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Reggae Sunsplash
Reggae Sunsplash is a reggae music festival first staged in 1978 in the northern part of Jamaica. In 1985 it expanded with the addition of an international touring festival. The festival ran annually until 1996, with a final event in 1998, before it was revived in 2006. The festival returned for a virtual staging in 2020 produced by Tyrone Wilson, Randy Mclaren and Debbie Bissoon. History The Reggae Sunsplash festival was the brainchild of five Jamaicans - Tony Johnson, Don Green, Ronnie Burke, John Wakeling, Ed Barclay. The five founding directors created a company called Synergy Productions Ltd, which was responsible for promoting and producing the Reggae Sunsplash festival. The first Reggae Sunsplash festival was staged at Jarrett Park, Montego Bay, Jamaica, in June 1978 and began at dusk and continued until dawn for seven days. With the help of Peter Martin, a longtime Jamaican tourism stalwart and his public relations firm, Peter Martin Associates, the Sunsplash Festival w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rototom Sunsplash
Rototom Sunsplash is a large European reggae festival which takes place every summer at Benicàssim, a few miles north of Valencia in Spain. Since 1994, it attracts thousands of reggae fans from all over the world, thanks to a vast cultural and musical program that lasts for up to ten days. History 1991-1999: Rototom Association and the clubs in Gaio and Zoppola The birthplace of the festival is the small Italian town of Gaio di Spilimbergo, province of Pordenone, in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, close to Venice. On 13 December 1991, the Rototom Cultural Association was born and with it a nightclub of the same name. It was an alternative music scene showcasing various styles from punk rock to reggae, indie, and electronic music. The name was taken from the rototom drum, and ascribed to the fact that like the drum, the club creates a variety of sounds. In 1997, the club moved to the municipality of Zoppola in the same province. At this point, the Rototom Club was divided int ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island. In the Americas, Kingston is the largest predominantly English-speaking city in the Caribbean. The local government bodies of the parishes of Kingston and Saint Andrew were amalgamated by the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation Act of 1923, to form the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC). Greater Kingston, or the "Corporate Area" refers to those areas under the KSAC; however, it does not solely refer to Kingston Parish, which only consists of the old downtown and Port Royal. Kingston Parish had a population of 89,057, and St. Andrew Parish had a population of 573,369 in 2011 Kingston is only bordered by Saint Andrew to the east, west and north. The geographical border for the parish of K ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mutabaruka
Allan Hope (born 1952), better known as Mutabaruka, is a Jamaican Rastafari dub poet, musician, actor, educator, and talk-show host, who developed two of Jamaica's most popular radio programmes, ''The Cutting Edge'' and ''Steppin' Razor''. His name comes from the Rwandan language and translates as "one who is always victorious". His themes include politics, culture, Black liberation, social oppression, discrimination, poverty, racism, sexism, and religion. Early life and education Mutabaruka was born and raised in Rae Town, Kingston, Jamaica, in a household with his father, mother and two sisters. When he was eight years old his father died. Mutabaruka attended the Kingston Technical High School, where he trained in electronics for four years, going on to work for the Jamaican Telephone Company until eventually quitting in 1971.Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , pp. 192–194. Mutabaruka was drawn into the black awareness movement of the la ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Mighty Diamonds
