Celebrated Japanese Smooth Jazz Artist & NYC Sax Man YAZ TAKAGI set to rls debut national album Sept 7: You Can’t Say it in Public

HSMENT Entertainment announces the national album release of You Can’t Say it In Public by Yasuyuki "Yaz" Takagi, the critically acclaimed Japanese born Tenor Saxophonist and his self-titled four-piece jazz group, Yaz Band, set for release September 7, 2010.

Yasuyuki, also know as Yaz, has a dynamic musical range that offers a fusion of silky, urban-lite grooves, funk soul and the crossover foundations of melodic jazz. The album features nine (9) original songs and four (4) covers, which were each composed by Yaz and his band. The playlist serves as a sound track to Yasuyuki’s coming of age journey, migrating from the metropolitan of his native country Osaka, Japan to Manhattan.

The first single, also titled You Can’t Say it In Public, leads the new album, released digitally in Summer 2010. The song showcases not only his artistry but also his energy packed musical abilities.

Yaz confesses, “When I recorded You Can’t Say it In Public my goal was to have people experience the sexy, cool-out vibe of a live Yaz Band performance, which we hoped to captured in a studio-recording.”

Yaz Band is an official member of the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s sponsored "Music Under New York" series. The talented foursome has held Jazz enthusiasts captive during rush hour for years. And now, the quartet will emerge from New York City’s underground to embark on an international tour to promote Yaz’s first national album release.

The in-demand band is know for playing indisputable R&B classics by icons such as Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire and Marvin Gaye. In addition to covers, Yaz Band plays original instrumental tunes influenced by the styles of jazz luminaries such as Grover Washington, Jr., Maceo Parker, The Crusaders and American jazz fusion groups such as Spyro Gyra. From Harlem to Hiroshima, the soulful sounds of Yaz Band can be heard frequenting stages across the metropolitan area and in jazz festivals such as Lincoln Center's “Out of Doors” and the historic Minton's Playhouse. In addition, Yaz Band has performed in Asia as part of the “Under New York” music series, which were held in Seoul, Korea.

As a student, Yaz was influenced by American greats including Bob James and Dave Grusin. However, it was the legendary style of iconic sax man David Sanborn's music that led him to pursue the saxophone as his instrument of choice.

Yaz recalls being thrilled with Smooth Jazz as a youth in Japan.

“I had a passion for the genre at an early age and this made me stand out amongst peers who preferred to listen to American pop. I often rummaged through my father’s record collections in search of music that moved me and I was instantaneously connected to the sultry sound of the sax, it stood out to me.”

You Can’t Say it In Public is Yaz’s first national studio release and fourth album. It offers up a blend jumping jazz mixed with soulful soundscapes and smooth grooves that won’t get lost in translation. The album will be available in all formats on September 7, 2010.

Yaz concludes, “I never knew and still don’t know the definition of Jazz, I just know what it feels like.”

YOU CAN’T SAY IT IN PUBLIC

01 You Can’t Say it In Public
02 Cold Sweat
03 First and Goal
04 Dolphin Dance
05 Low Down
06 Rush Hour
07 Thirty
08 Bridge Over Purple Sky
09 I Wish
10 Airport
11 Sweet Smell of Love
12 Every Thought is of You
13 You Can’t Say it In Public/ Extended

LISTEN NOW!! www.YazBand.com

For more information visit:
www.YazBand.com

Hunger Program For Haiti Earthquake Victims

Recently, celebrity chef Ron Duprat and former model Fayola Nicaisse visited Haiti to examine conditions six months after the devastating January 12, 2010 magnitude 7.0 earthquake centered near PORT-AU-PRINCE. Overcome by the deplorable post-earthquake living conditions and hunger still rampant in their homeland, Duprat and Nicasse became more determined than ever to do something to address the still existent near famine conditions. Chef Duprat has partnered with Bergeron Land Development, Inc. to establish a culinary center in Haiti in an effort to help alleviate hunger in affected areas.

Duprat teamed up with Nicaisse - who is the founder of the highly-successful ébène organic skin and hair care line - shortly after the earthquake in a common love for their country and their eagerness to contribute to relief efforts. To meet their collective goal they are also currently working on expanding her line of skin care products. A percentage of the products' proceeds will benefit their continued relief efforts in Haiti.

"Ron is an amazing chef," Nicaisse commented. "I asked him to develop new flavors for my product line. Chef Ron and I will collaborate and build from there by borrowing from his culinary expertise to add flavors and scents to soaps and lotions in my ébène Skin and Hair Care line." She continued, "The idea is to incorporate extracts and spices from different Haitian cultural dessert dishes to share a little taste of home with our customers, while contributing to a great cause."

While in Haiti, Duprat prepared a dinner at Caribe Hotel; visited shelters; met with young entrepreneurs from the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF); and served meals at the Food for the Poor feeding center.

Extremely disturbed by what he found, Duprat said "We went to L'hopital general [Haitian community hospital] and cite soleil [Sun City, an extremely impoverished and densely populated commune located in the PORT-AU-PRINCE metropolitan area] it's inhuman." He also visited a chicken farm as he plans to partner with Perdue, one of the nation's leading poultry companies, to obtain training for Haitians to learn to raise chickens for their own consumption, but most importantly to establish businesses and create jobs. Duprat explains, "This effort is a marathon, not a sprint."

