Remy Martin, Hype Williams Kick Off Black Music Month With a 'Toast to 1738'

Remy Martin, Hype Williams Kick Off Black Music Month With a 'Toast to 1738'

Campaign Partners with Jazz Alliance International, Rhythm & Blues Foundation to Celebrate the 1,738 Most Influential Songs in Black Music

NEW YORK, June 22 /PRNewswire/ -- This year, Remy Martin 1738 and famed hip hop video director Hype Williams will step up the traditional Black Music Month celebration beyond the month of June and recognize black music all summer long with a "Toast to 1738." Inspired by Remy Martin 1738 Accord Royal Cognac, the nationwide celebration will commemorate the 1,738 most influential songs in black music and include a ten-city, tour featuring Hype.

"1738 is a special cognac in a class all its own. It was created in honor of the year that the royal recognition of excellence was given to Remy Martin by the King of France. The expert craftsmanship that goes into 1738 mirrors the finest traditions of all of the music honored on the 1738 list," said Steve Hissam, Category Director for Remy Martin. "Only by working with music experts like Hype Williams, the members of the Rhythm & Blues Foundation and the Jazz Alliance International could the 1738 song list truly reflect the full contribution of black music to our culture and history."

The Toast to 1738 list is a collection of artists and their songs across all black music genres -- rhythm & blues, rap/hip hop, jazz, blues, gospel, reggae and rock -- beginning in 1920 and continuing to the present. It was compiled through an extraordinary partnership between Remy Martin, Hype Williams and two of the leading and most influential organizations in black music -- the Rhythm & Blues Foundation (RBF) and Jazz Alliance International (JAI).

The group researched billboard charts, archives and personal music collections to compile the initial list. The final song list was decided by non-scientific vote based on the song and artist's overall contributions to music, culture and history. It includes a wide array of artists from jazz legends Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald to today's urban music fusions of Usher and Jay-Z.

In what is being dubbed the summer of 1738, Remy Martin and Hype will be on the road raising a glass to the 1738 list at the hottest clubs in major cities, including: Houston, New Orleans, Miami, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles and Oakland. At the clubs, Hype will sample a selection of the 1738 songs and toast with Remy Martin 1738 each time one is played.

"I'm looking forward to touring the country with Remy Martin to build appreciation for black music and enjoy many of the songs that have influenced my career," said Hype. "You must first understand music of the past to fully appreciate the music of today. Every modern artist that I work with has been influenced by the work that preceded them."

"Jazz Alliance International welcomes the opportunity to widen audience appreciation for jazz and music influenced by jazz," said JAI President Suzan Jenkins. "We look forward to hearing the next generations' interpretation of the jazz cannon and beyond."

Visit http://www.remy1738.com/ for dates and locations of Hype's appearances or for additional information about Remy Martin 1738 Accord Royal Cognac.

Remy Cointreau USA

Remy Cointreau USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of France's Remy Cointreau, SA. It is the exclusive U.S. importer for a variety of premium spirits and wines, including Remy Martin(R), Cointreau(R), The Macallan Scotch Whisky(R), The Famous Grouse(R), Damrak Gin(R), Mount Gay Rum(R), Galliano(R), Champagne Piper-Heidsieck(R), Champagne Charles Heidsieck(R), Marchesi Antinori(R), Masi Agricola(R), Vietti(R), Biondi Santi(R), Vina Haras de Pirque(R), Laroche(R), Piper Sonoma(R) and Bearboat(R).

Hype Williams

Award-winning music video director Hype Williams has worked nearly every major Rap and Hip Hop artist of the modern era including, Puff Daddy, DMX, Nas, Method Man, New Edition, Ja Rule, Queen Latifah, Ashanti and 112.

The Rhythm & Blues Foundation

Founded in 1988, The Rhythm & Blues Foundation has been the only independent nonprofit service organization solely dedicated to the historical and cultural preservation of Rhythm & Blues music. The Foundation provides financial support, medical assistance and educational outreach through various grants and programs to support R&B and Motown artists of the '40s, '50s, '60s, and '70s.

Jazz Alliance International

Jazz Alliance International is dedicated to expanding the audience and visibility of jazz by raising the profile of the jazz art form and fostering better working relationships within the global jazz community through advocacy, education and research. JAI is a vehicle that serves as a voice for members of the jazz industry which includes artists, artist representatives, publishers, recording companies, manufacturers, presenters, nonprofits, and media. For more information, go to http://www.jazzai.org/.

Contact: Doug Curry 212/537-8082 (mobile) 917/843-7911 dcurry@gcigroup.com

Kristie Tomkins 212/537-8270 ktomkins@gcigroup.com

Source: Remy Martin

CONTACT: Doug Curry, +1-212-537-8082, or (mobile) +1-917-843-7911, dcurry@gcigroup.com, or Kristie Tomkins, +1-212-537-8270, ktomkins@gcigroup.com

Web site: http://www.jazzai.org/ http://www.remy1738.com/

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