Jazz: Monty Alexander makes a "Yard Movement" for Christmas

With a near inexhaustible list of major-league A-list credits - from the late Natalie Cole to the ageless Tony Bennett, an annual Jazz festival named after him in Maryland since 2010, and a listing in the Top 5 of Hal Leonard's 50 Greatest Jazz Pianists of all Time(2005), Monty Alexander might be forgiven for not being seen more often in his homeland.

But a decade-long wait comes to an end next month as Alexander, with is critically-acclaimed fusion project, The Harlem-Kingston Express, rolls into Kingston - on Dec 11 - in  benefit concert titled "Home For Christmas" in aid of the Global Giving Programme of the university of the West Indies. The show unfolds at the Jamaica Pegasus beginning at 7:00pm. The performance is under the Patronage of former Jamaican Prime Minister P J Patterson, who as former manager of the legendary Skatalites is certainly familiar with Alexander's oeuvre and development, and UWI Vice-Chancellor, Sir Hilary Beckles.

The affable and often effervescent pianist will continue his genre-bending explorations of the sounds of  his beloved homeland (mento, ska and reggae) and the swing stylings that established him in the US and caught the pleased ear of "Chairman of the Board" the late Frank Sinatra, who in turn was instrumental in  getting Alexander residency in America.

Of course, no one venue or event could contain the pianist's vast and still-growing discography, but patrons can expect him to expertly weave through his myriad associations - including a variety of combos with iconic Jamaican guitarist Ernie Ranglin and longtime trio partners Hassan Shakur (bass) and Herlin Riley (drums) as well as reggae stalwarts Glenn Browne and Courtney Panton.

Tickets are J$10,000, and outlets will be announced shortly.

Live Music: Musical Minds Meet, reunite at the Alibi

Often when bands have a "reunion" its on the back end of an either acrimonious or mystifying break-up.

But, while there may have been a definite sense of surprise, there was nothing but joy when bassist Paul "Smiley" Madden and drummer Neison Hardy (the latter now working out of the T.O joined keyboard ace Ozuoune last Wednesday night for the regular - yet never routine "Jazz and Cocktails" session.

The three rekindled memories of heady nights at a another notable Kingston lounge - Christopher's Jazz Cafe - where they had their genesis as P (Paul) O (Ozuoune) and N(Neison) Fyah, with a typically scintillating run.

The current PON Fyah line up -  Carlton Jarrett on bass and a rejuvenated Junior "Bird" Baillie on drums was also on hand, as was drummer Richardo, who spelled Bird while the latter recuperated from illness earlier this year.

the night's entertainment also included a performance from Linstead reggae collective Cologne and the Cornerstone Family, promoting their CD release, "Countryside".

The Jam session happens every Wednesday, beginning around 7:30 and going till about 11pm, with recorded favourites before and after.

No Cover, donations for the band gladly accepted. Emcee: Michael A. D. Edwards

Music: for Bob Marley's band, "Everywhere is War"

ARAM SINNREICH

09.18.16 12:01 AM ET

Bob Marley spent his brief, extraordinary life promoting peace, unity, and the Rastafarian ideal of “one love.” His family and former band members have been at each other’s throats ever since.

The latest installment in a long line of legal and public relations battles over Marley’s life and work comes in the form of an acrimonious legal dispute for the rights to the name The Wailers, originally used in 1963 for Marley’s own band. Though Marley succumbed to cancer in 1981 and his Wailers co-founder Peter Tosh was murdered a few years later, the third original member of the group, Bunny Wailer, continues to tour to this day.

The present dispute has nothing to do with Bunny Wailer, however. Instead, it’s a “bakkle” with several members of Marley’s mid-1970s backing band. On one side: bassist Aston “Family Man” Barrett and guitarist Al Anderson; on the other: a touring group called The Wailers, which has been playing Marley’s music with a rotating set of members for decades.

Until a few months ago, Barrett himself was a member of what he now calls “the sham Wailers.” They maintain a healthy touring schedule, playing about 200 shows a year to sizeable audiences around the world, according to their official bio. Barrett was the last member of that touring band to have actually played with Bob Marley, and now that they’ve parted ways, he and his fellow plaintiffs argue that the band has no right to continue using the Wailers name.

