In
the minds of many veteran reggae aficionados,
the run of spectacular, taxing and definitive
reggae festivals presented from the late '70s
through the mid-'90s under the Sunsplash banner,
are the height of their live concert experiences.
I was one of hundreds of Jah music lovers who
ventured down every summer from Los Angeles, filling
a plane for Jamaica booster/travel agent Tom Linton's
annual Sunsplash tours. These were usually followed
by a week of rest and recreation in Negril for
fans exhausted by the all-night affairs. Splash
was the only festival one had to go into spring
training to attend. I recall that in '83 the final
night ended at 1:30 Sunday afternoon, but only
because headliners Black Uhuru had to catch a
plane.
The often discomforting
terrain of places like Jarrett Park in the early
days, and later the Bob Marley center, out by
the Seawind on the water in MoBay, added to the
feeling of survival one left the island with.
The mud and muck of 1981's deeply emotional Bob
Marley tribute shows meant that you might find
yourself stuck in ooze over your ankles for hours
on end. Much of the music of that turning-point
year was worth the agony. But unconscionably long
breaks between sets, especially on the ultimate
night when Rita Marley and Stevie Wonder joined
Third World, tested the patience of a saint. The
crowded conditions, often rife with pickpockets,
made it clear that a larger, more manageable venue
was needed, and when the Denver promoters built
the Bob Marley Performing Arts Center on a marl-strewn
field, a new kind of obstacle presented itself
- the sharp edged rocks that provided a kind of
crusty carpeting to the area. Combat boots would
have been more appropriate than the sandals that
most wore, to their own dismay.
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The
dynamic duo of dancehall, Tantro Metro and Devonte,
is back to reclaim the throne with their new
album Musically Inclined. Tantro Metro and Devonte,
born Mark Wolf and Wayne Passely, respectively,
have been on the dancehall scene for over a
decade with popular songs such as Everyone Falls
in Love (1998) and Give it to her (2001). Their
infectious tunes have allowed the twosome to
win several awards including the Tamika and
South Florida Reggae Soca award. The pair has
managed to bolster themselves into the history
of dancehall while being able to crossover to
the mainstream.
The duo proves to be a survivor of all times.
Their chemistry permits them the durability
to adapt to any historical epoch and eon. Devonte
maintains that as artistes they "keep on
being current in the dancehall scene, making
hits and staying with the time....simply staying
ahead of the game."
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Summerfest
Productions, the promoters of Red Stripe Reggae
Sumfest, have promised another exciting and
entertaining showcase of reggae and dancehall
music this side of the hemisphere. The festival
has been called 'Jamaica's best' and the 'world's
greatest reggae show', and Summerfest intends
to live up to that reputation.
The show which will, this year, be a week full
of activities, will begin on Sunday July 16
with Vibes Island when seven sound systems collide
at a beer inclusive party on the beach and the
'Reggae on the Runway' fashion show. The vibe
will continue with Mad Monday MoBay Street Jam
with top Jamaican selectors from Firelinks,
Swatch and Pure Playazz at the controls on Monday
July 17. Wednesday will bring out the pioneers
of dancehall and reggae to the fore, with the
festival's 'Top Ranking' night. Originators
the likes of Yellowman, Pinchers, Josey Wales,
Franky Paul and General Trees will thrill the
audience with hits of yesteryear.
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Born
Robyn Rihanna Fenty in the small Caribbean island
of Barbados only a brief eighteen years before
rising to superstardom, Rihanna proves to be
the Caribbean's own golden trophy. Using Rihanna
as her stage name, she emerged on the international
scene with other Caribbean artistes such as
Sean Paul with his smash hit single 'Gimme the
Light'. Rihanna raps for the Caribbean females
and manages to make her own and cement her presence
and voice in the minds and hearts of many. Her
sophomore released album A Girl Like Me appears
in 2006 and skyrocketed her into the upper echelon
of new and upcoming artistes. The dance hit
single 'Pon De Replay' proves Rihanna's vibrant
talent as it challenged Mariah Carey's 'We Belong
Together' on the Billboard's Hot 100.
Discovered by music producer, Evan Rogers, while
vacationing with his wife Jackie in Barbados,
who is also a Bajan, Rihanna is no newcomer
to the entertainment world. She has her debut
album Music of the Sun, which she co-wrote and
released in August 2005. While her debut was
less popular than her sophomore it radiated
her talent among her peers and her fellow Bajans.
Having won a number of talent shows and beauty
contest, Rihanna's success seemed to many quite
inevitable and came as no surprise. So when
Rihanna was signed on the spot by CEO and rap
mogul Jay-Z, it was to be expected.
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