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Post by sunshine on Jul 24, 2008 9:30:09 GMT -5
Another noteable Jason review!!! #clap# From CINCINNATI.COM IDOL CONCERT REVIEW Singing other people's songs Concert review By Chris Varias • Enquirer contributor • July 24, 2008
There’s something missing from the star-maker machinery of the hit television show “American Idol,” and Brooke White reminded Cincinnati of what it is.
White was among the Top-10 finishers from the recently completed season of the hit TV show. Those 10 singers are now a traveling troupe on the American Idols Live tour, and they came to U.S. Bank Arena on Wednesday night. Like the other nine acts on the bill, topped by first- and second-place finishers David Cook and David Archuleta, White sang other people’s songs.
Introducing her version of the Coldplay song “Yellow,” White said to the crowd, “I really wish I wrote it.”
She probably also really wishes she wrote Feist’s “1234” and the Beatles’ “Let It Be,” the other two-thirds of her 10-minute set.
Cook probably wishes he wrote “Billie Jean” and “Hello,” and Archuleta wishes he wrote “Stand By Me,” and so on.
That’s not to suggest there’s anything wrong with the notion of a singer who relies on outside material. But when the whole premise of a TV show, and its spin-off live concert, is a parade of young people with pretty voices but nothing to say riding the power-ballad carousel, the result is high-end karaoke.
Then again, lots of people enjoy karaoke. The arena wasn’t full – several sections of empty seats in the upper tier were covered with tarps – but those who were in attendance made their presence known with spells of screaming and with standing ovations.
The culprits were mainly teenagers and younger kids, many of whom came with parents. The tweenage crowd’s American Idol of choice was the 17-year-old Archuleta.
The runner-up favors ballads, and he started his four-song set behind a piano with Robbie Williams’ “Angels,” moving onto more balladry in the form of OneRepublic’s “Apologize.” The same live band and backup singers supported him and the other performers. It lent a generic-sounding quality to the night, even though there was variety among the singers ranging from country (Kristy Lee Cook) to R&B (Syesha Mercado) to ‘70s rock (Michael Johns).
Before closing with yet another ballad, Josh Groban’s “When You Say You Love Me,” Archuleta went ever-so-slightly more upbeat with Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me” and showed he’s capable of portraying a not-so-serious teenager by tagging the tune with a bit of Sean Kingston’s “Beautiful Girls.”
American Idol winner David Cook, 25, followed and displayed his method of restyling popular songs that helped him win the contest. Lionel Ritchie’s “Hello” and Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” became – what else? – power ballads. On the other hand, Cook did not manipulate Aerosmith-popularized “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.” It remained in its original form, as a power ballad. Cook’s one attempt at rocking out during his five-song headlining set was a passable take on the Foo Fighters’ “My Hero.”Each of the performers played it so conservatively that anything straying from power-ballad-mode stood out. The dreadlocked Jason Castro mixed things up a bit with the most eclectic three-song set of the night. He began it plucking a ukulele on “Over the Rainbow,” then turned around for a mellow acoustic guitar rendition of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” before digging up the Lovin’ Spoonful nugget “Daydream.”
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Post by --->Riza <--- on Jul 24, 2008 11:43:10 GMT -5
Another nice review on Jason. I do not think I have read any bad reviews on Jason. The worst was an assumption or description of his laid back nature compared as a stoner. But there has not been any criticism of his singing, voice or song choices.
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Post by kali1010 on Jul 24, 2008 13:24:16 GMT -5
Thank you for the wonderful welcome...so kind so kind. At Sunshine's persuasion I keep finding myself here haha not so bad with warm welcomes!
