam SEED C.E. 73 Δ Astray comic project )

Radiata Stories, a PS2 role-playing game from Square Enix: Fortune

Super Robot Wars J, a GBA turn-based strategy game from Banpresto: Castaway

Kiba: Sanctuary

D.Gray-man: Brightdown

Yattaman (2008 remake version): Give Me Up

Arc Rise Fantasia, a Wii CRPG from Marvelous Entertainment: Negai Hoshi (願い星)

, a Wii ARPG from Marvelous Entertainment: Moshimo Negai ga... (もしも願いが．．．)

TV Shows and others

Matthew's Best Hit TV: Shining Star ☆忘れないから☆

NTT DoCoMo Commercial: DreamerS

Sports Urugusu: CROSS SEASON

High School Musical 2: You Are the Music in Me (Japanese version)

NNN News Real-time: Together

Palty Commercial : Friends!

歌スタ!!: 思い出になるの？

Awards

The 18th Japan Gold Disc Award (第18回日本ゴールドディスク大賞): New Artist of the Year (2004)

References

External links

Nami Tamaki Official site (Universal Music Japan)

Nami Tamaki Official site (Smile Company)

Nami Tamaki Official Site (Sony Music Japan) (Now defunct)

Nami Tamaki Official Site (Smile Company) (Now defunct)

Category:1988 births Category:Japanese female singers Category:Sony Music Japan artists Category:Sony BMG artists Category:People from Wakayama (city) Category:Living people

Coordinates	38°53′51.61″N77°2′11.58″N
Name	Luther Vandross
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Luther Ronzoni Vandross
Born	April 20, 1951Manhattan, New York, United States
Died	July 01, 2005Edison, New Jersey, United States
Genre	R&B;, soul, soft rock
Occupation	Singer-songwriter, record producer
Voice type(s)	Lyric Tenor
Years active	1968–2005
Label	Cotillion, Epic, Virgin, J, Legacy
Associated acts	Change, Chic, Richard Marx
Url

Luther Vandross (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American R&B; and soul singer-songwriter, and record producer. During his career, Vandross sold over twenty-five million albums and won eight Grammy Awards including Best Male R&B; Vocal Performance four times. He won four Grammy Awards in 2004 including the Grammy Award for Song of the Year for the track "Dance with My Father", co-written with Richard Marx.

Biography

1951–1979: Early life and career

Born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City in the Smith Housing Project, Vandross began playing the piano at the age of three. He grew up in a musical family that moved to the Bronx when he was thirteen. His sister Patricia sang with vocal group The Crests, who had a number two hit in 1958 with "Sixteen Candles", though she left the group before the recording. Vandross' father died of diabetes when Vandross was eight years old. Luther Vandross was in a high school group, Shades of Jade, that once played at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. He was also a member of a theater workshop, "Listen My Brother" who released the singles "Only Love Can Make a Better World" and "Listen My Brother", and appeared on the second and fifth episodes of Sesame Street in November 1969.

Vandross attended Western Michigan University for a year before dropping out to continue pursuing a career in music.

His next hit credit was on an album by Roberta Flack in 1972. He was the founder of the first-ever Patti LaBelle fan club. Luther also sang on Delores Hall's Hall-Mark album from 1973. He sang with her on the song "Who's Gonna Make It Easier for Me", which he wrote. He also contributed another song, "In This Lonely Hour." Having co-written "Fascination" for David Bowie's Young Americans, he went on to tour with him as a back-up vocalist in September 1974. Vandross wrote "Everybody Rejoice" for the 1975 Broadway musical The Wiz and appeared as a choir member in the movie.

Vandross also sang backing vocals for Diana Ross, Roberta Flack, Gary Glitter, Carly Simon, Chaka Khan, Todd Rundgren's Utopia, Donna Summer, Bette Midler, Chic, Barbra Streisand, and David Bowie.

Before his breakthrough, Vandross was part of a singing quintet in the late '70s named Luther, consisting of former Shades of Jade members Anthony Hinton and Diane Sumler, Theresa V. Reed, and Christine Wiltshire, signed to Cotillion Records. Although the singles "It's Good for the Soul", "Funky Music (Is a Part of Me)", and "The Second Time Around" were relatively successful, their two albums, the self-titled Luther (1976) and This Close to You (1977), didn't sell enough to make the charts. Vandross bought back the rights to these albums after Cotillion dropped the group, preventing their later re-release.

