<i>Red Hot + Indigo</i>

NEW YORK — The Red Hot Organization, whose philanthropic endeavors contribute to AIDS research, will celebrate its 10th anniversary with two additions to its acclaimed series of compilation tribute albums and free downloads of Red Hot tracks both new and old.

On March 13 the organization will release its 13th compilation, Red Hot + Indigo, a tribute to jazz composer/pianist/bandleader Duke Ellington that counts hip-hop combo the Roots, R&B crooner D'Angelo, singer Mary J. Blige, hip-hop duo Black Star, jazz trio Medeski Martin & Wood, post-rockers Tortoise and the electronic duo Propellerheads among its contributors. "We already tackled the others pillars of 20th-century music: (Antonio Carlos) Jobim with Red Hot + Rio, (George) Gershwin with Red Hot + Rhapsody and Cole Porter with Red Hot + Blue," said Indigo producer Paul Heck. "So we wanted to pay tribute to Ellington as he was the last of those pillars standing." The album will be available exclusively through online retailer Amazon.com until early fall, when it will arrive at offline retail outlets.

Typically for the Red Hot series, the album features many first-time and unexpected collaborations: Black Star, bassist Ron Carter and Hammond B-3 luminary John Patton join forces on "Money Jungle"; Medeski Martin & Wood's six tracks include collaborations with guitarist Kenny Burrell ("C Jam Blues"), Sex Mob trumpeter Steven Bernstein ("Haunted Nights") and trombonist Art Baron ("Creole Love Call"); the Roots and D'Angelo — on keyboards — team for Ellington's "Caravan"; and the Propellerheads and folk singer Martha Wainright pair up for "Star Crossed Lovers." The 17-track album also includes Tortoise's interpretation of "Didjeridoo," from Ellington's 1967 album Afro-Eurasian Eclipse, and Mary J. Blige's solo reading of "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me." Red Hot + Riot, the oft-delayed, hotly anticipated tribute to Nigerian afrobeat rebel Fela Kuti, is due later this year. Macy Gray, D'Angelo, the Roots' ?uestlove, rapper Common, Dead Prez, trumpeter Roy Hargrove and Fela's son Femi will appear on the tribute to Kuti, who died of AIDS-related complications in 1997 (see "Macy Gray, D'Angelo, Others Honor Fela Kuti" for more).

Red Hot is also auctioning off 50 copies of "Physiognomy," a collection of photographs taken by Rolling Stone photographer Mark Seliger, each containing a different pictured artist's autograph.

The organization also offers free, full-length MP3 downloads of songs culled from the entire Red Hot + catalogue at amazon.com/music-redhot, where listeners can also make contributions to the organization.

Visit redhot.org for more information on the Red Hot Organization.

Red Hot + Indigo track list:
1. Medeski Martin & Wood — "Acht O'clock Rock"
2. Black Star/Ron Carter/John Patton — "Money Jungle"
3. Mary J. Blige — "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me"
4. Melky Sedeck — "Mood Indigo"
5. Les Nubians — "Come Sunday"
6. Medeski Martin & Wood/Art Baron — "Creole Love Call"
7. Propellerheads/Martha Wainwright — "Star-Crossed Lovers"
8. The Roots (featuring D'Angelo on keyboards) — "Caravan"
9. Kenny Burrell/Medeski Martin & Wood — "C Jam Blues"
10. Don Byron/Dean Bowman — "Bli Blip"
11. Medeski Martin & Wood — "Mount Harissa"
12. Amel Larrieux — "Sophisticated Lady"
13. Kenny Burrell — "In a Sentimental Mood"
14. Terry Callier — "Satin Doll"
15. Medeski Martin & Wood/Steve Bernstein — "Haunted Nights"
16. Medeski Martin & Wood — "Blue Pepper (Dub)"
17. Tortoise — "Dijderidoo"

• Mary J. Blige
• Medeski Martin & Wood
• The Roots
• Mos Def
• Talib Kweli

A new tribute album in the "Red Hot" AIDS benefit series is in the works, this time celebrating the music of the late Nigerian Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti, who passed away in 1997 after contracting the disease.

An all-star recording session earlier this month at New York's Electric Ladyland studios featured Macy Gray, D'Angelo, Common, the Roots' ?uestlove, Nile Rodgers, James Poyser, Pino Palladino, brass and percussion group Africa 2000, and Kuti's son Femi, among others.

The ensemble recorded the classic Fela track "Water No Get Enemy" (from 1975's "Expensive Sh**") with D'Angelo and ?uestlove (a.k.a. Ahmir Khalib Thompson) handling production duties.

A spokesperson for the Red Hot AIDS Charity Trust told MTV News that it expects to issue the song as a single on World AIDS Day, December 1, and that it hopes to release the full album, titled "Red Hot + Riot," early in 2001. The spokesperson added that a second track, "Shuffering and Shmiling," is underway, featuring Dead Prez, Money Mark, jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove, and famed Brazilian performer Jorge Ben (now known as Jorge Ben Jor).

The charity has previously organized a number of well regarded compilations beginning with 1990's "Red Hot + Blue," which featured the music of Cole Porter. Other LPs include the George Gershwin compilation "Red Hot + Rhapsody," the genre albums "Red Hot + Rio" and "Red Hot + Country," and the alt-rock comps "No Alternative" and "Red Hot + Bothered," among others.

Fela Kuti died of AIDS complications in 1997 at the age of 58 (see "Afro Beat Activist Fela Succumbs").

• D'Angelo
• Fela Kuti
• Macy Gray

August 4 [12:00 EDT] --One of the most fascinating figures in music is dead. Nigerian rock star and political activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti died over the weekend after a long illness his brother now confirms was AIDS. The eccentric singer had been in poor health for some time with AIDS-like symptoms, and had led a promiscuous lifestyle conducive to exposure to the virus, but he had never consulted a doctor prior to the past two weeks.

On stage, Fela would perform in sequined suits backed by a full rock band, a horn section and over two dozen dancers and singers, an imposing figure preaching revolution for his country and social justice for all. Jailed several times as a dissident (generally disguised as other charges), he was touted at one point as a future President of Nigeria.

Backstage, he remained equally majestic, enough even while holding court in just his underwear, something Fela was prone to do. He openly enjoyed several vices, the most prominent being a love of sex and marijuana.

"He had 24 women on tour with him, and he slept with all of them," recalls Bud Walters, a crew chief who once worked with the group. "His stamina was unbelievable." Equally unbelievable, adds Walters, was that none of the women counted among his 28 wives.

Fela popularized the genre generally dubbed Afro Beat, a forerunner of rap, playing a fusion of jazz and 'hilife.' He gave up politics two years ago but still occasionally performed at a club he owned in Lagos called The Shrine, staging rap sessions called 'yabbis'.

Anikulapo-Kuti was 58.

• Fela Kuti