Top brass
California Institute of the Arts is naming its music school after Herb Alpert following a new $15 million donation from the Grammy-winning trumpeter, Associated Press reports.
The grant will pay for three faculty chairs, student scholarships and music programs — including a student-run record label — at the newly minted Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts, school President Steven D. Lavine announced yesterday.
Mr. Alpert and his wife, jazz vocalist Lani Hall, pledged the money through his Herb Alpert Foundation, which has already donated some $9 million to the school.
Mr. Alpert, 73, became an overnight star when the Tijuana Brass released the trumpet-driven instrumental “The Lonely Bull” in the early 1960s. He and business partner Jerry Moss later formed A&M Records.
Zappa that!
The widow of Frank Zappa is trying to stop a German fan club from using the legendary musician’s name for its annual Zappanale festival.
According to AP, Gail Zappa says the German-based Arf Society’s use of Mr. Zappa’s name and an accompanying logo featuring a prominent mustache similar to that sported by the late Baltimore-born rocker infringe on trademarks held by the Zappa Family Trust. The Arf Society says that the trust has been aware of its use of the name since the festival was first started in 1998.
Angie’s baby talk
Maybe it was all the talk about children, but while Angelina Jolie was discussing Iraq education policy in the District on Tuesday, she “felt kicking suddenly,” she told People magazine.
Still, the expectant mother of four didn’t miss a beat as she talked about her two visits to Iraq and her new initiative, Education Partnership for Children of Conflict. The actress, 32, says EPCC will be “a center that helps raise awareness and coordinate all the various efforts of people working towards education for children of conflict.”
Accompanied by sons Maddox, 6 and Pax 4, she’ll continue her work in the city all week before re-joining Brad Pitt and their daughters Zahara, 3, and Shiloh, 1.
Divorce off
Oscar winning actor Sean Penn and his wife actress Robin Wright Penn have withdrawn their divorce petition filed in December, Reuters news agency reports, citing a court document posted yesterday on the celebrity Web site TMZ.com.
Compiled by Robyn-Denise Yourse from Web and wire reports
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