Vandross also wrote and sang commercial jingles during the late 1970s and early 1980s, and continued his successful career as a popular session singer during the late 1970s.

Luther also sang lead vocals for a disco band called Greg Diamond's Bionic Boogie on the song titled "Hot Butterfly." Luther also sang with the band Soirée, where he was the lead vocalist on the track "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", and contributed background vocals to the album along with Jocelyn Brown and Sharon Redd, each of whom also saw solo success.He also sung the lead vocals on the group Mascara LP title song " See you in L.A" released in 1979. Luther shines with his impeccable singing supported by his group's co-members David Lalsey and Ula Hedwig.

1980–2003: Career success

Luther Vandross finally made his long desired career breakthrough as a featured singer with the vaunted pop-dance act Change, a studio concept created by French-Italian businessman Jacques Fred Petrus. Their 1980 hits, "A Lover's Holiday" (by Romani and Willoughby), "The Glow of Love" (by Romani, Malavasi and Garfield) and "Searching" (by Malavasi), of which Vandross sang on all three, opened up the world for Vandross. And there was no doubt about whether Vandross liked the song "The Glow of Love". In an interview that Vibe Magazine did with him in 2001 Vandross said, "This is the most beautiful song I've ever sung in my life." Vandross was also originally intended to perform on the second and highly successful Change album "Miracles" in 1981, but declined the offer as Petrus didn't pay enough money. Vandross' decision rapidly led to a recording contract with Epic Records that same year but didn't stop him from doing some background vocals on "Miracles" and on the new Petrus created act, NYC band, The B. B. & Q. band in 1981. During that hectic year Vandross jump-started his second attempt at a solo career with his debut album, Never Too Much. In addition to the hit title track it contained a version of the Burt Bacharach / Hal David song "A House Is Not a Home". The song "Never Too Much", written by himself, reaching number-one on the R&B; charts. This period also marked the beginning of frequent songwriting collaboration with bassist Marcus Miller, who played on many of the tracks and would also produce or co-produce a number of tracks for Vandross. The Never Too Much album was arranged by high school classmate Nat Adderley, Jr., a collaboration that would last through Vandross's career.

Vandross released a series of successful albums during the 1980s and continued his session work with guest vocals on groups like Charme in 1982. Although the albums were successful overall, many of his earlier albums made a much bigger impact on the R&B; charts than on the pop charts. During the 1980s, Vandross had two singles that reached #1 on the Billboard R&B; charts: "Stop to Love", in 1986, and a duet with Gregory Hines—"There's Nothing Better Than Love." Vandross was at the helm as producer for Aretha Franklin's Gold-certified, award-winning comeback album Jump to It. He also produced the disappointing follow-up album, 1983's Get It Right. In 1983, the opportunity to work with his main music influence, Dionne Warwick, came about with Vandross producing, writing songs, and singing on How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye, her fourth album for Arista Records. The title track duet reached #27 on the Hot 100 chart (#7 R&B;/#4 Adult Contemporary), while the second single, "Got a Date" was only a moderate hit (#45 R&B;/#15 Club Play).

In 1985, Luther Vandross first spotted the talent of Jimmy Salvemini, 15 at the time, on "Star Search." He thought Salvemini had the perfect voice for some of his songs. He contacted Salvemini, who was managed by his brother Larry. A contract was negotiated with Elektra records for $250,000 and Luther agreed to produce the album. Luther even contacted old friends to appear on the album, Cheryl Lynn, Alfa Anderson (Chic), Phoebe Snow and Irene Cara. After the album was completed, Luther, Jimmy, and Larry decided to celebrate. On January 12, 1986, they were riding in Luther's convertible Mercedes when it crossed the yellow lines of the two lane street and smashed into two vehicles. All three men were rushed to the hospital. Larry Salvemini died during surgery, and Vandross and Jimmy Salvemini survived. At first, the Salvemini family was supportive of Luther. In 1986, Luther faced vehicular manslaughter charges as a result of Larry's death. Vandross pled no contest to reckless driving, and the Salvemini family filed a wrongful death suit. The case was quietly settled out of court for $700,000. The Album called "Roll With It" was released later that year.

