November 27-December 3, 2003

music

icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

I’m a whore for glamour. I get off on knowing who wore whathaveyou. So, the VIP Comcast suite at the Kimmel Center for the Marian Anderson Awards was perfect. Event chairs Carole Shanis, Jonathan Estrin, Pamela Crawley, the Joe Weiss/Sharon Pinkenson team and PR person Kelly Boyd looked snazzy. Guest of honor Oprah Winfrey was decked out in a grandly layered, muted silver Josephine Sasso (Philadelphia designer!) gown that swooshed when she trampled over -- I mean, grabbed me hello. Surprise guest Patti LaBelle came dressed in something resplendently black (like Diane Sawyer, who told the crowd, "You look purdy"), and Lionel Richie (spotted during the day with Oprah-bud Quincy Jones) hopefully did not sell his outfit for the evening on eBay, as he's wont to do. While Weiss was the gentleman of the evening (aiding Crawley when she tripped over her high heels while strolling across the stage to introduce Sawyer), it was best, as always, to see my man Jerry Blavat. Why? Because he hugged me while on the phone with Burt Bacharach ("The CD's a hit!"), told me about meeting Streisand, said hello to my dad and mom (old neighborhood gallantry) and told me that not only was Nicholas Pileggi pushing him to write a bio of his life in the record biz, but that Pileggi would do the screenplay for Freddie DeMann, ex-Madonna manager/Maverick co-owner, who has a big production deal with HBO Films. (The first one up is The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. ) "I'm no writer," says Blavat. "But Freddy gave me this thing where you talk and it dictates right into the computer. It's heaven, man. I have 35 pages already." With Blavat's 45-rpm patter, that book'll be wrapped tomorrow.… Tin Angel bouncer/crusty folk-jazzer Amos Lee quietly signed to Blue Note. Is a summer tour with like-minded label-baby Norah Jones afoot?… Ex Kixx-promoter Donna Coghlan is now director of sponsorship sales at the Tweeter Center.… Ronen and Alon Koresh, and their

Koresh Dance company, studio and school move to 2020 Chestnut St. on Dec. 3. Be there at 5:30 p.m. to celebrate and dance (not as well as they do).Ö

In my old stomping grounds, Letitia Street’s meat-and-croissant-corner turned swanky lounge, Suede opened last week. While it opened first to Allen Iverson, Donovan McNabb and Bobby Taylor (who hosts Suede's weekly Sunday party), the opening last Thursday was closed early by L&I "suggestion." Also, ex-Glam VIP host DeJuan McQueen has been persuaded to be Suede's VIP-area host.… WhoWhatWhere: Avant got busy at 720 Arch St. R

oots’ Black Thought and Musiq Soulchild (who’s been at parties for Mary Mason and Dyanna Williams -- must be that new CD out next week) stopped by Ahmir Thompson’s Wonder-full jam at Solefood. (Look for the next ?uestlove jam to be "Prince vs. Michael," despite the child molestation.) Henry Winkler ate at Morimoto. No one yelled, "Ayyy." The loathsomely self-righteous Billy Bragg, Steve Earle, Tom Morello and Janeane Garofalo hung at Independence Mall’s Visitor Center for a "Tell Us the Truth" forum -- about cats and dogs, maybe? Jane Norman, a.k.a. Pixanne, wowed the Prince Music Cabaret with arranger/pianist Richie Rome beside her. Jessica Alba took a break from hanging at Four Seasons and talking to Honey fans at the Ritz to stop at the High School of Creative and Performing Arts for a dance in her honor.Ö Former Morton’s executive chef and current band manager Terry White recently took the reins to guide local band Superhero to superstardomÖ DJ Lee Jones has his own digi-movie:

mm.dfilm.com

.Ö MTV’s The Real World starts a Philly sojourn in March ’04?Ö Not only will Shampoo’s Nov. 29 "Wicked" event feature hosts Shannon Niland, Dan Contarino and Tommy Up, it’s also a TLA Video meet-up with porno babe Gina Lynn and a party for Mike Lemon Casting. No cake?Ö Shop at Jacques Ferber on Dec. 3 and all proceeds go to The Youth Work Foundation. So buy something swanky!Ö Robert Bennett, the ex-executive pastry chef at Le Bec-Fin and current owner of Jersey’s famed Miel Pâtisserie, is opening Miel Pâtisserie deux at 204 S. 17th St. in early December. Look for the steel gate with a gold Napoleonic bee and the salivating choco-freaks outside the door.Ö While Kenn Kweder got his name and his tune, "Mommy and Daddy," on NBC’s Happy Family (the show is written by U of P fans who probably drank at the Palladium), Philly ex-pat Christian Meoli played a janitor on CBS’ Cold Case.Ö Be at The Balcony Nov. 29, when Baretta76 -- guitarists Camille Escobedo and Pete Rydberg, rhythmatists Paul Smith and Rob Giglio -- release noise from their just-out EP.Ö Flag of Democracy at Club 218 on Nov. 29 means, yes, it’s been 21 years of anarchy. Also on the bigtime b-day tip is This Radiant Boy’s manager and Hey Day Entertainment employee "Jersey" Dan Bisogno (who celebrated at The Khyber’s release party for Elevator Parade’s Chimes, Bells and Whistles) and Bar Noir DJ/legend Bobby Startup and Bar Noir door-mistress Michelle Malone, who’ll celebrate Dec. 1 at BN’s Punky Reggae Party. Since she’s responsible for letting you in, bring presents.