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Post by flutelaydee on Jul 24, 2008 17:32:39 GMT -5
Hi Kali...here's another welcome to Team Mig! I'm a dreadhead too! I visit DDB daily!!! I don't post much...but I love Jason!!!!!! Hope you get to know Mig too. He's a wonderful performer. Jason and Mig have very different styles, but I love them both! Hope you visit often! Carolynn
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Post by sunshine on Jul 24, 2008 23:53:29 GMT -5
From D Magazine. An amazing interview with Jason. Wow...he's wise beyond his years. Jason Castro's Homecoming
by Pamela Gwyn Kripke
HALL OF FAME: “Celebrity offers a little bit of power. What you do with that is up to you.” photography by Dave Shafer
He is not very good at the waving part. “Stand here by the edge,” the boat man tells him. “They want to see you.” Jason Castro leaves the helm of the 40-foot catamaran and strides to the railing, his boots secure on the wobbly craft. On this day in late May, 12,000 people are waiting for him in Rockwall’s harbor, screaming and cheering and professing their love for him.
“Wave, Jace,” the man suggests.
“Okay,” he says, lifting an arm.
Fame feels funny to Castro, the 21-year-old whose distinct acoustic sound and unassuming charm propelled him to fourth place on this past season’s American Idol. For five months, he kept his auditioning a secret from his buddies at Texas A&M, where he performed occasionally around campus or, more often, in his dorm room. Now he is piloting large boats across lakes to receive people who are wearing t-shirts with his face printed on them.
“Is this weird?” he is asked, on land, of the frenzy surrounding both the national recognition and his return home. “You’re on shirts.”
“Yes,” he says, seeming relieved, almost, to tell. “I don’t like the whole idea. You can lose your person, you can become like a monkey. For me”—he continues, intently, despite the hover of assorted helpers—“it is the music. In order to do the music, you have to do this. Once the music stops, this is no good.”
While it is going—and the hope is it will go for a long while—complete consciousness of what accompanies the art is essential for Castro. “You have to know that celebrity is flattering, but you need to know who you are and realize that you’ve been given a chance to see life in a way that many people haven’t,” he says.
On the banks of the harbor, an undulating mass of humanity—more than a third of the city’s population—begins to form in the mid-afternoon heat, four hours before Castro is due to cruise into shore and sing a few songs. Supporters who share his taste in hairstyle, self-declared Dreadheads, roll into town from across the state in two school buses, spilling out of the windows like dolls from a toy chest. A bulldog sports a cap, outfitted with fake locks, and poses for pictures. Several ralliers traveled from as far as Albuquerque, Boston, and Chicago. A congressman presents an American flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., and cheerleaders, so many cheerleaders, from local high schools, middle schools, preschools, maybe, if we could have snooped in the strollers, attach to the moment with gusto and adulation never seen on a Friday night field. “Will you marry me?” a sign reads. “We love you!” a voice squeals.
Just what does one open with the keys to the city?
Castro was born in the United States to Colombian parents, the eldest of three children. His father owns a pool design and construction company. His mom, Betsy, clearly the bearer of the charisma gene, keeps close watch, though you might not realize. “I’m the mother of this child,” she introduces herself, a splashy print blouse catching the wind. “I put this top on to cover up my arms,” she laughs. “I got it at Wal-Mart.”
This lack of pretense, combined with an engaging personal style, would seem to serve the stage, a place that Castro came to know in his teens. He took drum lessons, and through high school, performed in a popular local band, Keeping Lions. During freshman year, he came home from A&M to practice and play gigs on weekends. But the travel became exhausting, and his grades slipped. He had entered college on a full academic scholarship, working toward a BS in petroleum engineering.
“I was wasting my opportunity at school, and I felt I needed to please my parents,” he says. He quit the band. His drums were sent back to North Texas. “I was miserable. I declared myself a music minor, and failed Theory 1. I don’t know how it happened, but I started to sing, just three years ago. I taught myself the guitar. I’d go to the park across the street, where no one could hear me, and the sound just came out. After a while, I started to get better, and by summer, I was okay with myself.”
Okay enough to be one of 100,000 singers hoping for notice they wouldn’t have in a park across the street, or a corner bar or living room. “Jason sang in my house a couple of times,” says his friend Philip Venegas, a civil engineering major and fellow member of the Aggie Men’s Club, a Christian campus service organization. “I think he’s still thrown by something like this, but he is so grounded. What you see is who he is.”
