immy Cliff has set up three UK shows for August 2014. Cliff released his latest studio album ‘Rebirth’ in 2012, his first full length in seven years. The album picked up the award for Best Reggae Album at the 2013 Grammy Awards. Catch him performing at Leeds O2 Academy, London Clapham Grand and Bristol O2 Academy on August 18, 19 and 20. Jimmy Cliff UK & Ireland Tour Dates are as follows Mon August 18 2014 - LEEDS O2 Academy Leeds Tue August 19 2014 - LONDON Clapham Grand Wed August 20 2014 - BRISTOL O2 Academy BristolJimmy Cliff Tickets are on sale from 9am on Friday March 7, priced from £25 and £28.50 plus fees. Click Here to Compare & Buy Jimmy Cliff Tickets at Stereoboard.com. Source Stereoboard.com http://www.stereoboard.com/content/view/184391/9?
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WHEN deejay Big Youth started in the music business over 40 years ago, reggae was on the verge of international acceptance. The jocular 'Jah Youth' is still carrying the banner, touring regularly and recording new songs. Some of his latest recordings can be heard on the upcoming album, Great One. According to the 64-year-old entertainer, the 15-track set is expected to be released by May. "There are a lot of differences with this project compared to my last one. My experiences over the years have taught me a lot of professionalism and this is highlighted in the tracks," he told the Jamaica Observer. Among Great One's tracks are Jah is my Saviour, I Can't Help You (If You Can't Help Yourself) and the title song. The album is produced by Big Youth Music, a company operated by Big Youth and his son Tafari Buchanan. Guitarists Earl 'Chinna' Smith and Tony Chin, and bassist George Fullwood, former members of the Soul Syndicate band, and trumpeter David Madden are some of the musicians who played on Great One. Big Youth has over 20 albums to his name including 1972's impressive Screaming Target. Hit the Road Jack, Every Nigger is a Star and Solomon A Gundy are some of his biggest hit songs. Source Jamaica Observer: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Big-Youth-prepares--Great--set_16080964 Chronixx, one of Jamaica's fastest rising reggae stars, will make his outdoor concert debut at New York City's flagship reggae, rhythm and blues summer concert Groovin' In The Park on Sunday, June 29 in Queens. "Chronixx is the hottest reggae artiste on the circuit right now and we are extremely pleased to present him for the first time to music fans inNew York at our outdoor festival this year" Christopher Roberts, founder and CEO of Groovin Inc said. "He is talented, exciting to watch on stage and lyrically out of this world", Roberts continued. Roberts is not the only music executive heaping praises on Chronixx. In a recent Billboard Magazine interview, Island Records' founder Chris Blackwell said Chronixx's music, is "completely fresh, uplifting and very pure." Major Lazer selector Walshy Fire quipped, "the world will recognize him as one of reggae's greatest artists." Chronixx comes to the sizzling one day reggae and R&B festival with superb credentials. He has an impressive catalogue of smash hits including "Behind Curtain," "Tell Mi Now," "Here Comes Trouble," "African Heritage" and his patriotic Jamaican anthem "Smile Jamaica" that has placed him on reggae's frontline. On stage, Chronixx is exciting to watch. In the past year he has delivered a number of impressive performances dating back to February 2013 when he enthralled thousands of fans at the Tuka Rada Peace Concert in Nairobi, Kenya. He then left fans in a musical trance at Reggae Sumfest 2013 and had them singing along at the Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival in Trelawny. While this will mark his first appearance on the Groovin In The Park stage, he has performed in New York before as a guest of Jamaican Jazz great Monty Alexander at the cozy Blue Note Jazz Club. At that sold out event in Manhattan, Chronixx stamped his authority with his trademark superlative performance. "This year we are expecting an even greater interest in the one day festival with Chronixx now on board", Roberts said. Source Top40 charts: http://top40-charts.com/news/Pop-Rock/Chronixx-To-Make-New-York-City-Outdoor-Concert-Debut/98270.html? "There has been a paradigm shift in music; you do not just have one space anymore, and you have to have a grasp on as many things as possible." Those were the words of veteran producer and studio engineer, Jeremy Harding. Harding was speaking on the changing music industry, urging young artistes and musicians alike to move in the same direction. Harding was speaking at the Red Bull Info Session held at the Bob Marley Museum last Wednesday. According to him, technology has caused the music landscape to become highly globalised, and