Alicia Keys - Keys Leads Bet Collaborations With Girl Power Show

ALICIA KEYS served up a girl power treat at the BET Awards in Los Angeles on Tuesday night (24Jun08) when she performed with SWV, EN VOGUE and TLC's CHILI and T-BOZ.

Live collaborations were very much in vogue at the ceremony with Lil' Kim joining Keyshia Cole onstage and rap heavyweights Ludacris, Flo Rida, Rick Ross, DJ Khaled and Big Boi joining T-Pain for his circus-style performance.

But the night's collaborative live highlight came towards the end of the ceremony, when Nelly performed with Jermaine Dupri and Fergie.

Meanwhile, Best Male R+B Artist Chris Brown and Ciara teamed up for a sexy rain dance onstage at the Shrine Auditorium.

Lifetime Achievement recipient Al Green capped a tribute medley by leading sing-along versions of his love standards Let's Stay Together and Love + Happiness.

Usher and Rihanna also stunned with live performances, and rap's million selling miracle, Lil Wayne teamed up with T-Pain to close out the show.

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NorDar Lakshmi Shankar

   
Artist: NorDar Lakshmi Shankar

   Genre(s): 
Other
   

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Discography:


   
 Ampel'a

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Tracks: 9

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Asia America Symphony to host Sadao Watanabe, Angel Romero

Alto saxophonist Sadao Watanabe, one of Japan's most respected and influential musicians, and Spanish classical guitar maestro Angel Romero will perform in concert with the Asia America Symphony Orchestra at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Japan America Theatre in Los Angeles.

Eclectic offerings will include pieces by Charlie Parker, Beethoven and the premiere of veteran jazz artist David Benoit's flamenco-flavored new work, "Dolores Del Carmen."

Watanabe will perform "Charlie Parker With Strings," among other selections. "Dolores Del Carmen," with soloist Romero, pays tribute to Benoit's late aunt, one of flamenco great José Greco's dancers, who became quadriplegic in later life.

"She led a very colorful, exciting life," Benoit said. "And then she had this tragic thing happen." But she was still able to smile, he said, and Romero helped him translate Del Carmen's "love of life and passion" into themes with a "salsa, flamenco kind of rhythm."

Beethoven's "Pastorale" Symphony and a piece by this year's winner of the orchestra's annual composition competition round out the program.

Benoit, the orchestra's director and conductor, has had a decided effect on the group. Since he took the helm in 2001, the locally based professional orchestra has evolved a signature East-meets-West fusion of classical music and jazz.

"I feel like I'm finally ready to let the world know what we're doing," Benoit said. "We've found this new little niche, and it's exciting."

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Lynne Heffley