Interview with Willie Stewart, formerly of Third World
This week we interview Willie Stewart, formerly of Third World. After playing successfully with Third World, Stewart’s desire to work with children and give back to the community, coupled with his expertise in the world of percussion instruments stirred a desire in his head and heart to help heal the world with music. Here is […]
Concert Review: Monty Alexander Plays Nat King Cole & Sinatra
The cold climes of New York City often seems to make the idea of taking in the music of a great jazz musician from a tropical climate, somehow makes you think the music will warm you up, and be all the more inviting; even if he isn’t playing Caribbean jazz. So my trip to Birdland, […]
Concert Review – Bayside Rocks Music Festival
Miami’s Bayfront Park was the venue for the inaugural Bayside Rocks Music Festival. The event was a cultural blend of music, food, and people. I hope the festival is back next year, multi-cultural roots rock events are few and far between in South Florida. It was great to get out and enjoy the great vibes under […]
Concert Review: Pressure Buss 2nd Pipe @ Hampton Conference Center in Maryland.
Pressure Buss Pipe–a nice word play for a name–burst on the reggae landscape a few years ago with his monster reggae/dancehall hit (Let Me Give You Some “Love and Affection’ You’ve got my attention) and that he certainly did; and has kept music lovers around the globe’s attention since. On Saturday, November 13, Pressure and […]
Interview with Jamaican singer Makeida ‘Keida’ Beckford
This week we interview beautiful and artistic Jamaican singer Kedia. Born Makeida Beckford, she took the music industry by storm with her popular single, “Jamaican Boys”. The Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing student graduate at the followed up that single with two other songs: Cyaan Get Enough and Hot it Up. She […]
Concert Review: Ruth Ann Brown Creates Reggae History at the Strathmore
As a music critic I appreciated the opportunity to witness a fresh new female reggae artist on the rise. I must say the historic ‘Friday Night Eclectic’ two set 45 minutes set with Ruth-Ann Brown at The Mansion at Strathmore was a breath of fresh air. As an upscale venue in the Maryland suburbs of Bethesda […]
Interview with Jamaican songstress Denyque
We interview rising Jamaican songstress Denyque. Her song “Summer Love” was one of the reggae hits of the year and has been burning up the charts. She first broke on the scene at age 11 when she won medals in the Jamaica National Festival song competition. At 20 years old, this singer/songwriter has reached a […]
My Top 25 Songs by Gregory Isaacs, the Cool Ruler of Lover’s Rock
When the history books document the many accomplishments of Reggae Singer, Songwriter and Performer Gregory Isaacs the titled of “King of Lover’s Rock” will be one on his enduring accomplishments Not many reggae artist of note can lay claim to have created or earned a piece of reggae music. Names such as Bob Marley, Dennis […]
Concert Review: Bushman And His Friends Deliver @ Club Amazura
He is black, a Rasta man and he’s reputedly part Japanese and hails from the parish of St Thomas, Jamaica. His vocal style evokes shades of reggae’s cultural messenger Luciano, but is from the school of reggae’s Crown Prince, the late Dennis Brown– arguably the most influential vocalist in reggae music–but with a deeper baritone […]
‘Lonely Soldier’ Gregory Isaacs Dead at 59
Gregory Isaacs — a legend in his own time, one of the most popular and versatile reggae singers of the late-Seventies, and the smooth-voiced dancehall crooner behind the genre’s landmark 1982 LP Night Nurse — passed away this morning at his London home following a year-long battle with lung cancer, the BBC reports. Isaacs was 59. ” Isaacs’ […]