[JPL] Quincy Jones Debut Video Podcast

[Jazz Promo Services]

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070731/20070731005720.html?.v=1

Partnership of Entertainment Icon and Podcast Giant Wizzard Media Brings
Quincy's Debut Video Podcast to Millions As Phase One of His First-Ever
Digital Platform

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Entertainment icon, mentor and
humanitarian Quincy Jones enters the digital world today with the debut
episode of his new video podcast series. The video podcast debut with
Episode 1, through Quincy's partnership with Wizzard Media, one of the
world's leading podcast aggregators and distributors, is the first in a
video podcast series comprising at least 26 episodes in Year One, providing
unique and unprecedented access and a behind-the-scenes look at Quincy's
world, including footage of him at work in the studio with some of today's
biggest stars and at exclusive events around the globe. Also featured in
upcoming video podcast episodes will be Quincy on film, popular culture,
politics and events on the national and international stage.
Quincy's video podcast series is produced by Quincy with The Robert Thorne
Company, which is partnered with Quincy for a just-introduced lifestyle
range of consumer products and his new digital platform distributed to a
network of millions online. The video podcast series is the first phase in
the launch of the new digital platform, in a move intended to capture the
surge of interest for entertainment content delivered through online and
digital media. Management company The Firm and The Robert Thorne Company
also work with Quincy on upcoming film, TV and radio projects, along with
Quincy Jones Productions EVP Kimiko Fox and VP Adam Fell and Endeavor Talent
Agency.

The 27-time Grammy winner's new digital platform expands with its second
phase, the Fall debut of quincyjones.com, an online destination featuring
incomparable access to the wisdom and experience and the strong celebrity
and artist ties of this living legend with the interactivity of a social
network embracing musicians, producers, artists and Quincy's other followers
worldwide. It will include Quincy's Vault that will give users access to
previously unreleased audio and video of Quincy and the legendary performers
he's worked with as well as a virtual Quincy's Academy where users will
network and share their artistry with music professionals, like-minded peers
and consumers and have access to digital record distribution and marketing
opportunities. The online community will be initially drawn together by
interest in Quincy's incredible career, and will evolve organically with its
members' tastes and interests, putting its ultimate shape and purpose
largely in the hands of its users.

The video podcasts featuring Quincy are the latest innovation in his
pioneering use of cutting-edge technology. Throughout Quincy's six decades
in show business, he has consistently sought out and incorporated the newest
technology into his legendary body of work. In 1953, he was the first
arranger/conductor to utilize the newly-invented Fender electric bass in
audio recordings, which dramatically changed the sound of popular music. In
the late '60s, Quincy used one of the first synthesizers on his Ironside TV
series theme music, which brought electronic music into the mainstream.

In the debut video podcast episode, Quincy is in the studio producing Celine
Dion's version of I Knew I Loved You, recorded for the tribute album We All
Love Ennio Morricone and slated for inclusion on Dion's upcoming Greatest
Hits album. The song was originally the instrumental theme of the 1984 film
Once Upon a Time in America, starring Robert DeNiro. Quincy asked his close
friends, veteran lyricists Alan and Marilyn Bergman to pen lyrics for the
song for Celine. The new Quincy-produced version was first performed
publicly by Celine on this year's Academy Awards telecast to an audience of
more than a billion viewers worldwide, and paid tribute to Morricone who was
feted with an honorary Oscar. The video podcast allows viewers to experience
the recording and production process with Quincy and Celine and hear Quincy
sharing candid and personal thoughts on the project.

"I live to touch and share my love and wisdom with people around the world,"
said Quincy. "My podcasts are a powerful new way to reach out to millions
and bring the best I have to offer to an extended new audience online."

The Robert Thorne Company's CEO Robert Thorne added, "Quincy will guide
online viewers to digital content they'll want to experience, and a new
state-of-the-art community of dialog and interactivity will emerge. Quincy's
new digital platform will be a must-visit destination online."

