Sparks
Sparks in 1972
Background information
Origin	Los Angeles, California, US
Genres	New Wave,[1] proto punk,[1] pop rock,[1] synthpop[1]
Years active	1971 (1971)–present
Labels	Bearsville, Warner Bros., Island, Atlantic, Curb, Virgin, CBS, Elektra, RCA, Roadrunner, Lil'Beethoven Records.
Website	www.allsparks.com
Members
Ron Mael Russell Mael

Sparks is an American rock and pop band formed in Los Angeles in 1971 by brothers Ron (keyboards) and Russell Mael (vocals), renamed from Halfnelson. Best known for their quirky approach to songwriting,^[2] Sparks' music is often accompanied by intelligent, sophisticated, and acerbic lyrics,^[3] and an idiosyncratic, theatrical stage presence, typified in the contrast between Russell's wide-eyed hyperactive frontman antics and Ron's sedentary scowling. Starting with "Lil' Beethoven" in 2001, the band began performing their albums in their entirety. 2008 saw the band perform all 21 of their albums in successive nights at the Islington Academy and Shepherd's Bush Empire in London.^[4]

Though the band's long career has seen them successfully pioneer many different musical genres; including glam rock, power pop, electronic dance music, mainstream pop and most recently chamber pop, Sparks have created their own unique musical universe. While achieving chart success in various countries around the world including United Kingdom, Germany, France, and the United States, they have enjoyed a cult following since their first releases.^[5] Sparks have been highly influential on the development of popular music,^[4] in particular on the late 1970s scene, when in collaboration with Giorgio Moroder (and Telex subsequently), they reinvented themselves as an electronic pop duo, and abandoned the traditional rock band line up.^[6] Their frequently changing styles and visual presentations have kept the band at the forefront of modern, artful pop music.^[7] They are held in esteem by such bands and performers as Morrissey, Kurt Cobain, Cait Brennan^[8], Dax Riggs, Franz Ferdinand, Arcade Fire, Fang Island, Ott, MGMT, Sonic Youth, Ramones, Duran Duran, Bjork, Depeche Mode, New Order, Def Leppard, Faith No More, The Pixies, Ween,^[9] Mark Burgess of the Chameleons^[10] and They Might Be Giants, all of whom cite Sparks as a major influence.^[3][6]

The 2002 release of Lil' Beethoven, their "genre-defying opus",^[11] as well as the more recent albums Hello Young Lovers (2006, their 20th studio album), Exotic Creatures Of The Deep (2008), and their latest fantasy musical The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman (2009–2010) have brought Sparks renewed critical and commercial success, and seen them continue to "steer clear of pop conventions."^[12]

Sparks are best known for the song "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us", which reached number 2 in the British charts in 1974, "When I'm With You" which topped the French Charts in 1980, and "When Do I Get To Sing 'My Way'" which topped the German and European charts in 1994/95 and was the top airplay record in Germany for 1994. They are also noted for Russell Mael's falsetto voice and Ron Mael's keyboard style as well as their stage presence.

History[link]

Early inception[link]

The history of Sparks spans five decades, from inception in the late 1960s LA club scene, through adoption by British fans in the middle 1970s, electronic experimentation in the late 1970s, and finally breaking through in the US of the early 1980s, a cinematic sojourn at the end of that decade with a return to form in the mid-1990s which continues to this day as they continue to push the boundaries of pop music.

Brothers Ron and Russell Mael grew up in Pacific Palisades, in western Los Angeles County, California,^[13] during the “Golden Age” of the LA club scene, with The Doors, Love and The Standells regularly playing the Whisky-a-Go-Go on Sunset Strip and the Beach Boys playing the afternoon event Teenage Fair.^[14] Both Ron and Russell Mael are seen in the audience during the Ronettes section of the famous rock movie Big TNT Show, filmed in 1966. Both attended UCLA, Ron studying cinema and graphic art, Russell theatre arts and filmmaking. Detesting the folk music scene, which they considered "cerebral and sedate and we had no time for that",^[14] they developed a particular taste in English bands of the time such as The Who, Syd Barrett's Pink Floyd, The Kinks and The Move, which led to their description of themselves as "Anglophiles".^[14]

Forming Halfnelson in 1968, they soon came to the attention of producer Todd Rundgren, at whose urging Albert Grossman signed the band to his Bearsville record label. Their self-titled debut — with the line-up consisting of college friend Earle Mankey on guitar, Mankey's brother James on bass, Harley Feinstein now on drums and Rundgren producing — sold poorly, but after switching labels to Warner Bros. Records and renaming themselves Sparks, a play on the Marx Brothers,^[15] the re-issued debut spawned the minor regional hit "Wonder Girl".

Their follow-up album, A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing, led to a tour of the United Kingdom, including a residency at the Marquee in London,^[6] which incidentally saw on one night Queen open for Sparks. These London appearances helped them to secure a significant cult following.^[13] An appearance on the BBC Television's Old Grey Whistle Test led to wider interest where host Bob Harris compared the band to a cross between Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention and The Monkees.^[15]

Early Seventies[link]

	Sparks "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us" (1974) noicon 20 second clip of Sparks' "This Town Ain't Big Enough For the Both of Us".
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Relocating to England in 1973 with a new manager, John Hewlett, founder of John's Children,^[16] and a deal from Island Records, thanks in part to the exposure garnered by their BBC2 Television Whistle Test performance,^[6] they placed an ad in music weekly Melody Maker ("Wanted bass player for Sparks. Must be beard free and exciting")^[17] and through this hired Martin Gordon. With Adrian Fisher on guitar and Dinky Diamond on drums, in the midst of power strikes and a threatened vinyl shortage,^[18] they recorded their breakthrough Kimono My House in 1974, scoring a number 2 hit with the single "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us", despite Elton John betting producer Muff Winwood that the song wouldn't break into the charts.^[18] Sparks became a UK teen sensation appearing on the cover of "Melody Maker", "Record Mirror" and countless other pop magazines in the UK and Europe. Hits such as "This Town Ain't Big Enough Of Us", Amateur Hour" and "Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth"led to many appearances on the BBC's flagship music show Top of the Pops. Russell's hyperactive movements were in sharp contrast to the keyboard-bound, soberly-dressed Ron's expressionless squint and Hitler-esque mustache. In 1975 the band returned to the states to tour supporting the Kimono & Propaganda albums which had gained strong cult attention in New York, Cleveland, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles primarily from FM radio play and a national TV appearance on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert. Flo and Eddie were the supporting act. Kid Leo, who claims responsibility for "breaking" Bowie and Springteen in the U.S.was a champion of Sparks on his WMMS radio show in Cleveland. Sparks also performed on American Bandstand in 1975 with host Dick Clark mugging with Ron and on countless other TV shows in the US and abroad post 1977.

