Entertainment

All set for Jazz

Patrons at a previous staging of Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium.

THE stage is set for this evening's start to the three-night Jamaica Jazz and Blues festival at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium. Walter Elmore, executive producer of the event, said all is in place for tonight's opening set, which is dedicated to the life and work of the reggae great John Holt. ... Read More

Mariah Carey Flow puts blue in ‘Jazz’
TELECOMMUNICATIONS firm Flow is asking patrons of the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival at Trelawny Mu ... Read More

Omi Omi’s remix hits platinum
JAMAICAN recording artiste Omi has a lot to cheer about. The remix of his track Cheerleader was cert ... Read More

There was a lot to dance to as soca and EDM was combined at Levitate. (Photos: Rory Daley) Soca, EDM lift Levitate
IT was the perfect potion of soca and EDM at Levitate - The Ultimate EDM/Soca Experience held at Hop ... Read More

Jazz and Blues kicks off tonight

Thursday, January 29, 2015    

Judy Mowatt for opening night.

FLORENCE HALL, Trelawny — Veteran deejay Josey Wales, singers George Nooks, Judy Mowatt and Oscar B are among the performers slated to perform at the kick-off of Jamaica Jazz and Blues 2015 tonight. Other acts on tonight's line-up include singers Errol Dunkley, Cornell Campbell and vocal group The Tamlins, all backed by Lloyd Parks and We The People Band. Each act will dedicate part of their sets to the late John Holt who died last year. On the issue of paking and security commander of ... Read More

San saw it coming

BY BRIAN BONITTO Associate Editor -- Entertainment & Auto bonittob@jamaicaobserver.com | Wednesday, January 28, 2015    

PAPA SAN... I expected it

DEEJAY Papa San believes it was only a matter of time before his contribution to Jamaica's popular music would be recognised. The former dancehall artiste-cum-religious minister is one of 21 recipients in this year's Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) Awards scheduled for the Courtleigh Auditorium in New Kingston, on February 28. "I expected it. I have been contributing to the music throughout the years. No one can deny that. I was the one who invented the 'fast-talking' style, which ... Read More

Reggae rocking in Calgary

BY HOWARD CAMPBELL Observer senior writer | Wednesday, January 28, 2015    

Freddie McGregor

CALGARY was not on the radar of most Jamaicans until their bobsled team became sensations at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in that Canadian city. But since 2003, the Calgary Reggae Festival (CRF) has helped expose Jamaican culture to the province of Alberta, home to a small Jamaican community. Leo Cripps, a Jamaican, is a co-founder of the CRF which has featured top Jamaican acts like Beres Hammond, Freddie McGregor and Third World, as well as homegrown reggae artistes and bands like Long Shen ... Read More

All systems go for Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival

Wednesday, January 28, 2015 3:26 PM    

TRELAWNY, Jamaica - Festival Producer Walter Elmore told OBSERVER ONLINE Wednesday that everything is in place for the start of the 19th annual Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, which kicks off tomorrow night at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium on the island's north coast. The show, which is set to run from January 29-31, has Mariah Carey as the headline act. "The stage is up and we have already started tweaking the sound," said Elmore. "All lights are up and programming of lights will begin ... Read More

Exco Levi goes for four straight

By Kevin Jackson Observer Writer | Wednesday, January 28, 2015    

Exco Levi

THREE-TIME winner Exco Levi, deejay Kirk Diamond, singjay Mikey Dangerous, singer Steele and deejay Tasha T are the nominees in the Best Reggae Recording of the Year category, for the 2015 Juno Awards. The Juno is Canada's equivalent of the Grammy Awards in the United States. Toronto-based Exco Levi is originally from Manchester. Born Wayne Ford Levi, he won in 2012 and repeated the feat in 2013 and 2014. This year, he is nominated for the song Welcome the King. This is Diamond's first Juno n ... Read More

Furtyle Brain gives heads up

Wednesday, January 28, 2015    

Furtyle Brain

IMAGE is very important in the competitive arena of dancehall. However, emerging singjay Furtyle Brain has pushed the envelope: he had two horns implanted atop his head. Furtyle, whose given name is Kenardo André Robinson, said the implants were done in Jamaica by a Canadian-based surgeon. "It's really the process where the implants are implanted in the skull. I was sedated during the surgery but had to be given lots of painkillers when I revived because it is very painful," he said. T ... Read More

Watson film premieres Sunday

Wednesday, January 28, 2015    

THIS Sunday, February 1 will see the world premiere of They Call Me Barrington -- of a film on the life and work Jamaican master painter Barrington Watson. The film, a project of local filmmaker Lennie Little-White, will examine the life and art of the 83-year-old artist, and form the second in a trilogy of films on Jamaican icons in the arts, which started with Rex Nettleford (December 2013) and is to be concluded with poet/cultural ambassador, Louise Bennett-Coverley -- Miss Lou. Sunday's ... Read More

Miss Universe viewing party

Tuesday, January 27, 2015    

Shanique Waugh displays the tension which was palpable inside the venue as Fennell made it through the rounds.

Although they expressed pride in Kaci Fennell's performance at the Miss Universe pageant on Sunday, patrons who attended the official viewing party in New Kingston were disappointed with her fifth place finish. From the moment she was announced as taking the fourth runner-up spot, many who gathered at the Triple Century Sports Bar began making their way from the venue. Their sullen faces told another story. "She did very well, representing herself and the country," said Ashlie Barrett. Former ... Read More

Pointer Sisters Ready

BY HOWARD CAMPBELL Observer senior writer | Tuesday, January 27, 2015    

Pointer Sisters Ready

ONE of the hallmarks of Rhythm and Blues has been great harmony groups: The Supremes, The Impressions, The Temptations, The Chi Lites, The Pointer Sisters. The Pointer Sisters make their first appearance in Jamaica this week on the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium. Ruth Pointer and her younger sister Anita, are survivors of the classic lineup from the 1980s that had massive dance hits such as I'm So Excited, Neutron Dance and He's so Shy. Ruth's grand-dau ... Read More

Champion sounds from D Medz

Tuesday, January 27, 2015    

D Medz

WHEN singer D Medz began sessions for his Empower EP last year, he had almost a decade of recording under his belt. Working with saxophonist/producer Dean Fraser, it did not take him long to discover he still had a lot to learn about making music. "It was the first time I ever recorded live, so it was a new process for me," he said. "With computers, yuh jus' boop boop an' yuh done, but recording live yuh have to be patient." Fraser, whose productions credits include Tarrus Riley's 2007 breakt ... Read More



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