The 1989 compilation The Best of Luther Vandross... The Best of Love, included the ballad "Here and Now", his first single to chart in the Billboard pop chart top ten, peaking at number six. He won his first Grammy award for Best Male R&B; Vocal Performance in 1991.

More albums followed in the 1990s, beginning with 1991's Power of Love which spawned two top ten pop hits. He won his second Best Male R&B; Vocal in the Grammy Awards of 1992 with the track "Power of Love/Love Power" winning the Grammy Award for Best R&B; Song in the same year. In 1992, "The Best Things in Life Are Free", a duet with Janet Jackson from the movie Mo' Money became a hit.

In 1993, Vandross had a brief non-speaking role in the Robert Townsend movie The Meteor Man. He played a hit man who plotted to stop Townsend's title character.

Vandross hit the top ten again in 1994 with Mariah Carey, doing a cover version of Lionel Richie and Diana Ross's duet "Endless Love". He also appears on Frank Sinatra's posthumous Duets album. In the Grammy Awards of 1997, he won his third Best Male R&B; Vocal for the track "Your Secret Love". A second greatest hits album, released in 1997, compiled most of his 1990s hits and was his final album released through Epic Records. After releasing I Know on Virgin Records, he signed with J Records. His first album on Clive Davis's new label, entitled Luther Vandross, was released in 2001, and it produced the hits "Take You Out" (#7 R&B;/#26 Pop), and "I'd Rather" (#17 Adult Contemporary/#40 R&B;/#83 Pop) Vandross had at least one Top 10 R&B; hit every year from 1981-1994.

In 1997, Luther Vandross sang the American national anthem during Super Bowl XXXI at the Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana.

In 2002, he gave some of his final concerts during his last tour, The BK Got Soul Tour starring Luther Vandross featuring Angie Stone and Gerald Levert.

In 2003, Vandross released the album Dance With My Father. The title track, which was dedicated to Vandross' memory childhood dances with his father, won Luther and his co-writer, Richard Marx, the 2004 Grammy Award for Song of the Year. The song also won Vandross his fourth and final award in the Best Male R&B; Vocal Performance category. The album was his first to reach number one on the Billboard album chart. The video for the title track features various celebrities alongside their fathers and other family members. The 2nd Single released from that album, "Think About You" was the Number One Urban Adult Contemporary Song of 2004 according to Radio & Records.

"One Shining Moment" Soundtrack to Final Four Men's Basketball finals, on CBS-TV. In 2003, after the televised NCAA Men's Basketball championship, CBS Sports gave "One Shining Moment" a new look. Luther Vandross, who had been to only one basketball game in his life, was the new singer, and the video didn't have any special effects like glowing basketballs and star trails like it did in previous years. This song version is in use today. From Song Facts web site: http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1318

2003–2005: Illness and death

Vandross suffered from diabetes and hypertension, both of which ran in his family.

On April 16, 2003, Vandross suffered a stroke at his home in Manhattan, New York. At the time of his stroke, he had just finished the final vocals for the album Dance With My Father. His collaborator on the album was another pop superstar - Richard Marx - whom Vandross had met in 1989 and been friendly with since then. The two worked together on numerous projects over the years, with Vandross appearing on most of Marx's albums. Upon its release, Dance With My Father became the first and only Luther Vandross record to hit #1. It was also his biggest selling studio album ever, selling nearly 3 million copies in the United States alone. The title track was also a hit, and won the 2004 Grammy Award for Song of the Year.

He appeared briefly on videotape at the 2004 Grammy Awards to accept his Song of the Year Award, where he said, "Whenever I say goodbye it's never for long because I believe in the power of love". Other than an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, he was never seen in public again.

Vandross died on July 1, 2005 at John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey at the age of 54. The apparent cause of his death was a heart attack.

His funeral was in New York City on July 8, 2005. After two days of viewing, Vandross was buried at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, New Jersey. Much of his estate was left to friends and his godson Mark West.

Legacy

Tribute

On July 27, 2004, GRP Records released a smooth jazz various artists tribute album, Forever, For Always, For Luther, with ten popular songs written by Luther. The album featured vocal arrangements by Luther, and was produced by Rex Rideout and Bud Harner. Rideout had co-authored songs and contributed arrangements and played keyboards on Luther's final three albums. The tribute album was mixed by Ray Bardani, who recorded and mixed most of Luther's music over the years. It featured an ensemble of smooth jazz performers, many of whom had previously worked with Luther.