The follow-up albums, Propaganda and Indiscreet, the latter produced by Tony Visconti, were similarly successful and produced the hit singles "Looks, Looks, Looks", "Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth" and "Something For The Girl With Everything".^[13]

Return home[link]

	Sparks "Big Boy" (1976) noicon 14 second clip of Sparks' "Big Boy".
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1976 saw the Maels return home to LA. Concerned that their music may have become stale, they changed to a more "American" sound and recorded Big Beat with Rupert Holmes on production, followed by Introducing Sparks; both were mostly recorded with session musicians. This new "West Coast" sound yielded such songs as ""Nothing To Do", "Everybody's Stupid", and "Throw Her Away (and Get A New One)". In 1976, Sparks made one of their first forays into the movie business, making a cameo appearance in the thriller film Rollercoaster, after Kiss turned down the roles.^[19] They performed the songs "Fill 'Er Up" and "Big Boy."

By 1979 the brothers found themselves at a crossroads. They had tired of the rock band format and determined to take their music in a more electronic direction. They had expressed admiration for Giorgio Moroder, creator of the iconic disco anthem I Feel Love performed by Donna Summer, to a German journalist who turned out to be a friend of his. As a result, they teamed up with Moroder and created No. 1 In Heaven, an album which would not only redefine the Sparks sound but would challenge the concept of what is meant by a band^[6] but also be a major influence on emerging electro pop artists.^[3] The follow-up in 1980, Terminal Jive, scored a massive hit single in France, "When I'm With You", which led to the Maels' (of Breton descent themselves) staying in the country for a year promoting the album, Russell being sufficiently fluent in French.^[6][13] The single also hit the Top 20 in Australia, reaching #14.

Finding the electronic equipment they had adopted for their new sound too cumbersome to tour with, they returned to the more traditional band format for their next three releases, Whomp That Sucker, Angst In My Pants (the title track of which appears in the 1983 movie "Valley Girl") and Sparks In Outer Space. They finally broke into the US singles charts with "Cool Places" from 1983's In Outer Space. The track was a collaboration with Go-Go Jane Wiedlin, who, at one time, ran her own Sparks fanclub,^[19] and its success was in part thanks to LA's KROQ-FM radio station, which hailed them as local heroes.^[3] In 1984, the Maels wrote and performed several original songs on the soundtrack for the teen comedy feature film Bad Manners (aka: Growing Pains), including the film's title song, "Bad Manners".^[20]

The late 1980s and early 1990s saw the brothers concentrate on filmmaking, particularly an attempt to make a manga, Mai, The Psychic Girl, into a movie musical. Despite interest from Tim Burton and six years' work on the project, the film has not yet gone into production. There currently is speculation that Tim Burton may once again take on the project and direct.^[13][21]

Return to music[link]

	Sparks "When Do I Get To Sing My Way?" (1994) noicon 15 second clip of Sparks' "When Do I Get To Sing My Way".
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1994 saw the Maels return with the release of Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins, providing the hit singles "When Do I Get To Sing My Way?" and "When I Kiss You (I Hear Charlie Parker Playing)". 1997 saw the release of Plagiarism, an album of cover versions of their own songs featuring collaborations with Faith No More, Erasure and Jimmy Somerville. Half of the album was recorded by Tony Visconti in London with the other half recorded by the brothers in their own purpose-built studio in LA, surrounded by busts of Elvis.^[3][13] In 1998 they recorded the soundtrack for the movie Knock Off, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, directed by the acclaimed Hong Kong based producer/director Tsui Hark^[7] (who had appeared on his own tribute song by the band on the album Gratuitous Sax and Senseless Violins). Balls, released in 2000, again put the band in a context of electronic instrumentation with some of Ron Mael's most striking and perceptive lyrics. However, it was panned by critics who thought the band were 'treading water'.^[13]

The legacy continues[link]

After Balls, the band resurfaced in 2002 with the release of the album which has been described as their "genre-defying opus". Lil' Beethoven, featuring quasi-classical arrangements strings and choirs,^[13] led to renewed interest in the band, for instance Record Collector magazine named the album as one of its "Best New Albums of 2002", describing it as "... possibly the most exciting and interesting release ever from such a long established act"^[22] and later in 2003 saying "... it really does feel like one of the best albums ever made."^[6] A UK and European tour had the band playing the entire album each night in the first half of the show, with fan favourites making up the second. The line-up now included former Faith No More guitarist Dean Menta in addition to Tammy Glover on drums. Long-time fan Morrissey invited Sparks to perform at the 2004 Meltdown Festival, of which he was curator. They performed their breakthrough Kimono My House album, followed by Lil Beethoven, both in their entirety.^[11] Also in this period, the duo appeared in the video for Justin Hawkins's cover of "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us", in which Ron and Russell play the referee and MC at a darts match between Hawkins and darts champion Phil Taylor. This version of "This Town" reached No. 6 in the UK charts.

