Jamaica, a tiny island in the West Indies, boasts a musical heritage that has left an indelible mark on global culture. Over the past 60 years, Jamaica has been the birthplace of various musical genres, from the lively rhythms of ska and reggae to their influence on contemporary sounds like dancehall, reggaeton, trip-hop, and dubstep. … Continue reading Jamaica’s Musical Legacy: From Mento to Dubstep and Beyond
1972 - Toots & the Maytals with "Pomps and Pride" Lyrics: Everybody justCryin out (cry out)Calm down (calm down)Have your pomps and prideCalm down (calm down) (x2) Have your pomps and pride Everybody justCryin out (cry out)Calm down (calm down)Have your pomps and prideIs it an opulin, Iceland, calm downhave your pomps and prideFor today, … Continue reading Jamaica Festival Song History – 1972 – Watch Toots & the Maytals
The second decade of the Jamaica Festival Song competition burst onto the scene with tremendous energy, delivering a continuous stream of chart-topping hits. Even today, Jamaicans continue to groove to the soulful rhythms of Jamaica Festival Song champions from 1971 to 1980. Here's a nostalgic journey through those remarkable years: 1971: Eric Donaldson with the … Continue reading Jamaica Festival Song History – 1971 to 1980
The Jamaica Festival Song competition stands as a lasting tribute to Jamaica's musical heritage. Each year, songwriters and singers vie for the prestigious prize, hoping to etch their names into the annals of history. When you tune in to the melodies of yesteryears, these songs have a unique ability to transport you to a bygone … Continue reading Jamaica Festival Song History – 1966 to 1970
It's that time and season, for the Jamaica Festival Song competition. There are many big-name singers, songwriters and it will be a very competitive year. The essence of the Jamaica Festival Song 2021 competition is to promote Jamaican culture. These songs bring people to the core of what Jamaica is all about. It teaches people … Continue reading Jamaica Festival Song 2021: Love Jamaica My Land
By: Denise N. Fyffe. Copyright © 2013, Denise N. Fyffe The highlight of my day came when I came across an hilarious video review on Youtube from The Dutty Berry Show on Why #Tessanne Chin Had Many Rivers To Cross. This certainly has led to many minutes spent on YouTube scoping out each weekly review … Continue reading Hilarious Jamaican review of ALL Tessanne Chin’s performances on NBC The Voice
Jamaican Reggae Artiste, Bob Marley: The shooting of a Wailer Los Angeles – Bob Marley, one of the world’s best-known Jamaican Reggae performers, and three other persons were shot December 3rd when seven gunmen burst onto the grounds of Marley’s home in Kingston, Jamaica, where he and his band, the Wailers, were rehearsing. Miraculously, amid a … Continue reading Bob Marley: The Shooting of a Wailer by Cameron Crowe, January 13, 1977
Jamaican Reggae Artiste, Leroy Smart
I was introduced to Leroy Smart about 20 years ago by my then room mate Rich, aka Prime Mundo. He had a stash of really good Jamaican pressed LPs in his closet, one of them was a Leroy Smart record. He told me a story of going to see Leroy perform sometime in the 80′s with a mutual friend in West Philly. They were the only white boys in the joint, and when the lights went down, the patrons who were dressed to the nines, let the Collie flow. Now these guys were in tees and jeans, and afraid they would get caught lighting a joint in the place. Imagine? Relieved, I believe the smoked said joint and that the Leroy Smart show was one of the best Reggae shows he has seen live. If not for the atmosphere, but for Smart’s music and presence as well. Here’s something I dug up a while ago on the cheap. It’s Leroy Smart with “Sugar My Coffee” from his 1979 Lp Let Everyman Survive on G.G.’s/ Hit Records.
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- The Music of Leroy Smart Featured (highlanda.net)
I was introduced to Leroy Smart about 20 years ago by my then room mate Rich, aka Prime Mundo. He had a stash of really good Jamaican pressed LPs in his closet, one of them was a Leroy Smart record. He told me a story of going to see Leroy perform sometime in the 80’s with a mutual friend in West Philly. They were the only white boys in the joint, and when the lights went down, the patrons who were dressed to the nines, let the Collie flow. Now these guys were in tees and jeans, and afraid they would get caught lighting a joint in the place. Imagine? Relieved, I believe the smoked said joint and that the Leroy Smart show was one of the best Reggae shows he has seen live. If not for the atmosphere, but for Smart’s music and presence as well. Here’s something I…
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The internationally acclaimed Sumfest happened last weekend, right here in lil ol’ Mobay. We had Trey ladies-keep-your-panties-on Songz and Damian sexiest-rasta-alive Marley headlining the two international nights, though I hear Shabba Ranks stole the show on Friday night. Not that I’m entirely certain who Shabba Ranks is. . .
Reggae Sumfest has origins way back before I was a twinkle in my mother’s eye when it started out as Reggae
Sunsplash, an annual festival of Jamaican music that everyone in my parents’ generation likes to bring up as their version of “back when music was actually good”. But my point is that Sumfest has been around for a while, and judging by the consistently insane crowds it draws, it will probably be around for a while longer. Which is a good thing, because I have never been to Sumfest.
It’s kind of sad, really. It happens almost literally in my backyard every year, and every year it comes, I wave, and it passes on its merry, memorable way. It’s a quintessential Jamaican, nay, Montegonian experience that I have yet to acquire. That is a travesty. At first I was too young to go to Sumfest and then as I grew older, I grew less interested in the artistes that were actually showing up. I mean, you wouldn’t catch me dead at Dancehall Night (no offense, but there’s no way I’m paying almost $8000 just to bend over and back it up). And there was this whole phase where I swore off concerts unless a rock band was involved. I’m serious; I joined the Facebook group to prove it.
So Sumfest continues to be marketed as the greatest show on earth, with that iconic symbol of a dancing Rasta (that may or may not be Robert Nesta) pushing its brand beyond local borders. It’s one in a long list of things that keep Jamaica being the leading Caribbean destination (sorry, other touristy islands) and keep Montego Bay being one seriously awesome second city. So what if I haven’t been to Sumfest once in the twenty years I’ve been alive? Maybe I’ll go the year they finally get Fall Out Boy as headliners.
Pax.
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- Sumfest, Commemorating 20-Year History (repeatingislands.com)
The internationally acclaimed Sumfest happened last weekend, right here in lil ol’ Mobay. We had Trey ladies-keep-your-panties-on Songz and Damian sexiest-rasta-alive Marley headlining the two international nights, though I hear Shabba Ranks stole the show on Friday night. Not that I’m entirely certain who Shabba Ranks is. . .
Reggae Sumfest has origins way back before I was a twinkle in my mother’s eye when it started out as Reggae Sunsplash, an annual festival of Jamaican music that everyone in my parents’ generation likes to bring up as their version of “back when music was actually good”. But my point is that Sumfest has been around for a while, and judging by the consistently insane crowds it draws, it will probably be around for a while longer. Which is a good thing, because I have never been to Sumfest.
It’s kind of sad, really. It happens almost literally in…
View original post 213 more words
Our Jamaica 50 Song….What the Hell Is It?.
Jamaica Pen Publishers 