persons interested in making a career from music should make learning how to manipulate today's technology their number one priority. Smaller world With the introduction of Facebook, Twitter and other social media, the world, according to Harding, is becoming increasingly smaller as more persons from across different regions become closer. He went on to point out that this growing interconnectedness highlights the importance of networking and communication. "Music has become so globalised that it will be hard for you to do everything on your own. Get in touch with other persons in your field, you will find that some of the best work in music has come from the collaborative effort of many creative minds," he said. While agreeing that social media is indeed a powerful tool, Solid Agency's Marlon Bourke said collaborations are not a necessity since your work is almost guaranteed exposure in today's world. "I agree to some extent, as artistes need to work with persons from different genres and across different cultures; but if music is so globalised, you don't necessarily need to do collaborations because it is easier to get individual exposure as it is," he said. Success not guaranteed When asked why more Jamaican artistes do not break into the international market since social media makes it easier, Bourke further explained that exposure doesn't guarantee career advancement. "Getting your stuff out there is one thing, but for people to be drawn to it is another. Using these channels won't necessarily open up definite results, but it will put you on a level playing field. In today's world, if you are in the entertainment industry and you do not use social media, you are going to be left behind," said Bourke. Up-and-coming dancehall artiste Stein agrees. He explains that social media is a very powerful tool in today's society. "Any smart artiste or businessman in today's market should know that social media is a great tool. People live on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. They are turning their attention to social media, so as an artiste, you need to learn how to use it so it works for and not against you," said Stein. Harding also warned that with globalisation and improvements in technology, competition in the industry has increased; meaning musicians should think about making music for the international market. "You have to be a lot more advanced in your approach and versatile in your thinking," said Harding. "Instead of having an entourage of 10 or more men that serve no real purpose, build a team comprising of other creative minds. Bring more to the table if you want to be taken seriously; a true artiste always creates and thinks beyond today, and beyond Jamaica," Harding explained. Source The Gleaner: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20140303/ent/ent4.html KINGSTON, Jamaica — NBC’s The Voice Season 5 winner, Tessanne Chin, will be receiving an award on March 29 in Toronto at the University of the West Indies fifth annual Toronto Benefit Gala, slated to be held at the Ritz Carlton hotel. According to thestar.com Chin will be given a Luminary Award alongside her long-time mentor, Jimmy Cliff. The singer will return to Toronto on May 17 for a concert at Sony Centre for the Performing Arts with her Bread and Butter Band and her father-in-law Michael Anthony Cuffe Sr as emcee for the night. Source Jamaica Observer: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Tessanne-to-be-honoured-in-Toronto “One love, one heart, let’s get together and feel all right” Bob Marley When a Miami startup wanted to demonstrate the global power of its new consumer video social platform, Videoo.com turned to the passionate fans of the late Bob Marley. Through a partnership with the Marley family, Videoo.com launched its project during Bob Marley Week last month, inviting fans to submit their tributes to what CEO Barry Stamos called the first crowd-sourced video compilation. More than 100 Bob Marley fans or groups of fans from more than 62 countries — including Australia, Argentina, the U.K., Thailand, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine — contributed video clips about how Bob Marley impacted their lives, said Heidi Finn Roberts, the company’s chief product officer. Also working on the product were Chief Content Officer Jorge Moreno, a Latin Grammy winner, and COO Joshua Stedman. Contributions to http://videooapp.com/h/BobMarleyWeek came from fans, musicians, artists and celebrities. Videoo’s proprietary technology automatically compiled the clips into one single social video compilation for #BobMarleyWeek, Finn Roberts said. “It's really beautiful how it came together,” said Stamos, who founded companies as well as held management positions for tech firms. “Bob Marley’s vision of