Disputes over popular and profitable band names are as old as the recording industry itself, from classic groups like The Drifters to rock-era titans like The Doors to more recent examples like LMFAO and One Direction. These cases can often get nasty, to the point where the legal battle does more to tarnish the band’s image than any half-assed greatest hits tour possibly could. Take the case of the Beach Boys. When the band announced its 50th Reunion Tour in 2012, singer  Mike Love let his cousin and bandmate Brian Wilson know he wouldn’t be invited by releasing the news to the press. Even the name The Wailers has been the subject of past disputes; a decade ago, Barrett and his bandmates successfully defended a suit by members of a Seattle group with the same name founded in 1959.

What makes this case strange isn’t the what; it’s the how. Band names are too short to copyright, and too useless to patent, so typically they are protected via trademark—the same species of intellectual property that keeps Starbucks, Gucci and The New York Yankees safe from counterfeiters and wannabees. Yet neither party in this case owns the trademark to The Wailers, and a brief review of public records shows that, in fact, nobody does.

Bob Marley’s estate, which operates through a company called 56 Hope Road Music, owns a trademark for recordings and apparel using the name “Bob Marley and The Wailers,” but that’s not quite the same thing. Everyone on the planet knows that Bob Marley has joined the great jam session in the sky, so there’s little chance that someone might buy a ticket to see The Wailers expecting to see him chanting down Babylon in person. Without a “likelihood of confusion,” there are no grounds for a trademark infringement case—which probably explains why the Marley family itself hasn’t stopped The Wailers from touring under the name. Similarly, guitarist Al Anderson, a plaintiff in the current case, holds a trademark for “The Original Wailers Featuring Al Anderson,” but that’s a pretty specific mouthful, and therefore unlikely to hold up as protection against the use of the far more general name “The Wailers.”

Without a trademark to dispute, the plaintiffs in the present case have resorted to an amalgam of state laws as the basis for their suit, which was filed in Virginia. These include the right of publicity (using Barrett’s name and likeness without permission in marketing materials), unjust enrichment (making money at the expense of other parties), and defrauding the public (creating false expectations regarding the band’s personnel). Each of these arguments likely has its merits, although Barrett’s name and likeness no longer appear on the band’s site at Wailers.com, except for a brief note clarifying that he no longer has any affiliation with the band.

Yet the legal whole is less than the sum of its parts; in the words of veteran New York intellectual property attorney Mark Kaufman, the legal strategy “sure sounds like a way to try and circumvent federal trademark law.” In other words, Barrett and company are effectively trying to protect a trademark that doesn’t exist, by cobbling together a bunch of claims under state laws whose consequences might approximate the federal one they’re avoiding. To put it even more simply: They seem to be trying to shut down (or at least rename) The Wailers by any means necessary.

While the plaintiffs’ legal claims might be tenuous, their moral footing is on firmer ground—at least, in the eyes of some educated observers. That’s because this case is about more than simply whose name appears next to an entry in the federal trademark database, or whether consumers can reasonably expect to see the same personnel that appeared on a 40-year-old album when they buy a ticket to see a concert.

What’s really at issue in this case is a larger philosophical question: who deserves the credit for a great cultural legacy, and who should participate in its continuing financial and reputational success? In our culture, we celebrate individual achievement. Visionaries from Thomas Edison to Steve Jobs have been hailed as uniquely gifted wunderkinds, revolutionizing technology, business and culture through sheer force of will and radical imagination. Our legal systems reflect this bias; copyright depends on the existence of anauthor, and patent requires an inventor. Anything else is just considered “folklore” or “common knowledge.” In reality, of course, for every titan of industry and great artist we celebrate, there are dozens, hundreds or even thousands of nameless contributors without whom the invention or artwork in question could never have come to fruition.

Bob Marley’s music is no exception to this rule, and of all the under-appreciated contributors to his work, perhaps the one most deserving of recognition and remuneration is Aston Barrett.

