The release of Cesar's CD may violate the "American Idol" rules.
The show's Web site states: "In order to be eligible, the contestants are not permitted to have any current recording or talent-management agreements."
If American Idol did their due diligence, as they should have, they would have known that Mario appeared on Michael Jackson's Invincible CD and Cesar Marrol's Worlds of Change CD.
Before allowing any contestant to get this far in the competition, a little research would have revealed whether or not Mario's appearance violates their rules.
According to American Idol, those who are featured on an album jeopardize their "amateur" status and are not allowed to participate in the competition.
That said Mario was not right to keep his role in these productions a secret.
Vasquez has hired the same high-powered Atlanta entertainment attorney Clay Aiken hired to help him get out of paying American Idol 45% to 50% of his earnings from now 'til kingdom come.
The record industry lawyer Jess L. Rosen did it once -- after proving that American Idol was putting Aiken's interests behind the interests of the producers and Aiken's fellow American Idol finalists.
We'll see if Rosen can do it again...
Most managers earn between 15% and 25% of an artist's take.
Simon Fuller, the show's creator appropriately requires that all contestants sign an agreement with his 19 Entertainment company which stipulates that they must pay him approximately half of their profits.
Actually, Rosen and Vasquez will have to answer to billionaire Robert F.X. Sillerman, who recently purchased the majority of the Elvis Presley Estate in Memphis.
According to USA Today, Sillerman's company, Sports Entertainment Enterprise (CKXE on the NASDAQ), has agreed to buy 19 Entertainment, the British production company behind AI for approximately $167 million in cash and stock.
In addition to the millions 19 earns from airing the show, the producers earn a piece from the live concerts put on by the finalists, as well as from any products that get sold by the young artists.
Mario Vasquez was a virtually unknown vocalist before he appeared on American Idol.
For months, he had an audience of 30 million people watching and cheering him on.
In addition, three of the top twelve finalists had pegged Vasquez to win it all.
Cesar Marrol
Until Darque's re-release of "Worlds of Change," Cesar Marrol marketed his CD through the independent online record e-tailer, CD Baby.
Now, it is also available through Amazon.com.
At the time of publication, Vasquez and Marrol's CD is currently the 287th best music album selling on Amazon.
Rosen may be successful in getting Vasquez out of paying Fuller his "catapult to stardom" fee.
However, Vasquez may have to wait until the end of August to release any new music.
The New York Daily News reported that a contract Vasquez signed will prohibit him from recording any albums until three months after the show's finale on May 25th.
Vasquez has also hired the New York PR powerhouse agency, Susan Blond Inc.
Blond, at the young age of 30, was a vice president of CBS Records. In 1987, she launched her own firm and went on to help make Michael Jackson's Thriller album a hit.
An orthodox Jew, Blond is also well known for having fired her client Heeb magazine because she was so offended by a 10-page photo feature mocking Mel Gibson's controversial movie The Passion of the Christ.
Blond's other clients include: Boy George, Q-Tip, Ozzy Osbourne and a number of RuffNation Records' and Reprise Records' artists. She appeared in Andy Warhol's Bad in 1977 and Forty Deuce with Kevin Bacon in 1982.
Steve Dunning, President of Los Angeles-based Darque Records said this about 'Soldier of Glory' one of the tracks from Cesar's CD:
Soldier...' fits every newscast and CNN story on the sacrifices of war.
It's beautiful, a home-sick soldier waiting for a letter from home intertwined with his reality of iron and fire.
We hope to play aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington.
I suggested giving away the hit song to say 'thank you.' Cesar loved it.
About Cesar Marrol
Horacio Malvicino Producer/guitarist who worked with Yo-Yo Ma, London Philharmonic, Astor Piazzolla and many other important artists best describes Cesar Marrol.
Malvicino said:
Cesar, Mario & A Friend
Cesar has lived his entire life as a natural talent of the guitar.
