2009 Cassone Channel Honors Winners List

FINALLY! Yes, I am getting around to releasing the winners videos and ordering the rest of the trophies good people. I am so proud and pleased to release the final winners list for the 2009 Cassone Channel Honors, celebrating the best of my YouTube channel and our web reality series "GETTING READY." To see past webisodes and to subscribe to the channel, please visit us at www.youtube.com/cassone2007. To see the award winning webisodes, simply search for the webisode number in the search field. Winners were determined by voters who visited the poll sites this past summer. Nominees were determined on viewer response, alogorithms for the webisodes, etc.

2009 Cassone Channel Honors

Winners List

Best Webisode – Season 1

17: The Shower Webisode - Antonio Cassone; Performer, Director, Co-Concept & Producer. Tobin Mamber, Co-Concept

Best Webisode – Season 2

35: The Rum & Pups with Nancy Ross Webisode - Nancy Ross, Fred & Ricky, Performers. Antonio Cassone; Performer, Director, Concept & Producer. Paul Miller, Production Assistance & Landscaping. Nancy Ross, Hair & Makeup.

Best Supporting Player – Season 2

Diva Kingsley

Best Guest Star – Season 2

Nancy Ross, “35: The Rum & Pups with Nancy Ross Webisode”

Technical Achievement – Season 2 (JURIED) (Non-Competition Category)

Diva Kingsley, Hair, Makeup & Wardrobe, “25 – 27: The Diva Kingsley/Worm Photo Shoot” & Hair & Makeup for Michelle Andrews, Madison Avenue & Cassone, “45: 48 Hours – A Halloween Story in Pictures/I Put a Spell on You (A Getting Ready Extra)”

Best Webisode – Season 3

68: Hump Day Getting Ready - Miss Bea (Walter Mc, owner); performer. Antonio Cassone; performer, director, producer, concept & editor.

Best Supporting Player – Season 3

The Lady Fancy

Best Guest Star – Season 3
Tonna McKenzie, “56: Redux of 33 – The Continuous Saga of Yellow Gown”

Best Webisode – Season 4

85: The Madison Avenue Collection, Part 8 - David Bork/Madison Avenue, webisode director. Diva Kingsley, key hair & makeup. Gus Sanchez, wardrobe. Tonna McKenzie & Sharde Ross, wardrobe styling. Antonio Cassone; performer, series director, producer, concept & editor.

Best Supporting Player – Season 4

Michael Bannon/Michelle Andrews

Best Guest Star – Season 4

Nancy Ross, “95 & 96: The Madison & Michelle Valentine’s Day Spectacular, Parts 1 & 2”

Technical Achievement – Season 4

Diva Kingsley, key hair & makeup, “85: The Madison Avenue Collection, Part 8” &
Production assistance “95 & 96: The Madison & Michelle Valentine’s Day
Spectacular”

Best Webisode – Season 5

116: Breakfast at the Courtyard Café - Diva Kingsley & David Bork, Miss Bea (Walter McCoy), performers. Antonio Cassone; performer, director, producer, concept & editor.

Best Supporting Player – Season 5

Nancy Ross

Best Guest Star – Season 5

Marilyn Powers, “119 & 120: The New Illusion’s Cabaret, Parts 1 & 2”

Technical Achievement – Season 5

David Bork, driver, “118: Madison & Cassone’s Reckless Victim’s Tour”

Gus Sanchez, Sharde Ross, Mike ‘Smurf’ Lennon & Tonna McKenzie, stage set
(several webisodes)

Best Webisode – Season 6

144: All About Miss Bea - Miss Bea, performer. Antonio Cassone; performer, director, producer, concept & editor.

Best Supporting Player – Season 6

Mama Theresa

Best Guest Star – Season 6

Bertha Quake, “121 & 122: Tha Nappy Hapcy Rossiversary, Parts 1 & 2” & “124: A Twist, A Kiss and a Bevy of Drag Husbands”

Best Technical Achievement – Season 6

Mama Theresa & Mark Rosen, scenic design/decoration, “128 & 129: Planning a Party”

Best Sister Channel – Local (South Florida) (Juried)
Wiltonman4u (Tobin)

Best Sister Channel – National (under 2500 subscribers) (Juried)
Chanel Wynn – tssexychanel

http://www.youtube.com/tssexychanel

Best Sister Channel – Global (over 2500 subscribers) (Juried)
Blanche Babcock
http://www.youtube.com/BlancheBabcock

Pioneer Award –
Wiltonman4u (Tobin Mamber)

