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Mindy Longanecker


Stand Up Producer Mark Baston

Music producer Mark Batson has come a long way from the Brooklyn projects where he was raised. Over the past several years, he has worked both as a producer and contributing musician (he plays just about every instrument known to man) with an eclectic group of artists ranging from G-Unit to India.Arie to Beyoncé to Anthony Hamilton to Seal to The Game to Gwen Stefani to Eminem to Rachel Yamagata to Talib Kweli. Batson gained national stature with India.Arie's 2001 release Acoustic Soul, on which Batson co-wrote and co-produced several songs.

Deft and subtle, 'Language' rocks

It's disappointingly rare to find a band that truly rocks anymore. Sure, you might find a good rock song on a standard pop album, but it will always be the lone warrior, standing out like a sore thumb amongst the lighter, radio-ready fare. Even the bands that are supposed to rock seem to have lost their touch, as everything I hear on the radio these days seems formulaic and uninventive.

New Jack Johnson album blissful, calm

Welcome to the blissful world of Jack Johnson. Everyone is happy, everything is romantic and above all, the atmosphere is completely and unapologetically laid back -- or so one might think after listening to In Between Dreams, the latest release from this Hawaiian surfer-cum-folky singer-songwriter. His third release in just over three years (Brushfire Fairytales was released in early 2002 and On and On in May of 2003), In Between Dreams is the most upbeat of Johnson's albums.

Jones' sophomore effort no slump

I first bought Norah Jones' debut album "Come Away With Me" not because I thought I'd become obsessed with it, but rather because it seemed like a good, solid music choice.

DiFranco's 'Educated Guess' passes test

I will admit, Ani DiFranco is an acquired taste. She is one of those artists who is considered by the majority of people to be somewhat strange and exotic, who has been around for a long time, and it takes a good friend to sit you down and finally convince you to try her out.

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