Since the 1980s, Oregon has had a strong reggae presence, especially in Portland, its largest city. Fans in the Pacific Northwest state get a taste of Jamaican culture on August 4 with the Summer Love Festival.

The show takes at Morrison Market Stage in Portland, with roots-reggae veteran Yami Bolo as headliner.

Don Hinds is spokesperson for Summer Love Festival which also features A J Brown and Ginjah. He told OBSERVER ONLINE that anticipation for the show is high, describing Portland as “a magnet for Jamaican music lovers.”

According to Montego Bay native Hinds, “Summer is a time of festivity around the world and in these trying times our goal at RAOF Music is to spread the music via live performances with international and local artistes in North America and around the world.”

Also on the card are American singers Aaron Nigel Smith and Boney Derrington, Jamaican singer Vysionaer, and deejay Krueshef from the United States Virgin Islands.

Portland is the epicentre for reggae in Oregon, which is sandwiched between Washington state and Northern California. Major acts regularly perform there while the city has a number of reggae venues including Jamaica House and Welcome to Jamrock.

A protégé of Sugar Minott and Augustus Pablo, Yami Bolo began his career in the mid-1980s as a dancehall artiste with songs like When A Man is In Love for producer Winston Riley.

His sound took on a roots flavour in the late 1980s when he started collaborating with Pablo. In the 1990s, Yami Bolo scored with several songs such as Love my Woman and Put Down Your Weapon.

Howard Campbell