MusicDishTV: Dan Manjovi - Things'll Get Better

Here, Dan Manjovi gives an energised live performance of his song, 'Things'll Get Better'. It's pretty standard concert footage, interspersed with close-ups of Manjovi's face and his hands as he taps out notes on his piano with great fervour. There are a few shots of the rest of his band, but the video focuses largely on the solo artist. In doing this, it also keeps the viewers attention focused completely on the inspirational words of the singer.

MusicDishTV is more than an online video channel; it is the place to find out what's happening in the music world and hear brilliant new talent before they hit the radio airwaves. Artists & bands can submit their videos at http://tv.musicdish.net.

2009 American Hits Re-Recorded With A Latin Groove

With Latin inspired music having an ever growing influence on the pop scene over the last few years, it is definitely about time for a record like this one to come along...

'Top Hits - Latin Style 2009' is a selection of the best cover songs you will hear anywhere this year, all remixed with a spicy Latino twist. On the album you will find hits originally recorded by the likes of Leona Lewis, Rihanna, Natasha Bedingfield and Jason Mraz but as you have never heard them before.

Using a 'poppier' take on the reggaeton style that has swept the world into a dancing frenzy as his main source of inspiration, producer and arranger Pete Surdoval has created a record that will get the kids of the global village shaking their stuff. This is the best in American music, but with a distinctly Latin flavor.

alienplanetmusic.com/TheLatinSunSampler.mp3

The Grammy-Award winning Surdoval, who has worked with legends like Cat Stevens, Jimmy Cliff, Latoya Jackson, and Public Enemy, says he wanted to make a record full of positive pop songs that would remind him of the days watching his parents rumba around the living room.

The songs were performed by a collection of exciting musicians called 'The Latin Sun'. And the reaction to their take on these pop recordings has already made waves all over the world.

Whether it's a unique new angle of Jason Mraz's smash hit, 'I'm Yours' or the crazed Latin mash-up of Estelle's 'American Boy', there will be something here for all music lovers. The inventive re-imagining of Shontelle's summer classic, 'T-Shirt', has already seen it leap to the top of the bestseller's charts on Amazon.

But it's just the start. The sound of this Latin-pop fusion - sweeter and more playful than reggaeton, but harder edged than much of the pop music world - will no doubt be making dancefloors rock all through 2009. And beyond.

The Latin Sun have just given pop music one giant Tequila slammer. So grab your dancing shoes because they've started one hell of a party!

'Top Hits - Latin Style 2009', is available to buy now from iTunes, Amazon and all top online retailers. Do not miss out...

www.TheLatinSun.com

Jordan Zevon Wins 2008 USA Songwriting Competition

Jordan Zevon wins the Overall Grand Prize of the 2008 USA Songwriting Competition along with co-writers Jordan Summers & Morty Coyle. His winning song home will be on the USA Songwriting Competition's compilation CD this year. Jordan is a singer-songwriter from Los Angeles won 1st Prize in the 2006 USA Songwriting Competition but was not placed in the Overall Grand Prize, Overall 2nd Prize and Overall 3rd Prize at that time. This year Jordan improved to the Top position. He is signed to New West Records. His 2006 winning song "The Joke's On Me" is the first track on his debut album "Insides Out" with New West Records. He has also appeared on TV's "Late Night with David Letterman".

Nathan Brumley, a singer-songwriter from Nashville, TN won the Overall Second Prize with his song "Breath of My Soul". Hanneke Cassel, a violinist/composer from Boston, MA won the Overall Third Prize with her song "A Shadow And A Thought".

~FIRST FROM ISRAEL & MIDDLE EAST TO WIN
Yasmin Levy, became the first songwriter from Israel & the Middle East to ever win First Prize at the USA Songwriting Competition. She won the First Prize in the World category with her song "Me Voy".

Onno Krijn, Jeroen Zijlstra & Jeroen Kramer also became the first in their country (The Netherlands) to ever win first prize. They won the the Children's Category. Other first prize winners include: Jorge Lan, Madrid, SPAIN (1st Prize, Latin), Joey Avalos (1st Prize, Rock/Alternative), Pepper Mashay & Corey White (1st Prize, Dance/Electronica) and Lucy Wainwright Roche (1st Prize - Folk).