“Family Man’s iconic sound was a huge part of The Wailers’ appeal,” says Vivien Goldman, Bob Marley’s first biographer and currently a professor at NYU. She should know; Goldman was in the studio with Marley, Barrett, and the rest of The Wailers when they recorded the album Exodus, which includes bass-driven classics such as “Natural Mystic” and “Jamming.”  Therefore, she says, “what Family Man wants, Family Man should get.” Goldman points to Barrett’s losing battle against the Marley estate in 2006 for a percentage of the lucrative royalties to his recordings as evidence that he is still due a share of the spoils for his share of the work. In fact, Goldman says that Barrett should be credited on nearly even footing with Marley himself as the architect of the sound that continues to bring positive vibrations to reggae lovers from Kauai to Karachi.

“I know how Bob completely relied on Family Man through the whole arc of their music together,” she recalls. “Bob would have wanted Fam to participate in his legacy.”

Whether the courts agree with this assessment remains to be seen. After a hearing in Virginia Beach Circuit Court on August 31^st, the case remains open. In the meantime, Bunny Wailer, The Wailers and The Original Wailers Featuring Al Anderson (recently redubbed The Wailers Reunited, and featuring Aston Barrett on bass) all continue to perform widely, each group bringing its own take on Marley’s musical legacy to festival and club audiences around the world.

With any luck, Barrett and The Wailers will resolve their differences amicably, and there will be no more trouble marring Marley’s musical memory. 

Like the man said, time will tell. 

Entertainment: HIGH VIBES SET FOR US LABOUR DAY WEEKEND

Kingston, Jamaica,  – If all goes as planned, Jamaica looks to welcome the inaugural High Vibes Roots & Reggae Festival, the first of its kind in the Caribbean, at the Aqueduct in Montego Bay on US Labour Day weekend, September 3 and 4. Patrons will have the chance to experience the heart and soul of reggae music while learning about the pivotal role that cannabis has played in the birth of the Rastafarian religion and lifestyle. This two-day festival promises to deliver an exciting weekend celebrating Rastafarian culture, roots and reggae, featuring first class music events and stage shows alongside an unbeatable vendor exhibition, delectable culinary experience and the very finest cannabis.

Many may ask why another music festival? High Vibes Roots and Reggae Festival is different in its focus, it brings a first-class line up of the very best in reggae music like Kymani Marley, Beenie Man, Lee Scratch Perry and Emch Subatomic to name a few.There will be the best Ital cuisine along with exquisite global specialties, top wholesalers, growers and retailers, locally and internationally, along with interaction with the international cannabis movers and shakers as well as VIP service for an unforgettable elevated experience.  High Vibes Jamaica organizers have gone a step further to make the experience amazing and more convenient to enjoy by providing affordable accommodation packages in top class hotels with a range of budget options.

According to Douglas Gordon of High Vibes Jamaica, the island’s Marijuana Laws are finally being amended and have been relaxed in a number of areas. “These changes have opened up new avenues for us to create events that will attract many people who identify and embrace the Jamaican and Rastafarian culture,” Gordon said.

“High Vibes Roots and Reggae Festival goes beyond a live music experience; it will certainly be entertaining but it will also be educational as we want to share all aspects of Rastafarian culture and not limit our showcase to just the music.  We want to share the food, craftsmanship and the basic knowledge about Jamaican culture for the patrons to get an ultimate festival experience, in the heart of reggae music.” Gordon explained.

The exhibition space at the Festival is designed to keep patrons flowing through the event from the time it starts all the way to when the concerts end.  High Vibes Jamaica hopes to deliver to Montego Bay a music festival with the potential to grow and benefit the local economy. There will be a limit to the number of booths in each line of business to maximize the benefit to the exhibitors and patrons, with exhibition packages, sponsorship opportunities and partnerships that will be tailored to meet business objectives and budget.

“As a High Vibes Jamaica partner, you will reach a passionate and defined niche in a booming industry and benefit from our interactive and far-reaching pre-event marketing campaign. We hope to capture first hand some of the elements of the local reggae entertainment and music landscape and share that with the world,” he added.