On September 20, 2005, the album was released. The album is a collection of some of Luther's songs performed by various artists, including Stevie Wonder, Mary J. Blige, Usher, Fantasia, Beyoncé Knowles, Donna Summer, Alicia Keys, Elton John, Celine Dion, Wyclef Jean, Babyface, Patti LaBelle, John Legend, Angie Stone, Jamie Foxx, Teddy Pendergrass, Chris Farley and Aretha Franklin. Aretha Franklin won a Grammy for her rendition of "A House Is Not a Home", and Stevie Wonder and Beyoncé won a Grammy for their cover of "So Amazing".

The violin duo Nuttin' But Stringz did a remix of the song "Dance with My Father" for their album Struggle from the Subway to the Charts, which was released on October 3, 2006.

On November 21, 2006, saxophonist Dave Koz released a followup to the earlier smooth jazz GRP tribute album, this time on his own Rendezvous Entertainment label, an album called Forever, For Always, For Luther Volume II, also produced by Rex Rideout and Bud Harner. Dave Koz played on all the featured Luther Vandross tracks, which were recorded by various smooth jazz artists.

In 2007, Deniece Williams included "Never Too Much" on her Love, Niecy Style CD. Williams said that she recorded the song to say "I love you" to her old friend.

On April 14, 2008, the release of the music video "Bye Bye" from Mariah Carey sees Luther's picture appear in the closing images. His image was included as a tribute along with various other deceased people with whom Carey had collaborated during her career.

On A Different Me, Keyshia Cole sings the outro to "Luther Vandross" on "Playa Cardz Right", which features rapper Tupac Shakur.

Guitarist Norman Brown did a rendition of "Any Love" on his 1994 album After The Storm.

Saxophonist Boney James covers his rendition on his final track "The Night I Fell In Love" on Backbone in 1994.

Author Craig Seymour wrote a book about Vandross called Luther: The Life and Longing of Luther Vandross. The book includes numerous interviews with Vandross.

In 2009, Jadakiss sampled Vandross' "Promise Me" to make his song "The Things I've Been Through" on his album, "The Last Kiss".

In 1998, well-known guitarist Peter White covered the Vandross song "Don't Want to Be a Fool", from the album Perfect Moment.

In November 2006, Korean singer K included a cover of the Vandross song "Every Year, Every Christmas" on his Christmas single, ファースト・クリスマス ("First Christmas"), released in Japan. It was also later added to his tribute album, The Timeless Collection Vol. 1.

Tribute artists include FiL Straughan, a singer based in London and New York, and Harry Cambridge.

In 2010, NPR included Vandross in its 50 Greatest Voices in recorded history, saying Vandross represents "the platinum standard for R&B; song stylings." The announcement was made on NPR's All Things Considered on November 29, 2010.

In late 2010, rapper Battman D.E. GannaBanna sampled Vandross' "Make Me A Believer" for his song "Wanna Luv U" on his debut album The World Is A MothaF**kin' Ghetto.

New releases

J Records released a song "Shine"—an upbeat R&B; track that samples Chic's disco song "My Forbidden Lover"—reaching #31 on the R&B; chart. A later remix peaked at #10 on the Club Play chart. "Shine" and a track entitled "Got You Home" are previously unreleased songs on The Ultimate Luther Vandross, a greatest hits album on Epic Records/J Records/Legacy Recordings that was released August 22, 2006.

On October 16, 2007, Epic Records/J Records/Legacy Recordings released a 4 disc box set entitled Love, Luther. It features all of Vandross' hits throughout his 24 year career. A single will be released from the box set entitled, "There's Only You", a version of which had originally appeared on the soundtrack to the 1987 movie Made in Heaven.

