Who Knew the Web Could Smell This Good?

It’s hokey as hell, but also kinda fun, which is likely what the marketing powers behind Reb’l Fleur had in mind when they dreamed up the campaign behind Rihanna’s new scent. They used different words, though: “New Sexy, Innovative Interactive Website for Reb’l Fleur by Rihanna Allows Fans to Explore the Playful Romantic Duality of the Pop Icon.”

And, in truth, you’ve never seen a website quite like this one. The centerpiece of Parlux Fragrances’ marketing campaign for Reb'l Fleur,
Rihanna's new fragrance, the website is a technological first. Entirely user-controlled, it features what Parlux is calling a palindromic film and audio track. It can be played at full-screen forwards, backwards, slow or at full speed -- an entirely new way to explore online video and a great use of available technologies.

The idea is that the website and its interactive video allows fans to explore both sides of the internationally renowned Grammy award-winning superstar's personality -- Reb’l and Fleur -- on their own terms. Fans get to explore two different, abstract stories, depending on which direction they choose to play: in one direction Rihanna is pursuing a mysterious man; in the other, she is breaking free from him. You can visit the Reb’l Fleur website here.

In other Rihanna news, the pop star is being sued for plagiarism by photographer David LaChappelle. More here and here.

A Flash Mob Valentine

Hard not to love this flash mob Valentine’s Day kissing video. Props to Toronto’s Lazybones, whose pop, punk, reggae, ska beats are fantastic here.

Jazz for the Classroom with Jazzy Fairy Tales

Jazzy Fairy Tales brings jazz music into the classroom with the music stories of “The Three Jazzy Little Pigs,” “The Three Jazzy Goats” and “The Three Jazzy Bears.” The book can be used as either a supplement to an existing program or as a readymade, all-encompassing music curriculum, and is adaptable for different student populations and learning abilities.

Jazzy Fairy Tales is intended to be a powerful teaching tool and is the culmination of five years of development, incorporating simple jazz basics such as scat singing and rhythmic patterns, joined with classic storytelling and body movement.

Classroom teacher and storyteller Susan Milligan and jazz singer and music teacher Louise Rogers created the resource from their work with young children at The Medical Center Nursery School in New York City.

The book includes a user-friendly appendix that requires no musical knowledge and provides music terms, jazz terminology, standard blues form, and notation for most of the themes and songs. In addition, the accompanying audio CD, beautifully recorded by jazz bassist Rick Strong and vocalist Louise Rogers, contains demonstrations/sing-alongs for each song in the book, segmented into separate tracks for easy rehearsal and reference.

Jazzy Fairy Tales is published by Alfred Music Publishing, the world’s largest educational music publisher. Alfred produces educational, reference, pop and performance materials for teachers, students, professionals and hobbyists spanning every musical instrument, style and difficulty level.

Swimming With the Band

New York Internet radio platform, East Village Radio, is launching a Single of the Month Club, dubbed EVR Records. The debut will happen on March 7th, with a 7-inch release from the UK band, Swimming.

EVR Records plans to release one single in 7-inch vinyl and digital formats from an artist selected monthly by a different East Village Radio DJ. Artists will mirror the broad range of musical genres heard around the world on East Village Radio.

“EVR DJs are regularly breaking new acts via their radio shows and have so much passion about the music they play during their two-hour weekly shows,” says Peter Ferraro, general manger of EVR. “We wanted to give them an opportunity to help the acts they love and to A&R their own releases. A lot of what is played on EVR is hot off the press, unsigned material and we are excited to help these artists with their first steps in the music industry.”

The Swimming single that will be released on March 7, “Sun in the Island,” is the first from the Nottingham five piece’s forthcoming album.

The track is a psych-pop song which folds vintage synths and textured beats that explodes into a kaleidoscopic blast, with an anthemic chorus of saturated guitars and soaring melodies.

Swimming is comprised of singer John Sampson, his brother Peter Sampson and three old friends (Andrew Wright, Jonthathon Spittlehouse, Blake Pearson).