High Vibes Jamaica will showcase another aspect of the Jamaican cultural experience and will impact the economy positively.

-End-

Live Music: NESBETH, SPARROW, KEN BOOTHE STANDOUT PERFORMERS AT ORACABESSA FESTIVAL

New York: Reggae's newest music sensation Nesbeth, who was given the herculean task of bringing the curtain down on the third annual Oracabessa Festival on Memorial Monday at Roy Wilkins Park in New York, not only proved equal to the task but had patrons singing along to songs from his growing catalogue of hits.

Assuming command of the stage Nesbeth brought the house down in what was his first major performance in the tri-state area. Born Greg Nesbeth, the artisit had his biggest moment when he delivered "My Dream”, arguably one of the most globally recognized reggae songs for 2016. Released last October, 'My Dream' was an anthem during the 2016 political campaign in Jamaica and was enthusiastically received by patrons at the NY festival.

“The song connected with young and older patrons" event producer Bobby Clarke said backstage. "I am extremely proud of his performance here today. It is artists of this calibre that we need to be pushing to the forefront" Clarke noted.

Soca king Mighty Sparrow displayed stunning vocal range while performing favorites Jean & Dinah, May May, Mister Walker, and Melda. Ken Boothe did not disappoint and demonstrated why he is still one of the best in the business, engaging fans with Artibella, When I Fall In Love, The Girl I Left Behind and The Train Is Coming.

Internet sensation Gully Bop and Sting clash-King Kip Rich both entertained during their impromptu performances. Little Hero, NJ based reggae DJ Dr Love, Barbie, Pastor's Son, Natalie Evans, Kukudo and The St John's United Methodist Divinity Dancers were also well received.

Apart from the music that the main stage offered, organizers included comedy with Andrea 'Delcita' Wright and the cast of Border Patrol which was happening for the first time at an out outdoor music festival in NYC. Other attractions included a Kids Amusement Area, Business Expo, Health Pavilion and Arts & Craft.

Caribbean Heritage Awards were present to Mighty Sparrow, radio host Gil Bailey and posthumously to Jimmy Riley who performed at last year's Oracabessa Festival. Lavern Tatham, mother of singer Tarrus Riley accepted on behalf of Jimmy Riley.

While providing great entertainment for the bumper crowd in attendance, the annual family festival was not without some controversy, as toward the end dancehall DJs Super Cat and Mavado both delivered expletive laced performances. Mavado, who took the stage after 6pm, was having a great performance until he began to express dissatisfaction with the band. This resulted in the artist delivering a slew of expletives, to which patrons took offense. His behavior marred what could have been a career defining performance at Roy Wilkins Park.

Veteran DJ Super Cat, who had not performed at a major outdoor event in NY in over 15 years, gave event host Dubb Master a tongue lashing for trying to move the show along. Dubb Master, acting on instructions from his management team and the NYPD to bring the show to a close after the 8pm cut off time had passed, showed class and professionalism in his handling of the situation. Avoiding a verbal tussle with Super Cat, Dubb Master took the high road and thanked Cat for his performance before inviting Nesbeth on stage who seized the opportunity to stamp his class during his short performance.

"We are truly appalled at the unexpected display by Mavado and Super Cat at our family friendly festival. We have since met with our production team and some of our sponsors and have apologized to them and our radio listeners for what transpired. There is a 'no cuss word' clause in all our contracts, which was clearly violated. For 2017, we will have to be even more prudent with decisions concerning the dancehall acts that we engage, so as not to have a repeat of this unfortunate event at our festival" Clarke said.

Oracabessa 2016 was an event to remember and the Irie Jam team should feel proud for having delivered a first class presentation, despite the minor hitches. Weather forecasters had predicted a 90% chance of rain all day, but the organizers seem to have connections to a higher authority as the weather held. In fact the sun pierced the clouds at various times throughout the day for what turned out to be a wonderful day of Caribbean entertainment in the Big Apple.

