Mariah Carey	Kanye West	John Legend

Mariah Carey's multi-platinum comeback album, The Emancipation of Mimi, and its smash single "We Belong Together," helped the pop singer score three of the most coveted Grammy nominations: Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Record of the Year. The hit ballad also picked up mentions for Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, while Mimi added Best Contemporary R&B Album to Carey's haul.

Presenters for the 48th Annual Grammy Awards nominations included BMI songwriter/artists John Legend, CeCe Winans, Mariah Carey, Nickelback's Chad Kroeger and Patti LaBelle. Photo by S. Lovekin/WireImage

Rapper Kanye West continued his red hot streak, also earning nominations in the Album and Record of the Year categories with his sophomore release Late Registration and the hit "Gold Digger," respectively. He will compete against himself for the Album of the Year title as a producer on Carey's disc. As a songwriter, West will battle for the Best Rap Song crown with his "Diamonds from Sierra Leone," as well as Best R&B Song as a co-writer on the Alicia Keys track "Unbreakable."

Black Eyed Peas	Brooks & Dunn

Soul singer John Legend is up for Best New Artist, Best R&B Album for his debut Get Lifted, and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Song of the Year for "Ordinary People," which he also co-wrote. Legend joins his mentor Kanye West and rapper Common on the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration ticket with "They Say."

Casting Crowns	Common

Coming in with six nominations was Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas who, as a songwriter, has a shot at Song of the Year and Best R&B Song as co-writer of Legend's "Ordinary People" and Best Rap Song for the Peas' hit "Don't Phunk with My Heart." The band is also up for Best Rap and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

Death Cab for Cutie	Foo Fighters

In addition to Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, Common earned three other mentions, including Best Rap Album for Be. Four nods also went to Foo Fighters, Gorillaz, Billy Childs and BMI producer/songwriters the Neptunes, who have production credits on two Album of the Year nominees -- Carey's The Emancipation of Mimi and Gwen Stefani's Love. Angel. Music. Baby.

The Game	Gorillaz	John Williams

Earning three nominations apiece were Sheryl Crow, with Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ("Good is Good"), Best Pop Vocal Album (Wildflower) and Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for the single "Building Bridges," featuring Brooks & Dunn and Vince Gill; Eminem (Best Rap Solo Performance, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Rap Album); and film composer John Williams, up for Best Score for Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, as well as for Best Instrumental Composition for both "Anakin's Betrayal" (from Revenge of the Sith) and "The Ferry Scene" (from the War of the Worlds soundtrack).

Maroon 5	Norah Jones	Sheryl Crow

Double nominees included rappers The Game and T.I., songwriter Marcus Hummon, singer Norah Jones and gospel diva CeCe Winans.

Other BMI songwriters and artists collecting Grammy nominations were Christina Aguilera, Dallas Austin, Casting Crowns, Eric Clapton (PRS), Death Cab for Cutie, Paquito D'Rivera, Danny Elfman, Fall Out Boy, Osvaldo Golijov, Dave Holland Big Band, Intocable, Keane (PRS), Maroon 5, Sugarland, Ying Yang Twins, and BMI Icons Charlie Daniels and Brian Wilson.

Sugarland		T.I.

The 48th Annual Grammy Awards will be held in Los Angeles on February 8.

BMI's 2006 Grammy Award Nominees:

8 NOMINATIONS
Mariah Carey
John Legend
Kanye West

6 NOMINATIONS
William Adams

4 NOMINATIONS
Billy Childs
Common
Foo Fighters
Gorillaz (PRS)
The Neptunes

3 NOMINATIONS
Yolanda Adams
The Black Eyed Peas
Sheryl Crow
De La Soul
Eminem
Herbie Hancock
Faith Hill
Alison Krauss & Union Station
John Williams

2 NOMINATIONS
Bobby Boyd
Brooks & Dunn
Andrew Coleman
Andrew Dawson
Dixie Chicks
The Game
Michael Giacchino
Jeff Hanna
Marcus Hummon
Norah Jones
Delbert McClinton
Donnie McClurkin
Joel Moss
Willie Nelson
Al Schmitt
Fat Man Scoop
T.I.
The White Stripes
CeCe Winans