one world, one love is a dream that inspired many, including us at Videoo, which is why our team is so excited this is the first-use case with our technology. It demonstrated how fast and easy the world can unite in mass collaboration to do something extraordinary.” People from more than 177 countries watched these videos on Videoo.com. And on the Bob Marley official Facebook page, more than 29,000 have already liked and 3,900 people have shared a Videoo highlight compilation showcasing the #BobMarley Videoo. The highlight video has already attracted 16,000 views. Videoo users can contribute up to 22-second clips through the app. In fact, any user can go to videoo.com and upload a video and hashtag it. “The whole idea is to make it radically inclusive whether or not you have a smartphone. Anyone with a web connection can upload,” Stamos said. However, the system limits the file sizes it can accept, and not everyone who has wanted to contribute to the Marley video has been able to. The team is working to fix that now. Plans are to have robust private label versions of Videoo available for brands, but the app will always be for consumers and will always be free, said Stamos. The company hopes that families, friends, organizations and causes will use the app for commorations of family events, high school reunions, prayers for a loved one. Fans can still add to the Bob Marley Videoo as well as another compilation, #BringBaeBack, calling for the release of Korean American Kenneth Bae held in North Korea. That Videoo was kicked off by Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of reddit, who spoke last month at a Refresh Miami event. The co-founders said Ohanian was one of their inspirations as reddit always was and is about innovating crowd sourcing, aggregation and crowd curation. Source Miami Herald: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/03/03//v-fullstory/3972283/miami-tech-startup-enables-global.html? Contributions to the video came from fans, musicians, artists and celebrities. Videoo’s proprietary technology automatically compiled the clips into one single social video compilation for #BobMarleyWeek It is no surprise that reggae music, much like Rastafari, has gone beyond race and nationality. The universal message, which promotes equality and love for all, has certainly transcended Jamaican shores and has found residence with Benjamin Zecher and his Oneness Records label. The German producer told The Gleaner he initially fell in love with reggae as a child when he heard the universal message of love being promoted in Robert Nesta Marley's music. "I was a young rebel at that time and I liked the rebel attitude and fell in love with the song, War. The meditative side of the music caught me immediately. The drumming caught me at that time. I loved the music so much that I began playing the music as a DJ. After I finished school, I went on my first trip to Jamaica and stayed for three months. That was when Zim Zimma and Buju Banton's Inna Heights were booming. It was Sizzla Kalonji and Anthony B coming. The music was really alive at that time. That was the first revival for me and that influenced me a lot. I love the universal message," Zecher said. Aiming to find young talent who have been influenced by reggae, Zecher coined the concept of his label. The world was waiting Having worked with some of the genre's top artistes, including Luciano and Junior Kelly, Zecher is now hoping to work with younger artistes who are part of the reggae revival movement. He added that the world was waiting for Jamaica to get back to its musical side. "I'm looking forward to the reggae revival artistes like Chronixx, Protoje and Jah 9. What I like about it is the vibe. The whole energy is about music, it's not about the hype. They have young producers that do a great job. I would love to work with them also, but for me, it's overwhelming to see how they put out their work. I think the whole world appreciates that. I think the whole world was waiting for Jamaica to get back to that musical side. Not saying that it was not there, but the expression of these young artistes is very natural." Zecher also speaks out against growing concerns that music sales are decreasing, because for him, that was never the motivation. "The point is that you work hard at something, then everything else will follow. If you do things from your heart, the energy and everything else will follow." While he acknowledges that the industry had changed for both good and bad, he highlights that one of the benefits now is the openness of the industry. "The whole music industry has changed. I wouldn't judge it. It has good and bad sides. The benefit now is that there are a lot of opportunities to spread your music without label deals - the Internet gives you that opportunity," he told The Gleaner. The German reggae scene has been thriving for years, with some of the biggest reggae festivals, including Reggae Jam, attracting thousands of patrons yearly with several reggae acts billed as top performers. With this in mind, Zecher stated that his wish for the industry is that it will get the attention it deserves. "I hope that the industry doesn't kill the vibe with the hype," Zecher said. Source The Gleaner: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20140303/ent/ent2.html? WESTERN BUREAU:Jimmy Cliff, this year's Gleaner Honour Award winner for Arts and Culture, is back in Jamaica to shoot some video elements for his latest release Won More.
