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Posted : 27/04/2001 CULTURE HARRASSED AT CANADIAN BORDER For the last 25 years, Jamaican roots reggae trio Culture has traveled the world, disseminating melodic missives about racism, exploitation and oppression. On the song "Never Give Up'' from their latest album, Humble African, frontman Joseph Hill sings about going to places like London, Japan and Ethiopia to rally against injustice with music. But Canadian fans may soon find their Culture-al exposure limited to disc, since the leader of the harmony group is fed up with the intensive scrutiny he says they face each time they cross Canadian borders. The final straw came in Vancouver when Customs officers used screwdrivers to pry interior panels from their leased tour bus, resulting in permanent damage. There was no apology. "I'm really, really in love with the way the people in Canada accept the music, but let me tell you something, I'm on the verge of stop coming to Canada, because I'm being disrespected all the time," said the irate dreadlocked tenor, Joseph Hill, in a phone interview with the Globe and Mail from the Minneapolis stop of their three-month tour. "I'm 53 years old and never been to prison and these people are treating me like a prisoner all the time." Although they arrive with the proper documentation for their 13-member entourage - which includes group members Albert Walker, Telford Nelson and a backing band - and have never been found with contraband, Hill says the lengthy, invasive interrogations are unlike anything they encounter on travels throughout Europe, Asia, the U.S. and Africa. "The last time I went to the land of apartheid, which is South Africa, and I was being treated as a gentleman. So you want to tell me Canada doesn't have the amount of intelligence that South Africa has to tell when a person is clean? I went to Israel in the middle of war and I went straight to Gaza Strip and I was not being harrassed." Hill believes he's unfairly targeted because he is a Rasatafarian. One who knows better than to travel with the banned herb, despite having recorded numerous ditties extolling its virtues, such as "Home Grown" on Humble African. "No policeman lives as honest as a true Rastaman; not even a lighter or a box of matches in my pocket. Furthermore, my doctor stopped me from smoking (marijuana) months ago now. "You know where it hurts most of all? After they have harrassed you and disrespected you, you've got to come and dry your tears and perform for the people with a heavy heart. I'm not prepared to take this anymore." The experiences are certain to fuel Hill's brand of activist entertainment. Humble African, the group's 24th album, is filled with trademark tunes about corruption, self-reliance and poverty. Held in the same esteem as reggae icons Bob Marley and Burning Spear, Hill is concerned about the future of the genre. "In one sense, things are good because the music is gaining popularity, but there's been a turn for the worse in terms of the profane lyrical content from the new deejays. They are nastying up the old picture which was already there painted nicely waiting to be antiqued." And that affliction is not unique to reggae. "If you should look at the quality of music now that really achieves the honour of the Grammy, it's like the music has gone down. If a person is offering me the Grammy right now, I think I'd be stooping down to take it, because the musical content is weak. It's just a matter of corruption. I don't want to be corrupted. I just want to be poor and clean." Posted on rec.music.reggae newsgroup by Noelle A Kirton. |
 Joseph "Culture" Hill |
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Posted : 09/04/2001 AND THE REGGAESOCA MUSIC AWARD WINNERS FOR 2001 ARE... Although not everybody regards a Musical Award as a reliable and good effort to honor the best in the industry (there's always the question if certain people truly deserve their Nomination/Award and why others who do meritous work aren't nominated at all) we here present a selection of the ReggaeSoca Music Award Winners 2001...