Discography

Awards

{| class=wikitable |- | colspan=5 align=center | Grammy Award history |- ! Year ! Category ! Title ! Field ! Result |- align=center | rowspan="2"| 1982 | Best New Artist | — | General | |- align=center | Best R&B; Vocal Performance - Male | Never Too Much | R&B; | |- align=center | 1983 | Best R&B; Vocal Performance - Male | Forever, For Always, For Love | R&B; | |- align=center | 1986 | Best R&B; Vocal Performance - Male | The Night I Fell in Love | R&B; | |- align=center | rowspan="2"| 1987 | Best R&B; Vocal Performance - Male | "Give Me the Reason" | R&B; | |- align=center | Best R&B; Song | "Give Me the Reason" (shared with Nat Adderley, Jr.) | R&B; | |- align=center | rowspan="2"| 1989 | Best R&B; Vocal Performance - Male | Any Love | R&B; | |- align=center | Best R&B; Song | "Any Love"(shared with Marcus Miller) | R&B; | |- align=center | 1990 | Best R&B; Vocal Performance - Male | "She Won't Talk to Me" | R&B; | |- align=center | 1991 | Best R&B; Vocal Performance - Male | "Here and Now" | R&B; | |- align=center | rowspan="3"| 1992 | Best R&B; Vocal Performance - Male | Power of Love | R&B; | |- align=center | Best R&B; Song | "Power of Love/Love Power" (shared with Marcus Miller & Teddy Vann) | R&B; | |- align=center | Best R&B; Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group | "Doctor's Orders" (shared with Aretha Franklin) | R&B; | |- align=center | 1993 | Best R&B; Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group | "The Best Things in Life Are Free" (shared with Janet Jackson) | R&B; | |- align=center | 1994 | Best R&B; Vocal Performance - Male | "How Deep Is Your Love" | R&B; | |- align=center | rowspan="4"| 1995 | Best Pop Vocal Performance - Male | "Love the One You're With" | Pop | |- align=center | Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals | "Endless Love" (shared with Mariah Carey) | Pop | |- align=center | Best R&B; Vocal Performance - Male | "Always and Forever" | R&B; | |- align=center | Best R&B; Album | Songs | R&B; | |- align=center | rowspan="2"| 1997 | Best R&B; Vocal Performance - Male | "Your Secret Love" | R&B; | |- align=center | Best R&B; Song | "Your Secret Love" (shared with Reed Vertelney) | R&B; | |- align=center | 1998 | Best R&B; Vocal Performance - Male | "When You Call On Me / Baby That's When I Come Runnin'" | R&B; | |- align=center | 1999 | Best R&B; Vocal Performance - Male | "I Know" | R&B; | |- align=center | 1999 | Best Traditional R&B; Vocal Performance | I Know | R&B; | |- align=center | 2003 | Best Traditional R&B; Vocal Performance | "Any Day Now" | R&B; | |- align=center | rowspan="5"| 2004 | Song of the Year | "Dance with My Father" (shared with Richard Marx) | General | |- align=center | Best R&B; Album | Dance with My Father | R&B; | |- align=center | Best R&B; Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group | "The Closer I Get to You" (shared with Beyoncé) | R&B; | |- align=center | Best R&B; Vocal Performance - Male | "Dance with My Father" | R&B; | |- align=center | Best R&B; Song | "Dance with My Father" (shared with Richard Marx) | R&B; | |- align=center | 2007 | Best R&B; Vocal Performance - Male | "Got You Home" | R&B; | |- align=center |}

See also

Luther Burger

Craig Seymour

References

;Notes

;Bibliography

Seymour, Craig. The Life and Longing of Luther Vandross, HarperCollins, 2004 - ISBN 0-06-059418-7

Vandross, Luther. The Best of Luther Vandross: The Best of Love, Hal Leonard Corporation, 1990 - ISBN 0-7935-0291-8

External links

Official site

Remembering Luther Vandross

Luther Vandross at Find A Grave

Category:1951 births Category:2005 deaths Category:1960s singers Category:1970s singers Category:1980s singers Category:1990s singers Category:2000s singers Category:African American singer-songwriters Category:American crooners Category:American male singers Category:American record producers Category:American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters Category:American soul singers Category:Chic (band) members Category:Disease-related deaths in New Jersey Category:English-language singers Category:Grammy Award winners Category:J Records artists Category:Musicians from New York City Category:People from Manhattan

Coordinates	38°53′51.61″N77°2′11.58″N
Name	Eric Prydz
Background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
Alias	Sheridan, Cirez D, Pryda, Moo, A and P Project, Axer, Hardform, Dukes of Sluca, Groove System
Born	July 19, 1976
Origin	Täby, Stockholm, Sweden
Residence	London, England, United Kingdom
Genre	House, Electro, Progressive House, Tech House, Techno
Occupation	Musician, Producer, Disc Jockey
Instrument	TurntablesKeyboardGuitar
Years active	2001–present
Label	Pryda, Pryda Friends, Mouseville
Url

Eric Sheridan Prydz (born July 19, 1976) is a Swedish DJ and producer based in London, United Kingdom. The pronunciation of his surname is often questioned; it is pronounced "prids", but when under his alias, Pryda, it is pronounced "pride-ah". On October 28, 2009, DJ Magazine announced the results of their annual Top 100 DJ Poll, where Prydz placed at #30.