On the show, Castro was not the typical contender, seeming to avoid the game of the thing, the strategy, the ploys to win votes. He was a sort of anti-Idol, playing up nothing, saying he didn’t talk much, smiling instead of crying. Just a guy with a guitar, some cool tunes to let loose, and not a chance he’d make that silly telephone pantomime with his hand. Unaffected by the pressure of the race, he didn’t seem to need to win; being there was enough. And that is what we, the real live regular people who don’t sing on TV shows, liked. A lot.
His voice has been described as smooth and airy, unusual, creative. He takes risks with inflection, and for that, his sound is recognizable. He has an endearing tone, a peaceful quality to his music, much of which he writes. He doesn’t belt out applause-snagging high notes, though some critics say he could stretch his vocal range. He doesn’t choreograph steps to match his lyrics, or seem too committed to performance, or showmanship. He says he is influenced by the raspy folk singer Ray LaMontagne. The Los Angeles Times called him a “genuine find.” He calls the attention “strange, but an honor, almost undeserved.”
Almost. “I began seeing a vision in my mind, and I grew more and more confident,” he says.
In a back hallway at a reception after the concert, Castro is happy to take a walk. The crowds have been imposing, and he is home for just a couple weeks before returning to Los Angeles for summer tour rehearsals. Unlike the carefree and sometimes daffy demeanor caught on television, Castro’s live presence is decidedly reflective, and certainly smart. Right now, despite the glitter—and mania—of new fame, he is thinking more heady thoughts about how to reconcile it, manage it, and give it a purpose.
“I have a conflict with a lot of the lifestyle of the music business. But I know that you can do it your own way. Celebrity offers a little bit of power,” he says, slowing his step. “And with that power comes responsibility. What you do with that is up to you. I hope I can use that power for good.” We reach a huge empty room at the end of the hall, where photographers and other reporters are set up by a picture window, lenses angled and ready. There is one chair waiting, like a target. Castro hesitates to sit.
“Look at the sun,” he says, pointing west. “It’s setting.”
No one else looks.
“Fame is fake,” he said earlier. “It is not what it appears to be. You can be very much alone, so you really have to know that you are okay, wherever you go.” D MAGAZINE ARTICLE
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Post by sunshine on Jul 27, 2008 20:01:56 GMT -5
From FREEP.COM, Detroit, July 24, 2008 JASON CASTRO, the fourth-place finisher:On recording Jeff Buckley’s cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”:“Tomorrow I’m starting it. It’s going to be in a Mexican film called Tierra de Tigres. That means Land of Tigers.”On how surprised he was that his performance of “Hallelujah” on the American Idol stage had so much impact: “All I knew is it was one of my favorite songs. I was always trying to find a song I already knew. That just makes everything so much more believable, because you don’t have to think so much, memorizing so much. And I don’t know a lot of songs. It’s one of the best songs of all time. It’s just awesome. But I didn’t know how it was going to go.”On anticipating a recording contract: “I’ve talked to a few people. We’re going to have a few meetings, see what we can do. One way or another. I have been writing and recording. I’m doing a lot of co-writing. I’m very new to the writing. I want to learn as much as I can.”On what he’s writing: “Personal experiences. Most of the content so far is kinda of lovey stuff – kind of all I got right now.”The name of the movie that Jason is recording Hallelujah for is Tierra des Tigres. It's a spanish language film that was filmed in Mexico. I believe it's in post production now.