Reggae Female Vocalist - Fiona |
 Junior Kelly |
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Posted : 05/04/2001 GRAMMY WINNER BEENIE MAN, FREDDIE MCGREGOR & LUCIANO SET TO SIZZLE AT TRIBUTE CONCERT Brooklyn, New York - Donald Moodie, CEO of Don One Sounds Recording today announced the staging of a tribute concert to honor his late wife Sonia Moodie, who died on April 8, 2000. The event will be held on Saturday, June 16, 2001 at Amazura Nightclub, 91-12 144th Place, Queens, New York. A number of top reggae acts have confirmed their participation including sensational cultural singer Luciano; Grammy winner and current dancehall ruler Beenie Man; Mikey General, Freddie “Eveready” McGregor, Anthony B, Glen Washington, Frankie Paul, Ambelique, Princess, Junior Demus, Ras Shiloh, Anthony Malvo, Junior Jazz Band, Sammy Dread, Junior Kelly, Junior Reid, Singing Melody, Bushman, Ken Boothe, Sister Carol, Dawn Penn, Sluggy Ranks, Elephant Man, Lukey D, Spragga Benz, Major Makarel, Sugar Minott, Michael Palmer, Tony Curtis, Tony Matterhorn, Gregory Isaacs, Nadine Sutherland, Triller U, Jah Mason, Nitty Kutchie, Jah Paul and Pad Anthony. Local talents JD Smooth and Shinehead will add their magic to this dazzling artist lineup. Sonia Moodie who passed one sad year ago was a very caring and humble person. She was also well respected and well liked in her community. One of her primary concerns was the welfare of the many artists she interacted with. To ensure that her legacy lives on, her husband Donald Moodie has set up the "Sonia Moodie Trust Fund." The primary purpose of the fund will be to provide assistance to those in the music industry that have fallen upon hard times. The fund will assist them in health care issues, funeral arrangements and other personal crises. "It is disturbing that a lot of our artists, especially in the reggae genre, do not make provisions for death. When they die their families are left in a financial crisis and at times don't even have enough money to arrange a proper funeral," says Moodie. "So we - my son, Donald and I - have decided to start this fund because extending a helping hand is something Sonia consistently did when she was alive." Part of the proceeds from the concert will assist the Alpha Boys School, a known music school, in Kingston, Jamaica. Donald Moodie has earmarked this school because the majority of musicians coming out of Jamaica get their early education there. |
 Sonia Moodie |
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Posted : 04/04/2001 ROOTS KNOTTY ROOTS ROOTS KNOTTY ROOTS: The Collector's Guide to Jamaican Music The Most Comprehensive Discography of Jamaican Records Ever Published. Calypso * Mento * Blues * Gospel * Pop * Ska * Rocksteady * Reggae Volume One: The Singles - 78 & 45rpm Compiled & Edited by Michael Turner & Robert Schoenfeld Sorted alphabetically by Artist - from the Abyssinians to Tapper Zukie. Covering the period from the mid 1950's through the late 1980's -- Including the earliest releases on 78rpm in the pre-Ska era. 400 pages and over 29,000 records indexed plus Introduction / Timeline of Critical Events / Gallery of 78 Label Art. Data included: Artist & Title, Jamaican Record Label & Matrix Number Plus UK Label and Number, Producer and Release Date. Covers all periods, all styles and all artists on both 7" and 12" releases. Clearly printed in a spreadsheet format and securely bound for easy reference.
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Posted : 26/03/2001 DEEP DOWN WITH DENNIS BROWN. The sudden death aged just 42 of Jamaican singer Dennis Brown on July 1, 1999 sent a shockwave through the world of reggae and robbed the music of its most popular ever grassroots performer. Feted as a child star in the 1960s and billed as the Boy Wonder, Dennis Brown went on to fulfil his earlier promise with a recording career that spanned 30 years and dominated the reggae dancehalls for the next three decades. During this time, the singer released more records and scored a greater number of hits than any other artist working in the reggae field. Deep Down With Dennis Brown - Cool Runnings And The Crown Prince Of Reggae, a short story by Penny Reel traces the busy years of his early rise to prominence in the 1970s, when the singer developed his distinct style and also made the majority of his best and most famous recordings. Told as a short story in the author's highly personal style and set against the backdrop of the London underground reggae scene during these turbulent times, this profile of its star act provides a fascinating insider's insight into an otherwise hidden world. In this respect, here is a unique piece of written work, not only in the medium of reggae music, but as a wholly original approach to the debate of popular music and its wider cultural concerns. In addition to the text, full colour illustrations of photographs, album sleeves, record labels, concert posters and other ephemera from the era are reproduced throughout the book, adding a striking visual accompaniment to the story as it unfolds and the half that has never been told is revealed.