MORE NOMINEES
Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra with Arturo O'Farrill
Christina Aguilera
Trey Anastasio
Audio Adrenaline
Audioslave
John August
Dallas Austin
Ramon Ayala y Sus Bravos Del Norte
Marcia Ball
Ray Barretto
Steve Berkowitz
Big & Rich
Terence Blanchard
Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones
Blue Highway
Printz Board
William Bolcom
Peter Boyer
Solomon Burke
Burning Spear (PRS)
Sam Bush
Gary Calamar
Caribbean Jazz Project featuring Dave Samuels Orishas (SACEM)
Kurt Carr
Casting Crowns
Christopher Cerf
Steven Curtis Chapman
Cherryholmes
The Chieftains (IMRO)
Willy Chirino
Eric Clapton (PRS)
Dorinda Clark-Cole
Conjunto Progreso
Ry Cooder
Stewart Copeland
The Crabb Family
Robert Cray
Bill Cunliffe
Rivers Cuomo
Daft Punk (PRS)
Charlie Daniels
Day of Fire
Death Cab for Cutie
Deep Dish
Mos Def
Jack De Johnette
The Del McCoury Band
Ani DiFranco
Jerry Douglas
Dave Douglas
Paquito D'Rivera
John Du Prez (PRS)
Jerry Duplessis
Nokie Edwards
Danny Elfman
Ahmet Ertegun
Bill Evans
Fall Out Boy
Sammy Figueroa
Béla Fleck
Floetry
David Foster
Jamie Foxx
Aretha Franklin
Kirk Franklin
Carlos Franzetti
Larry Gatlin
Joachim Garraud (SACEM)
Gilberto Gil
Vince Gill
Jimmie Dale Gilmore
Osvaldo Golijov
The Grascals
Grits
Buddy Guy
Merle Haggard
John Hammond
Raiatea Helm
Dave Holland Big Band
Israel Houghton
Van Hunt
Eric Idle (PRS)
Intocable
Jamiroquai (PRS)
Jars of Clay
The Jazz Chamber Trio
Rodney Jerkins
Eric Johnson
George Jones
The Jordanaires
Ledward Ka'apana
Keane (PRS)
John P. Kee
Garison Keillor
Toby Keith
R. Kelly
B.B. King
Kitaro
Kraftwerk (GEMA)
Ladysmith Black Mambazo (SAMRO)
Las 3 Divas
La Secta Allstar
The Last Poets
La Tropa F
Donald Lawrence
Ricky Lewis
The Light Crust Doughboys
Lil Wayne
Harold Lily
Aaron Lindsey
Linkin Park
Little Joe
Los Lonely Boys
Los Pleneros de la 21
Andre Lyon
Maroon 5
Joeworn Martin
Martina McBride
Delbert McClinton
Vicky McGehee
Tim McGraw
Sarah McLachlan (SOCAN)
Meat Beat Manifesto
Pat Metheny Group
Luis Miguel
Mingus Big Band
Ministry
Keb Mo
Molotov
Rick Moranis (SOCAN)
Mudvayne
Martha Munizzi
Walter Murphy
Meshell Ndegeocello
North Mississippi Allstars
The Oak Ridge Boys
Claus Ogerman (GEMA)
Walter Ostanek (SOCAN)
George Pajon, Jr.
Eddie Palmieri
John Prine
Queens of the Stone Age
Rascal Flatts
Joshua Redman Elastic Band
Sonny Rollins
The Royal Jesters
Eddie Santiago
Marvin Sapp
Seal (PRS)
José Serebrier
Shakira
Wayne Shorter Quartet
Ron Sluga
Omar Sosa
Luciana Souza
Jimmy Sturr
Sugarland
Tierney Sutton
System of a Down
Ali Farka Touré (BUMDA)
Tiempo Libre
Turtle Island String Quartet
Keith Urban
Bebo Valdés
Marcello Valenzano
Louie Vega
Rhonda Vincent & the Rage
Brian Wilson
BeBe Winans
George Winston
Paul Winter Consort
Hugh Wolff
David Yazbek
Ying Yang Twins

Moderated by BMI Workshop committee member David Spencer, the Master Class examined two musicals developed in the Workshop: Adam Overett's Call It Courage and Carla Rose Arnone and Jason Coll's Haunted.