	Sparks "Perfume" (2006) noicon 23 second clip of Sparks's "Perfume".
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February 2006 saw the release of Hello Young Lovers, their twentieth studio album.^[21] The album is regarded as carrying on where Lil Beethoven left off, being described as "... cynical, intelligent and very, very funny",^[23] it has met with considerable acclaim.^[24][25]

The brothers tend to be dismissive of the latest trends in popular music, seeing most current bands as lacking musical ambition and experimental drive.^[4][11][12] Indeed the predictable trends in much of modern rock, as they see it, served as inspiration for their latest album.^[12] However, they have expressed admiration for Eminem and Morrissey.^[11][14]

The pair appeared in the season 6 finale of the US TV show Gilmore Girls, performing "Perfume" from the album Hello Young Lovers. They released a live DVD of a September 2006 show at the London Forum as well as a long-awaited CD release of their previously unavailable 1977 album Introducing Sparks. The track "Perfume" was featured in a Dolce & Gabbana TV commercial in 2009.^[26]

On May 12, 2008, Sparks released the single "Good Morning", taken from the album Exotic Creatures Of The Deep.

May and June 2008 saw the 21-night "Sparks Spectacular" in London, where they played each of their albums in chronological order during the first twenty nights, and premièred their new album on the twenty-first concert on June 13, 2008.^[27] Each night, they performed an album in its entirety followed by a rare track — many of the songs have never been performed live before. The band asked their fans to visit their website and vote for the track that they'd most like to hear the band perform during the second half of the 21st concert after the première of Exotic Creatures Of The Deep, though Russell Mael admitted that he and Ron would probably influence the poll a little.

Fans who bought a "Golden Ticket" (which allowed entry into all 21 gigs) also received a poster signed by the band and a CD single entitled Islington N1, a reference to the postal address of the venue for the first 20 gigs.

In 2009 the band played two consecutive nights at the London Forum on 20 and 21 March. They played Exotic Creatures of the Deep in its entirety at both gigs, followed by Kimono My House in its entirety on the first night and No. 1 In Heaven in its entirety on the second night.

Valentine's Day evening 2009 saw Sparks perform the same show featuring their Exotic Creatures of the Deep and Kimono My House albums played in their entirety before a sold-out hometown crowd at the Mael Bros. alma mater in Los Angeles, UCLA.

	Sparks "Escape (part 1)" (2009) noicon 24-second clip from Sparks's musical, The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman.
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On August 14, 2009, the band premièred the radio musical The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman,^[28] commissioned by the Swedish public radio (SR) and featuring the Mael brothers themselves and Swedish actors Elin Klinga and Jonas Malmsjö, both of whom worked with Bergman in his lifetime. The musical, partly in English, partly in Swedish, tells the story of Bergman's supposed relocation to Hollywood after his breakthrough with Smiles of a Summer Night (1956), and the surreal and discomforting encounter with the movie capital. On October 28, 2009, the UK's BBC 6 Music held a similar event in London whereby the musical was played in its entirety before a live audience at BBC Broadcasting House in London and later to be broadcast with a Q&A with the Maels. In interviews for Swedish newspapers, the band said they hoped to be able to theatrically stage the musical as well as turn the musical into a feature film. Amongst the filmmakers cited as undertaking "The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman" with the Mael Brothers is Canadian avant-garde director Guy Maddin.^[29]

Ron and Russell Mael appear as interview subjects in the 2009 documentary The Magnificent Tati, discussing their proposed involvement during the early 1980s in a Jacques Tati movie titled Confusion, for which a screenplay was written but never shot due to Tati's death.

In 2010, Sparks remixed Yoko Ono's song "Give Me Something". September 2, 2010 marks the debut of the new theme songs that Ron and Russell have composed and recorded for NPR radio's Bookworm show, broadcast in Los Angeles on station KCRW. The two songs mark the first time in 21 years that the Bookworm show has used a new theme song, these being commissioned by show host and Sparks fan Michael Silverblatt. The compositions are entitled, "Where Would We Be Without Books?" and "I Am A Bookworm."

For the encore of what may have been the final live date ever in America for Faith No More on December 1, 2010 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, Ron and Russell Mael were invited by Mike Patton and Co. to perform the Sparks' classic hit "This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us." To a surprised and ecstatic sold-out crowd, the brothers reprised the song that also appears as a collaboration with Faith No More on Sparks' 1997 album Plagiarism. The original Sparks' version is from their 1974 classic LP, "Kimono My House."

On June 25, 2011 as part of the Los Angeles Film Festival, Sparks presented the World Premiere live performance of The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman. The esteemed Canadian film director Guy Maddin provided directions based on the screenplay, with Ron and Russell reprising their recorded roles on stage. The role of Ingmar Bergman was performed by Finnish movie actor Peter Franzén. Ann Magnuson portrayed the role of Greta Garbo, and Rebecca Sjöwall returned to the role she had performed on the original album as the Hollywood Starlet. Tammy Glover also performed her role as the Hollywood Welcoming Committee that she sang on the original album. Other actors included Katie Puckrik, Dean Menta, Nina Sallinen, Jacob Sidney, and Sal Viscuso. The show was held at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood, a fitting place to enact the premiere performance live. The group showcased at the film festival in their quest for funding for the feature film version.^[30][31] The performance garnered glowing reviews from journals such as The Huffington Post, the LA Times, the LA Weekly, and LA Record.

Style[link]

Sparks' musical style has changed dramatically over their forty-year career. In the beginning they attempted to emulate the sound of their English heroes, such as The Who, Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd and The Kinks, sometimes even pretending to be an English band while on the LA club circuit. They relocated to England during the Glam rock era where, despite cutting an odd figure on this scene, they found success with their polished brand of intricate pop tunes and convoluted lyrics. By the second half of the decade, they were concerned that the sound they had developed while based in England was in danger of becoming stale; they returned to LA, determined to adopt a more "West Coast" sound. This they achieved with producer Rupert Holmes on Big Beat and (sans Holmes) on Introducing Sparks.