pp 112 Price: £16.99 |
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Posted : 24/03/2001 FAMILYMAN SUES ISLAND RECORDS. The label to which the late Bob Marley was signed, Island Records, are facing a multi-million dollar lawsuit from an original member of his band The Wailers. Aston 'Family Man' Barrett is claiming that the record label have consistently failed to credit those who were responsible for the songs that made Marley a reggae legend. Barrett, who played bass, has said that he and his murdered brother Carlton, who played drums, have had their song credits increasingly deleted from the reggae star's re-issued albums. Tracks that were previously credited to The Barretts and The Wailers are now only credited to Marley. Barrett explained: "Bob and The Wailers were a group and we want to protect the essential part we played in the creation of the legend. "It's now 20 years since Bob died and more albums are going to be re-released to mark the anniversary. It's an insult that The Wailers are being removed from the credits. "I was Bob's best friend and I know this isn't what he wanted. We're going to stand up for our rights and take legal action." Barrett's British and American legal teams have now given details about the background to his and his late brother's lawsuit. His US attorney Stu Levy said: "It's only right that 'Family Man' is recognised for his work and the significant contribution he made to reggae and his first love, Bob Marley and The Wailers. "We intend to see that he gets what he is entitled to and we'll pursue his case in the courts if need be." Bob Marley was given a lifetime achievement award at this year's Grammy's and not the rest of The Wailers. It was this that has sparked Barrett's legal action. He described it "as the final straw". Posted on rec.music.reggae newsgroup by Harald Hammarstrom. No source given. |
 Aston "Familyman" Barrett |
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Posted : 23/03/2001 THE ITALS HAVE REUNITED! The 21st century marks 7 albums and 25 years of Reggae excellence for one of Jamaica’s pioneer reggae harmony groups. Keith Porter, Ronnie Davis, and Lloyd Ricketts, known internationally as The Itals, are reunited and promoting their hot new single entitled “Nearer” set to hit radio airwaves April 15th. The single is being released on Porter’s own, Ital label. The group first broke in Jamaica with the release of “In A Dis Ya Time”, which went to #1 on Jamaican charts. The song was extremely popular in Jamaican communities abroad and was then released in New York City. Their second album “Brutal Out Deh”, released in 1982, “was a stunner” wrote NY Times critic Robert Palmer. He also writes, “The Itals blend is one of the sweetest, most melodious in all popular music.” Their third album, Give Me Power was critically acclaimed, and “Rasta Philosophy”, won a Grammy nomination for the best reggae album of 1987. They soon released “Cool and Dread”, proving once again that “The Itals remain at the heights others are still trying to reach…”, (Pulse Magazine’s music critic Doug Wendt). Their fifth album release of early singles and several rare pre-Itals tracks entitled "Early Recordings" was described as “a collector’s feast”. The Itals 1991 release, “Easy to Catch”, dramatically moved up to number twelve on Billboard’s World Music Charts. In 1998, while maintaining their rock solid authenticity, they released their 7th album “Modern Age”. In 2001, the timely reunion of original members Keith Porter, Ronnie Davis, Lloyd Ricketts, and the release of their hot new single “Nearer” affirms their critically acclaimed history, and showcases the authentic roots rock reggae sound of Jamaica. In the patois of Jamaica's Rastafarians, the word 'ital' means pure, natural and unprocessed. These adjectives also describe the sound and message of one of roots rock reggae’s legends, The Itals. |
 Itals |
