Conscious Rastafarian singer, Chardavid, aka Iley Dread, is eagerly anticipating his upcoming tour of Canada which will see him breaking new and exciting ground as the baptized singer teams up with internationally-acclaimed gospel favourites, Lt. Stitchie and Judy Mowatt.

The tour, which kicks off on New Year’s Eve in Toronto, Canada, is entitled ‘Songs of Praise’ and takes its name from the singer’s soon-to-be-released, full length album, a project which has been in the works since 2014. Among the offerings on the album, entitled ‘Chardavid Songs of Praise’ are ‘Closer To You’ and ‘Mama Prayer’, two songs which have been generating great response from critics and fans alike.

Chardavid, while refusing to label this new album as “gospel”, admits that it is in fact chockfull of praises to the Most High and is a reaffirmation of his own personal conviction which led him to be baptized over two years ago and took a pledge to faithfully attend church every Sunday, “as long as it is humanly possible”.

According to Chardavid, “This tour with Lt. Stitchie, Sister Judy and others who will be added to the lineup is really a fulfillment of a desire that has been part of me for a very long time. We have a synergy that is unmatched and a common goal of ministering through music. This is another defining moment in my career and I am embracing it.”

With regards to his Christian baptism, he stated, “As a true Rastafarian, I accept the teachings of His Imperial Majesty, who also owns the title ‘Defender of the Christian Faith’, so this clearly shows the eternal harmony and compatibility between Christianity and Rastafari.”

Chardavid, whose real name is Colin Levy, is known for his quiet humility and burning passion for the true core values embraced by Rastafarianism, and he emphasized that nothing has changed. “As Rastafarians, it is important that we make that connection with God. It was Emperor Haile Selassie who said in a speech, ‘There are many instances in my life where the belief in The Almighty and the Christian Faith have sustained me, times of troubles and difficulties. No matter what may befall a human being he can always succeed in overcoming it in time if he has the strength of faith and praise to God, for inevitably He comes to the assistance of those that believe in him and those that through their work live an exemplary life’,” Chardavid quoted.

The tour will wend its way throughout the major cities of Canada, including Toronto, Montreal, Ontario and some coastal cities.

On November the 24th, 2014, Amai Kuda and Y Josephine will launch their first album as a duo with a special show at The Gladstone Art Hotel. AfroSoul Volume II: MaZai is the much anticipated follow-up to Amai Kuda’s first release, Sand from the Sea, which was described as “one of the year’s most exciting new discoveries” by Nicholas Jennings in 2011 (one of Canada’s foremost music journalists and historians).

Like Amai Kuda’s debut, MaZai seamlessly brings together elements of soul, folk, jazz, gospel, blues, rap, R&B, reggae and African continental musical styles, while introducing a new element of Afro-Latin rhythms.

With a continued focus on the voice and percussion, this new offering is all the richer for having the involvement of experienced and innovative percussionist Y Josephine. On this album she plays cajon, bongo, djembe, congas, ngoma, guiro, shakers and even creates a sound remnant of the West African ‘talking drum’ by playing on a jar filled with liquid.

With over two decades experience as a working musician, Y Josephine has performed and recorded with a host of bands in Venezuela, Aruba, Spain, the UK and now Canada. As Edinburgh’s The Skinny (magazine) said, “Y Josephine plays guitar, somehow gets a whole drum kit out of a Peruvian fruit box, and sings in a sweet, smoky, untouchably cool voice. ” In MaZai her sound is combined in lush vocal arrangements with Amai’s clear yet “powerful, soulful” voice (Benjamine Boles, Now Magazine).

For Amai Kuda’s part, MaZai is clearly the work of a more confident, artistically mature and focused songwriter/producer. With the same “infectious, dynamic” (the late Billy Bryans – music producer formerly of the Parachute Club) and unique sound that prompted her to create her own genre, the new album offers consistently poetic lyrics, addressing subjects ranging from ancestors, relationship with the natural world, and colonization, to unrequited love.

Set to unfailingly driving rhythms, this is music that is likely to move you emotionally, spiritually and physically, often all at the same time.

When the couple are not recording, performing or busking on the streets of Toronto, they live in a caravan in the country and are working as part of The Seven Directions collective towards creating a centre dedicated to decolonization. Essentially activist-artists, these women put their faith in the power of music and grassroots organizing to change the world.

The CD jacket is filled with the artwork of Amai and Y Josephine, who makes designer books and is establishing herself as someone to watch in the world of visual art, much as she has in music.

http://www.ynamai.com

Monday November 24, 2014
7pm doors, 8pm showtime
The Gladstone Hotel
$10 entrance / $20 with CD
Featuring:
Komi Olaf
Victoria Mata
Chellz Gemmaria
Amai Kuda and Y Josephine with full band

Ras Astor Black and his team are inviting everyone to celebrate Reggae in the Sun and under the Stars http://youtu.be/jxWFXUcI_xU at Montego Bay’s newest musical cultural theatre on the stage at DonWay, A Jamaican style village, and a Jamaican Tourist Board Licensed Hotel and Entertainment Centre located on the Hip Strip. http://www.visitjamaica.com/donway-a-jamaican-style-village.

Reggae in the Sun and under the Stars Edu-Tainment is produced by the students of the Ras Astor Black Interactive Music and Arts Institute and they focused on all areas of our Jamaican Reggae culture including filming, music, arts and performances which is broadcast on BobArtsTV channels 36 in the hotels and 168 in the residential areas of Trelawny, St. James, Hanover, Westmoreland and Chicago on Comcast Cable.

They want everyone to experience the sweet musical journey with 3 concerts per day. You will learn about Jamaica’s musical icons and Inductees. It’s a beautiful and fun filled day to sing and dance to the official music of Jamaica, Reggae.

The Stage is a limited seating capacity Theatre so RSVP now and book your travel by clicking on this link http://www.applevacations.com/?agentId=14273943

MJ Magazine just found out about Chi-town female MC, K Valentine and after listening to a few of her tracks we are putting everyone on alert, this is one artist to look out for. K Valentine seems to be what hip-hop is missing right now, a positive female energy that’s loaded with lyrics.

Admittedly she’s got a couple questionable tracks (questionable from the stand point of the raw sex vibe that too many female MCs limit themselves to) but she is clearly not lyrically limited. The track that captured our attention is a single called “Chi-raq” in which she talks extensively about the black on black crime in Chicago.

K Valentine also has a mixtape download link on her website, check it out http://www.kvalentine.com/