As part of Quincy's partnership with Wizzard Media, which distributes
one-third of the world's top audio and video podcasts, Quincy's video
podcasts will be available on www.quincyjones.com, MySpace and Wizzard Media
Channel on iTunes, and other leading podcast directories including Yahoo!,
VH1, Syndic8 and Podcast Pickle. Wizzard Media's international network is
growing on a monthly basis with publisher downloads in May surpassing 87
million, and will partner Quincy with ad campaigns from leading national
brands and provide marketing and content development support.

"Quincy Jones is a legend and an innovator. With the material he'll bring to
his video podcasts, he's certain to create an exciting and entertaining
experience for podcast viewers," said Chris Spencer, CEO of Wizzard Media.
"Given the huge response we anticipate through our focused research, our
advertising team sees Quincy's podcast as an extraordinary business and
revenue opportunity. We couldn't be more proud the ever-prestigious and
always-cool Quincy chose Wizzard Media as his exclusive global podcast
partner."

The video podcast debut is part of an all-encompassing initiative from
Quincy Jones Enterprises, a partnership of Quincy and The Robert Thorne
Company. TRTC manages Quincy's digital platform and his new lifestyle range
of consumer products, comprising a full product offering in apparel and
accessories, consumer and professional audio and electronics, publishing,
health and grooming and home goods.

About Wizzard Media. Wizzard Media is one of the world's leading podcast
hosting networks. Podcasts are a means for independent and professional
content creators to publish audio and video shows for the world to enjoy
over the Internet or on mp3 players, such as the Apple iPod. Podcasting is a
relatively new phenomenon, but Wizzard Media collectively broadcasts 87
million podcast downloads per month for its content creators through media
aggregators like Apple's iTunes and other podcast directories. For more
information, please visit www.wizzard.tv. Wizzard Media is a division of
Wizzard Software, a leader in speech technology development, (OTCBB:WIZD -
News).

About Quincy Jones. Just honored with the Grammy Foundation's Leadership
Award July 28 at a star-studded, widely reported Los Angeles gala, Quincy
Jones' career comprises the roles of composer, record producer, artist, film
producer, arranger, conductor, instrumentalist, television producer, record
company executive, television station owner, magazine founder, multi-media
entrepreneur and humanitarian. As Fortune magazine recently noted, "Quincy's
both cool and hot, all at once." He was just dubbed the "godfather of
entertainment" on Black Enterprise's Top 50 Hollywood Power Brokers list and
has worked beside such legends and current stars as Billie Holiday, Frank
Sinatra, Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Ella
Fitzgerald, Michael Jackson, Bono, Celine Dion, Will Smith, Oprah and dozens
more. Among his awards is an Emmy, seven Oscar nominations, an honorary
Oscar, 27 Grammys and dozens more prestigious awards in the U.S. and abroad.
He is the most-nominated Grammy artist of all time with a total of 79
nominations and produced the best-selling album of all time Thriller and the
best-selling single of all time We Are the World. He has scored 34 major
motion pictures, and his own timeless music has been rediscovered in such
films as the Austin Powers trilogy and Kill Bill. He's also produced the
Oscar-winning film The Color Purple and the musical adaptation now on
Broadway and touring. Together with his close friends Chris Stamps and
Jennifer McCrae, Quincy is committed to helping at-risk youth around the
world and alongside Harvard University, UNICEF and Inter-American
Development Bank, he has worked with similarly committed celebrities,
including Bob Geldof and Bono, to help children in the poorest regions of
the world.


Contact:
For Quincy Jones:
Rogers & Cowan
Arnold Robinson, 310-854-8193
arobinson at rogersandcowan.com
or
For Wizzard Media:
Big Mouth Communications
Susie Marino, 415-613-9138
dearsusan at marino.com
or
For The Robert Thorne Company:
Tara Badie, 310-288-5800
tara at robertthorne.com
Source: Wizzard Media
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