Pictured after the class are Adam Overett, Marcus Stevens, Jason Coll, Carla Rose Arnone, David Spencer, David Yazbek and BMI's Jean Banks. photo by Eric Miller

Call It Courage tells the tale of a 12-year-old boy living on a Polynesian island who has lost his mother to the sea and is deathly afraid of it. To conquer his fear, he sets out himself and winds up a castaway on a volcanic island.

Haunted, with music by Jason Coll, lyrics by Carla Rose Arnone and book by Marcus Stevens, chronicles the key events surrounding the Lincoln assassination. Through the eyes of six historical figures, we observe their lives and losses, both on a national and personal level.

Master Class guest speaker David Yazbek, whose Dirty Rotten Scoundrels earned him a Tony nomination and the 2005 Drama League Award for Best Score, had his first outing on Broadway with his Tony and Grammy nominated musical comedy, The Full Monty. The show also won a Drama Desk Award for Best Score. Until recently, Yasbek thought of himself primarily as a singer/songwriter. His first album, The Laughing Man, won the 1997 NAIRD Award for Best Pop Album. Other albums include TOCK and Damascus.

As a TV writer, he earned an Emmy for his work on Late Night with David Letterman, co-created the groundbreaking Puzzle Place for PBS, and wrote the theme song to Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?. He's scored films and shows for HBO, NBC, Fox, Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel, and has worked as a songwriter and/or producer with such diverse artists as XTC, Tito Puente, Ruben Blades, Crash Test Dummies, the Persuasions, Savion Glover and They Might Be Giants.

David Spencer, author of The Musical Theatre Writer's Survival Guide, moderates the twice-a-year Master Class that features a pre-eminent American musical theatre writer as a Master teacher for two new musicals in development in the BMI Workshop. Previous Masters include Stephen Sondheim, Sheldon Harnick, John Kander, Thomas Meehan, Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and Terrence McNally.

The BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, recently honored with the 2005 Drama League Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre, was founded in 1961 by the late Lehman Engel, dean of American musical theatre, to create a setting where new writers could learn their craft. Since its inception, the Workshop has been operated by BMI free of any cost to participants; admission is based on merit.]]> 2005-10-20T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/234562 Artists, Engel, Lehman, Kander, John, Spencer, David, They Might Be Giants, Yazbek, David, Musical Styles, Musical Theatre, Pop Grammy Award-winning BMI composer David Yazbek will be a guest speaker at the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop Master Class on Thursday, September 29. The class will be held at 5:00pm at BMI's midtown office (320 West 57th Street). Admission to the Master Class is for members of the BMI Workshop and New York Musical Theatre Festival gold passholders; a limited number of seats are available to the public. Requests can be made by calling 212-830-8360 or emailing masterclass@bmi.com.

Moderated by BMI Workshop committee member David Spencer, the Master Class will examine two musicals developed in the Workshop: Adam Overett's Call It Courage and Carla Rose Arnone and Jason Coll's Haunted.

Call It Courage, with its book, music and lyrics written by Adam Overett, tells the tale of a 12-year-old boy living on a Polynesian island who has lost his mother to the sea and is deathly afraid of it. To conquer his fear, he sets out himself and winds up a castaway on a volcanic island.

Haunted, with music by Jason Coll, lyrics by Carla Rose Arnone and book by Marcus Stevens, chronicles the key events surrounding the Lincoln assassination. Through the eyes of six historical figures, we examine their lives and losses, both on a national and personal level.

Master Class guest speaker David Yazbek, whose Dirty Rotten Scoundrels earned him a Tony nomination and the 2005 Drama League Award for Best Score, had his first outing on Broadway with his Tony and Grammy nominated musical comedy, The Full Monty. The show also won a Drama Desk Award for Best Score. Until recently, Yasbek thought of himself primarily as a singer/songwriter. His first album, The Laughing Man, won the 1997 NAIRD Award for Best Pop Album. Other albums include TOCK and Damascus.