Early life and influences

Prydz was born into a working class family in Stockholm. He began playing the piano at age eight. Through his teen years, he became a bedroom DJ.

It was hearing Kraftwerk's "Tour de France" at age 14 that initially sparked Prydz's interest in electronic music. Prydz cites Depeche Mode, Aphex Twin, and Daft Punk as his major musical influences, along with Swedish techno producers like Adam Beyer, Thomas Chrome, and Jesper Dahlbäck. Among DJs, Prydz has repeatedly singled out Sasha and John Digweed as artists he has long respected.

Music career

After dropping out of school to start a business with a friend, Prydz began producing his own music and DJ'ing at local clubs in Stockholm, like Rainbow Room and Grodan. In 1994, he played drums in the synth band Enemy Alliance and toured Sweden. By 2000, he was releasing techno and house singles on labels like Parlophone, Credence, and Truesoul.

In 2004, Prydz released the single "Call On Me," a remixed cover of Steve Winwood's single "Valerie." The single was a success, topping charts across Europe and eventually selling 4.5 million copies worldwide. The single's provocative music video featuring an aerobics class of 1980s style leotard-clad women and a sole man (played by Juan Pablo Di Pace), led by Deanne Berry as aerobics instructor, performing a series of sexually suggestive gym routines, became a sensation in itself, though Prydz disassociates himself from the video, claiming the label never consulted him about it. He would also release "Woz Not Woz," a collaboration with Steve Angello, and "In & Out," a remix cover of Adeva's 1988 track "In and Out of My Life."

Later that year, Prydz launched two music labels, Pryda Recordings and Mouseville, as a platform for his future releases, drawing inspiration from labels like Thomas Bangalter's Roulé. Pryda Recordings features Prydz's own melodic, progressive house and electro productions under the moniker Pryda. On Mouseville, he releases harder, more aggressive techno as Cirez D. Both labels have spawned numerous underground club hits, including "Human Behaviour," "Aftermath," "Knockout," "Armed," "Madderferrys," "Melo," "On/Off," "Glow," and "The End." Prydz also runs the label Pryda Friends, where he has released original productions from artists like Axwell, Paolo Mojo, Sebastien Leger, and Felix Da Housecat.

In 2006, Prydz released a remix cover of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" entitled "Proper Education." The track was another crossover success, reaching #2 in the UK charts. The track was subsequently nominated for the 2008 Grammy for Best Remixed Recording. His summer 2008 single "Pjanoo" was also huge hit in the UK, reaching the #2 position with only download sales. "Pjanoo" was also used in the teaser trailer for , an expansion for Grand Theft Auto IV, and was also part of DJ Hero's soundtrack, even though the song was not released for the game.

Personal life

Until recently, Prydz had only played shows in and around Europe as he has a fear of flying. In December 2008, Prydz was forced to cancel several dates in Australia and New Zealand after panic attacks prevented him from boarding the outbound flight.

Discography

Albums

Since 2005, Prydz has been working on an artist album. The first version of the album was originally planned for release in 2007, but after complications with the record label, he decided to cancel the release. In late 2009, Prydz told followers on his Facebook and Twitter accounts that his album had been completed and was slated for a 2011 release.

Singles

Pryda

; 2004

Human Behaviour / Lesson One

Spooks / Do It

; 2005

Nile / Sucker DJ

Aftermath / The Gift

; 2006

Shadows

Remember / Frankfurt

; 2007

Genesis

Ironman / Madderferrys

Muranyi / Balaton

Rymd / Armed

; 2008

Europa / Odyssey

Pjanoo / F12

Evouh / Wakanpi / Rakfunk

; 2009

Animal / Miami To Atlanta / Loaded

Melo / Lift / Reeperbahn

Waves / Alfon

; 2010

RYMD 2010 / Inspiration

Viro / Emos

M.S.B.O.Y / The End

Niton / Vega

Illusions / Glimma

A&P; Project

; 2003

Sunrize

Sheridan

; 2002

Sunlight Dancing

; 2002

Wants Vs Needs

; 2004

High On You

AXER

; 2006

123 / 321

Moo

; 2002

Seashells

; 2003

Jonico (Moo & Luciano Ingrosso)