From his hardships to his heart, his whole world is shaped in the form of a guitar.
It is amazing to me, knowing how cutthroat and competitive the music business is; how he manages to slip through the cracks and thereby became a masterful musician.
He got his big professional break at the age of 19 through the help of the unforgettable giant: Astor Piazzolla, the father of contemporary tango and classical music.
We were performing together at the Opera Theater in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was at the time that Astor listened to Cesar's demo tape and decided to give him a hand with his career.
Since then, Cesar has played around the world.
Perhaps the most incredible story I know of Cesar and his devotion to the guitar was when he first left Argentina and went to Spain with only eight dollars in his pocket, his plane ticket and, of course, his guitars.
He was hoping to play with flamenco master guitarist Paco de Lucia, who met him a few months earlier and who told him that if he ever made it to Europe, to contact him.
Well, after Cesar arrived in Madrid Airport with little more than his dreams, Immigration promptly decided to deport him.
He was in a cell for six hours waiting for them to put him back on a plane, when he managed to escape long enough to run to a pay phone and call Paco.
As fate would have it, Paco answered the phone.
Paco immediately went to the airport where he talked the custom agents into letting Cesar into the country.
Since then, Cesar has performed all through Europe as a solo artist.
He also performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Frank Sinatra, opened for Al Dimeola, recorded with producer Bebu Silvetti (Luis Miguel, Placido Domingo), Dominik Camardella (Santana, Ottmart Liebert) under the management of Alex Zara and Hollywood legend Xavier Cugat.
Currently he resides in Los Angeles where he has finished recording his second cd with his manager Steven Dunning of DMG- Darque Management Group.
Together they support "The Greater Good Award" (www.TheGreaterGoodAward.com).
This album entitled "Worlds of Change" is destined to make Cesar the next modern Santana. From pop beats to ripping guitar work, the rhythmic melodies will carry the best dances to the softest love ballads. "Get Up and Dance" is the first single to be released to be followed by the instant hit "Soldier of Glory."
...
Cesar has always had his own spirit and his own unique style.
His emotion combined with his unbelievable speed and clear technique gives the music an accomplished mainstream upbeat pop sound without losing meaningful soul or its Latin roots.
Before its May 2004 release, last April Cesar and Darque Records gave away free downloads of Cesar's hit single Soldier of Glory in honor of military service people around the world. The song is a touching, soulful tribute to our men and women in uniform.
One fan and aspiring artist, Colby Donis calls Worlds of Change "a successful merger of Flamenco meets R&B and Latin Pop."
Others say the sound is a Latin Michael Jackson beat.
About Mario Vasquez
Mario Vasquez is a twenty-seven year old aspiring artist from the Bronx.
His American Idol dreams began to come true when he auditioned last summer in Las Vegas. In the first auditions, Mario was called "one of the best they'd seen" by judge Simon Cowell.
In addition to Vasquez' soulful, artistic voice he will be remembered as a result of the Fedora hats he wore on the show.
The producers of the show profiled Mario often. His frequent airtime helped to earn him many fans -- including me.
Mario, whose neighborhood friends call him "Poopie", was voted by American Idol judges, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell, as one of the Top Twelve contenders in Season IV.
However, before the final competition began Mario surprised both the producers and three judges of the show, as well as his American fans, by bowing out.
While he also wants out of any commitment he has made to American Idol to share future earnings in exchange for his newfound stardom, American Idol has Vasquez to thank for the past week's worth of free publicity. Knowing that Vasquez already has an album out is only making people's interest in the show and interest in Mario stronger.
Meanwhile, the rumor that Vasquez has signed a management deal with Tommy Mottola and record contract with Bad Boy Entertainment at Warner Bros. has been neither confirmed nor denied by both sides.
Inspire & Be Inspired.
Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful, "meeting your commitments to be free" living!
~ Jennifer Carolyn King
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Vasquez' voice is heard on a number of the guitarist's tracks. 
