Danish/Ghanaian reggae artiste Martei Korley has always had a deep passion for reggae music. It manifested through early stints as a bass player in Copenhagen and New York City and eventually led him to his second home in Kingston, Jamaica, where he immersed himself in reggae culture through his career as a photographer and creative director of LargeUp.com, a global platform for Caribbean culture. These ventures put him in direct contact with some of reggae music’s biggest names, helping to enrich his musical soundscape. Among the producers who have gravitated towards his sound are renowned saxophonist Dean Fraser and Paul S.C.U.B.I. Smith and Black Chiney/Firehouse Crew’s Mitchum “Khan” Smith.

A burning need to make a meaningful contribution to music led to the creation of Kingston Konfidential, a collection of personal songs conceived in the heart of Kingston. Collaborators such as Firehouse Crew (the legendary Jamaican band behind Sizzla), Carol “Bowie” McLaughlin and Denmark’s electro genius Yo-Akim aid in fusing powerful riddims with Martei’s soulful vocals for an unconventionally refreshing style. The video for “Couldn’t Be Wrong” was shot between and en route to Kingston, Jamaica and New York, and features up-and-coming indie/reggae artiste Sevana as his love interest. The seductive lyrics chronicle the yearning that characterizes long-distance unions, while abstractly referencing the artiste’s own relationship with Jamaica, proving his propensity to deliver emotive, unexpectedly modern music on a classically familiar beat.

PRE ORDER KINGSTON KONFIDENTIAL ALBUM NOW ON ITUNES WORLDWIDE

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Inity Weekly (CO) and Rockers Movement (NY/FL) are joining forces in celebrating Mandela Day with St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands-based roots reggae band, Midnite. The event will be held on July 18th at Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom in Denver.

Midnite has gained a massive Grateful Dead-like following and has transcended genres with their experimental and trance reggae sound. The “chant-and-call” style and heavy conscious lyrics of Midnite’s Vaughn Benjamin enhances the band’s music, attracting a diverse, progressive and intellectual crowd.

The overarching objective of Mandela Day is to inspire individuals to take action to help change the world for the better. It is ultimately a call to action for people to recognize their ability to have a positive effect on others around them.

We are encouraging people to register an action of service on the Mandela Day website (MandelaDay.com). Individuals and organizations are free to participate in Mandela Day as they wish, as long as there is adherence to the ethical framework of “service to one’s fellow human”. Ultimately, the Mandela Day event featuring Midnite seeks to empower communities in Denver and beyond.

Supporting acts are Ghanaian/Boulder-based Reggae/Afropop band, Selasee and the Fafa Family, and 2014 Westword Music Award nominee, Rastasaurus.

Music for the night will be provided by Nikka T of Joseph Starr Sound, who is also a winner of the Cannabis Cup many times over, as the mastermind of Essential Extracts.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
http://www.cervantesmasterpiece.com/event/594173-midnite-selasee-fafa-denver/

General Admission tickets are $20 Advance and $25 at the door,
plus applicable service charges. 16+ Welcome. Doors at 8p

The 4th annual Overtown Music and Arts Festival(formerly named Overtown Rhythm and Arts Festival), will take place in the heart of the Overtown Business District, NW 3rd Avenue between 9th & 11th Streets on Saturday, July 19, 2014. The event starts at 11am and is free and open to the public. The event has attracted thousands of attendees over the past three years and plans to widen visitor demographics with its star-studded line up of musical artists headlined by Grammy- nominated Raheem Devaughn. Entertainment also includes live performances by Keke Wyatt, Case, Jaguar Wright, Teedra Moses, Sebastian Mikael, Deep Fried Funk Band, and Larry Dogg.

Once known as “Miami’s Little Broadway”, Overtown previously hosted music greats such as Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and Aretha Franklin. In the past, the city was frequently visited by international guests seeking to enjoy the unique food, music and entertainment the “Colored Town” offered. Artistic and cultural celebrations allow a community to begin to understand the historic, cultural, economic, and social context of a community – an essential foundation for developing and enhancing sense of place. The Overtown Music and Arts Festival presents an opportunity to celebrate the rich heritage that the Overtown community provides to the landscape of South Florida.
“I would like to encourage everyone to join me at the 4th Annual Overtown Music and Art Festival. The CRA and the City of Miami have worked tirelessly to make this a most exciting and enjoyable celebration,” said City of Miami District 5, Commissioner Keon Hardemon.

“The Southeast Overtown /Park West Community Redevelopment Agency is proud to be a sponsor of this year’s Overtown Music & Arts Festival,” said Clarence Woods, Executive Director of the SEOPW CRA, “This year’s festival line-up aligns with our agency’s objectives to boost economic development and introduce new comers to the area. Our goal is to provide positive revenue and exposure to local businesses and non-profit organizations here in Overtown.”

The event will also include a Youth Zone presented by Teens Exercising Extraordinary Success (T.E.E.S) incorporating an educational health & wellness-component and fun fitness activities for toddlers to teens. HistoryMiami will curate youth arts & crafts activities related to “Urban Arts” as well as music inspired activities.

