Eddie Palmieri, pioneering Latin jazz musician and Grammy winner, dies at 88

Eddie Palmieri, the pioneering rumba and Latin jazz musician, has died at 88. His daughter Gabriela said he died Wednesday in New Jersey after a long illness. Palmieri was the first Latino to win a Grammy and earned seven more over his career. He released nearly 40 albums and continued performing into his 80s. Known for his innovative style, he formed the band La Perfecta in 1961, introducing a unique trombone section. His work fused salsa, funk, soul and jazz, leaving a lasting impact on Latin music worldwide. Palmieri released the album “Masterpiece” in 2000, which teamed him with the legendary Tito Puente. It was a hit with critics and won two Grammy Awards.

Britain's Royal Mail celebrates Monty Python with stamps featuring iconic sketches and characters

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Royal Mail has issued stamps celebrating Monty Python's comedy. The 10-stamp series, announced Thursday, highlights iconic characters and catchphrases like “Nudge, nudge” and “The Lumberjack Song.” Six stamps feature scenes from “Monty Python’s Flying Circus,” including “the Spanish Inquisition” and “the Ministry of Silly Walks.” Four stamps mark the 50th anniversary of the film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” The stamps can be pre-ordered and go on sale August 14. David Gold from Royal Mail says the collection honors Monty Python's influence on comedy over nearly six decades.

‘Weapons’ spins small town into chaos that mirrors real life, humor and all

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Zach Cregger says he had to stop writing jokes while creating his latest horror film, “Weapons," and instead let the hyper realistic aftermath of tragedy drive the movie's humor. The film follows Cregger’s widely celebrated genre-bending horror “Barbarians,” his 2022 solo directorial debut. The young director spins a town into chaos in his second act, after all children but one from the same classroom mysteriously vanish, leaving a trail of questions in their place. Cregger says the movie's humor comes naturally, as characters stumble through their grief and navigate the absurd events happening around them. The Warner Bros. Pictures release hits theaters Friday.

Movie Review: The body-swappers are back! Lohan, Curtis return for chaotic sequel ‘Freakier Friday’

The body-swappers are back! In “Freakier Friday,” Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan return, 22 years after delightfully switching bodies as mom and daughter in “Freaky Friday.” Associated Press critic Jocelyn Noveck writes in her review that the sequel is an amiable, joyful but also chaotic attempt to up the ante of the body-swapping tale. This time, it’s four characters doing the swapping — leading to plot hijinx galore but also some genuine confusion, at times, as to who’s who and who’s doing what. Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons and Manny Jacinto co-star, and Chad Michael Murray is back as the resident hunk. Opens Friday in theaters.

From the Stones to Cardi B, this college haunt has attracted big acts for 50 years

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut nightclub with a storied history is celebrating its 50th year in business. Toad's Place in New Haven has drawn legendary acts ranging from The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen to Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Cardi B and Snoop Dogg. Owner Brian Phelps started as the club's manager in 1976. He says the key to Toad's longevity has been showcasing diverse musical styles while also hosting dance parties and “battle of the bands”. The Stones played a surprise show there in 1989, followed five months later by what is believed to be Dylan's longest show — more than four hours.

Emmylou Harris and Brad Paisley are headed for Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame

Country superstar Brad Paisley and Americana powerhouse Emmylou Harris will be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame this year. The organization announced its newest inductees on Wednesday. They also include Steve Bogard and Tony Martin in the contemporary songwriter category. Jim Lauderdale will be inducted in the contemporary songwriter/artist category and Don Cook in the veteran songwriter category. All six will be formally inducted on Oct. 6 during the 55th Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala held at the Music City Center. Harris was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008.

Your junk could be Gen Z’s treasure. How to profit from the resurgence of Y2K fashion

Juicy Couture sweat sets and low-rise, bedazzled jeans. Chunky belts and baby tees and miniskirts. Early 2000s fashion is all the rage again. Many millennials might cringe at the Y2K aesthetic, but Generation Z is eating it up. That could make that old box of clothes in the back of your closet a sitting cash cow. Fans say the flashy Y2K style is good for self-expression. Some experts say it's back because fashion often runs in 20-year cycles. Others say it's because baby boomers are emptying their millennial kids' closets. If you've got Y2K clothes to sell, experts suggest trying online, or at flea markets or used clothing shops. One seller says denim back then was better than it is today.

Movie Review: Kristin Scott Thomas directs Scarlett Johansson in comedic drama 'My Mother’s Wedding'

Kristin Scott Thomas draws on her own childhood losses for her directorial debut “My Mother's Wedding.” In the film, which she co-wrote, she plays a twice-widowed woman about to marry for the third time. Her three grown daughters are played by Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller and Emily Beecham. In her review for The Associated Press, film writer Lindsey Bahr writes that it is a a perfectly average film that doesn’t quite land the way it should, emotionally. Knowing that Thomas lost her father and stepfather adds depth that is not on the screen. Rated R, “My Mother's Wedding” is in theaters Friday.

Ozzy Osbourne died of a heart attack, report says, citing death certificate

LONDON (AP) — A death certificate filed at a register office in London revealed that Ozzy Osbourne's cause of death was a heart attack. The New York Times obtained the document on Tuesday. The lead singer of heavy metal's pioneering band Black Sabbath and somewhat unexpected reality TV star died on July 22. He was 76. The certificate was submitted by one of Osbourne's daughters and states the singer had suffered from coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease. The Associated Press could not immediately independently confirm the death certificate.

Movie Review: Why did 17 kids vanish at 2:17 a.m.? Zach Cregger's 'Weapons' delves into the mystery

Director Zach Cregger has crafted another thriller with his new movie, “Weapons.” The film opens with a haunting scene of elementary students running out of their homes at 2:17 a.m. to the song “Beware the Darkness” by George Harrison. Associated Press reviewer Mark Kennedy says the story unfolds in chapters, exploring the mysterious disappearance of 17 third-graders in the fictional suburb of Maybrook. Julia Garner plays a teacher who becomes entangled in the mystery. The film delves into themes of suburban life, paranoia, and resilience. While “Weapons” is ambitious, Kennedy says it sometimes lags and relies on sorcery, but it still offers a gripping experience.