AFTER touring the US with the Wailers for the first half of the year, reggae recording artiste Duane Stephenson is currently in Europe on a three-week tour with the She’s Royal vocalist Tarrus Riley. The tour, which runs from June 30 – July 24, will see both Duane and Tarrus visiting a host of countries including Spain, Norway, France, Switzerland, and Italy.

The two have already performed on the annual Summer Jam Festival alongside John Holt, Barrington Levy, Andrew Tosh, and dancehall deejay Busy Signal.

On Sunday, Stephenson and Riley were in Roskilde, Denmark, for the Roskilde Festival and from there travelled to Gothenburg, the second largest city in Sweden.

The duo will now be heading to Barcelona, Spain for the Nowa Reggae Festival on Saturday. Other major stops for the duo include the Dour Festival in Belgium on July 17, Paleo Festival in Nyo, Switzerland, on July 21 and FestiJam in Arrens Marsous, France, on July 22.

The final show of the Europe Tour will be on July 23 in Biarritz, France, at the annual BIF Festival.

Robert Sutherland’s Times So Hard holds on to the #2 spot

For the second-straight week, reggae singer Robert Sutherland’s piercing single, Times So Hard, has held on to the number two slot on the competitive Jamaica Countdown Chart.

Sutherland hit an important milestone in his career when the single climbed to pole position on the Jamdown Vershun Top 10 Reggae Chart in Australia, attracting quite a bit of attention to the Philadelphia-based singer. Ever repeating in serious tones “a work we a work”, this mantra aptly sums up Sutherland’s attitude to his craft.

Sutherland has always tried to keep it real, and Times So Hard is reality at its best. When one considers the road he has travelled, it is not surprising that he chose the title.

When asked if he thinks the song will claim the number one position on the Jamaican chart, Sutherland was a bit cautious in his response.

“Well, to be honest, the fact that after 12 weeks on the chart Times So Hard reached number two, then anything is possible. I am really happy and thankful that the work is being recognised in such a powerful way. Of course, I would be overjoyed if there is a repeat of what it did on the chart in Australia, and I am being positive about it,” Robert Sutherland declared.

Having already completed the video for the single, Robert is working assiduously on putting the finishing touches to his soon-to-be-released album.

“A just work we a work,” he reiterated, this time softening the seriousness of his tone with a smile.

Ernie Smith and US-based singer Ed Robinson for Merritone Family Fun Day

Veteran reggae singer Ernie Smith and Ed ‘Knocking At Heaven’s Door’ Robinson will perform at the 14th annual Merritone Family Fun Day, the largest Caribbean family event of its kind in North America. The event will be held on Sunday, July 10 at Lake Quassy, Route 64, Middlebury, Connecticut.

Conroy Allison, founder and CEO of the event, said the two were chosen because “Ernie has a long and distinguished career in the music industry, while Ed has made strides as a singer, songwriter and producer for well over two decades. This year promises to be another exciting fun-filled family day and I am confident both Smith and Robinson, with their track record of great performances over the years, will both deliver memorable sets”, he said.

Smith was the first Jamaican musician to be honoured by the Government with the Badge of Honour in 1973 for meritorious service in the field of popular music. He received the Independence Award in 2001, a Musgrave Medal in 2003 and the Order of Distinction in 2006 in recognition of his life’s work.

Smith, whose recording career began in 1967 with his recording of his composition, I Can’t Take It, has released a number of popular tracks including Bend Down, Pitta Patta, One Dream, and Ride on Sammy. In 1972, he garnered international attention when he won the Yamaha World Music Festival in Tokyo, Japan, with his composition, Life is Just for Living, which is credited with introducing Jamaican music to Japan.

Talented reggae crooner, songwriter and producer Ed Robinson is back in the game with his brand new album titled Written In Stone. The album boasts the tribute single Our Heroes, which quickly became an anthem on Caribbean radio programmes in Florida and the tri-state area. The 15-track disc album also include songs like Baby I Love Ya, You’re Special, Cry No More, Talking Blues and a moving cover version of the Dennis Brown classic If I Follow My Heart that is sure to find a place in the hearts of reggae lovers globally.

Ka’ula Nights Bikini Heat for Negril

The summer is upon us once again and temperatures are rising across Jamaica. Also rising is the anticipation for Negril’s hotest pre-ATI event, Ka’ula Nights Bikini Heat. An Appleton A Team event, the Hawaiian-themed beach party was first staged in the summer of 2009 and was a huge success as hundreds of patrons turned out in support of the event. This year’s staging will take place on Friday, July 8 at the Sea Wind Resort, which is located on the Norman Manley Boulevard beach strip.

This will be the third staging of the Ka’ula Nights and its promoters have promised that it will be extremely exciting. To ensure this, they have put together an entertaining line-up of DJs that includes Copper Shot, DJ Nicco, DJ Rusti, and Gemini and Macky. They have also promised that there will be lots of complimentary goodies for patrons such as rum-soaked fruits, Ka’ula coconuts, Hawaiian accessories and Kau’la rum shots, as they endeavour to give their patrons nothing but the very best Hawaiian party experience.

Kau’la Nights will begin at 4 pm.