Muisc: Ju-Ju [Marley] hits the road in the UK this summer

Jamaican reggae star Julian “Ju Ju” Marley announced his first ever UK tour with full live

band. The tour dates are set between August 16 and 21, 2016.

Punch touring is bringing the internationally acclaimed roots reggae superstar Julian Ju Ju Marley to the UK THIS August for his first nationwide tour. Grammy nominated Marley will play hits like Boom Draw, Systems, Lemme Go and violence in the streets, complete with his full band and support from Jamaican roots artist Iba Mahr.

Julian is the son of international music legend Bob Marley and along with brothers, Ziggy, Stephen and Damian he has continued his fathers legacy with quality music and energetic live shows which has seen the message of reggae being pushed to the four corners of the world.

Punch CEO Ammo Talwar MBE says “Julian Marley has many modern musical influences, but has in his heart the authentic roots reggae sound that his father made world famous. This will be an unmissable tour for fans of conscious reggae and those wanting to see real reggae royalty live on stage.

Live Music: Get Festive! Choosing the region's best music festivals

Take your pick from jazz and blues to techno, reggae and soul and you’ll find a music festival in the Caribbean that will keep your toes tapping and your hips swaying.  Check out our musical calendar and snag a front row seat at the Caribbean’s longest running jazz festival in St. Lucia, get groovy to soul sounds on the beach in Aruba, blues on the beach in Nevis and rock all night to a reggae beat in Jamaica.

What started as a single show to celebrate the January 15 birthday of reggae homegrown hero Patrick ‘Tony Rebel’ Barrett has morphed into a mainstay on the Jamaican music calendar. For two days — January 15 and 16 — Rebel Salute honors roots and reggae at the Plantation Cove in St. Ann. With a nod to the Rastafarian lifestyle, the no meat and no alcohol policy makes the festival family-friendly with food vendors dishing up vegetarian options to music fans of all ages. On the bill this year are old-school reggae singer Johnny Clarke and boy band Inner Circle. Sponsored by the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association, fans honor Bob Marley’s February 6 birthday with a month-long series of celebrations and concerts at Reggae Village at Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre on Hope Road in Kingston: the heart and soul of reggae and the city where Marley was born.

Brand new on the music scene, SXMusic is the island's first electronic music festival from March 9 – 13. Named for the three-letter airport code (SXM) of the Princess Juliana International Airport, performances take place at a host of venues on both sides of the island like Kontiki Beach, Loterie Farm, Port De Plaisance Country Club and Le Dreams Beach Bar. The five-day fest impresses with an international lineup like Welsh DJ Jamie Jones and Cuban-born electronic spinner Maceo Plex to Dubfire, Iranian-American Grammy winning techno disc jockey and record producer. To be seen, the hip and happening head to after-parties on the beach, in lavish villas and on super yachts that keep the vibe all night long.

 big festival on the small island with miles of pink sandy beaches, 'Eleuthera…All that Jazz' is music for a good cause with profits from ticket sales donated  to the Haynes Library. From March 30 — April 3, the festival is a beacon for global artists like jazz singer Gabrielle Stravelli adored for her unique take on American greats like Duke Ellington and Dolly Parton, American pianist and composer Art Hirahara whose latest recording Libations & Meditations is taking the jazz world by storm and New York’s King Solomon Hicks packing his jazzy guitar sounds to the good time festival. Venues include the Rainbow Inn in Governor’s Harbour, St Patrick’s Church and on the final evening, musical jam session at the Fish Fry in Anchor Bay is a free show from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

With St Kitts in view across the channel, The Nevis Blues Festival is center stage on the coconut-lined beach at Oualie Bay from April 14 — 16.  The best soul, funk and yes, the blues heat up the festival that was so popular last year, it’s making a comeback in 2016. Gates open at 7 p.m. with no more than 1200 music fans let in each night. On the bill, British bluesman Ian Siegel, American guitarist Kirk Fletcher acclaimed for his cool riffs, Belfast-born singer Simon McBride and the bluesy Rhythm Chiefs from the Netherlands. With roots in Nevis, Denise Gordon has performed her brand of gospel for the Queen and making music with long hollow pipes; Sugar Hill String Band is fun for the whole family. Single tickets are priced at USD$45 while a VIP ticket at USD$150 ups the ante with reserved seating for dining and plenty of fine wine sipping.

