KINGSTON, Jamaica — A NEW TV series puts the spotlight on Jamaica’s reggae music is now available on Flow OnDemand.

The programme, Reggae Strong, intends to provide viewers with a fresh insight into reggae music’s history in a uniquely packaged format.

Since the 1960s, the music has been a significant aspect of Jamaica’s cultural identity. Reggae Strong captures the essence of the strong connection between reggae fans worldwide, and the music that they love.

“Reggae Strong is a crucial time capsule of the flavours and rhythms of international reggae music that found a home in one of the cultural capitals of the world; New York City. The 60s was the decade of roots and bands; musicianship was at its height and the message in the music was still very socially conscious,” said the show’s producer, Diane Gurwitz.

The 30-minute magazine format series features a variety of live performances and interviews with classic reggae artistes from Jamaica and overseas. Each episode promises a new experience for the viewer, with the show hosted by a different artiste at another location. Though driven by reggae music, Reggae Strong also highlights various aspects of Jamaican life, including cooking, crafts and style.

Reggae Strong features internationally famous artistes such as Maxi Priest, Third World, Ziggy Marley, Judy Mowatt and Burning Spear. The programme also pays tribute to a number of Jamaican icons such as Perry Henzell, Miss Lou, Jackie Mittoo among others.

Commenting on the nostalgic quality of the show Gurwitz said “Having put the material away for many years, I was blown away when I started ‘remastering’ at how fresh the material remains. I am sure people are going to love it. It captures the essence of a past period that was critical juncture in the history of this music.”

With Reggae Strong Flow OnDemand brings another authentic reggae experience to the screen. Reggae Strong is part of Flow OnDemand’s rich musical catalogue that enables viewers to choose from a host of programmes and listen to selections of their favourite music at their convenience, rather than being restricted by a pre-defined programming schedule.

“Flow is always looking for ways to highlight the many great aspects of Jamaican culture. We believe that Reggae Strong gives a vital voice to Jamaican music history in a distinctive and appealing format,” said Michael Look Tong, Director of Media Services at Flow explaining how the company got involved with the project. “We recognize the challenges that local producers consistently face in bringing their material to local screens. Flow OnDemand provides a unique opportunity for them to share their work with a diverse audience.”

With Flow OnDemand viewers are able to choose from their favourite music, movies and TV shows. Jamaica’s only OnDemand platform offers an extensive video library with over 2200 of content that viewers can enjoy at their convenience. Flow OnDemand offers categories of programming for every age range, lifestyle and area of interest. Programming options include Kids On Demand, Movies on Demand, HBO on Demand, Sports On Demand, TV-Shows on Demand and Music On Demand.