Cirez D

; 2004

Control Freak / Hoodpecker

Deep Inside

Diamond Girl

; 2005

Knockout / Lost Love

Re-Match / B-Boy

Teaser

; 2006

Mouseville Theme

Punch Drunk / Copyrat

; 2007

Horizons / Tigerstyle

; 2008

Läget?

Stockholm Marathon / The Journey

; 2009

The Tunnel / Raptor

On Off / Fast Forward

; 2010

Glow / On/Off (Sébastien Léger Remix)

Bauerpost / Glow (In The Dark Dub)

The Tumble / Exit

Remixes

; 2002

Outfunk – Echo Vibes (Eric Prydz Remix)

Star Alliance – PVC (Eric Prydz Remix)

Par-T-One – I'm So Crazy (Eric Prydz Remix)

; 2003

Harry's Afro Hut – C'mon Lady (Eric Prydz Remix)

Outfunk – Lost In Music (Eric Prydz Remix)

Steve Angello – Voices (Eric Prydz Remix)

SNAP Vs Motivo – The Power of Bhangra (Eric Prydz Remix)

M Factor – Come Together (Eric Prydz Remix)

The Attic – Destiny (Eric Prydz Remix)

Futureshock – Pride's Paranoia (Eric Prydz Remix)

Oliver Lieb pres. Smoked – Metropolis (Eric Prydz Remix)

Pet Shop Boys – Miracles (Eric Prydz Remix)

Aloud – Sex & Sun (Eric Prydz Remix)

; 2004

Duran Duran – Reach Up For The Sunrise (Eric Prydz Remix)

Shapeshifters – Lola's Theme (Eric Prydz Remix)

Mutiny & Lorraine Cato – Holding On (Eric Prydz Remix)

Alter Ego – Rocker (Eric Prydz Remix)

; 2005

Axwell – Feel The Vibe (Eric Prydz Remix)

Howard Jones – And Do You Feel Scared (Eric Prydz Remix)

Eric Prydz & Adeva – In & Out (Eric Prydz Remix)

; 2006

Switch – A Bit Patchy (Eric Prydz Remix)

Paolo Mojo – 1983 (Eric Prydz Remix)

Michael Jackson – Thriller (Eric Prydz Remix)

Duran Duran – Nice (Eric Prydz Remix)

Double 99 – RIP Groove (Cirez D Remix)

Inner City – Good Life (Eric Prydz Edit)

; 2007

Sven Väth – The Beauty & The Beast (Eric Prydz Remix)

; 2008

Christian Smith & John Selway – Total Departure (Cirez D Remix)

Paolo Mojo & Jim Rivers – Ron Hardy Said (Eric Prydz Remix)

; 2009

Sébastien Léger – The People (Eric Prydz Remix)

Calvin Harris – Flashback (Eric Prydz Remix)

; 2010

Faithless - Not Going Home (Eric Prydz Remix)

Felix Da Housecat - Thee Anthem (Eric Prydz Remix)

References

External links

Category:1976 births Category:Club DJs Category:Living people Category:Remixers Category:Swedish dance musicians Category:People from Stockholm Category:Swedish house musicians Category:Ministry of Sound Category:Swedish Jews

Coordinates	38°53′51.61″N77°2′11.58″N
Name	Brett Dennen
Background	solo_singer
Born	October 28, 1979
Origin	Oakdale, California, United States
Instrument	Guitar
Genre	Folk
Label	Downtown Records
Occupation	Musician, songwriter
Years active	2004–present
Url	http://www.brettdennen.net/

Brett Dennen (born October 28, 1979) is a talented folk/pop singer and songwriter from Northern California.