hat started more than a quarter century ago as an intimate jam session on the beach is now the longest running independent music festival in the Eastern Caribbean and the hottest ticket on the island. From April 21 — 24, Moonsplash is beach reggae greatness at the Dune Preserve Beach Bar that is cobbled together from battered coconut trees and old shipwrecks. On the sand at Rendezvous Bay, the beach blowout at the beach bar is hosted by reggae hero Bankie Banx and is a showcase for international reggae artists, a proving ground for new talent and a musical reunion of many of reggae’s finest. Tickets sell out early as the 2016 lineup is announced closer to show time.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the longest running jazz festival in the Caribbean. Spanning nine days from April 29 — May 8, St. Lucia Jazz attracts thousands to shows performed by more than 50 acoustic, fusion and new age jazz artists from the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and the U.S. With the dramatic Piton peaks in view from virtually everywhere on the island, stages are set up at 15 venues from picturesque Pigeon Island, Derek Walcott Square (named for the island's Nobel Prize winning poet), Fond D’Or Heritage Park and even the down-home fishing village called Gros Islet. Be sure to check out side shows like Sulphur Springs Jazz at the world’s only drive-in-volcano and Jazz Rhythms at Rodney Bay Mall.

A host of festivals keeps Curacao rocking all year long, with the International Blue Seas Festivalleading the pack from May 6 — 7.  With stages in the laid-back neighborhood near Willemstadcalled the Pietermaai District with its centuries-old mansions and funky bars and restaurants, performers taking the stage include Rock and Roll Hall of Fame great Leon Russell and California-based Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real and their infectious cowboy hippie surf sounds. Book your tickets early for the Curacao North Sea Jazz Festival September 1 — 3 at the World Trade Center near Piscadera Bay in Willemstad. This year marks the seventh year for this popular festival, with crowd-pleasing performers like the Dominican ‘King of Merengue’ Juan Luis Guerraand the Zouk band Kassav from Guadeloupe belting out their get-up-on-your-feet brand of carnival music.

Music: Everton "Blends In" China

from Jamaicans.com 

Roots reggae singer Everton Blender (left) returned home recently following a set of successful performances in China, where he represented Jamaica at the Caribbean Music Festival in the Chinese capital of Beijing,

The award winning Reggae artist was included in a diverse group of musicians selected from the Caribbean to represent their individual countries at the Latin America and Caribbean Music Festival. Other nations represented included; Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Panama, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

“It was a really good experience especially being my first time performing in China, i received a warm welcome from the locals, and there were even Jamaicans in the crowd as well. There was an interpreter on the stage so I even sang some of my lyrics in Chinese much to the delight of my Beijing fans!” Blender shared.

Taking place over 4 days, from April 30 until May 3, the festival was staged at the Rose Bud in Beijing China and was geared at promoting cultural cooperation and creating opportunities for enhanced exchanges between China and the Caribbean.

Organized by the Ministry of Culture of China in collaboration with the embassies of the participating countries; the music festival is also part of the China-Latin America and Caribbean Year of Culture Exchange proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Performers also included Barbadian Billboard-charting artist Rupee, Grenadian soca artist Mr Killa Panamanian reggaeton artist David L, Trinidadian soca diva Lil Bitts, and 11 other bands from 15 Caribbean and Latin countries, offering fans multiple reggae, soca, rock and folk music performances.

According to Caribbean Entertainment (CE), the artist booking agency that provided the festival’s featured performers, the successful first staging will undoubtedly mean continuity and expansion of this cultural exchange  activity going forward.

“The music festival provided not only opportunities for cultural exchange but a stage for our Caribbean artists to showcase their amazing talent to a virtually untapped Asian market.” Added Brad Hemmings, CEO of Florida based Caribbean Entertainment Booking Agency.

