Melody Maker

Evidently proud of his Grammy award-winning album Love is My Religion, the popular Jamaican artist has been touring with the album ever since its 2006 release. But attendees of his forthcoming show won’t only be treated to performances of his solo hits. With 2007 marking the 30th anniversary of the release of Bob Marley’s legendary album Exodus, Ziggy – Bob’s eldest son – will also incorporate some of his father’s songs into his set. The singer, songwriter, producer, musician and father-of-five was in laid-back mode as he reflected on his favourite aspect of being a music artist.

Rasta Fidel

A descendant of Angola’s slaves, Fidel Nadal was born in Argentina and began his music career during the mid-80s, while listening to the music of Peter Tosh, Bob Marley and the Skatalites. Reggae became his number one musical influence, shaping his own sound when he became an artiste.

Dancehall dares to care

After deejay Sanjay had ended his first song at the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts, UWI, Mona, on Wednesday evening, promising to be “a man of my word”, he paused to say thanks for being invited to perform. “As dancehall artistes, sometime we spend so much time and sing so much frivolity, it is good to be part of something that you can deal with – something substantial,” he said.

Band Camp 5

Now in its fifth year, BAMP Project’s “Band Camp” has established itself as the primary annual showcase for alternative bands on Oahu. This year, however, the concert makes a crossover of sorts with the inclusion of Jewish reggae artist Matisyahu. The 27-year-old started his career with “Shake off the Dust … Arise” in 2004, but it wasn’t until the live album “Live at Stubb’s” dropped in 2005 that audiences around the country began to take notice.

Dancehall reggae singer connects with audience

Capleton, one of the veterans of the dancehall reggae tradition that produced hip-hop crossover Sean Paul, is big enough to book a show at 1,000-capacity theaters — not small potatoes for a genre that isn’t exactly mainstream. Fresh off a number of East-Coast shows and a six-week tour of Europe, he spoke as he traveled between Virginia and Washington, D.C., heading to Columbus.

Japanese Pushim records her sixth album in Jamaica

Ever since the Japanese discovered reggae through Bob Marley in the 1970s, Jamaican popular music has retained a strong following in that Asian country. Despite producing a number of home-grown reggae acts, Japan is yet to deliver a reggae performer who has had a major impact in Jamaica. Pushim, a singer dubbed ‘Queen of Japanese Reggae’, is the latest hopeful from the land of geishas and kimonos eyeing a Jamaican breakthrough.

Banned – TOK’s Don’t You Cry ripped from airwaves

International dancehall group TOK has recently learnt that a ban has been placed on one of their latest singles titled ‘Don’t You Cry’. “They just banned yet another song off the airwaves. The song is produced by Shane Brown on his new rhythm called No Fear,”

Jamaican-born singer Sean Kingston cracks the Billboard charts

Sean Kingston is making strides on the Billboard charts with his debut single, Beautiful Girls. The song has jumped from number 57 to number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100. Kingston, a 17-year-old who migrated from Jamaica to Miami brings his very unique triple threat of talent of rapping, reggae chanting and soulful harmonisation to the musical game. He is the first artiste signed to producer JR Rotem’s Beluga Heights label.

Capleton: Jamaican dancehall artist spits fire

Capleton, one of the veterans of the dancehall reggae tradition that produced hip-hop crossover Sean Paul, is big enough to book a show at 1,000-capacity theaters – not small potatoes for a genre that isn’t exactly mainstream, no matter how many times you put “Buffalo Soldier” on repeat…

Pamputtae’s day to shine

For many, the slang, ‘Pamputtae’ is actually quite popular in dancehall circles. However, not many persons might be familiar with the originator, Eveana Henry, who has now been making a name for herself in dancehall circles. “Pamputtae is a slang, but is also my name, because people just call mi suh tru mi sey it, but people really know mi as Buju Fabulous,”