However the band were not satisfied with the results, which they felt lacked personality, perhaps because of the reliance on session musicians. This led to the most dramatic change of style the band would attempt, when they teamed up with Giorgio Moroder, dropped the band format altogether and produced No. 1 In Heaven. This album is regarded as a landmark in the development of electronic music and greatly influenced bands which would emerge in the following years.^[3][6] They soon returned to a more traditional line-up, which remained until 1988's Interior Design. There then followed a long hiatus until 1994's Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins, which was a foray into the techno dance world, which they had helped to spawn back in the late 1970s.^[32] While their style has remained on the same path since Gratuitous Sax..., they have nonetheless continued to push the boundaries of conventional pop music and songwriting, remaining both innovative and highly influential.^[4]

Lyrically, the band's style has been described as coming from "the school of Cole Porter, favouring caustic wit over trivial personal problems, ...achingly clever lyrics seesaw between superficial gloss, profound sentiment and the incomprehensibly bizarre."^[3] Repeated lyrical motifs have become a distinct feature on recent albums. On "My Baby’s Taking Me Home" off Lil' Beethoven (2002), the song title is repeated 104 times, with no other words being used, other than a spoken interlude.^[6] Similarly, on the same album, "Your Call Is Very Important To Us", uses a corporation style call-hold message: "Your call is very important to us. Please hold" which is then sung with some additional words: "At first she said your call is very important to us, then she said please, please hold." The only other lyrics in the song are "Red light", "Green light", "I'm Getting Mixed Signals" and "Sorry, I'm Going To Have To Put You Back On Hold". These elements are layered with a simple piano line to create a highly textured effect.^[25]

Other musicians[link]

Many musicians have contributed to Sparks music, both on record and live. In addition to the Maels, the following people have been recently been playing with Sparks: Steven Nistor, Jim Wilson, Marcus Blake, Steven McDonald, Dean Menta and Tammy Glover.

Previous musicians who have played in, or recorded with, Sparks include Ben Benay, Leslie Bohem, Alan Broadbent, the late Norman "Dinky" Diamond, Harold Faltermeyer, Harley Feinstein, the late Adrian Fisher, Keith Forsey, David Foster, James Goodwin, Martin Gordon, Ed Greene, Bob Haag, Ian Hampton, Christie Haydon, David Kendrick, Josh Klinghoffer, Sal Maida, Robert Mache, Earle Mankey, Jim Mankey, John Mendelsohn, Hilly Boy Michaels, Giorgio Moroder, David Paich, Mike Porcaro, Reinie Press, Hans Reumschüssel, Lee Ritenour, Thom Rotella, Jeffrey Salen, Spencer Sercombe, John Thomas, Tony Visconti, Thomas White, Trevor White, Luke Zamperini and Richie Zito.

Discography[link]

• Sparks / Halfnelson (1971)
• A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing (1972)
• Kimono My House (1974)
• Propaganda (1974)
• Indiscreet (1975)
• Big Beat (1976)
• Introducing Sparks (1977)
• No. 1 In Heaven (1979)
• Terminal Jive (1980)
• Whomp That Sucker (1981)
• Angst in My Pants (1982)
• In Outer Space (1983)
• Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat (1984)
• Music That You Can Dance To (1986)
• Interior Design (1988)
• Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins (1994)
• Plagiarism (1997)
• Balls (2000)
• Lil' Beethoven (2002)
• Hello Young Lovers (2006)
• Exotic Creatures Of The Deep (2008)
• The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman (2009)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Sparks on Myspace
• Sparks at Allmusic
• Sparks discography at Discogs
• Sparks discography at MusicBrainz
• Video interview at Hydro Connect Festival, August 2008
• "Here’s 21 they did earlier: Ron and Russell Mael create Sparks", interview in The Times, 2008-05-02
• Interview with Kittenpants.org

Melvin Sparks (March 22, 1946 – March 15, 2011)^[1] was an American soul jazz, hard bop and jazz blues guitarist. He recorded a number of albums for Prestige Records, later recording for Savant Records. He appeared on several recordings with musicians including Lou Donaldson, Sonny Stitt, Leon Spencer and Johnny Hammond Smith.^[1]

Sparks was born in Houston, Texas, United States, and raised in a musical family. He received his first guitar at age 11. Sparks began working in the rhythm and blues genre as a high school student, first with Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, and then with the Upsetters, a touring band formed by Little Richard, which also backed Jackie Wilson, Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye.^[2]

Sparks moved to New York City and worked as a session musician for Blue Note and Prestige Records. As part of the burgeoning soul-jazz scene of the late 1960s and early 1970s, Sparks often backed organists like Jack McDuff, Dr. Lonnie Smith and Charles Earland. Sparks released his debut album, Sparks!, for Prestige in 1970.^[2]

He was seen on Northeastern television commercials as the voice of Price Chopper's House of BBQ advertising campaign.^[3]

Sparks died on March 15, 2011, at age 64, at his home in Mount Vernon, New York. He had diabetes and high blood pressure.^[2]

Discography[link]

As leader[link]

• Sparks! (Prestige), 1970
• Spark Plug (Prestige), 1971
• Akilah! (Prestige), 1972
• Texas Twister (Eastbound), 1973
• '75 (Westbound), 1974
• Sparkling (Muse), 1981
• I'm a Gittar Player (Cannonball), 1997
• What You Hear Is What You Get (Nectar), 2001
• It Is What It Is (Savant), 2004
• This Is It! (Savant), 2005
• Groove on Up (Savant), 2005

As sideman[link]

With Henry "Pucho" Brown

• Jungle Strut (Lexington), 1993
• Rip a Dip (Milestone), 1995

With Rusty Bryant

• Soul Liberation (Prestige), 1970

With Hank Crawford

• Indigo Blue (Milestone), 1983
• Down on the Deuce (Milestone), 1984
• Roadside Symphony (Milestone), 1985
• Night Beat (Milestone), 1988
• South Central (Milestone), 1992
• Tight (Milestone), 1996
• After Dark (Milestone), 1998
• Crunch Time (Milestone), 1998
• The World of H.C. (Milestone), 2000

