Orlando reggae lovers should get ready to indulge in the delicious flavors of Caribbean jerk cuisine, while enjoying a day filled with live music, dancing, and entertainment.
On Sunday, November 19, 2023, starting at 2:00 PM, the 10th annual Florida Jerk & Music Festival will take place at 2911 East Robinson Street, in Orlando, Florida. Among the performances will be a set by Luciano, the man affectionately referred to as Jah Messenjah.
International reggae acts Morgan Heritage and Duane Stephenson will do individual sets at the upcoming Jaminn Festival, scheduled for November 18 at Party Field – Old Mill Road, Beau Plan Roundabout – in Pamplemousses, Mauritius.
Some local heavyweights: Sayaa, The Prophecy, Jonas & The Roots Level Band, Antonio Perrine, Blakkayo, and Elijah from the Seychelles, will also add to the reggae magic with performances of their own.
Jamaicans at home and abroad are invited to watch the National Heroes Day Virtual Concert this Monday, October 16, starting at 5pm. It will air on TVJ, PBC Jamaica, and CVM TV; as well as on the JCDC’s Facebook page and YouTube account.
Gramps Morgan, Leroy Sibbles, Warrior King, and Duane Stephenson will all perform with backing band Lloyd Parkes and We the People.
The king of Reggae-EDM, Kēvens, continues to soar with his hit single Legal Dreamers. Shortly after learning that the song entered The Jamaica Music Countdown Reggae Singles Chart, he and his team found out that the official video was added to Tempo, and as such, is now airing on the Tempo Networks.
Tempo Networks is arguably one of the most regarded pan-Caribbean television channels, focusing on Caribbean music and cultural content. To put it in perspective, Tempo TV is to Caribbean music, culture, and lifestyle, what BET is to hip-hop and RnB.
Additionally, at the end of September Legal Dreamers made its debut at #2 on the Electronic chart, which airs on CHMR 93.5 FM in St. John’s, Newfoundland; while simultaneously hitting #10 on WSCA 106.1 FM’s Top Spins in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It has also climbed to the #5 spot on the aforementioned Jamaica Music Countdown Reggae Singles Chart.
Legal Dreamers can be streamed and or downloaded from iTunes, Apple Music, Deezer, Spotify, Tidal, and all other music platforms. The visuals can be viewed on Kēvens‘ YouTube channel.
The Nola Reggae Fest is where reggae meets the soulful spirit of New Orleans. This year – from October 27th to 29th – the event will present a harmonious blend of reggae rhythms, local flavors, and talented musicians, at Congo Square (901 N. Rampart) in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The three main headliners are Warrior King (Friday), Tanto Metro & Devonte (Saturday), and Sister Nancy (Sunday). Several other top-tier performers are also confirmed: Etana, Jemere Morgan, The Meditations, and others. Click here for additional information.
Jamaica’s music fraternity is in deep mourning after learning that one of their own, legendary musician Ibo Cooper, has died. Cooper transitioned this past Thursday after battling cancer for several years.
Ibo Cooper was a Jamaican reggae musician and musical educator. He was member of the pop-band Inner Circle, and founding member of the reggae band Third World.
In early August, established reggae producer Danny Breakenridge – the man behind Upstairs Music – collaborated with vocalist Hassanah on her sophomore studio album, The Real Thing. Upon the LP’s release, they shared its lead single, which also doubles as the title track, and immediately received excellent reviews from everyone who heard it.
The compliments were eventually extended to other tracks on the album, once the full project was listened to, and digested by a wide audience. Most notable are: Brighter Days, Bills Bills Bills, and Front Door.
Brighter Days is an inspirational bouncy reggae song that encourages us not to give up, regardless what we’re confronted with. It was written by both Hassanah and Danny Breakenridge. Bills Bills Bills on the other hand, laments on the unfortunate reality of inflation, something we’re all grappling with right now. And Front Door is Hassanah‘s flawless remake of the 1980 Gregory Isaacs‘ classic .
The full album – The Real Thing – is available on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer, and all other streaming platforms, courtesy of Upstairs Music.
MARIA JACKSON 27 MAGAZINE 