In Marley’s memory
The News Review:
- In Marley’s memory
- Feelin’ the Tallinn Rasta vibe
- Zimbabwe: I’ll Market Zim Music in Australia – Macheso
- Kay Kay celebrates the release of their debut album
- Event to honor 3 black legends
- Watching Cuba as Fidel fades from the scene
In Marley’s memory
Times of India – Feb 20, 2008
Life has moved on in Bob Marley country ? Trenchtown is a grim inner cityof bullet-pocked apartments and home to gangs like Fatherless armed young menwho have lost their fathers in the fighting over turf and drugsmoney. But these daysTrenchtown which birthed reggae music and its legend is trying to showcase itsmost prominent resident’s legacy in ongoing festivities to mark Marley’s 63rdbirth anniversary. It is all happening in the “government yard” the publichousing project where Marley lived and which he sang about famously in hissongs. This was also where hewrote his first songs learnt to play the guitar met fellow musicians likePeter Tosh and went on to form the Wailers reggae’s most famous band. He alsotravelled to a studio from the ghetto to record their first album Catch AFire. This yard ? a warren of16 cramped rooms where Marley and his friends lived ? is being restored byJamaican architect Christopher Whyms-Stone with help from donations from theBritish German Canadian and Americanembassies.
Feelin’ the Tallinn Rasta vibe
Baltic Times – Feb 20, 2008
Even in this underground and darkly-lit setting amongst the smell of beer-soaked sofas and ketchup somehow the sun seems to shine like mid-July as the party climbs the proverbial windowsill and dives into the hands of moshing ska fiends. When the crowd clears from the center of the dance floor in order to erect a ten-person human pyramid one may wonder why they don?t participate every night and add souls to the reggae community. Reggae Bar provides a music society alternate to the DJ list at many mainstream bars and clubs and by the end of the night one is likely to receive invitations to an exhaustive list of similar live music performances around Tallinn. Reggae Bar presents a balance of Estonian and Rasta culture unique not only to a parking lot on the wing of the Central Market but to all of the Baltics. Reggae BarKeldrimae 9.
Zimbabwe: I’ll Market Zim Music in Australia – Macheso
AllAfrica.com – Feb 20, 2008
The sungura king said he was not leaving Harare for a holiday but to show the world what Zimbabwe has in as far as "first grade sungura goes". "It’s an honour for us being a first sungura outfit in this particular genre to be invited to that corner of the world for some shows. GA_googleFillSlot( “AllAfrica_Story_Inset” );"I had never expected this honour and I can assure our fans that we are going to deliver" he said. Macheso also pledged to play an ambassadorial role when he jets into Australia by telling the true story of Zimbabwe… He finished his slot in the wee hours of Saturday and fans left the venue when Macheso was out. As usual some fans especially women could be seen throwing cash on the stage as they wished Macheso a safe journey. Assegai Crew who had not been active for years proved their mettle at the occasion despite being slotted in as the opening and closing acts. The song that really aroused the crowd was Kanyama Karipi that made waves in the 1990s before they played copyrights together with their own compositions. Some of the songs they played at the occasion include the late John "Mr Chitungwiza" Chibadura’s track Mudiwa Janet and Sarura Wako by Leonard Dembo. It was encouraging to note that the band could fuse reggae with other elements as is the case in Sarura Wako.
Kay Kay celebrates the release of their debut album
Seattle Times – Feb 20, 2008
The music — triumphant panoramic anthemic — matched the sprawl. Rather than spin maudlin symphonettes and wail about the apocalypse à la the Arcade Fire — pop music’s current big-band darlings — Kay Kay (named after a fictional Gatsbys roadie) was all Prohibition-era swing and indie-rock racket. Plus a secret ingredient: A subtle roots-reggae bounce occasionally spiked the upbeat. Matching that with muted trumpet squall and noirish strings on the songs “Hey Momma” and “Birds (n a Day Like Today)” produced a strange satisfying sound. An abstract narrative binds the album evoked by the characters named in songs like “l’ Rum Davies” and “Simon Courage Flees the Coup” but even when all the songs were played in succession it was hard to discern exactly where it led. Huffman played the dopesick ringmaster — pale wiry with a fashion mullet spraying out from beneath a plumed floppy hat. In between songs he spoke anxiously to the crowd peppering his banter with f-bombs that detonated the sold-out room’s button-down ambience.
Event to honor 3 black legends
Republican – MassLive.com – The Republican – MassLive.com – Feb 20, 2008
Garvey will describe the life and times of hisfather and highlight his historical legacy. Roger Steffens Bob Marley’s biographer will presenttwo hours of unreleased film footage and lecture on the lifeand works of the reggae legend. Roger appears regularly onVH1’s “Behind the Music” and is a votingmember of the Grammy committee for the selection of bestreggae recordings. Berklee’s Bob Marley Ensemble directed by MusicProfessor Matt Jenson will wrap up the night’s events. “The Bob Marley Ensemble is a new addition”Lindsay said. “They blew me away. ” Hill will speak from 4 to 5:30 p.
Watching Cuba as Fidel fades from the scene
San Diego Union Tribune – Feb 20, 2008
“It would have been suspect just to have a dozen people meeting like this. ” The liberating air of Fidel's absence gave them enough freedom to indulge in repression nostalgia. The music of the moment is reggaeton. Under Fidel it was salsa. Reggaeton – a blend of reggae Latin beats and hip-hop – fills theaters with madly cheering fans. At Havana's Teatro America I saw thousands of Cubans applauding wildly singing along with the two-man Gente de Zona whose songs they knew from radio play. The young performers whose suspenders and gold chains drooped at their sides poured beer on their bare chests to reflect the spotlight better.
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