With Dennis Day

• All Things in Time (D-Day Media), 2008

With Joey DeFrancesco

• All in the Family (Highnote), 1998
• Plays Sinatra His Way (Highnote), 1998
• Hip Cake Walk (Highnote), 2000

With Karl Denson

• Dance Lesson No. 2 (Blue Note), 2001

With Lou Donaldson

• Hot Dog (Blue Note), 1969
• Everything I Play Is Funky (Blue Note), 1969
• The Scorpion (Cadet, 1970)
• Cosmos (Blue Note, 1971)

With Charles Earland

• Black Talk! (Prestige), 1969
• Slammin' and Jammin' (Savant), 1997
• Cookin' with the Mighty Burner (Highnote), 1997

With Ceasar Frazier

• Hail Ceasar! (Eastbound), 1972

With Red Holloway

• Coast to Coast (Milestone), 2003

With Plas Johnson

• Keep That Groove Going! (Milestone), 2000

With Etta Jones

• If You Could See Me Now (Muse), 1978

With Charles Kynard

• Wa-tu-wa-zui (Prestige), 1970

With Ron Levy

• Zim Zam Zoom: Acid Blues on B-3 (Bullseye Blues), 1996
• Voodoo Boogaloo (Levtronic), 2005

With Johnny Lytle

• Good Vibes (Muse), 1981
• Happy Ground (Muse), 1989

With Jack McDuff

• Do It Now (Atlantic), 1966
• Double-Barelled Soul (Atlantic), 1967

With Jimmy McGriff

• Countdown (Milestone), 1983
• State of the Art (Milestone), 1985
• Blue to the Bone (Milestone), 1988
• McGriff Avenue (Milestone), 2001

With Idris Muhammad

• Black Rhythm Revolution (Prestige), 1970
• Peace and Rhythm Suite (Prestige), 1971

With John Patton

• Soul Connection (Nilva), 1983

With Houston Person

• The Nearness of You (Muse), 1977
• Heavy Juice (Muse), 1982
• We Owe It All for Love (Baseline), 1988

With Sonny Phillips

• Black Magic (Prestige), 1970
• Black on Black (Prestige), 1970

With Bernard Purdie

• In Tokyo (Lexington), 1993

With Alvin Queen

• Lenox and Seventh (Black and Blue), 1985

With Rhoda Scott

• Very Saxy (Night and Day), 2004

With Lonnie Smith

• Think! (Blue Note), 1968
• Turning Point (Blue Note), 1969

With Leon Spencer

• Sneak Preview (Prestige), 1970
• Louisiana Slim (Prestige), 1971
• Bad Walkin' Woman (Prestige), 1972

With Dakota Staton

• A Packet of Love Letters (Highnote), 1996

With Tom "T Bone" Stinson

• On Fire (Golden Zebra), 2004

With Sonny Stitt

• Turn It On (Prestige), 1971

With Leon Thomas

• Bluesband (Portrait), 1988

With Reuben Wilson

• Blue Mode (Blue Note), 1969
• The Cisco Kid (Groove Merchant), 1974
• Down with It (Cannonball), 1998
• Fun House (Savant), 2004

With Jimmy Witherspoon

• The Blues Is Now (Verve), 1967

References[link]

Jordin Sparks
Sparks in the American Idol Experience motorcade at Walt Disney World in 2009.
Background information
Birth name	Jordin Brianna Sparks
Born	(1989-12-22) December 22, 1989 (age 22) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Origin	Glendale, Arizona
Genres	R&B, pop, pop rock, dance-pop
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, actress
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Jive/19 (2007-2011) RCA/19 (2011-Present)
Website	jordinsparks.com

Jordin Brianna Sparks (born December 22, 1989)^[1] is an American pop / R&B recording artist, songwriter and actress who rose to fame as the winner of the sixth season of American Idol. She hails from Glendale, Arizona. Sparks won when she was 17 years old, making her the youngest winner in Idol history and remains the last female to win American Idol. She followed her American Idol victory with the release of her self-titled debut album in 2007, which has gone platinum in the U.S. and has sold over 2 million copies worldwide.^[2] Sparks' single, "No Air" is the highest-selling single by any American Idol contestant, selling over 3 million digital copies in the U.S. and Canada.^[3] Due to the success of her debut album and its four top 20 singles, she has received numerous awards and nominations including an American Music Award in 2008 and her first Grammy nomination in 2009. In 2009, Billboard magazine's 91st-best-selling music artist of the 2000–2009 decade.^[4]

Sparks made guest appearances on several television series in the following years, beginning with The Suite Life On Deck. Sparks' second album Battlefield was released in July 2009 worldwide and debuted at number seven in the U.S., three spots higher than her first album. The album's lead single, also titled "Battlefield", peaked in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it her third top 10 single and fifth consecutive top 20 single. Sparks is the only Idol contestant to have their first five singles reach the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Battlefield" has sold almost 2 million copies worldwide. Battlefield's second single, "S.O.S. (Let the Music Play)", was her first song to top the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play making it her first U.S. number one single.^[5] Sparks followed her success in 2010 by making her debut on Broadway. Sparks starred as Nina Rosario in the Tony Award winning broadway musical, In The Heights. She will make her film debut in the remake of Sparkle, co-starring Grammy Award/Emmy Award-winner Whitney Houston, Derek Luke, Carmen Ejogo and Tika Sumpter. According to Billboard.com, Sparks has sold 1,300,000 albums and 9,883,000 tracks in the United States as of February 2012, making her one of the most successful idol winners.^[6] In 2012, VH1 included Sparks in its list of the 100 Greatest Women in Music and ranked her at #92.^[7] People named her one of 2012 Most Beautiful at Every Age.^[8]

Biography[link]

Early life and career beginnings[link]

Sparks was born in Phoenix, Arizona to Jodi Weidmann Sparks and former professional football player Phillippi Sparks. Sparks has a younger brother, Phillippi "PJ" Sparks, Jr., who plays football for the Fighting Sioux at the University of North Dakota. She grew up in the suburbs of Ridgewood, New Jersey, while her father played as a defensive back for the New York Giants. After living in New Jersey, Sparks attended Northwest Community Christian School in Phoenix through the eighth grade. Sparks attended Sandra Day O'Connor High School until 2006, when she was homeschooled to better concentrate on her singing.^[9] Sparks is an evangelical Christian and attends Calvary Community Church in Phoenix. On her American Idol biography, she thanks her parents and God for her win.^[10] She won an award for best young artist of the year in Arizona for three years.