Apart from performances at various venues throughout Beijing, including the Beihang University, Everton Blender also had the opportunity to visit some of the country’s iconic sites including the Great Wall of China.

The artiste and his team are currently working on some “re-blending” and remixing of his classic singles and should be ready for a new release in a matter of days. He will also be performing at the “Indiana Reggae Jam Music Festival” in Indiana on August 20, 2016.

Read more: http://jamaicans.com/everton-blender-represents-jamaica-in-beijing-

Culture: The IOJ, Where Jamaican Culture Lives

As the cultural repository for Jamaica, the IOJ encourages Literature Science and Art through our many themed exhibitions with the aid of our friendly and knowledgeable tour guides. 

Currently the Institute of Jamaica h five (5) major exhibitions: 

• Historical Exhibition: Come see the archaeological evidence and portrayal of the lives of the Taino people (once referred to as the Arawaks), whom Christopher Columbus first encountered in Jamaica in 1494. The “Taino Exhibition” is a must see!

•  Cultural Exhibition: In the “Rastafari Exhibition”, explore how a faith emerged in Jamaica as a liberation movement that has become a worldwide phenomenon, often associated with the likes of Bob Marley in the international community. Using historic objects, images, installations and interviews “Rastafari” brings to life the story, of a unique cultural group, its beliefs and practices.

• Historical Exhibition:  Take a step back in time to the “Uprising: Morant Bay 1865” which explores the post emancipation rebellion, led by Jamaica’s national heroes, Paul Bogle and George William Gordon.  The exhibition explores what led to the tragic events of October 1865, using remarkable images, original artifacts, social media, newspapers and multimedia presentations to tell its story.   

• Art Exhibition:  The “National Exhibition for Art & Craft in Schools”, showcases the artistic talents of Jamaican high school in categories such as painting, leather craft ,  fabric work, sculpture, jewellery-making, and drawing. An inspiring presentation that displays the skill of our nation’s students!

• Music Exhibition:  This exhibition themed “Curating Music: Building a National Collection”showcases musical artifacts and instruments that were donated by musical greats such as Ernie Smith, and the Jolly Boys, the Skatalites, Sly and Robbie.  This exhibition is perfect for lovers of music and culture!

Book your tour today, by contacting Georgette Francis, Programmes Manager, Programmes Coordination Division at 922 – 0620, exts: 284 / 350, #312-9486 or emailgfrancis@juniorcentre-ioj.org.jm.

Music: Lefsetz "catches Fire" with Bob

Outspoken music commentator Bob Lefsetz recaps his slow burn to appreciating the music of Reggae King Bob Marley in this latest instalment of his letter


I heard this today on No Shoes Radio, Kenny Chesney's Sirius station that for some reason I can only get on my XM receiver but not my Sirius one. It's channel 62, I caught the press release somewhere and tuned in, I LOVE IT!

People's sensibilities are wider than the narrow channels programmers put them in. And listening to No Shoes you'll hear stuff as varied as "Paradise City," Bryan Adams, Pete Yorn, live Chesney takes and this.

Off of "Natty Dread," Marley's third album on Island and the third to mean absolutely nothing in America.

I had no idea how to pronounce it. Reg-GAY, like man on man love, or Reg-GIE, like the guy in the Archie comic books? And how would I know otherwise, I was living in a cultural black hole, Middlebury, Vermont, in the seventies, when we only got one snowy TV channel, never mind any FM radio other than the college station. No, I learned about Bob Marley and the Wailers, about reggae, in the press.

And there was a big campaign. I remember reading a story about reggae in the library. That's where you went to study, your own room was reserved for fun, and writing papers. Actually, you only went to the library freshman year, because then you realized it was a social scene, and if you actually wanted to get any work done you were better off claiming a classroom, they were plentiful and empty at night, I'd climb the stairs in Munroe Hall and have a space unto myself.

But if you wanted to read magazines, you had to go to the library. I'd sit in a carrel and catch up on popular culture, back before Google, before 24 hour TV news, before information was plentiful, when you depended upon "Time" and "Newsweek" to catch you up.

