On Tuesday reggae-rock songstress Tessanne Chin released her debut album In Between Words, Saturday Hustle grooves to some of our favourite tracks from the singer.
Black Books – This song, first performed when Chin was the lead singer of the band Mile High, features a fusion of heavy metal, reggae and alternative. Add to that fusion cool lyrics and the result is a wicked club-banger.
The Mighty Diamonds, the golden age of country and Nashville’s reggae gap
If, for some tragic and unforeseen reason, Karl Dean were to lose his ever-loving mind and appoint me to his music council as some Chaplin-esque dictator-for-life, my very first order of business would be addressing Nashville’s “reggae gap.”
Despite being able to find just about any hyphen-heavy genre of music one could hope to find playing in any given number of clubs on any given Saturday — gospel-core, trad-noise, chamberstep, what have you — the genre that, at least in this author’s eyes, is most conspicuous in its absence is reggae. Think about it for a second: When was the last time you even heard about a super-monster-heavyweight show like The Mighty Diamonds coming to Music City?
Is reggae music losing its appeal?
The Makumbusho Village was the venue for the Explosive Zion show in Dar es Salaam a few weeks ago. The event was a cultural blend as people from different walks of life came to celebrate reggae music in Dar es Salaam.
The multi cultural gathering told a story of the genre with performances from the celebrated Jhikoman, Fred Saganda and Hardmad among other artistes who kept the audience on their feet for the rest of the night.
Tony ‘CD’ Kelly — back on the hit trail
Music producer Tony ‘CD’ Kelly recently scored with his production of the track For Your Eyes Only which was recorded by Shaggy featuring Alaine. It has been a while since the noted producer scored a chart-topping single.
Known for his producing, mixing and writing skills, Kelly has brought a host of Jamaican artistes to the attention of the American market. His sound has been instrumental in creating hit songs for a long list of acts including Patra, Shabba Ranks, Mad Cobra, Sean Paul, Wayne Wonder, Sasha, Super Cat, TOK, Shaggy, and Beenie Man
The 56 Hope Road, Kingston, is situated in a quiet upmarket suburb of the Jamaican capital. This was the unlikely home of reggae king, Bob Marley, and is today Kingston’s biggest tourist attraction.
The home was converted into the Bob Marley Museum by his widow, Rita Marley, in 1986 and attracts hundreds of visitors from around the world each day, eager to share in the atmosphere in which one of the world’s most famous musicians lived and wrote most of his music.
Marley family hoping to create licensing empire
Stir it up, Bob Marley fans — it’s organic and ecologically sustainable.
That’s what the descendants of the legendary reggae singer are telling fans as they launch a new coffee brand along with a host of other licensed products, including clothing, sporting goods and electronics.
Canadian reggae music pioneer Hayes Kali Thurton grew up in Trinidad before his family moved to Toronto in 1972. It was here that Kali, a University of Toronto student at the time, learnt the ropes from reggae greats and Jamaican ex-pats Leroy Sibbles, Johnny Osbourne, Jackie Mittoo and others before moving to Montreal.
Capleton raring to set Zim ablaze
Jamaican dancehall star, Capleton, also known as King Shango has promised fireworks and urged Zimbabweans to gear up and prepare for his show which will be held on December 31 at Glamis Stadium in Harare.
In a telephone interview with NewsDay, Capleton said he was raring to go and could not wait to come to Zimbabwe as he had heard a lot about the country from Sizzla who has performed in Zimbabwe.
‘King of the dancehall’ to perform in Johannesburg
Anthony Moses Davis, better known as Beenie Man, received a warm welcome from fans at OR Tambo International airport on Wednesday, ahead of his ragga performance on Thursday.
The self-styled king of the dancehall was greeted by a troop of dreadlocked fans waving Rasta flags at the airport’s international arrivals terminal.
Reggae radio station is ‘Irie’ for island
Whether it’s Bob Marley, Richie Spice, Jah Cure or Tarrus Riley, reggae fans can now listen to their sound of choice.
Bermuda’s newest radio station was launched this week to give listeners “non-stop reggae”.