To give fresh currency to the tune, Cliff has joined forces with the world's fastest man and woman, Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who provide backing vocals on the song which was first heard in Jamaica at The Gleaner Honour Awards ceremony in February. Cliff utilised the services of Mediamix to shoot the scenes with Fraser-Pryce, outside the recording studio owned by Cliff. The scenes were directed by Cliff's childhood friend and cousin, Lennie Little-White. The sequences with Usain Bolt were shot earlier by a British film crew which was visiting Jamaica. Won More was produced by Jimmy Cliff and veteran producer Ansel Collins. The new tune and the matching music video are slated for worldwide release soon. Won More tells about the many horizons that Cliff feels he still has to reach in the musical challenges he has set for himself. The track was recorded at Cliff's own Sunpower Recording Studio, using Jamaican musicians and engineers. The infectious beat of the music has a catchy, singalong chorus, which easily bridges the generational gap between the veteran Jamaican and international music icon and the young international stars of track and field, Fraser-Pryce and Bolt. Despite more than 50 years in the music business, Cliff continues to reinvent himself to make his music relevant to newer generations. The Mediamix production team was comprised of the same crew which does location work for The Blackburns of Royal Palm Estate. Source the Gleaner: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20140302/ent/ent6.html? BIO ChainSka Brassika are a 9 piece ska-fuelled, energetic reggae and dub band from South East London. Their lively old-school ska sound combines with the skank of today’s bass culture and commands any audience to get up and dance. Over the summer of 2013, following the release of their first single ‘This I Know’, ChainSka appeared at major UK festivals such as Glastonbury, Bestival, Secret Garden Party, One Love and Boomtown Fair and supported the likes of The Skatalities and The Abyssinians. The band are now currently focusing on finishing their forthcoming E.P set to be released in December 2013, following a full UK tour. Freaky dancehall singjay J Amsterdam says local DJs are refusing to play his music because they are afraid of the stigma. According to the Wine Inna Mi Face singer, Jamaica's music industry is not prepared for his level of 'freakishness'. "I think they don't want to play the song because they don't want to be associated with that kind of thing, and that's why so many people were going against it on Facebook," he said. The singjay also said while he does not blame DJs for not playing his song in an attempt to protect their reputation, its blatant hypocrisy. "If DJs played it, they would get 'fire bun' and honestly, I don't think they would want to risk their career," J Amsterdam said. He also told THE STAR that he misjudged the level of backlash he would get for releasing the controversial single, and even made an attempt to retract his admission to having performed oral sex. "I can't go anywhere right now, and I have been getting death threats. I have stayed in my house for three days without going outside. I have not done the things I said in the song, I was just trying to fulfil my dreams of having a lucrative career. When I did the song I thought the freaks would have supported me, but they have not," he said. J Amsterdam also commented on Alkaline's 'anal licking' lyrics saying, "Alkaline is making it bad for me right now because people feel that he did the anal licking line because of me, Demarco and Ricky Carty. But what he did in his song with one line is worse than my entire song. This did me more harm than good because I have received no bookings, not even Tiana or D'Angel want to be associated with me. Persons have to be hypocrites to survive in this industry ... Jamaica is not ready for it, and even though I said oral sex in the song, I have never performed it," J Amsterdam added. Source Jamaica Star: http://jamaica-star.com/thestar/20140301/ent/ent1.html |