ABOUT CHEF RON DUPRAT:
A fierce competitor on Bravo TV's sixth season of "Top Chef," Chef Duprat has cemented himself as an expert in exotic flavors - often incorporating his own Haitian Creole influences with French-Asian Fusion cuisine. The Celebrity Chef chose the culinary profession as an outlet passion, and also for the tradition that fills the storybook of world cuisine.

The community-minded chef is a board member of FLIPANY (Florida Introduces Physical Activity and Nutrition to Youth), an organization that provides affordable physical activity and nutrition programs for youth. Duprat is vice president of the Black Culinary Alliance (a nationwide non-profit, educational and networking organization of hospitality and food service professionals); a member of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative that addresses solving the challenge of childhood obesity; a member of No Hungry Kids; manager of Real Men Cook Miami, a subsidiary of Real Men Charities, Inc.; and a member of Basil Magazine's Chef Council.

ABOUT Pan American Development Foundation (PADF):
Created in 1962 through a unique agreement between the Organization of American States (OAS) and the private sector, the Pan American Development Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization 501(c)(3) that creates public-private partnerships to assist the least advantaged people in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Having worked in every country in the region, PADF engages community-based groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), national, state, and municipal governments, and the private sector in the process of implementing appropriate solutions for sustainable development. Through these partnerships, PADF seeks to achieve excellent and lasting programmatic impacts in creating economic opportunities, promoting social investments, strengthening communities and civil society, and preparing for and responding to natural disasters. www.imunitedforhaiti.org

ABOUT Food for the Poor, Inc.
Food for the Poor ministers to spiritually renew impoverished people throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Established in 1982 as a 501(c) (3) corporation, the organization's goals are to improve the health, economic, social and spiritual conditions of the men, women and children we serve. Food for the Poor raises funds and provides direct relief assistance to the poor, usually by purchasing specifically requested materials and distributing them through the churches and charity organizations already operating in areas of need. www.foodforthepoor.org

URBAN SUPERMODEL ESTHER BAXTER SUPPORTS WOOD HARRIS OF THE WIRE IN IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT FILM RELEASE “JUST ANOTHER DAY”

Urban model turned actress ESTHER BAXTER co-stars in "Just Another Day," the Image Entertainment distributed film released July 20th on DVD. Set in Miami, FL it brings a compelling, true-to-life look at the brutal ups and downs of the cutthroat hip-hop business. In her second film this summer, ESTHER plays an eager young professional hoping to climb the corporate entertainment business ladder by landing a new client. Jamie Hector (The Wire, Heroes) is cast as “Young Eastie,” a struggling rapper who dreams of getting a record deal through the legendary “A-Maze” played by Wood Harris (The Wire, Remember the Titans). Academy Award-nominated director Peter Spirer, known for his insightful and authentic documentaries on Tupac Shakur, Notorious BIG, and the Beef series, produces with Inny Clemons known for the recent box office success “Next Day Air.” The film also features rappers Trick Daddy, Lil Scrappy, Ja Rule and Petey Pablo.

With her exotic beauty, on-screen charisma, and business savvy, this multi-racial Miami native of African American, Indian, Cuban, Norwegian, Italian and Puerto Rican descent has appeared as a lead model and actress in over 25 of the most popular music videos for multi-platinum artists like Kanye West, Ludacris, Will Smith, The Roots, and Nelly. Attracting an avid fan base and following, ESTHER became well-known from her numerous magazine covers, spreads, tribute issues, and calendars including VIBE, KING, Smooth, The Source, XXL, and Today's Black Woman. By popular demand, BlackMen Magazine also released two full 50-page tribute issues of ESTHER BAXTER photos as Collector's Editions. Additionally, ESTHER was recognized with the "Video Goddess Award" at the annual VIBE Awards for her memorable character in the award-winning Austin Powers-themed video for Ludacris' hit single "Number One Spot," which also received the MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video. Most recently ESTHER was featured in Complex Magazine and graced the cover of J’Adore Magazine Anniversary Issue.

After several years dominating the urban model scene, ESTHER chose to redirect her focus to acting and is already making her presence known. Earlier this year ESTHER made her big screen acting debut in the romantic comedy feature film “Speed Dating” starring Wesley Jonathan (Roll Bounce, What I Like About You), Chico Benymon (Half & Half), Vanessa Simmons (Run's House, Daddy's Girls) and Holly Robinson Peete which won a 2010 Pan African Film and Arts Festival award for Audience Favorite and is currently in select theatres. ESTHER has also appeared on television as a guest star on Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns in an episode directed by Kim Fields. As an on-camera personality, ESTHER has appeared as a celebrity guest on hit MTV reality series "From Gs to Gents" created by Jamie Foxx and hosted by Fonzworth Bentley and "Who's That Girl" for BET's Rap City. She has also hosted segments on Fuse TV and BlackHollywood.tv.

Her upcoming film roles include a comical supporting role in “Video Girl” starring Meagan Good and Haylie Duff to be released later this year. ESTHER also initiated a PSA to support the Gulf Aid Relief efforts caused by the BP oil spill and will continue to be active in these efforts through her non-profit foundation.