As a TV writer, he earned an Emmy for his work on Late Night with David Letterman, co-created the groundbreaking Puzzle Place for PBS, and wrote the theme song to Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? He's scored films and shows for HBO, NBC, Fox, Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel, and has worked as a songwriter and/or producer with such diverse artists as XTC, Tito Puente, Ruben Blades, Crash Test Dummies, the Persuasions, Savion Glover and They Might Be Giants.

David Spencer, author of the Musical Theatre Writer's Survival Guide, moderates the twice-a-year Master Class that features a pre-eminent American musical theatre writer as a Master teacher for two new musicals in development in the BMI Workshop. Previous Masters include Stephen Sondheim, Sheldon Harnick, John Kander, Thomas Meehan, Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and Terrence McNally.

The BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, recently honored with the 2005 Drama League Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre, was founded in 1961 by the late Lehman Engel, dean of American musical theatre, to create a setting where new writers could learn their craft. Since its inception, the Workshop has been operated by BMI free of any cost to participants; admission is based on merit.]]> 2005-09-22T19:00:01-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/musicworld/entry/234497 Artists, They Might Be Giants, Yazbek, David, Musical Styles, Musical Theatre, Pop, Rock, Musicworld, Feature David Yazbek is having a very good decade.

The multitalented singer/songwriter started off the new millennium by composing his very first Broadway musical, a theater adaptation of the hit UK film, The Full Monty . The resulting original score earned Yazbek Tony and Grammy nominations, as well as a Drama Desk Award for Best Score. It also won media raves like this one from the Washington Post , which effused: “The songs by Broadway first-timer David Yazbek are full of robust pop-rock hooks and bright, funny lyrics.”

Encouraged by the success of The Full Monty , Yazbek signed on to score another movie-turned-musical, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels . The play, which opened earlier this year, won Yazbek another Tony nomination, along with Best Original Score honors from BroadwayWorld.com Awards. More media accolades followed.

USA Today gushed about Yazbek’s “cleverly constructed songs,” while the New York Post ’s Clive Barnes declared Yazbek’s music to be “positively inspired.” Before long, it seemed as if critics were engaged in a battle to see who could give Yazbek the most breathless notices. “David Yazbek’s songs cannot be praised highly enough,” wrote Theatermania.com. “His lyrics … take breathtaking risks that pay off.”

As the above reviews suggest, life has been good lately for our songwriting hero. But the hyperventilating reviews leave one crucial question unanswered…

Who is David Yazbek?

Research reveals that he’s an extremely funny and talented singer/songwriter whose rags-to-riches story is itself suitable for Broadway adaptation. Yazbek’s independently-produced debut album, The Laughing Man , won the 1997 NAIRD Award for Best Pop Album. But Yazbek is more than a simple solo act. As a songwriter and/or producer, he has worked with such artists as XTC, Tito Puente, Ruben Blades, Crash Test Dummies, The Persuasions, Savion Glover and They Might Be Giants.

But Yazbek is more than a thinking man’s alt-rocker. He earned an Emmy for his work with “Late Night With David Letterman.” He co-created the groundbreaking “Puzzle Place” for PBS and wrote the memorable theme song to “Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?” The enterprising songwriter has also scored films and shows for HBO, NBC, Fox, Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel.

So let’s review: studio, television, stage and screen. We can only assume that Mr. Yazbek’s ultimate goal is to experience success in every conceivable entertainment medium. But what could possibly be next? A blog?

“All of a sudden I’ve gone from being a cult-y marginal recording artist to MR. BROADWAY!,” the composer laments on his website, www.davidyazbek.com. “I’ve worn a tuxedo three times in the past year.”

Gathered before the luncheon are BMI's Del Bryant; Frank Evans, Workshop Steering Committee, "Avenue Q" co-writer Jeff Marx, who accepted the award on behalf of BMI; David Spencer, Workshop Steering Committee; "Avenue Q" co-writer Robert Lopez, who accepted the award on behalf of BMI; BMI award presenter Maury Yeston, Workshop Steering Committee; Patrick Cook, Workshop Artistic Coordinator; Jane Smulyan, Workshop Steering Committee; and BMI's Jean Banks.