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Post by sunshine on Jul 30, 2008 16:39:19 GMT -5
FROM THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE Concert Review: American Idol show just a bit too scripted Wednesday, July 30, 2008 By Rosa Colucci, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette With a wave of "American Idol" light sticks, Mellon Arena was transformed last night into "AI-7" central as the tour rolled into town with a new format that all but fell flat on its face. This year's show featured a cheaper stage than last year's production and brought each performer out in the order that they were eliminated from the show. This set up a scenario of the first-half performers becoming the opening act for the second- half performers. If that wasn't bad enough, they all -- with the exception of "The Davids" (Archuleta and Cook) did a three-song set of note-for-note copy-cat performances of top 100 songs that were fan favorites on the show. Speaking of those performances, the night opened with Chikezie, who surprisingly enough had a nice connection with the audience. He was followed by Ramiele Malubay and then Michael Johns, who's set included Queen's "We Will Rock You/We are the Champions." The trio of girls were next beginning with Kristy Lee Cook's country-flavored musings, Carly Smithson, who took no prisoners when she came straight out of the gates with Evanescence "Bring Me to Life," and Brooke White's neo-hippy (barefooted) presentation of "Let it Be." Overall, these performances were lackluster and flat as the singers went though their scripted concert to the "t." What happened to the all of the charisma? Without a doubt, it fell in the lap of the 17 year-old wunderkind David Archuluta who in the second half of the show managed to give a genuinely nice and untainted performance in the middle of this debacle. Say what you want, that kid just puts a smile on everyone's face. Jason Castro and Syesha Mercado sang well, looked good and did everything they were supposed to do. (yawn). While American Idol winner David Cook cranked out his mini-set of restyled hits into a power-ballad lover's paradis, with covers of "Billie Jean" and "Hello" in the mix. The skinny on Cook is this -- he was rightly picked as the American Idol and I can't wait for a solo album to hear what he is made of. You've not heard the last of young Archuleta and the dreamy Castro whose uniqueness and tremendous vocal talents will help pave their ways in today's finicky music biz. Mercado is iffy because there is very little room at the top with R&B queens Rhianna, Beyonce and Alicia Keys firmly holding court. What can you say about the rest? Last year's show gave us the opportunity to see the finalists perform on instruments with each other and mix it up a bit. Not all of it worked, but it was the next step in the natural progression of these performers and it was interesting. It's a shame to stifle the energy of this young group and deny the fans some new stuff while presenting this overblown karaoke routine that is currently on tour. Well, maybe next year. Rosa Colucci can be reached at 412-263-1661 or rcolucci@post-gazette.com.
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Post by sunshine on Aug 5, 2008 16:51:13 GMT -5
Jason has arrived!! Check this out: starmagazine.com Exclusive: Idol Star Jason Castro Rocks a RingAugust 5, 2008 He's touring the country with his fellow American Idol finalists, but on Aug. 3, Jason Castro used his day off for more than lying by the pool. He went shopping for an engagement ring instead!
Jason and girlfriend Mandy Mayhall, both 21, were spotted at Tiffany & Co. in NYC, on the second floor — home to high-end wedding bands and engagement rings. The couple was "very affectionate," a fellow shopper tells Star. "They were touching the whole time and holding hands."
Though a relative of Mandy's tells Star they're not yet engaged, we'll keep our eyes peeled for a wedding invite! Too bad they got their facts wrong. Shocker. Yes, they were at Tiffany's but they were there having the clasp fixed on a necklace he had bought for her and while they were waiting they looked at rings...not intending to buy one. But, you gotta love the fact that Jason is making the tabloids!! ;D Even better...Jason has the best taste!! He knows to shop at Tiffany's for his GF!!! #clap#
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Post by sunshine on Aug 21, 2008 10:57:56 GMT -5
Now this is my kind of Press Quote!!! THE MIAMI HERALD Jason Castro, a fan favorite of some, is the wild card. His laid-back beach bum vocals and choice of instrument (a ukulele, for goodness sakes) paint him as a novelty act. But after the disappointing first half, his simple three-song set, which included a decent pass at Gnarls Barkley's Crazy and the '60s ditty, Daydream, proved rather endearing. While the others play to pre-fab pop music characters, Castro could claim credit as the night's true original.True Original!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #thstars#
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Post by laurkat22 on Aug 23, 2008 11:24:04 GMT -5
