Collie Buddz will share stage with UB40

The acts at tonight’s Bermuda Music Festival 08 will take you on a journey stretching from British reggae with UB40 to Bermuda and the Island’s own Collie Buddz.

Other performers are the Jam Signal Band, formerly known as Home Grown, Rikkai and Mitchell, Raymon Clarke, gospel reggae artist Troy Anthony, Tiny T, Jules, H & H Gombeys, local comedian Nadanja Bailey will emcee the earlier acts, and comedian Bill Belamy will emcee the later.

Kieron Tyler celebrates the 1980 reggae movie Babylon

Brixton, 1979. Fat Larry’s record shop. Reggae soundsystem wannabes Ital Lion are trying to strike a deal. Days before their Christmas showdown with Jah Shaka’s soundsystem, the crew are looking for the right track. Two tunes are given an airing on a reel-to-reel tape recorder. “Exclusive, straight from J to me, pre-release,” says Fat Larry. Dreadhead sneers, dismissing the first track as “prewar.” An offer is made for the second.

Horns help Johnny ‘Dizzy’ Moore home

Before Herbie Miller introduced the Skatalites at the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts on Saturday evening, he mused “but then, who are the Skatalites today”?

He named some members of the famed outfit who have passed on, saying: “Jackie Mittoo, Tommy McCook, Roland Alphanso, today, Dizzy Johnny, we have sent them all home. They were called and they had to go.”

Tarrus Riley’s Jamaica juice

Take a jigger of reggae. Pour in a shot of Rastafari. Shake well. Stand back and wait for the explosion.

Rastas and reggae have been a volatile cocktail since the 1970s when Bob Marley, who didn’t invent either, popularized both. Last year, up-and-coming reggae Rastaman Tarrus Riley added a new element to the mix — cranberry juice. Riley was chosen by cranberry juice giant Ocean Spray in June to be the face of their campaign in Jamaica — on the bottle, in print and on TV — for the next two years.

Cops silent on Kartel case

The police are extremely tight-lipped about the circumstances surrounding the arrest of popular deejay Vybz Kartel.

A number of high-ranking police officers contacted by THE STAR yesterday refused to comment on the investigations.

Mavado, Ding Dong heat up the big screen

What Goes Around Comes Around is the latest film project from screenwriter/director Steve ‘Tehut Nine’ McAlpin. The film which examines love and relationships features appearances from dancehall personalities Flippa Mafia, Mavado, Ding Dong, KC Jockey and Florida-based sound system selector Supa Twitch.

Jamaica at a crossroads

It is impractical and illogical to believe that the country that produced Mary Seacole, Marcus Garvey and Bob Marley, the latter two in more recent times, would cease to produce other human wonders. For those of us who came of age, meaning, took responsibilities, in the 1960s, what Jamaica accomplished at the Beijing Olympics was expected – it was only a matter of time.

Althea: As I Am

Althea Hewitt speaks her mind – at least in her music. And, like many of her forerunners and contemporaries, she has earned loyalists the old fashion way: speaking boldly and honestly about the peaks and valleys of life and love – whether she’s belting out original material or the lyrics of one of her idols.

Reggae without boundaries

“I’m not much of a conversationalist first thing in the morning,” Natty says with a friendly smile when we meet. It’s certainly not true, but the 24-year-old north Londoner is only just getting accustomed to being on this side of the fence. Until a couple of years ago he was working behind the scenes as an engineer with some of the biggest names in indie music, including Razorlight. Now, with tours supporting both Kate Nash and Adele behind him, not only has he made his first television appearance on Jools Holland, but his reggae-tinged pop debut album Man Like I went to No 13 in the chart on its release last month.

Beres Hammond woos Toronto fans

Legendary reggae and lover’s rock singer, Beres Hammond, made a stop in Toronto recently, where he gave a sterling performance in front of a capacity audience at the Kool Haus, one of Toronto’s more popular entertainment venues.

Toronto was the second Canadian city visited by Hammond who is currently conducting a North American tour to promote his latest CD, Moment in Time.