Another highlight includes the Mavericks Tonsorial Parlor being transformed into a visual art exhibition showcasing the works of famed video director, Gil Green. Green’s “One More Jig” examines the frustrations felt by black actors relating to the negative portrayal and stereotypes in video, film and television. The art exhibit will also explore how images in pop culture form impressions on future generations http://vimeo.com/48555827

Non-profit agencies involved in the event include: Animal Adoption by the Miami-Dade County Animal Services Department and the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida. Florida Department of Health will be on-site conducting HIV Testing. The Florida Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles will be at the festival giving free license renewals and ID’s for kids.

Sponsors include: City of Miami Commissioner Keon Hardemon, Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA, Miami -Dade Economic Advocacy Trust, AMC Theaters, Comcast, T.E.E.S, and House of Wings.

Visit http://www.overtownmusicartsfestival.com

Reggae veteran Mikey General who recently released his 12^th studio album is now heading to Europe for several shows this summer. His first stop will be in Barcelona, Spain where he will be performing on July 11^th and then it’s off to Bilbao for the Txapel Reggae Festival on the 19^th. From there the Mikey General will go to France for the Garance Reggae festival on July 24^th and then it’s back to Spain for additional shows.

Once his Euro tour wraps up, he will return to Jamaica to shoot the video for his song “Myspace” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiwgqX6XL0w) taken from the African Story, African Glory album.

MIKEY GENERAL SOCIAL MEDIA

https://twitter.com/MikeyGeneral7

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mikey-General/381392715282570

Effective July 10^th and every Thursday night thereafter, Disc-Jock Redeem will be burning the midnight oil on his new radio program, Towards Sunrise.

The 6 hour radio show (12-6am) which will be heard throughout Kingston, Jamaica on 96.1FM, will also be syndicated on a UK based radio station, while simultaneously streaming online via www.ustream.tv/channel/rootsfmjamaica

The show will provide a variety of features, some of which are “Meditation after Dark” (this gives listeners knowledge on how to meditate), “Pillow Talk“(covering intimate relationship issues),  “Reggae Chart” and as can be expected from Disc-Jock Redeem there will be a lot of positive music from both established and emerging acts.

Persons are encouraged to tune in to Towards Sunrise this Thursday July 10^th, 2014 on Roots 96.1 FM with Disc-Jock Redeem from midnight to 6am or log on to:   http://www.ustream.tv/channel/rootsfmjamaica

The first to bring the world reggae from Africa, Alpha Blondy’s spiritual, political and positive delivery has inspired fans to embrace him as the “Bob Marley of Africa”. Singing in 7 languages in an effort to reach a wider audience, Alpha Blondy was named United Nations Ambassador of Peace for Côte d’Ivoire in 2005. He made great efforts to bring a peaceful solution to his country’s political and physical division after an attempted Coup in 2001.

Blondy recorded his third album “Jerusalem” at the Tuff Gong studios in Jamaica with The Wailers, featuring Bob Marley’s legendary bassist Aston “Family Man” Barrett. Blondy promotes unity of all religions, drawing inspiration from his own diverse knowledge of the Bible, the Quran, and the Torah.

Born to a Muslim father, a Christian mother and brought up by a grandmother “who taught him to love everyone,” Alpha Blondy’s respect for all religions and the spirituality he derives from them can be heard throughout his music. His indelible classics like “Peace in Liberia,” “Cocody Rock,” and the resistance minded “Brigadier Sabari” are but a short list of legendary songs that also includes “Sebe Allah” and “Politiki.”

Alpha Blondy celebrated 20 years as a recording artist with the release of ‘MERCI’, earning him a 2003 Grammy Award Nomination for “Best Reggae Album”.

With Alpha Blondy, Ghanaian born and Boulder-based Selasee and the Fafa Family will showcase their unique blend of Africa and Colorado reggae. Highline will be bringing classic roots riddims while Knocean displays a new side of Colorado Roots Reggae. DJ Chris Milly will be spinning today’s hottest reggae.

The management team of internationally acclaimed reggae singer, Byiome Muir, more popularly known as I-Octane, takes this opportunity to completely distance themselves from Barcelona-based LiveJam Entertainment and Stefano Ingrosso.

According to the management, effective immediately, LiveJam Entertainment is not authorized to accept bookings or deposits on behalf of I-Octane and is not in a position to negotiate any contractual or other arrangement on behalf of the singer, whether in Europe or any other part of the world.

“All bookings must be done through Khool International Agency and/or I-Octane’s manager, Ray Alexander,” the management emphasized, adding that it was very unfortunate that it has become necessary for them to take this drastic step.

I-Octane, a multiple award-winning artiste, whose demand on the international stage has surged dramatically in the last two years, will be performing live on two festivals only in Europe this summer – Reggae Geel 2014 in Belgium and Reggae Jam in Germany, scheduled for August 2 and 3 respectively. Both concerts had been booked through the agency mentioned above, but unforeseen and totally unacceptable circumstances have placed the artiste in a challenging position.

Despite this, however, I-Octane and his management have pledged to honour their contractual obligations.

“We have a tremendous amount of respect for the fans and the promoters, therefore we have no choice but to honour the agreement, even though it means that we will be out of pocket. We know that in music business there is always the positive and the negative, and we therefore embrace this challenge and move on. It’s all part of the journey,” the management stated.

I-Octane, who is promoting his critically acclaimed sophomore album, My Journey, and who also is the headline act for Reggae Sumfest Dancehall Night Thursday July 17th, leaves for Europe at the end of July.