Biography

In 2004, Dennen released his first self-titled album, Brett Dennen. His second album, So Much More, including the singles "Ain't No Reason", "She's Mine" and "Darlin' Do Not Fear". Dennen also contributed a cover of "Private Life" to the 2006 tribute album Drink To Bones That Turn To Dust: A Toast To Oingo Boingo. Dennen's music has been featured in several television shows, including Roadtrip Nation on PBS, Grey's Anatomy, the House episode "Family", The Unit episode "Freefall", and the Scrubs episode "My No Good Reason". He also appeared shoeless on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on April 8, 2008, Late Night with Conan O'Brien on February 9, 2009, The Ellen DeGeneres Show on April 21, 2009, The Late Show with David Letterman on October 9, 2009, and was the back-up guest on Last Call with Carson Daly on December 22, 2009. In addition to television series, Dennen has also sold to national advertising campaigns for companies such as Hilton Hotels. His single- "Heaven" has also been used in the iPod/iPhone app taptap revenge.

Brett has headlined every major city in the United States, Europe and Australia and has been hand-picked by a "who's who" of his contemporaries including John Mayer, Jason Mraz, and Dave Matthews to support tours.

Dennen has been a part of The Mosaic Project, a San Francisco Bay Area-based non-profit organization, since its inception. The Mosaic Project works towards a peaceful future by uniting young children of diverse backgrounds, providing them with essential skills to thrive in an increasingly diverse society, and empowering them to strive for peace. As The Mosaic Project's Resident Rock Star, Dennen created an original musical curriculum for the program, which they released as an album called Children's Songs for Peace and a Better World, in 2003. It won a Children's Music Web 2004 Award and a Parent's Choice 2004 Approved Award.

Dennen was named by Rolling Stone Magazine as an “Artist to Watch” and, in 2008, Entertainment Weekly called him one of its eight "Guys on the Rise". He's attended festivals such as the Rothbury Music Festival in Michigan, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Lyons Folk Festival, and the Mile High Music Festival in Colorado.

Dennen is working on getting signed to Downtown Records through a partnership with Dualtone.

In 2008, Dennen, along with Jason Mraz, contributed the song "Long Road to Forgiveness" to the Survival International charity album Songs for Survival. Earlier in the fall, Dennen toured Australia with Pete Murray. In late October, Hope for the Hopeless, Dennen's third album, was released on the Downtown/Dualtone partnership. The song "Ain't Gonna Lose You" was featured on Grey's Anatomy and topped the iTunes folk charts. The record reached number 6 in the digital charts, and was followed by a successful mini-tour.

In January 2009, Dennen embarked on a 3-month vacation across the US, with friends Erin McCarley and Angus & Julia Stone. In 2009, Brett's song "Ain't Going to Lose You" was also used in the closing sequence of an Ugly Betty episode. Brett also played a major songwriting role in the July 14th solo debut release of the Crosby Loggins album "Time To Move", which also features John Mayer.

On August 1, 2009, Dennen attended the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. On the Waterside Stage he performed the following songs to a small crowd: "When You Feel It," "Who Do You Think," "Wrong About Me," "Ain't No Reason," "Darlin' Do Not Fear,'" "Heaven," "I Ain't Gonna Lose You," and "She's Mine."

His fourth album, Loverboy, is due out in April 2011.

Notes

In 2010, Dennen's song "Darlin' Do Not Fear" was featured on the soundtrack for the TV show Parenthood.

Dennen's song "Ain't No Reason" was featured in the episode "Family" from House as well as in the episode "My No Good Reason" from Scrubs. It was also featured in season two of The Unit during the episode entitled "Freefall".

Discography

Singles

"Ain't No Reason" (2006)

"Make You Crazy" ft. Femi Kuti (2008)

"Heaven" ft. Natalie Merchant (2009)

Studio Albums

Brett Dennen (2004)

So Much More (2006)

Hope for the Hopeless (2008)

Live Albums & EPs

Peace - EP (2006)

(More) So Much More (2007)

Live Sessions EP (iTunes Exclusive) (2009)

Other Contributions

Children's Songs for Peace and a Better World (2003)

Drink To Bones That Turn To Dust: A Toast To Oingo Boingo (2006)

Don't Think Twice, It's Alright – Ted Lennon & Brett Dennen (2007)

CLIF GreenNotes Protect the Places We Play (2008) Find It Here

Songs for Survival (2008)

" Parenthood (television soundtrack)" (2010)

References

External links

Official site

Liverecordings from Brett Dennen in the Live Music Archive

Brett Dennen Interview at LAist.com

Category:Musicians from California Category:American folk singers Category:American singer-songwriters Category:1979 births Category:Living people