Before appearing on American Idol, Sparks participated in and won such talent competitions as Coca-Cola's Rising Star, the Gospel Music Association Academy's Overall Spotlight Award, America's Most Talented Kids, Colgate Country Showdown, and the 2006 Drug Free AZ Superstar Search. Prior to Idol, Sparks frequently performed the national anthem at various local sporting events, notably for the Phoenix Suns, Arizona Cardinals, and Arizona Diamondbacks. Sparks also appeared with Alice Cooper in his 2004 Christmas show and toured with Christian contemporary singer Michael W. Smith in 2006. In 2006, Sparks was one of six winners of the Phoenix Torrid search for the "Next Plus Size Model". She was flown to California, where she was used in a number of Torrid ads and promotional pieces.^[11] A full-page ad for Torrid featuring Sparks ran in the December 2006 issue of Seventeen magazine.

On June 16, 2011, Sparks had her first-ever bikini shoot for the cover of People's Most Amazing Bodies issue. When speaking about her weight loss and diet to Access Hollywood, Sparks said, "My diet has pretty much remained the same, like if I want a piece of bread, I’m gonna have a piece of bread, but I’m making healthier decisions like instead of a bag of chips for a snack, I’ll see if I can find an apple. I’ve also upped my intake of vegetables and I’m drinking a lot more water."^[12][13][14]

[edit] 2006: American Idol

Sparks performing at the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2007.

In the summer of 2006, Sparks auditioned twice for the sixth season of American Idol: once in Los Angeles but failed to make it past the first round,^[15] and again in Seattle after winning Arizona Idol, a talent competition conducted by Phoenix Fox station KSAZ-TV. The Seattle audition is the one seen in the January 17, 2007, broadcast of American Idol, in which she earned a "gold ticket" and the right to appear in the Hollywood Round. American Idol judge Randy Jackson made the offhand prediction that, "Curly hair will win this year."^[16] While on the show, Sparks gained a loyal fan base known as "Sparkplugs". On May 23, 2007, Sparks was crowned the winner of the sixth season of American Idol. She remains the youngest winner in American Idol history. Cowell said, "Jordin was the most improved over the whole season – didn't start the best, but midway through this was the girl who suddenly got momentum." He included that "Young girl, likeable, and the singer won over the entertainer [Lewis]."^[17] Four selected songs Sparks had performed on American Idol, including the season's coronation song, "This Is My Now", were made available on her self-titled EP, released on May 22, 2007, the day before the grand finale.^[18] The coronation song, "This Is My Now" peaked at number fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Sparks' first top fifteen hit on the chart.^[19] The following summer, Sparks took part in the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2007 from July 6 to September 23, 2007, along with other contestants in the top ten.

Since her win in 2007, Sparks has returned to Idol five times. She performed twice on the seventh season of American Idol, once on the Idol Gives Back results show singing "No Air" with Chris Brown and again with "One Step at a Time" on May 21, 2008, for the finale. She performed "Battlefield" on the May 13, 2009, episode of American Idol. The following year, Sparks took part in a tribute to Simon Cowell with other former contestants at the Season 9 finale on May 26, 2010. Most recently, during Season 10, Sparks performed her new song "I Am Woman" on the Top 4 results show.

Performances/results

[edit] 2007–2008: Jordin Sparks

Sparks during a concert in Kansas City.

Sparks in Badgley Mischka.

After winning American Idol, Sparks signed to 19 Recordings/Jive Records, becoming the first Idol winner to join the label.^[20] On August 27, 2007, she released her debut single, "Tattoo",^[21] which peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Sparks' first top ten hit on the chart.^[19] The song certified platinum in the United States^[22] and Australia.^[23] To date, "Tattoo" has sold over two million copies in the U.S.^[24]

Sparks released her self-titled debut studio album on November 20, 2007,^[25] which debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200. To date, it has sold over a million copies in the U.S^[26] and was certified platinum by the RIAA.^[22] "No Air", a duet with Chris Brown, was released as the second single from the album in February 2008. In the United States, the song peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming Sparks' best-charting single to date.^[19] It was also her first song to appear on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where it reached number four.^[19] To date, the song has sold over three million copies in the U.S, making Sparks the first American Idol contestant to reach the three million mark.^[3] It also became Brown's first song to hit three million. "No Air" also charted in Australia^[27] and New Zealand,^[28] where it reached number one, receiving platinum certifications in both countries.^[23][29]

On February 3, 2008, Sparks sang the National Anthem at Super Bowl XLII.^[30] She performed in a tribute to Aretha Franklin at the NAACP Awards in February, as well. She had previously performed in a tribute to Diana Ross in December 2007.

