The reggae music industry is heavily male-dominated. Throughout the years female artists like Judy Mowatt, Marcia Griffiths, Rita Marley and Carline Davis are among the very few that became “household” names. Today there is a new group of female artists who have kicked the door wide open. Artists like Alaine…
Only a few years ago many of us (yes, I did it once) lined up outside the front door of an Apple store waiting for an opportunity to purchase the latest Apple smart phone. Although Samsung phones were not released with the same fanfare, android enthusiasts could hardly wait to…
Mercer’s City Benchmark study for 2016 is out and as in previous years, seven of the top ten cities that offer the highest quality of life are in Europe. They range from Vienna, Austria at number 1 to Basel, Switzerland at number 10 (tied). The three outliers are Auckland, New…
Vandelin “Vonnie” Mcgowan (Arscott), PhD, OD Vonnie McGown, died in Miramar, Florida on August 18, 2016. Vonnie’s contribution to promoting Jamaican culture and advancing Jamaican causes in the USA, as well as her selfless work on behalf the less fortunate in Jamaica is now legendary. She is credited as…
The Jamaica Jazz & Blues (JJB) music festival which is normally schedule for January (the last full weekend prior to the US Super Bowl) was cancelled for 2016. Not only was the cancelation regrettable, but the late announcement of the cancellation (11/16/2015) was most unfortunate, because many of the customers…
The tradition of Jamaican dancehall Sound System has often been referred to as a kind of mobile disco. The “dancehall disco” was the linchpin for the development of the entire Jamaican music industry – which today has evolved into reggae and modern dancehall genres. These “mobile discos” actually gave rise…
In the past, music lovers use to look forward to music festivals in places like New Orleans, the Caribbean, the British Isles, New Port, Rhode Island and Monterey, CA. Today these festivals have solid competition from a new kind of music festival at high seas. One can sail the Caribbean with his/her favorite band and be treated to intimate performances and chances to meet artists face-to-face, while having the vacation of a lifetime. From big band, classic jazz, contemporary jazz, country music, R & B, Blues to reggae – these cruises appeal to a broad range of melodic taste. Guest on these cruises may even be treated to special performances.
If you have had the opportunity to attend both a land-based music festival and a recent music cruise in the in the past 12 months, tell us in 100 words or less – which was your preference and why?
In the future, if you can only attend one music festival in a single year and you are asked to make a choice which would you choose?
The Peter Tosh Estate has announced that (April 20, 2015) will be the first annual recognition of the date as ‘International Peter Tosh Day‘, a celebration honoring the Grammy Award-winning reggae legend, musician, and human-rights activist. The above sentence was taken from a recent edition of the Jamaica Observer newspaper.…
Jamaica never really developed formal diplomatic relations with Cuba until Michael Manley’s government established diplomatic relations in 1972. That year Manley established multi-level relations with Cuba that included trade, bi-lateral technical assistance, loans and other direct aid. Today, there are many Jamaicans studying in Cuba – particularly in health-related professions,…
Vere Johns (Joseph Vere Everette Johns) was born in Mandeville, a city located in the parish of Manchester in central Jamaica on November 28, 1893 and died on September 10, 1966. He was a journalist/actor and one of the island’s earliest radio personalities. He was producer and host of the…
