Jazz great Joe Zawinul dead at 75
VIENNA , Sept. 11 (UPI) -- Jazz pianist Joe Zawinul has died in a hospital in his native Vienna, the BBC reported Tuesday. He was 75.
Zawinul, who earned global recognition for his keyboard work with Miles Davis in the 1960s, helped create the sound known as jazz fusion.
The award-winning musician emigrated to the United States in 1959 and played with Maynard Ferguson and Dinah Washington before joining alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley in 1961 for nine years.
With Adderley, Zawinul wrote several songs, including the hit, "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," a biography on Zawinul's official Web site noted.
After releasing his debut solo album on Atlantic in 1970, Zawinul and saxophonist Wayne Shorter assembled the jazz group, Weather Report, which incorporated elements of rock and R&B into their jazz music.
Although members came and went, Weather Report put out 18 albums, including "Black Market" and "Heavy Weather," which featured Zawinul’s song, "Birdland."
Versions of that song by Weather Report, Manhattan Transfer and Quincy Jones, won separate Grammy awards in three successive decades.
Weather Report also won a Grammy for its live album, "8:30" in 1979.
After the band broke up, Zawinul went on to form the bands Weather Update and the Zawinul Syndicate, whose albums "My People" and "World Tour" were also nominated for Grammy awards in the 1990s.
Girls Gone Wild offers Hudgens $500K
LOS ANGELES, 11 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles-based company Girls Gone Wild says it is offering "High School Musical" actress Vanessa Hudgens $500,000 to star in a video and commercial.
The 18-year-old Disney Channel actress made headlines recently when a naked photo of her hit the Internet.
"There’s a little Girls Gone Wild in every woman," GGW founder Joe Francis said in a statement. “And this should be embraced as a positive, not a negative."
Hudgens wouldn't be the first celebrity to make a deal with GGW.
Snoop Dogg and former "Real World" celebrities, Syrus, Tonya, Cameran and Ace have all appeared in GGW videos.
"Vanessa Hudgens is the classic girl next door gone wild," Francis said. "Being sexual is not a crime. She took a picture, it was leaked, and now it is time to move forward with her career. She is gorgeous, fun, talented and outgoing, which are exactly the attributes that Girls Gone Wild and its fans appreciate. We certainly hope Vanessa jumps on the Girls Gone Wild Bus and joins the best-selling late night videos in the world as a host."
Lee speaks out about brawl with Kid Rock
LAS VEGAS, Sept. 11 (UPI) -- Tommy Lee says he was just minding his own business at the MTV Video Music Awards in Las Vegas when Kid Rock came up and punched him the face, TMZ.com said.
In a posting on his Web site, TommyLee.tv, the rocker said he was in the front row of the show hanging out with magician Criss Angel when his ex-wife, Pamela Anderson, "who I love and adore," approached and sat on his lap.
"I get a tap on the shoulder from Kid Pebble," he said of Anderson's other ex-husband. "I stand up and embrace him with a semi-hug and say: 'Hey, dude. What up?' He punches me in the face... Well, if you wanna call it that! More like a bitch slap!"
Lee said that before he could "knock this jealous, no-career-havin' country bumpkin" out, security guards for the Palms casino and hotel separated them.
"So, I'm fine and, of course, leave to my room with police and owner George Maloof. The rest is paper work and (crap.) Anyway, I would like to apologize to Alicia and George and MTV for the disrespectful (crap) caused by a piece of (crap) called Kid Pebble."
Theron: Hugs the key to working with Jones
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 11 (UPI) -- Hollywood actress Charlize Theron admits she was initially nervous about working with Tommy Lee Jones on their new film, "In the Valley of Elah."
"I loved him. I loved working with him. I think he is incredibly talented," Theron said while promoting the film in Los Angeles, adding, "I was very intimidated."
The Oscar-winning actress said she received some sound advice from her "North Country" co-star Frances McDormand regarding how to work with Jones, a celebrated actor famous for his grumpy disposition.
"(McDormand) said: 'Just give him a big hug every time you see him. It just drops his guard,'" Theron recalled. "I did. The first time I saw him, I gave him a big hug. From that moment on, he just really kind of took me under his wing, and we had a great respect for each other. We worked really hard and well together. Yeah, I had a great time working with him, definitely. It is great to be in a ton of scenes with somebody that really keeps you on your toes."
"In the Valley of Elah" is screening at the Toronto International Film Festival this week and will open in the United States Friday.