It was like looking through a telescope. Out there somewhere was a scene and I was not a part of it.

I didn't buy "Catch A Fire," which was a mistake, because shortly after release they changed the cover, it no longer opened in imitation of a lighter, it didn't move at all. You had to buy vinyl early, to get the disc in color, to get the gatefold cover, as time went on the label would want to save money and you could no longer get the original.

But I bought "Burnin'" and didn't understand it whatsoever.

You see there was a whole scene, with no radio airplay whatsoever, there was no frame of reference, I dropped the needle and just didn't get it.

But I kept buying and not understanding, until the release of "Live!," which finally captured the energy, all those tracks buried in studio production suddenly made sense. "Trenchtown Rock" taught me when the music hits you feel no pain. And despite still receiving no airplay, I now got it, I danced around the apartment with my hands in the air, that's the power of the sound.

And the fourth track in that 1975 Lyceum show was "Lively Up Yourself." But this iteration was totally different from the studio take I'd previously been unable to understand. The downbeat was deeper, Marley was unconstricted, he was closing the audience one by one, but didn't need their energy to display his, he was on fire.

That's right, Bob Marley & The Wailers had finally caught fire.

Most radio still missed it. There were no AM hits. What youngsters can't fathom today is the hit was irrelevant, if you listened to Top Forty you were out of it, all the action was over on FM, on the AORs, and although there were pockets of adherence, radio was still local, you never heard reggae in L.A.

But the tour buzz became deafening. Kinda like today's EDM shows. But instead of ecstasy it was all about the spliff, the marijuana, not the knock you over your head make you comatose stuff of today, sensimilla had just started to make inroads, but dope that made you high and instead of putting you to sleep made you want to experience the joy.

The English had always loved reggae. It had broken there earlier in the decade. But despite "My Boy Lollipop" being a smash here in the sixties, despite Johnny Nash having a big hit with the incredible cut in Jamaica "I Can See Clearly Now," despite "The Harder They Come" playing for over a year in cinemas, most people were clueless as to Bob Marley.

And then he died.

And soon everybody knew. It took people that long to catch on. Kinda like punk. Just when it looked like it was gonna fail, it was gigantic.

"You're gonna lively up yourself and don't be no drag"

It's noon. I'm on the 405. It's the studio version. But I'm immediately enraptured, I'm reminded of when the sound was enough.

"You lively up yourself for reggae is another bag"

We didn't go to the show for the production, certainly not to take photos, although as time wore on we wanted to be seen.

But home was a disaster, those who stayed in their residence were losers. It was all about going out, until broadband and Netflix and everything was reversed.

The movies were a religion.

Food was burgeoning, certainly in the metropolis.

And everybody went to the show.

Unlike today, you knew who was in town. Radio promoted the concerts, the paper listed them all, you lined up for tickets and if the act was famous you had a hard time getting in, if they were not you could see them up close and personal.

And it was all about the sound. It infected us. It made us move our feet, twist our bodies, love our brethren, all in thrall to the ringmasters on stage.

It was a religious experience.

"You rock so, you rock so"

Like you always did before.

MTV made it about what you saw as opposed to what you heard. No talents like J. Lo could have whole careers. Studio trickery could make anybody a star.

But there's still room for a band that can lay down in the groove and penetrate people's souls.

That's why people went to Fare Thee Well, it's what the Dead ethos is built upon.

But Bob Marley was for black and white, for everybody, he took this narrow sound and made it universal. Took a long damn time, but the sound has never died. You hear that reggae beat and your mood changes, your body starts to dip, you cast aside your everyday life and you move closer to the flame. Burnin' from an era when the earth was not run by nerds, but the cool people, who were more about feeling than bucks, who wanted to live a life far from the corporations, one based on instinct, exploration and communication.

You've got to lively up yourself.

Don't be no drag.

P.S. Later this afternoon I heard Busy Signal's reggae version of Phil Collins's "One More Night" on No Shoes Radio. Check it out, I'd never heard it before, the reggae beat adds a whole 'nother flavor: http://spoti.fi/1rV3yWw


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