BMI award-winning composer Maury Yeston ("Nine," "Titanic"), a longtime moderator of the Workshop, presented the award, and "Avenue Q" composers and Workshop alumni Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx accepted the prestigious trophy on behalf of BMI.

Also honored was BMI composer David Yasbek, composer/lyricist of "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," which recently picked up 11 Tony nominations. The Broadway show won the Drama League Award for Distinguished Production of a Musical. In addition, eight-time Tony Award-winning director Mike Nichols, also a BMI composer, was honored with the Julia Hansen Award for Excellence in Directing.

BMI composers Maury Yeston, Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez, BMI's Del Bryant and BMI composer David Yazbek

The Drama League Awards are the oldest theatrical honors in America and are the only major awards given by theatregoers themselves. They are chosen each year by thousands of Drama League members nationwide. The Drama League Awards honor distinguished productions and performances on Broadway and Off-Broadway, as well as exemplary career achievements in theatre, musical theatre, and directing.

photos by Gary Gershoff

Eric Idle	Larry Hochman	Tim Curry

A spoof on the zany 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, "Spamalot" picked up a total of 14 nominations, including two for BMI composer and show creator Eric Idle (PRS) for Best Book and Best Original Score. He shares the score mention with co-writer John Du Prez (PRS). Also adding to the King Arthur tale's share were BMI composers Larry Hochman, nominated for Best Orchestrations, and Tim Curry, who took home a nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actor. The show's director, Mike Nichols, also a BMI writer, earned a nod for Best Direction; he picked up an additional nomination for Best Special Theatrical Event as producer of "Whoopi: The 20th Anniversary Show."

Mike Nichols	David Yazbek

"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," based on the popular 1988 movie of the same name, earned 11 Tony nominations, with BMI composers David Yazbek and Jeffrey Lane receiving nods for Best Original Score and Best Book, respectively. The show stars John Lithgow and Norbert Leo Butz as Lawrence Jameson and Freddy Benson, two con artists working the French Rivera trying to swindle money from rich women.

In addition, BMI-affiliated comedian/actor Billy Crystal's solo show, "700 Sundays," earned its producer a Best Special Theatrical Event nomination, while BMI writer David Mamet's "Glengarry Glen Ross" received a nomination for Best Revival of a Play.

The 59th Annual Tony Awards will take place on Sunday, June 5 at Radio City Music Hall and will be broadcast live on CBS starting at 8:00pm.

Brooks, a BMI writer, received three mentions, the most of any individual: for Best Original Score (Music & Lyrics) Written for the Theatre, for Best Book of a Musical (with Thomas Meehan), and as (what else) a Producer of Best Musical.

BMI represents three finalists in the category of Best Original Score (Music & Lyrics) Written for the Theatre. Nominated alongside "The Producers" are Edward Kleban for A Class Act and David Yazbek for "The Full Monty" (one of the show's ten nods).

Both shows were also included on the Best Musical slate. "A Class Act," the life story of Kleban, a BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop alumnus, also saw a Tony nomination for BMI-affiliated Larry Hochman in the Best Orchestrations category.

"The Producers," which broke box office records with more than $3 million in ticket sales the day after it opened April 19, drew nominations in almost every possible category; its two stars, Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane, are competing against each other for Best Performance By a Leading Actor In a Musical.

Based on Mr. Brooks's 1968 movie of the same title, "The Producers" even won three nominations in another acting category, that of Best Featured Actor in a Musical. The nominees are Brad Oscar, who plays the unreconstructed Nazi who writes the show within the show, "Springtime for Hitler"; Gary Beach, who plays "Springtime For Hitler"'s director; and Roger Bart, who plays Mr. Beach's sidekick. The show's Cady Huffman is up for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. The remaining Tony taps for "The Producers" are Susan Stroman for Best Choreography and Best Direction of a Musical; William Ivey Long for Best Costume Design; Doug Besterman for Best Orchestrations; Peter Kaczorowski for Best Lighting Design; and Robin Wagner for Best Scenic Design.

The 55th annual Tony Awards will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 3. PBS will broadcast the first hour (8 pm ET), including most of the craft and technical awards, and the remaining two hours will be seen on CBS.