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Posted : 13/03/2001 NEWS FROM EARSHOT! PRODUCTIONS (3) G.VIBES AND LEROY SIMMONDS Producer/artist G Vibes and singer Leroy Simmonds have recently taken part in an environmental awareness video produced by NuTec Productions for a major European Conference on the Environment which is being held in London later this month. Not only is Leroy Simmonds latest single "Big Brother", taken from his newly released album "The Word" being featured, but G. Vibes has also produced all the incidental music for the video. Internationally recognised fashion designer, Zandra Rhodes, has also taken part in this project along with various UK TV personalities. Leroy also appeared in a Valentine’s Day show at new London venue, the Brunswick Club, with the MOBO Award winning Peter Hunnigale. MATIC HORNS Having returned to the UK last week from another sucessful tour again in France with Michael Prophet and Earl 16, Henry ‘Buttons’Tenyue has had to go straight back into the recording studios. This highly sought after musician has been working at Jet Star’s Cave Studio with in-house producer Danny Ray (singer of the big ‘70s lovers rock hit Playboy) on recordings for a debut album with up and coming reggae proteges, the Ras-ites. He and also been recording with UK chart topping artist/producer, Bitty McLean on a new album from singer/songwriter Lloyd Brown. He is now back in the studio working on his own project with producer Gussie P completing his long awaited Matic Horns solo album. THEA WRAY This highly talented Jamaican jazz pianist/vocalist is appearing on Saturday 24th March in Willesden, London as part of the Festival of Black Female Voices in celebration of International Women’s Week. The Event is being held at the Willesden Green Centre, 95 High Road, LONDON NW10. Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 7.30pm. REMUS SOUND SYSTEM Confirmed date for the sound system are 31st March at the 161 Club in South London. We are also waiting to confirm dates for Switzerland for March. Confirmed dates so far for April are 18th April at Subterrania, London and 21st April at the 161 Club, London. |
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Posted : 03/03/2001 NEWS FROM CIRCULATION MUSIC-RECORDS. CUTTY RANKS' NEW SINGLE. Cutty Ranks (Philip Thomas) the DJ-Rapper from Kingston Jamaica who has given us international, chart busting hits such as "The Stopper", "Six Million Ways to Die", among others, is back. His new single for Circulation Music-Records titled "Can I Touch U Baby" is a musical bomb. The foundation rhythm tracks were produced by the great Sly Dunbar with added musical spices produced and arranged by Barry York in Kingston, Jamaica. The groove of "Can I Touch U Baby" is hot. With a mixture of R & B-reggae-dancehall and a touch of Hip-Hop, the resulting musical formula will certainly captivate the attention of the (urban) musical audience and definitely bring Cutty Ranks into the mainstream. IT'S COMING YOUR WAY! CATCH THESE VIBES!
Other new releases from Circulation Music/Records - "I Care About U" by Black By Design, a new male trio from Kingston, Jamaica, that sing R & B-Reggae mixed with Lovers Rock. One could say that they are Jamaicas' answer to Boys II Men.
Also coming fresh from yard a new DJ crew (trio), Livity Flava, with "My Dream Last Night" and "Livin A Life" - fresh vibes!
Veteran singer Brent Dowe, former Melodians front man, who gave us hits like "Rivers Of Babylon", drops some smooth vocals on "My Compliments (The Joy Song)".
Kristina Gold, Canadian born songbird, who never rode a reggae rhythm track until Barry York convinced her to, whips up some excellent blue-eyed soul on "The Medley (The Real Thing/Walk On By)".
All rhythm tracks for the above mentioned songs were produced by Sly & Robbie and Barry York. WE ARE IN YOUR FACE!
THINGS & TIME Circulation Music-Record is also the owner of some wicked Reggae-dancehall Hip-Hop musical tracks. The Cup & Saucer Rhythm, The French Kiss Rhythm, The Youth Oil Rhythm, and The Flava Flava Rhythm. |
 Barry York & Cutty Ranks |
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Posted : 03/03/2001 WAILING SOUL MEETS GEORGE CLINTON. Amid the recent festivities surrounding the 43rd Grammy celebrations, Wailing Souls' Lloyd "Bread" McDonald greets the godfather of funk George Clinton backstage at the Los Angeles Staples Center. Bread was attending the Westwood One "Backstage at the Grammys" radio event to promote the Souls' third Grammy nomination "Equality" on Musicblitz Records . left to right: Lloyd "Bread" McDonald of the Wailing Souls and George Clinton (photo credit PTNinja) |
 "Bread" meets G. Clinton |
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