The Mighty Diamonds were a Jamaican harmony trio, recording roots reggae with a strong Rastafarian influence. The group was formed in 1969 and were best known for their 1976 debut album, ''Right Time'', produced by Joseph Hoo Kim, and the 1979 release, ''Deeper Roots''. On March 29, 2022, their lead singer, Donald "Tabby" Shaw, was shot dead in a drive-by shooting. On April 1, 2022, Fitzroy "Bunny" Simpson died. History Formed in 1969 in the Trenchtown area of Kingston, the group comprised lead vocalist Donald "Tabby" Shaw, and harmony vocalists Fitzroy "Bunny" Simpson and Lloyd "Judge" Ferguson.Larkin, Colin (1998) ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae'', Virgin Books, , p. 196-7Huey, SteveThe Mighty Diamonds Biography, ''AllMusic'', retrieved 17 September 2012 They had become friends at school in the mid-1960s, and were originally called The Limelight, adopting 'Mighty Diamonds' after Shaw's mother started referring to them as "the diamonds".Kenner, Rob (1995)Boomshots, ''Vib ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Twinkle Brothers
The Twinkle Brothers are a Jamaican reggae band formed in 1962, and still active in the 21st century under Norman Grant's lead. History The Twinkle Brothers were formed in 1962 by brothers Norman (vocals, drums) and Ralston Grant (vocals, rhythm guitar) from Falmouth, Jamaica.Larkin, Colin (1998) "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books, The band was expanded with the addition of Eric Barnard (piano), Karl Hyatt (vocals, percussion), and Albert Green (congas, percussion). After winning local talent competitions, they recorded their first single, "Somebody Please Help Me," in 1966 for producer Leslie Kong. This was followed by sessions for other top Jamaican producers such as Duke Reid, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Sid Bucknor, Phil Pratt, and Bunny Lee. The band worked in the late 1960s and early 1970s on the island's hotel circuit, playing a mixture of calypso, soul, pop, and soft reggae, and in the early 1970s, they began producing their own recordings. Their debut album, ''R ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Toots & The Maytals
The Maytals, known from 1972 to 2020 as Toots and the Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group, one of the best known ska and rocksteady vocal groups. The Maytals were formed in the early 1960s and were key figures in popularizing reggae music. Frontman Toots Hibbert, who died in 2020, was considered a reggae pioneer on par with Bob Marley. His soulful vocal style was compared to Otis Redding, and led him to be named by ''Rolling Stone'' as one of the 100 Greatest Singers. After Hibbert's death, the Maytals indicated that they would continue as a working group. Their 1968 single " Do the Reggay" was the first song to use the word "reggae", coining the name of the genre and introducing it to a global audience. The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' credits Toots and the Maytals in the etymology of the word "Reggae". According to Island Records founder Chris Blackwell "The Maytals were unlike anything else ... sensational, raw and dynamic." Career Formation and early success Frederic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Israel Vibration
Israel Vibration are a reggae harmony group, originating from Kingston, Jamaica. Lascelle "Wiss" Bulgin, Albert "Apple Gabriel" Craig, and Cecil "Skelly" Spence all suffered from childhood polio, and went on to be a Jamaican roots reggae group in the 1970s. The trio initially met as children at a rehabilitation center. History Bulgin (born 1955), Craig (1955–2020), and Spence (born 1952–2022) first met as children at the Mona Rehabilitation Clinic, all sufferers of polio in the epidemic that spread through Jamaica in the 1950s. Several years later they formed Israel Vibration.Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , p. 133-135Brown, Joe (1991)Reggae Culture Has Vibrations, ''The Washington Post'', 8 February 1991Block, Melissa & Siegel, Robert (2004)Interview: Gary Himmelfarb discusses a reggae adaptation of some of Bob Dylan's songs, NPR, 27 August 2004, Craig attended the Alpha Boys School but ran away at the age of fourteen, living on the s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Gladiators (band)
The Gladiators are a Jamaican roots reggae band, most popular during the 1970s. The core was Albert Griffiths (lead guitar and vocals; born 1945, died December 15, 2020), Clinton Fearon (bass guitar and vocals) and Gallimore Sutherland (rhythm guitar and vocals). Their two most famous albums are ''Trenchtown Mix Up'' (1976) and ''Proverbial Reggae'' (1978) with songs such as "Hearsay", "Jah Works", "Dreadlocks the Time is Now". "Mix Up", "Music Makers from Jamaica", and "Soul Rebel" – a song written by The Wailers. Gladiators also cooperated with the toaster U-Roy. History Albert Griffiths, singer and guitar player, was the founder of the reggae group The Gladiators. After some success with the singles "You Are The Girl" (a b-side to The Ethiopians' hit record "Train to Skaville") in 1966, he recruited his childhood friends David Webber and Errol Grandison in 1968 to form the original Gladiators vocal group. The group's name was allegedly suggested by a fellow bus passenger ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michigan & Smiley