Public Service Award –
Meghan Chevalier and Stopping the Hate

http://www.youtube.com/meghanchavalier
http://www.youtube.com/stoppingthehatecom

TALLY OF INDIVIDUAL WINS

(Antonio Cassone – 6)

5 – Diva Kingsley

4 – Nancy Ross
Miss Bea/Walter McCoy

3 – Tobin Mamber
Tonna McKenzie
David Bork/Madison Avenue

2 – Gus Sanchez
Sharde Ross
Mama Theresa

1 – Fred & Ricky
Paul Miller
The Lady Fancy
Michael Bannon/Michelle Andrews
Marilyn Powers
Mike Smurf Lennon
Bertha Quake
Mark Rosen
Chanel Wynn (tssexychanel)
Blanche Babcock
Meghan Chavalier
Stopping the Hate

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE WINNERS.

Nominations for the 2010 Cassone Channel Honors will begin in March.

Best Album Notes Category - 52nd Annual Grammy Awards Predictions and Picks

These are those writers who create the story behind albums. These are no ordinary liner notes, either. Some of them could be published books all their own, but are included as part of a package that creates the whole. It takes a special gift to craft a story to paint that picture for the listener. Some take us back, some move us into the future...their words enhancing the story unfolding on record. Not an easy feat. Again, another category I am always enthralled by.

This year it creates a nice, interesting sub-plot.

Here are all of the nominees...

Best Album Notes

The Complete Louis Armstrong Decca Sessions (1935-1946)
Dan Morgenstern, album notes writer (Louis Armstrong)
[Mosaic Records]

Dance-O-Mania: Harry Yerkes And The Dawn Of The Jazz Age, 1919-1923
Mark Berresford, album notes writer (The Happy Six)
[Rivermont Records]

Gonzo: The Life And Work Of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson - Music From The Film
Douglas Brinkley & Johnny Depp, album notes writers (Various Artists)
[Legacy Recordings]

My Dusty Road
Ed Cray & Bill Nowlin, album notes writers (Woody Guthrie)
[Rounder]

Origins Of The Red Hot Mama, 1910-1922
Lloyd Ecker & Susan Ecker, album notes writers (Sophie Tucker)
[Archeophone Records]

My Prediction:

Gonzo: The Life And Work Of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson - Music From The Film

Douglas Brinkley & Johnny Depp, album notes writers (Various Artists)[Legacy Recordings]

I am thinking there are enough younger voters in the Academy who would vote for Johnny Depp, only to say "Isn't it cool that Johnny Depp won a Grammy?" However, his work here with Brinkley is as in depth and deserving as any others. Yes, it would be an interesting feather in Depp's cap.

My Pick:

Origins Of The Red Hot Mama, 1910-1922
Lloyd Ecker & Susan Ecker, album notes writers (Sophie Tucker)
[Archeophone Records]

I thought their words were as hot as their subject.

Seriously, it would be kinda cool if Depp won with Brinkley - and I think they will.

The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards will be telecast LIVE on CBS - Sunday, January 31 at 8pm EST. For FULL coverage visit http://www.grammy.com/.

Classical Music Categories - 52nd Annual Grammy Awards Predictions and Picks

Oh yes... sometimes one album dominates everything across the board in classical music, to where other years is a mixed bag... I see a lot of multiple wins for a multiple recordings this year. This entry will cover the Classical Music categories for the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. See the Grammy Awards Live on CBS Sunday, January 31st at 8pm EST. For full interactive coverage visit www.grammy.com.

Best Classical Album

My Prediction & Pick:

Mahler: Symphony No. 8; Adagio From Symphony No. 10
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor; Ragnar Bohlin, Kevin Fox & Susan McMane, choir directors; Andreas Neubronner, producer;
Peter Laenger, engineer/mixer; Andreas Neubronner, mastering engineer (Laura Claycomb, Anthony Dean Griffey, Katarina Karnéus, Quinn Kelsey, James Morris, Yvonne Naef, Elza van den Heever & Erin Wall; San Francisco Symphony; Pacific Boychoir, San Francisco Girls Chorus & San Francisco Symphony Chorus)
[SFS Media]

Tough category, but San Fransisco's Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas have swept in past years. That may hurt or help - either way - Dynamic and breathtaking music.

Best Orchestral Performance

My Prediction & Pick:

Ravel: Daphnis Et Chloé
James Levine, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra; Tanglewood Festival Chorus)
[BSO Classics]

Levine has been around forever, with another solid piece...the Classical music categories are harder to breakthrough than the others and Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony aren't in this category. It's Levine's best chance I think.

