Don Was upped at Blue Note Records

Don Was remains promoted to leader at EMI Music's Blue Note Records. The Grammy-winning producer grew to become part of the venerable jazz and pop label as chief creative officer in August (Daily Variety, August. 10).Elevation lifts Was to the ranks of top producers holding label reins he joins a high-notch group including Verve Group chairman David Promote and Columbia Records co-leader Ron Rubin.Move was introduced internally within the month of the month of january. EMI Music The U . s . States COO Colin Finkelstein and Capitol and Virgin label group prexy Serta McCarroll mentioned in the joint memo to staffers that Was' "commitment and desire for Blue Note which is artists - current and future - is inspiring, and therefore we have asked for him to think about full leadership in the label."Was is constantly on the account to McCarroll.Ian Ralfini, formerly Blue Note-Manhattan Records prexy, remains in the organization as GM of EMI adult contemporary music, verifying to Finkelstein and focusing around the label's global music rights deals for adult music. Manhattan is presently experiencing success having its act Celtic Lady, whose new album "Believe" became a member of the U.S. album chart at No. 13 now.Simultaneously, former EMI Group senior v . p . of strategy and research Hank Forsyth moves for the lately created position of senior v . p .-GM for Blue Note, charged with controlling day-to-day methods in the label.Was (n Don Fagenson) received a Grammy as producer of year in 1995. He helmed Bonnie Raitt's multiple Grammy champion "Nick of the timeInch (1989) and contains offered since the Moving Stones' producer since "Voodoo Lounge" (1994). He co-founded the Detroit group Was (Not Was) with David Weiss (also called David Was) in 1979.It remains to look if Was continues doing outdoors projects along with his promotion at Blue Note. He's presently wrapping production around the new album by singer-guitarist John Mayer, who's signed to Columbia.Blue Note's next major release can be a new album by Grammy-winninng singer-songwriter Norah Manley, "Little Broken Hearts." The Danger Mouse-produced set will arrive this spring. Label's pop roster includes Jones' country project the little Willies, Amos Lee, Priscilla Ahn and Rob Bridges.The label - founded just like a jazz imprint in 1939 by Francis Wolff and Alfred Lion - remains taking part within the jazz front, and may release stylish-hop-friendly keyboardist Robert Glasper's "Black Radio" on Feb. 28.According to one source, Was is thinking about restored development of Blue Note's jazz roster, and could re-sign saxophonist Wayne Shorter and trumpeter-screen composer Terence Blanchard for the label. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com