Michigan and Smiley are a Jamaican reggae/dancehall duo consisting of Papa Michigan (born Anthony Fairclough) and General Smiley (born Erroll Bennett). They rose to popularity during the first wave of dancehall music in the late 1970s. Career The duo of Michigan (Anthony Fairclough) and Smiley recorded at Clement "Coxsone" Dodd's Studio One in Jamaica, pressing their first number one hit single, "Rub a Dub Style", which featured their call and response style vocals, overdubbed on the Studio One riddim, "Vanity" (the instrumental alias given to Alton Ellis' Rocksteady classic, "I'm Just A Guy"). Their next single, perhaps a larger hit, "Nice Up the Dance" was a version of the quintessential Studio 1 rhythm, "Real Rock". These singles, with four other tracks, also versions of Studio One rhythms, were released as their first album, ''Nice Up the Dance''. The names of these two singles were quickly incorporated into the lexicon of dancehall phraseology. Their call and response style ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eek-A-Mouse
Eek-A-Mouse (born Ripton Joseph Hylton, 19 November 1957) is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is one of the earliest artists to be described as a "singjay".Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rough Guide To Reggae, 3rd edn.", Rough Guides, Eek-A-Mouse is well known for pioneering his own style of scatting, differing from the-then toasting deejays in the 80s. Biography Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Eek-A-Mouse began his music career when he was in college, releasing two roots reggae singles under his own name, which were produced by his mathematics tutor, Mr. Dehaney. These early works were influenced by the music of Pablo Moses.Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, He then went on to work for various sound systems over the next few years and also released a few more singles. He adopted the stage name "Eek-A-Mouse" in 1979, taking the name of a racehorse he always bet on; it was a nickname his friends had used for some time.Larkin, Colin (1998) " ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yellowman
Winston Foster , better known by the stage name Yellowman, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay, also known as King Yellowman. He first became popular in Jamaica in the 1980s, rising to prominence with a series of singles that established his reputation. Career Winston Foster was abandoned by his parents and grew up in the Maxfield Children's Home and the Catholic orphanage Alpha Boys School in Kingston, the latter known for its musical alumni. He was shunned due to having albinism, which was not typically socially accepted in Jamaica.Campbell, Howard (2018)Gold medal for Yellowman", '' Jamaica Observer'', 20 August 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018 In the late 1970s Yellowman first gained wide attention when he finished second to Nadine Sutherland in the 1978 Tastee Talent Contest. Like many Jamaican deejays, he honed his talents by frequently performing at outdoor sound-system dances, prominently with Aces International.Kenner, Rob. "Dancehall", in ''The Vibe History of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trojan Records
Trojan Records is a British record label founded in 1968. It specialises in ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music. The label currently operates under the Sanctuary Records Group. The name ''Trojan'' comes from the Croydon-built Trojan truck that was used as Duke Reid's sound system in Jamaica. The truck had "Duke Reid - The Trojan King of Sounds" painted on the sides, and the music played by Reid became known as the ''Trojan Sound''. The label had almost 30 hit singles in the UK Singles Chart between 1969 and 1976. History Trojan Records was founded in 1968 when Lee Gopthal, who operated the Musicland record retail chain and owned Beat & Commercial Records, pooled his Jamaican music interests with those of Chris Blackwell’s Island Records. Until 1975, they were based at a warehouse in Neasden Lane, Willesden, London. Trojan was instrumental in introducing reggae to a global audience and, by 1970, had secured a series of major UK chart hits. Successful Trojan artists fro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