Best Opera Recording

My Prediction & Pick:

Shostakovich: The Nose
Valery Gergiev, conductor; Andrei Popov, Sergei Semishkur & Vladislav Sulimsky; James Mallinson, producer (Orchestra Of The Mariinsky Theatre; Chorus Of The Mariinsky Theatre)
[Mariinsky]

If I were a betting man...this is the only one of the bunch nominated in the Best Classical Album category and this recording has many mentions throughout the Grammy ballot this year. It may be it's chance to get the gold...and I think it will.

Best Choral Performance

My Prediction & Pick:

Mahler: Symphony No. 8; Adagio From Symphony No. 10
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor; Ragnar Bohlin, Kevin Fox & Susan McMane, choir directors
(Laura Claycomb, Anthony Dean Griffey, Elza van den Heever, Katarina Karnéus, Quinn Kelsey, James Morris, Yvonne Naef & Erin Wall; San Francisco Symphony; Pacific Boychoir, San Francisco Symphony Chorus & San Francisco Girls Chorus)
[SFS Media]

Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (With Orchestra)

Bartók: 3 Concertos
Pierre Boulez, conductor (Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Yuri Bashmet, Gidon Kremer, Neil Percy, Tamara Stefanovich & Nigel Thomas; Berliner Philharmoniker & London Symphony Orchestra)
[Deutsche Grammophon]

Boulez is another well-deserved Grammy favorite year after year...after year... after year.

Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (Without Orchestra)

My Prediction & Pick:

Journey To The New World
Sharon Isbin (Joan Baez & Mark O'Connor)
[Sony Classical]

Best Chamber Music Performance

My Prediction:

Intimate Letters
Emerson String Quartet
[Deutsche Grammophon]

Tighter category than when I first thought, but again Grammy is familiar with the artist...gives them a very good edge.

My Pick:

Schumann/Bartók: The Berlin Recital
Martha Argerich & Gidon Kremer
[EMI Classics]

I loved the dramatic feel of this work...

Best Small Ensemble Performance

My Prediction & Pick:

Vivaldi: Concertos
Daniel Hope & Anne Sofie von Otter; Chamber Orchestra Of Europe (Kristian Bezuidenhout)
[Deutsche Grammophon]

Best Classical Vocal Performance

My Prediction:

Bach
Anne Sofie von Otter (Lars Ulrik Mortensen; Anders J. Dahlin, Jakob Bloch Jespersen, Tomas Medici & Karin Roman; Concerto Copenhagen)
[Deutsche Grammophon]

My Pick:

Verismo Arias
Renée Fleming (Marco Armiliato; Jonas Kaufmann; Orchestra Sinfonica Di Milano Giuseppi Verdi; Coro Sinfonica Di Milano Giuseppi Verdi)
[Decca]

Poor Juan Diego Flórez - this is a battle of the divas and this poor soul is the only guy in the field. He may come up the crowned prince and while I love Renee Fleming, Anne Sofie von Otter (pictured) appears on multiple Grammy nominated albums this year. I think that gives her a one-or-two upper on the others.

Best Classical Contemporary Composition

My Prediction & Pick:

Higdon, Jennifer: Percussion Concerto
Jennifer Higdon (Marin Alsop)
Track from: Alsop Conducts MacMillan, Ad
[London Philharmonic Orchestra]

Best Classical Crossover Album

My Prediction & Pick:

The Melody Of Rhythm
Leonard Slatkin, conductor; Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain & Edgar Meyer (Detroit Symphony Orchestra)
[E1 Music]

&

Yo-Yo Ma & Friends: Songs Of Joy And Peace
Yo-Yo Ma
(Odair Assad, Sergio Assad, Chris Botti, Dave Brubeck, Matt Brubeck, John Clayton, Paquito d'Rivera, Renée Fleming, Diana Krall, Alison Krauss, Natalie McMaster, Edgar Meyer, Cristina Pato, Joshua Redman, Jake Shimabukuro, Silk Road Ensemble, James Taylor, Chris Thile, Wu Tong, Alon Yavnai & Amelia Zirin-Brown)
[Sony Classical]

OK! OK! I picked two for both. Crap! I don't know...this is tough... It will be either, but would also be a damn good tie! :>))

The Stalker Blues

The Stalker Blues

Trade trade go away
Never ever return to me
Never darken my door again
Leave me the hell alone; set me free

