Shakira shows off body work

Bearing in mind that she has sold 25 million albums, last night’s invitation-only showcase by Colombian Shakira was probably the smallest concert she has played for years. But if she thought playing to a mere 400 people was beneath her, it didn’t show, as she pranced, wiggled and roared her way through a spirited set.

Looking and acting younger than her 28 years, she glowed with vitality and confidence as she opened with Costume, which set out an unashamedly Colombian stall. At times, during this track and also on the brilliant Underneath Your Clothes, there were points where her voice sounded rather strangulated on the high notes, and one suspects that a pre-recorded vocal track was backing her up during some of the more challenging phrases. Nonetheless, her overall showmanship was superb.

Music boss guilty of drug trafficking

Reggaemusic executive Horatio Hamilton had been found guilty of conspiring to traffic in more than a ton of marijuana a week for seven years, US federal court officials said.

Hamilton, president of L.O.Y. (Lords of Yard) Inc, a production company specialising in reggae which participated in reggae hit Chi Chi Man by T.O.K., faces a mandatory 20 years in prison and could face life.

This great calypso sin

So, as I was saying yesterday, Valentino has made his ouster from the Dimache Gras finals, even after he sang “Where Calypso Went” (the lyrics of which I published in the same column), something of a cause celebre among the calypso fraternity, and I won’t be surprised if it now becomes one within the wider society, given the airplay he is getting on Radio Trinbago and the page-play he is getting here, the writer empathising with Valentino, not necessarily on the basis of his calypsoes-of-the-moment-though there are those-but because he may be getting the short end of the calypso stick, perhaps because his is a softer sound searching for space among the hard-edged singers.

Like father, like daughter

Queen Ifrika plants her musical roots

Being the daughter of Jamaican ska and rock music icon Derrick Morgan has opened doors for Queen Ifrika in the music industry. “‘Everywhere I go, I am recognised as his daughter. People like the fact that I chose the cultural direction in terms of the kind of material that I offer to the fans,” Queen Ifrika said recently.

Rocking to reggae

It’s just his second visit to India, but Shaggy believes he’s got “curries in his bones”. The man who was named after the character in Scooby-Doo is in the country for the non-stop 12-hour Channel [V] concert in Mumbai on Sunday.

The last time the reggae king was here was in 1996, but these two trips have been enough for Shaggy to check out many things Indian. “It’s a very, very nice place,” he says in characteristic Jamaican accent, on gig-eve.

Reggaetón igniting

This new multiculti musical mix of Latino salsa, reggae dancehall and hip-hop is “not a fad,” says a hitmaker, “it’s a subculture.”

From the Lambada to “Livin’ la Vida Loca,” American pop music is dotted with hotly hyped Latin crossover successes that were supposed to remake the mainstream in their multicultural image… Is reggaetón any different?

Banning the beeps

“Gal, buss Smokehave fun”

So goes the chorus of Busy Signal’s monster dancehall hit song Step Out. On radio, beeps would substitute for the words obviously edited in print.

However, one local radio station has made a decision that might affect how artistes like Busy Signal’s edited songs are played – or not played.

Artistes get behind new Sunsplash

As plans for the revival of the Reggae Sunsplash festival continue to consolidate, several reggae/dancehall stars have already confirmed their presence at the event.

Entertainers laud Timeless efforts

Barbadian entertainers who received awards at the Barbados Music Awards (BMA), lauded the efforts of Timeless Barbados Entertainment Agency (TBEA) for giving them the long overdue respect and recognition for their work in the entertainment industry.

They especially commended the Director of TBEA Ronnie Morris for a well put together show and at the after show press conference made several comments. Showtime brings to you some of the artistes comments and wishes, which were expressed on Sunday night.

Half Pint’s remixed project due in March

Its been almost five years that singer Half Pint scored a hit on local shores. His last hit was Suzie on producer Michael Johnson’s Lion Paw label, released in 2001. That label scored big with Luciano’s Come Away and Run Free by LUST among others.

Half Pint who rocked the charts in the mid to late 1980s and early 1990s with songs including Substitute Lover, Greetings, Winsome, One Big Family and others, is releasing a remixed project sometime in March. The project is an album of remakes and remixes of some of Pint’s better known songs and hits, done with hip hop and R&B artistes.