In support of the album, Sparks opened for Alicia Keys on the North America leg of her As I Am Tour, starting on April 19, 2008.^[31] Before the tour, a career-threatening throat injury forced Sparks to cancel a few weeks of the shows. Officials revealed she was suffering an acute vocal cord hemorrhage and was ordered strict vocal rest until the condition improved.^[32] Sparks was back on the road by April 30, 2008 and remained on the tour until June 18, 2008. Sparks later joined Keys for the tour leg in Australia and New Zealand in December 2008.^[33][34]

The album's third single, "One Step at a Time", was released in June 2008. It peaked at number seventeen on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Sparks her fourth top twenty hit on the chart.^[19] This makes Sparks the only American Idol contestant to have her first four singles reach the top twenty of the Hot 100. It also charted in the top twenty in Australia,^[27] Canada,^[19] and the United Kingdom.^[35] In New Zealand, the song reached number two^[28] and was certified gold by the RIANZ.^[29] In August 2008, Sparks co-headlined the Jesse & Jordin LIVE Tour with Jesse McCartney in the United States.^[36]

Sparks received two MTV Video Music Award nominations for Best Female Video for "No Air" and Best New Artist at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards.^[37] While at the awards show, Sparks caused controversy by responding to a joke made by host Russell Brand during his opening monologue, in which he held up a silver ring, claiming to have relieved one of the Jonas Brothers of their virginity,^[38] saying he would "take them more seriously if they wore it (the ring) around their genitals". Sparks who also wears a promise ring, began her introduction of T.I. and Rihanna by saying "It's not bad to wear a promise ring because not everybody, guy or girl, wants to be a slut." In response to the controversy over her "slut" remark, Sparks told Entertainment Weekly that she doesn't regret the remark, commenting that "I wish I would've worded it differently – that somebody who doesn't wear a promise ring isn't necessarily a slut – but I can't take it back now."^[39] At the 2008 American Music Awards, Sparks won the award for Favorite Artist in the Adult Contemporary Category.^[40]

[edit] 2009–2010: Battlefield

Sparks performing "Faith" at the Commander-in-Chief's Inaugural Ball on January 20, 2009.

Sparks during Battlefield Tour.

On January 20, 2009, Sparks performed "Faith" at the Commander-in-Chief's Inaugural Ball, hosted by President Barack Obama.^[41] Her second studio album, Battlefield was released in the United States on July 21, 2009.^[42] The album's title track was released as the lead single on May 25, 2009, and reached number ten on the Billboard Hot 100.^[19] The song peaked in the top five in Australia,^[27] Canada,^[19] and New Zealand.^[28] In the United States, Battlefield debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200, peaking higher than her debut album's position of number ten. However, the album was notably unsuccessful compared to her debut, only selling 177,000 copies in the U.S^[26] and having failed to earn any chart certificates.

In support of the album, Sparks opened for The Jonas Brothers on the North America leg of the Jonas Brothers World Tour 2009, starting on June 20, 2009.^[43] She also opened for Britney Spears on the second leg of her Circus Tour in North America, beginning on August 24, 2009.^[44] Sparks served as a replacement for Ciara.

"S.O.S. (Let the Music Play)", was released as the second single from Battlefield on September 15, 2009.^[45] The song topped the U.S Hot Dance Club Songs chart, becoming Sparks' first number one on the chart^[19] and peaked in the top fifteen in the United Kingdom.^[35] During this time, she recorded the duet, "Art of Love", with Australian artist Guy Sebastian for his fifth studio album, Like It Like That. The song reached the top ten in Australia^[27] and New Zealand^[28] and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association.^[46] The third single from Battlefield, "Don't Let It Go to Your Head", was released in the United Kingdom on January 8, 2010.^[47] The song reached a peak of number sixteen on the UK Singles Chart despite no physical release.^{[citation needed]}

In May 2010, Sparks embarked on her first headlining tour in the United States, the Battlefield Tour.^[48] It began on May 1, 2010, and ended on July 18, 2010, stopping in over 35 major cities in the United States. In support of the DVD/Blu-ray re-release of the Disney animated film, Beauty and the Beast, Sparks recorded a cover of the film's title track for the soundtrack.^[49] A music video for the song was released on October 18, 2010.^[50]

2010–present: Third studio album & film debut[link]

In a October 2010 interview, Sparks revealed she had begun working on her third studio album.^[51] During an interview with Good Day New York in November 2010, Sparks confirmed she would be recording the album in New York and Arizona.^[52] In January 2011, it was reported that Sparks and John Legend were working on songs together in the studio.^[53] In March 2011, Sparks recorded a music video for a song called "The World I Knew" for the film, African Cats, which was released on April 22, 2011.^[54] To support her new single, Sparks served as an opening act for the NKOTBSB summer tour.^[55] On May 5, 2011, it was revealed that Sparks' lead single for her forthcoming album is titled "I Am Woman".^[56] On May 12, 2011, Sparks performed "I Am Woman" on the American Idol Top 4 results show.^[57] "I Am Woman" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number eighty-two with 33,000 downloads sold.^[58][59] It also debuted on the US Billboard Digital Songs at number fifty-seven.^[60] Sparks performed "I Am Woman" on Regis and Kelly on June 14.^[61][62][63] Sparks also contributed background vocals to Demi Lovato's lead single "Skyscraper" from her third studio album. Sparks stated in an August 2011 interview there is no scheduled release date yet.^[64] A song titled "You Gotta Want It" will be part of an NFL compilation album entitled Official Gameday Music of the NFL Vol. 2. According to reports, the song will be available to download on iTunes and Amazon next week on September 27. The song is co-written by Chris Weaver and Matthew J. Rogers, while being produced by Cash Money Records’ Cool & Dre.^[65] On November 14, 2011, it was announced that Sparks recorded a original song called "Angels Are Singing" as a part of ABC Family's "12 Dates of Christmas".^[66]

On September 12, 2011, it was announced that Sparks will be making her film debut playing the lead role in the music-themed pic Sparkle, a remake of the 1976 film inspired by the story of The Supremes. The remake will be set in 1968 Detroit, during the rise of Motown. The story will focus on the youngest sister, a music prodigy named Sparkle Williams (Sparks), and her struggle to become a star while overcoming issues that are tearing her family apart.^[67][68]

On October 7, RCA Music Group announced it was disbanding Jive Records along with Arista Records and J Records. With the shutdown, Sparks (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) will release her future material (including her upcoming third studio album) on the RCA Records brand.^[69][70] On February 29, 2012 Sparks' boyfriend Jason Derulo took to twitter announcing the official remix of his single "It Girl" featuring Sparks. There was a video released with the remix, which shows home videos, of Jason and Jordin together as well as pictures.^[71][72]

