Legendary Jamaican musician Beres Hammond has released new reggae album entitled “A Moment in Time” which is only available via digital download now. The CD version accompanied by a DVD is due out in stores on October 14, 2008 to coincide with Beres’ North American Tour .
Popularity: 12% [?]
A statue of the late reggae legend Robert Nesta Marley better known as Bob Marley has been erected in the small Serbian town of Banatski Sokolac. It is intended to promote peace and tolerance and carries the inscription “Bob Marley — fighter for freedom armed with a guitar.”
Popularity: 10% [?]
Grammy winning deejay Shaggy has taken on critics of dancehall, saying they have used the negative actions of some artistes and wrongfully stereotyped others. Shaggy, who was in London where he appeared in the Notting Hill Carnival, made this observation during an interview which was published in Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper last week.
“For some people, reggae music might just be reggae music, for me, reggae music is a way of life, so an attack on the music is an attack on me,” Shaggy said. “I think people like Sizzla sometimes do bring the music down but that’s just one person.”
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Among the more current slangs in the street is “To the world”. One could not ask for a more authentic interpretation for that popular Jamaican street talk than that which was given by the founder, lead vocalist and guitarist for the Swedish reggae band Urban Tribe, Adam Atterby. This reggae tribe of singers and players of instruments from Stockholmi s setting the pace for another global musical success from Sweden, in the tradition of the group called Abba. “We were brought here by a guy named Howard Hendricks, and Akubulan his manager, because they have been fans since 2005, when I sent them a copy of the first album. And they thought the time was right for us to try to make a market here in Jamaica. So we’re currently discussing a management contract with them,” Atterby explained.
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Another documentary to record and celebrate the evolution of reggae music is on the way. This, the latest of such projects chronicling the history of the music, is called The Top 20 Greatest Moments in Reggae. And it is being undertaken by Earthstrong Production, Aranthes Lewin and Trinidadian Jeanille Bonterre, better known as Empress Jeanille, formerly MTV Reggae Tempo.
The documentary, being directed by Bonterre, will be premiered in September, if everything goes according to plan, on Black Entertainment Television (BET) Network 5, Channel BET J. The project began in Jamaica on Monday, at Stony Hill, upper St Andrew. [...]
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Nike and VP Records has released an Asafa Powell themed soundtrack. The former world record holder who has his record broken by his countryman Usain Bolt coatches the 35 minute sountrack which contains 13 tracks including a special exclusive track by high riding dancehall heavyweight Movado called “On The Go (Faster Than Bullet)”.
Movado is also one of the favourite dancehall artists of Asafa Powell and the both respect each other.
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Critics believe that dancehall music, a fast-paced musical art form indigenous to Jamaica, may be in a death spiral because of a violent cocktail of events that has endangered its ability to flourish in the international marketplace. Several of its champions such as Bounty Killer, Mavado, Vybz Kartel, Busy Signal have serious visa problems, limiting their ability to go to the United States, which because of its large Caribbean population, has always been a lucrative marketplace for dancehall.
Famous Dancehall Artist - Bounty Killer
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The government is to establish a museum of reggae music and artifacts, to represent the struggles and achievements of Jamaican music, and will establish a special initiative to encourage and assist Jamaican film makers to produce works on Jamaican culture.
The announcement was made last week by Minister of Water and Housing, Dr Horace Chang, who was giving the welcome address on behalf of Prime Minister, Bruce Golding at a launching reception for the seventh International Crossroads in Cultural Studies Conference. The reception was held at Vale Royal, the Prime Minister’s official residence.
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The official date for the third annual Port Royal Music Festival is November 7 - 9, 2008. The change of date from the usual month of August to November will enhance tourism in Jamaica for November, bringing more tourists to the island during this time. The planning and organizing for its third staging is well underway and this year’s event promises to exceed all expectations.
The festivities will begin with the Celebrity Party, followed by the Main Show and then Jazz on the Harbour. It is clear that this year’s event will capture “all the right elements of music, bringing a diverse line-up of activities” as Christopher Blythe explains Director of Paradise Communications. “As we develop a music festival in Kingston, Jamaica we plan to revive Port Royal and bring forth its once ritzy days, which will be envied by many, not only in Jamaica but the entire region as a festival of class and quality” he added. This years line-up will include genres from adult contemporary, pop, r&b, reggae and jazz just to name a few.
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Black Entertainment Television (BET) has joined the Team Jamaica on the Road to Beijing campaign. The network is partnering with Team Jamaica Bickle and VP Records on the ‘Team Jamaica on the Road to Beijing’ reggae charity concert, to be held at Brooklyn College on April 20.
BET will be filming the event, which features reggae artistes Richie Stephens, Etana, Duane Stephenson, and Jamaican sports legend Donald Quarrie, and a host of other music and sport ambassadors, for airing on both BET and BETJ.
Proceeds from the charity staging will not only assist Team Jamaica Bickle with providing much needed support to the Island’s promising high school athletes competing at Penn Relays in April, but will also fund Jamaican athletes competing in the XXIX Olympics in Beijing this August.
Popularity: 11% [?]
