Rock News: Music's high and low notes

PHIL SPECTOR IN SHOOTING ARREST

Legendary rock producer Phil Spector was arrested Monday by police in Alhambra, Calif., after an unidentified woman was shot to death in his home. The Bronx-born Spector, known for his trademark "Wall of Sound" recordings, began his career in 1958 in the Teddy Bears, writing the hit "To Know Him Is To Love Him" after the inscription on his father's gravestone. He went on to co-write "Spanish Harlem" for Ben E. King, play the guitar break on the Drifters' "On Broadway" and produce hits for the Crystals, the Ronettes, the Beatles, Ike and Tina Turner and the Righteous Brothers. Spector's entry in the Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll cites "reports of strange, near-psychotic behavior on his part" and states that "Spector carried a gun."

RONNIE WOOD DVD SET FOR RELEASE

Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood's solo act is featured on the live concert DVD "Far East Man," which comes out this week on SPV Records. Filmed in November 2001 at Shepherds Bush Empire in London, the concert shows Wood leading his band, which includes his children Jessie and Leah Wood, through solo material, his own group history -- the Rolling Stones' "Hey Negrita" and the Faces' "Ooh La La," "Flying" and "Stay With Me" -- and an interesting selection of covers -- John Lennon's "Jealous Guy," Parliament's "Testify," the Foundations' "Am I Groovin' You" and Guns N' Roses' "Paradise City". Special guests on the 112-minute "Far East Man" include former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash and the Corrs' Andrea Corr. The DVD is presented in full-screen format. Among the extras are interviews, backstage footage and a gallery of Wood's paintings.

GRAMMY NOMINEES CD

The Recording Academy has teamed up with Warner Music Group to release the "2003 Grammy Nominees CD," the ninth edition in the best-selling series that honors many of the year's Grammy-nominated artists and songs. This year's compilation -- due in stores nationwide Feb. 11 -- encompasses some of the year's biggest hits and features nominated

songs and artists from several major categories. In addition, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this CD will benefit music-related charities, including the Academy's MusiCares Foundation and the Grammy Foundation.

The disc contains many of the most widely recognized Grammy categories. The 19 tracks from the CD represent nominees from the Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Best New Artist, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, and Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal categories.

BEST OF BEAUSOLEIL

Rhino Entertainment is set to release a decade's worth of favorites from America's premier Cajun band, BeauSoleil, with "Encore, Encore!! The Best of Beausoleil (1991-2001)." For more than 25 years, Grammy Award-winning BeauSoleil have blended fiddles, accordions, and traditional rock 'n' roll instruments into a spicy mix sure to set feet stomping. Due out Feb. 11, this definitive single-disc set features 75 minutes of music including three songs from the Grammy-winning album "L'Amour Ou La Folie" as well as tracks from "Cajun Conja," "L'Echo," "Cajunization," "La Danse De La Vie," and "Looking Back Tomorrow: BeauSoleil Live!"

BeauSoleil -- Michael Doucet (fiddle, mandolin, mando-cello, guitar), along with his brother David (vocals/guitar), Jimmy Breaux (accordions), Al Tharp (bass, fiddle, banjo, vocals), Tommy Alesi (drums), and Billy Ware (percussion, vibraphone) -- have released six albums on Rhino, garnered eight Grammy nominations over the course of their career.

AARON NEVILLE REISSUE

Aaron Neville's "Orchid In the Storm," a vocal group Rhythm and Blues recording originally released in 1983 on Passport Records and out of print for over a decade, will be reissued in expanded form by Hyena Records Feb. 18. Joel Dorn, who produced the album two decades ago, owns Hyena Records. Neville also has two recordings of new music scheduled for release this year, a jazz set on Verve and a gospel project released on his own Tell It label with distribution by EMI Gospel.