THE Conscious Reggae Party series keeps growing as a platform for fresh talent. For consecutive weeks, there were two concerts showcasing emerging acts.

The first was at Nanook headquarters in St Andrew for the recent Jamaica Music Conference. It was followed last Friday by a gig at Café Africa as part of the

RJR Group’s Music Week.

On the former, Rayven Amani, founder of the Jamaica Best School Band Competition, made her debut as an artiste.

Backed by her band Mission Driven, she performed Dennis Brown’s

To The Foundations andRevolution; Beres Hammond’sPutting Up Resistance, her original songBlack Without Apology, and Black Uhuru’s Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.

A host of upcoming artistes shared the Café Africa stage with headliner Jah Bouks. Chief among them were Abatau and Tribe Azizi.

Other standout acts were Irie Souljah from Spain, D’Medz, Papa D, Isha Bel and Wild Life. Isha Bel, who recently returned from Guyana where she did four shows, proved that she has grown musically, with her performance of

Praise Jah Holy Name andLove Grow. So too Wild Life, with an energetic delivery of his signature songOld Corolla.

D’ Medz invited one-legged dancer Sister Claire (Zebulun) to join him on stage. She once again demonstrated that her physical challenges do not impede her passion for dance.

Jah Bouks sent fans home with a satisfying set built around

Let We Go Now, Go Away Babylon, Equal Rights and Justice and his trademark numberAngola.

— Basil Walters