On October 1st ZJ Chrome, DJ Alley, Bad Gyal Marie and ZJ Rush will be spinning the biggest party tunes from the nineties and 2000s. It will all down at the Police Officers Club, located at 34 Hope Road in Kingston, from 8pm to 2am the following morning.
The organizers would like patrons to come out and represent their era by wearing either mesh marinas or jerseys. They have also invited two dancehall artists who had breakout hits in the 90s to perform live: Terror Fabulous and Alozade.
Reggae-dancehall singer-songwriter Bugle has released the deluxe edition of his 2021 studio album Toxicity. This edition has an additional seven new tracks and features some very accomplished performers: Marcia Griffiths, Bounty Killer, Kabaka Pyramid, Tony Gold, Julian Marley and many more.
It was released at the end of August via Bugle‘s own An9ted Entertainment label, with distribution by both VPAL and Evidence Music. Click here to stream and download Toxicity (Deluxe) from your preferred music platform.
After a successful album listening party on Thursday evening, veteran singer-songwriter Tanya Stephens‘ new project – Some Kinda Madness – is now available on all streaming platforms. The record is a collaborative effort between Tanya Stephens and producer Tad A. Dawkins Jnr. And it was done exclusively for Tad’s Record Inc.
The LP launch was held at Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston, Jamaica, and was streamed live on Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong Radio; broadcasting on SiriusXM’s channel 19. With the exception of a very noticeable late start – which we were told was due to some technical difficulties – the event was a success!
A handful of media personalities were invited to witness and document Tanya Stephens as she performed a couple of her breakout singles (It’s a Pity and Yuh Nuh Ready Fi Dis Yet) as well as a few songs from the new record, Some Kinda Madness. With support from Donald Dennis (bass) Michum Chin (guitar) Kirk Bennett (drum) Andrew Marsh (keyboard) and backing vocalists Nikki Bolt, Adena Myrie and Carol Dexter, Stephens allowed us to experience Diamonds in the Sun, Fifty and Not Today – all featured on the new album – in an inexplicable way. Her intense performance, coupled with answers she gave to a number of questions, is testament to the fact that Tanya Stephens is a woman who’s been through a lot, and as a result, is immensely strong, confident and unconventional. This can also be heard and felt on Some Kinda Madness.
The twenty-track album starts with Be Who We Be, a tune that gives listeners forewarning that they’re about to enter Tanya Stephens‘ zone; a place where she will not be told how to think, feel or behave. From there she takes us on a joy-ride (no pun intended) with songs like Intervention, Too Much Party, Zig Ziggler, Fifty, Aloe Vera, and Jezebel; all centered around intimate relationships and having a good time. She gets serious on track #8 – Weight In Gold – a solid reggae tune done with Nadine Sutherland. Stephens then proceeds to give us a series of reggae songs – Not Today, Blame It On Rock & Roll, Feels Like Love, Reset, Some Kinda Madness and Don’t Hurt Me – with a few acoustic and world-beat rhythms added in: World Goes Round, Diamonds in the Sun, So Damaged, Serendipity and River. She closes off the project with a tuff reggae tune – a bonus track – called Silence.
Tanya Stephens‘ fans and supporters should know that Some Kinda Madness is not mad at all. It is – in part – the practical thoughts and expressions of someone who is very impassioned about social issues, particularly those that emerged during the pandemic. And although this LP has songs that will automatically induce good feelings, it also has tunes that will make you stop and think. Kudos to Tanya Stephens, Tad A. Dawkins Jnr. and the team at Tad’s Record for a job well done.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD “SOME KINDA MADNESS”
On Thursday, September 22nd, the current king of the dancehall – Beenie Man – will perform live at Eventim Apollo – 45 Queen Caroline Street – in London, England.
The event will feature other guest artists as well Sir DJ Corey, DJ Face – from Classique Sound – Andrew Fresh, DJ Sparks and Movie Star Johnny; all hosted by Robbo Ranx. Tickets are available on axs and ticketmasteruk.
One Caribbean Inc. will present the Jerk & Curry Music Festival on Saturday, September 24 at Francis Field – 25 West Castillo Drive – in St. Augustine, Florida.
The event – which will be hosted by one of best dancehall entertainers that ever lived: Professor Nuts – will have performances by Inner Circle, Talmagila, Round Head, Everton Blender, Pato Banton, Anthony B and many more.
In addition to the live entertainment, there will also be alot of family games and food. Early bird tickets are now going for $20 USD on Eventbrite. It will be $35 on the day of the event.
On Friday, September 2nd, New York’s #1 hip-hop station – Hot 97 FM – will get On Da Reggae & Soca Tip with a live concert at the Coney Island Amphitheater in Brooklyn, New York.
The lineup includes: Kes, Patrice Roberts, Ding Dong, Tarrus Riley, Tashina, JB The Artist, Lord Abstract, Mally Stakz, IQ, Noah Powa and Romain Virgo. Tickets are available via Live Nation.
This Saturday, August 20, Our Ting Our Way, the open mic event designed to give artists an opportunity to perform in front of, and be judged by their peers, will have its first staging since the reopening of the entertainment sector.
OTOW will be held at a new location: Green Spice Bar & Lounge – 62 Balmagie Ave, Kingston 11 – in Waterhouse, from 7pm to midnight; with popular selector DJ Stanhype on the turntables, and dancehall artist Karamanti as host.
For those not familiar with OTOW, it is basically a gathering of artists – predominantly lyricists – who engage in dancehall cypher: trading bars over various tracks, with the ‘baddest’ lyricist getting bragging rights. This event is open to the public and there is no entrance fee.
MARIA JACKSON 27 MAGAZINE 