On May 21, 2012, "Celebrate", the last song Whitney Houston recorded with Sparks, will premiere at RyanSeacrest.com. The song will be featured on the Sparkle soundtrack.^[73] The movie, starring both Sparks and Houston, will be released on August 17 in the United States. It is scheduled for digital download on iTunes on June 5th.^[74]

Other ventures[link]

Clothing line[link]

In April 2008, it was announced that Sparks would team up with cosmetics company, Avon, to become a spokesperson for the teen-focused line Mark. In November 2008, Sparks teamed up with Wet Seal to create her own clothing line. The collection, appropriately named 'Sparks', began with an assortment of holiday dresses delivering to stores just in time for the busy Thanksgiving weekend. The line launched on November 19, 2008 and comes in sizes XS to XL. Sparks said, "I am so excited that Wet Seal and I have been able to create a line of clothing that will appeal to more girls than ever before."^[75]

Acting[link]

In 2009, she made her acting debut on Disney's The Suite Life on Deck, guest starring as herself in the "Crossing Jordin" episode. The episode aired on October 23, 2009.^[76][77] Sparks also guest starred on the hit Nickelodeon show, Big Time Rush. The episode aired on June 18, 2010.^[78] In addition, Sparks did a voice over on Team Umizoomi as the Blue Mermaid. The episode aired on May 13, 2011.^[79]

Broadway[link]

On May 3, 2010, it was announced that Sparks would join the cast of the Tony Award-winning Broadway show "In the Heights" as Nina Rosario. Sparks took part in the production from August 19 through November 14 for a consecutive 12 weeks.^[80]

Fragrance[link]

In October 2010, Sparks released her debut fragrance "Because of You...." This fragrance is currently being exclusively distributed at Dots, but by November will spread to other retail stores. The perfume is described as a "fruity floriental perfume" consisting of notes of "clementine, white imperial currant and orange blossom; a heart of nectarine, sharry baby orchid and coral charm peony; and a drydown of sheer musks, vanilla bean, Baltic amber and blond woods." Sparks wanted this product to be affordable for her fans, yet still high end. "When I was starting this project, I really wanted it to be affordable. I looked at some other celebrity fragrances, and they were like $80. Even now, I look at a fragrance that's $80, and I can't bring myself to spend that much."^[81] In March 2012, due To the success of her first fragrance, Because of You..., Sparks' released her second fragrance 'Fascinate' exclusively with Dots Fashions.^[82][83]

Philanthropy[link]

Former US President George W. Bush congratulates Sparks after she sang the U.S. National Anthem during the welcome for President Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush to the U.S. Ambassador's Residence in Ghana

In 2007, Sparks was asked by a relative who works for SOS Children's Villages USA in Florida to design a denim jacket festooned with Swarovski Crystal to support orphans.^[84] In February 2008, Sparks traveled to Ghana. She was part of the delegation of former U.S. President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush to help with Malaria No More, an organization with a goal to end malaria deaths in Africa by 2015. Sparks joined Mrs. Bush at the Maamobi Polyclinic, where the First Lady donated a number of treated bed nets to some local female traders in order to help combat the scourge of malaria in Ghana. While there, Sparks sang "Amazing Grace" to the durbar of chiefs who had gathered at the venue to give audience to Laura Bush. Sparks said, "Traveling to Ghana with Malaria No More gives me the incredible opportunity to see for myself what a difference a simple mosquito net can make in the life of a child."^[85]

In 2008, Sparks supported Dosomething.org's Do Something 101 campaign by filming a public service announcement explaining the nationwide school supplies drive project.^[86] She further supported the campaign by helping out at the Do Something 101 School Supply Volunteer Event held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.^[87]

On May 20, 2009, Sparks became an endorser for the Got Milk? campaign, an American advertising campaign encouraging the consumption of cow's milk.^[88][89] On September 17, 2009, Sparks took part in the VH1 Divas special, a concert created to support the channel's Save The Music Foundation.^[90] The concert was held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York where Sparks performed the second single from her Battlefield album, S.O.S. (Let the Music Play), as well as "A Broken Wing" with Martina McBride. In February 2010, Sparks was one of the many artists who contributed to "We Are the World 25 for Haiti", a charity single for the victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.^[91] Sparks teamed up with Pennyroyal Silver creator and designer, Tim Foster, to create her very own necklace design for the company's signature collection. Proceeds of the necklace funded medical units in Haiti.^[92]

On February 3, 2010, Sparks and David Archuleta performed at the "X the TXT" event, held at the Eden Roc Renaissance Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida. All proceeds raised by the event went to a number of charities, including the Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation. The following day both Sparks and Archuleta delivered teddy bears to children at the hospital.^[93] In June 2010, the "Thumbs Up to X the TXT" pledge campaign, established by "The Allstate Corporation", made its way to Sparks' Battlefield Tour, presented by Mike & Ike to encourage teens and their families not to text while driving. Fans at Sparks' concerts made a pledge not to text and drive by adding their thumbprint to a traveling banner at each of her shows. The campaign began at Sparks' Battlefield Tour on June 3, 2010 and ended on July 18, 2010.^[94] Sparks is the main spokesperson for the "I’m M.A.D., Are You?" campaign. She also supports Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, which helps to raise money for children with cancer.^[95] Sparks traveled to Louisiana in June 2010 to visit the Gulf Coast oil spill with the Audubon Society to view the effects of the oil spill on the wildlife and marshes.^[96] Sparks is also is a member of the National Youth Leadership Committee for the Ronald Reagan Centennial Celebration, along with Nick Jonas, Genevieve Ryan, and Brodi Conover.

On July 28, 2011, Sparks performed a live surprise concert in Times Square. Sparks was named the "VH1 Save The Music Foundation Ambassador" in 2011.^[97][98] It was announced on November 9, 2011, that Sparks would be titled as a 'Vh1 Save the Music Ambassador' again for 2012. Sparks is joined by fellow American Idol contestant Chris Daughtry, Lupe Fiasco, Katy Perry and others.^[99]

Discography[link]

Tours[link]

Awards and nominations[link]