You're simply, very simply: No Good!
Now I see you never were, really
I gave in like you knew I would
Fear was my given theory

Men like you don't care
You are just toxic
Taking from within me
Urges are what make you tick

You think your body is enough
Feel like you're all that
Doin' me - forced: in a rush
I deserve better, as a matter of fact

Showing up at my place
Disturbing the peace
All up in my face
Next time, I'm calling the police

You threaten merely by your presence
You're obsessive, callous and cruel
Making faces, tongue flickering lies with a vengeance
Thinking I must be some kind of fool

Brief encounters are all we had, and you know it
Just a few seem to come to mind in this fable
You have illusions about us; you can't deny it
Wanting me to play your game of happy couple

In truth, I have been nothing more than a depository
I wonder in angst when you will leave me alone
I barely sleep, with one eye fixed open - firmly
Knife under bed, wooden spoon in tow; one ear to phone

Why do you cause so much drama, confusion and strife?
Wither into the murky depths of cloud funk you rode in on
I need to move on and up and forward, get on with my life
Not be mired down, depressed, agonized and withdrawn

As you grab my hair with big hands; you touch - rashly
I scold you to go on, get on... as if to the dog you are
Do you think I consider you friend now, let alone family?
The more you follow the more I hide away near and far

It's over, you messed it up; I'm droppin' you like a bad habit
Just go, go on...get out; would you just go away?
Disappear...; you pushed and I have reached my limit
Just leave me alone; that is my wish for today.

Antonio Cassone

Copyright 2009 © Antonio Cassone
All Rights Reserved - Antonio Cassone

Falling

Sometimes I feel like I am falling

It’s a dark, cold and quiet place

Clawing and clinging to the nothingness of air

At a rapid and intense pace



Endless, it seems, as I try to analyze

Why this is happening to me

And why I don’t just let it be

Just accept this and fall, feeling free



Forget that, I just can’t be

I refuse to be fearful and crippled

My heart aching and soul riddled

I tire of feeling stuck in a rut, in the middle



Eyes wide open now, I search and seek

For a light, that I may or may not find

Twisting and turning, body thrusting on a wind

Carefree of what is truly on my mind



Sometimes I hear your soothing voice calling

And even though I feel I am failing at the race

Grabbing and grasping to the hopefulness out there

Receiving your forgiveness and abundance of grace


Copyright ©2009 Antonio Cassone - All Rights Reserved

December 2009 Feature at Photography by Cassone is Designs & Decorations by Paul Miller THIRD straight year!

I am always honored to feature Paul Miller's Designs and Decorations. For the past three years, this is how my Photography by Cassone websites have ushered in the holidays. Miller's work garnered him my Feature of the Year award just last year. Along with assistance by his partner, Bob Drews, and some handcrafted masterpieces by his father, David Paul Miller...it is Paul Miller's ability to arrange and put the impractical in a practical and themed layout; whether it is a Christmas tree, a table setting or a simple gathering of a variety of trinkets...it is his and Drews placement of such that make what they do so special. The next several blogs will include some of the photography I did of their work, along with a special slideshow here of one of the edits of a photo.

Be sure to check out Photography by Cassone's new YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/photographybycassone- Subscribe! It's free! (Thank YOU!)

"Blizzard"
Handpainted/crafted by David Paul Miller
Designs & Decorations by Paul Miller
Assisted by Bob Drews
Photo & Special Effects by Antonio Cassone
(2009)
*December 2009 Photography by Cassone Feature




"Home for the Holidays"
Designs & Decorations by Paul Miller
Assisted by Bob Drews
Photo by Antonio Cassone
(2009)
*December 2009 Photography by Cassone Feature

"Nectar on a Pine"
Designs & Decorations by Paul Miller
Assisted by Bob Drews
Photo by Antonio Cassone
(2009)
*December 2009 Photography by Cassone Feature

"Bar Set Version 1"
Designs & Decorations by Paul Miller
Assisted by Bob Drews
Photo by Antonio Cassone
(2009)
*December 2009 Photography by Cassone Feature

"Bar Set Version 2"
Designs & Decorations by Paul Miller
Assisted by Bob Drews
Photo by Antonio Cassone
(2009)
*December 2009 Photography by Cassone Feature

The Lady Fancy - Photography by Cassone's November 2009 Feature

I know, I know - I am a little behind. Like the tomato who strayed from the pack, I am trying to play catch up...ha! Get it? LOL.

The Lady Fancy was my monthly feature back in November. Here are a few select photos from the shoot, which took place at their 1940s show back in August. Enjoy!