~TEEN PHENOM WINS HONORABLE MENTION AWARD TO CLINCH YOUNGEST WINNER
Sam Plotkin broke Kate Voegele's youngest record to win an award at the USA Songwriting Competition at just 15 years old. Kate was 18 years old when she entered the USA Songwriting Competition and won.

~MOST SONGS IN THE FINALS
Helle Hansen (DENMARK) holds the record of having the most number of songs placed in the finals for the second consecutive year, with 3 songs. She also won an honorable mention award. She is also one of the most consistent winners we had. She has won an honorable mention award each year since 2002.

Here is the complete winners' list:

OVERALL GRAND PRIZE:
Home - Jordan Zevon, Jordan Summers & Morty Coyle; Los Angeles, CA

OVERALL 2nd PRIZE:
Breath of My Soul - Nathan Brumley; Nashville, TN

OVERALL 3rd PRIZE:
A Shadow And A Thought - Hanneke Cassel; Boston, MA

FIRST PRIZES IN 15 INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES
1st Prize - LATIN
Las minifaldas - Jorge Lan; Madrid, SPAIN

1st Prize - LYRICS
If I Had A Daughter - Terri Hendrix; Austin, TX

1st Prize - DANCE/ELECTRONICA
Does Yo Mama Know (You're A Freak) - Pepper Mashay & Corey White; Los Angeles, CA

1st Prize - POP
Home - Jordan Zevon, Jordan Summers & Morty Coyle; Los Angeles, CA

1st Prize - ROCK/ALTERNATIVE
Get Over It - Joey Avalos (Stars Go Dim); Broken Arrow, OK

1st Prize - R&B
Brand New Woman - Crystal Anderson; Mt. Vernon, NY

1st Prize - FOLK
Snare Drum - Lucy Wainwright Roche; New York, NY

1st Prize - COUNTRY
Month of Mondays - JD Dohnal & Mark Schaffel; Nashville, TN

1st Prize - GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL
Breath of My Soul - Nathan Brumley; Nashville, TN

1st Prize - INSTRUMENTAL
A Shadow And A Thought - Hanneke Cassel; Boston, MA

1st Prize - JAZZ
Samba Do Espião - Jason Wellington Black; Virginia Beach, VA

1st Prize - CHILDREN
Water - Onno Krijn, Jeroen Zijlstra & Jeroen Kramer; Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS

1st Prize - NOVELTY/COMEDY
Redneck Wannabe - Sherri Gough; Nashville, TN

1st Prize - HIP-HOP/RAP
Kingdom's Takin Over - Aaron Rodgers and Melvin Grice (NevaLukeWarm); Anchorage, AK

1st Prize - WORLD
Me Voy (I'm Leaving) - Yasmin Levy; Tel Aviv, ISRAEL

20 Honorable Mention Awards
1. Lost In The Music - Tom Watson (Transparent); AUSTRALIA
2. Mi Regalo - Martha de Quesada; Miami, FL
3. You Were Right - Sam Plotkin; Somers, CT
4. Underdog - Sherry St Germain; Toronto, CANADA
5. One - Jesse Dold (The Daylights); Dover, NH
6. Disintegrate - Andrew Mitchell (Sixpin); Lockport, NY
7. Believe It - Danny Stringer Jr, Brandi Womack, Cheyenne Womack (Babysister); Los Angeles, CA
8. All You've Got To Lose - Brigitte DeMeyer; Burlinggame, CA
9. You Were Drunk - Rose Polenzani; Boston, MA
10. My Own Hand - Jack Sundrud & Randy Handley; Nashville, TN
11. Backwards - Bill DiLuigi & Lonnie LeVelle; Nashville, TN
12. Hold Me - Laura McGreevey - Ridgefield, WA
13. You Believe In Me - Dan Yessian & Kurt Schreitmueller & David Barrett
14. Winter Flower - Shao Ying Low; SINGAPORE
15. All In Good Time - Heather Combs; San Francisco, CA
16. Honey Don't - Helle Hansen; Copenhagen, DENMARK
17. The Easter Bunny - Richard P Geere; Rowland Heights, CA
18. Morning Wood - Pat Sloan; Stafford, TX
19. 1 Step Away - Tom Prater; Hidden Valley Lake, CA
20. Contradição - Rogerio Maudonnet; Sao Paulo, BRAZIL

For more information on the 14th Annual USA Songwriting Competition, visit:
http://www.songwriting.net