Now this is my kind of Press Quote!!! THE MIAMI HERALD Jason Castro, a fan favorite of some, is the wild card. His laid-back beach bum vocals and choice of instrument (a ukulele, for goodness sakes) paint him as a novelty act. But after the disappointing first half, his simple three-song set, which included a decent pass at Gnarls Barkley's Crazy and the '60s ditty, Daydream, proved rather endearing. While the others play to pre-fab pop music characters, Castro could claim credit as the night's true original.True Original!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #thstars# Wow - what a great review Nancy!!! #thWooHoo2#
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Post by sunshine on Sept 11, 2008 0:35:14 GMT -5
Jason Ran Into a Tree!!!! #rofl1# #waaa# He's priceless!!! FORTWAYNE.COM ‘ Idol' finalists talk about life on the tour By Sheryl Krieg skrieg@news-sentinel.com As fans lined up along Parnell Avenue to catch a glimpse of the “American Idol” finalists stepping off the tour bus for tonight’s concert at Memorial Coliseum, the media’s press hour allowed for one-on-one interviews with five of the 10 finalists. As they rotated among news reporters and radio DJs, they spoke about their experiences on the tour and what’s in store for them after the tour. Syesha Mercado said, “I’ve learned so much from the tour. I’m not nervous about performing any more. I go out there and have fun.” Mercado, who admitted that she doesn’t have a record deal in place yet, will begin to develop a recording team. “That’s my dream — to make records,” she said. Mercado also said her turning point on the tour took place in Bossier City, La. “I was having a rough day, and I used all that emotion during my performance,” she said. “Afterward I fell to my knees and cried. I created magic that night.” Mercado said performing isn’t without glitches either. In Chicago, she picked up Chikezie’s microphone by accident. It wasn’t turned on, and no one could hear her. Someone brought another mic that didn’t work either, and someone eventually found her mic. The very petite Ramiele Malubay said the tour has been “a whirlwind of an experience. Crazy.” While touring doesn’t allow her the opportunity to stay too long in any city, she said she and fellow finalist Brooke White went to Panera Bread at Jefferson Pointe today. Malubay also said she had four meltdowns while on tour because she missed her parents so much. “I call my mom and dad every day. I love them more than I think.” Malubay’s future plans include the Disney Channel. In what capacity, she doesn’t know, but she loves the shows and diversity and will take “whatever I get offered.” Brooke White also said the tour has been “quite a ride. “It’s given me a good chance to figure out what I want,” White added. “It is what I want to do.” White had several highlights during the tour that ends Saturday in Tulsa, Okla. The opening show was in her home state of Arizona. “It was so great to see their expressions.” White also said David Archuleta’s hometown of Salt Lake City gave the Idols quite a reception, as well as Bossier City, La. Beside lack of sleep, White missed being away from home for seven months. “I miss riding in the car with the windows down. I miss making my bed.” After the concert tour, White said, “It’s time to move forward. I want to be as involved as possible in the record process.” A very laid-back Jason Castro said the tour has been “awesome.”
Castro, who was humming between interview questions, said opening night was his highlight of the tour. “I wasn’t satisfied with my performance, but there were people outside to see us.”
When asked if he acknowledged the crowd outside today at Memorial Coliseum, he said he ran into a tree because he was waving to the fans. He was no worse for wear, with only a few branches in his dread-locked hair.
Castro was looking forward to the end of the tour to “do what I want — less complicating.” He is headed to Los Angeles to cut a demo record. He hopes an album will be out by Christmas.Winner David Cook said the tour has been “great to travel the country and tour with friends.” Cook enjoyed performing in Portland, Ore., because he bought golf clubs and didn’t have to pay sales tax. The only down side was, “The beds on the bus aren’t as big,” he said. “They’re dorm beds. Otherwise, it’s pretty much as advertised.” Cook will be very busy after the tour. He heads back to the studio in hopes to get his next album, which is currently untitled, out by Nov. 18. “This record culminates the best work I’ve ever done. If they embrace me like they have on the show, it should be a success.”
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Post by imbadd on Sept 11, 2008 8:34:59 GMT -5
JC is priceless! ;D
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Post by sunshine on Oct 26, 2008 20:15:10 GMT -5
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Post by imbadd on Oct 27, 2008 8:49:36 GMT -5
#clap# #thhappy096# #thcongratulations# #thhappy096# #clap#
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Post by sunshine on Nov 5, 2008 1:20:45 GMT -5
From rockerrazzi.com!!
Jason and Mandy both chompin' on that gum. ;D
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