KINGSTON INSIDE-OUT

Your Name is My Game!

2009-08-05T06:20:00.000-07:00

Have a new product, service or attraction, or want to make your existing product 'POP' even more?

I'll give it a name that will drill into public consciousness and stay there like an earworm

send me details of your product/service/company to liveplug@yahoo.com or liveplug22@gmail.com and we'll set up a consultation

THE JAZZMOBILE THAT JACQUES BUILT

2009-08-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

Fete De Musique/Kingston on the Edge

Jazz is a medium best enjoyed live, and for a jazz band performance to be enjoyable, the band has to function similar to the engine of a high-end sports car: not only do the components have to function well individually with repeated high demands, but the individuals must function perfectly in tune to the other parts, ready to roll with the split-second shift of gears and the subtlest changes in tone and direction.

With the intimate lawn of Grosvenor Galleries in Manor Park as his “course” saxophonist Jacques Schwarz-Bart took the audience for a welcome spin through contemporary jazz spiced with Caribbean rhythms and inflections. Arguably unknown to most prior to his performance, the artists, who has performed with the likes of modern soulster D’Angelo and trumpeter Roy Hargrove, made a powerful statement for celebrating music and life on Saturday night.

The five-man combo was something of a mini-United Nations, with two Serbians (the excellent drummer, Marko Djordevic and the amazing keyboardist Milan Milanovic) a Brazilian, a Puerto Rican and the leader himself, born in Guadeloupe, raised mostly in Europe and now based in New York City (as are all the musicians). They demonstrated that combination of individual virtuosity and collective simpatico that is critical to making the music come alive.

And come alive it did. After a brief spoken word intro, in which eh urged the audience to spare a thought for the people of Iran (fighting to establish a ‘real’ democracy) he led the band into selections from his last two CDs, Sone Ka La and Abyss. Dominated by the infectious poly-rhythms of gwo-ka (an indigenous Guadeloupean form played largely with hand drums), the tunes had hips swaying, fingers snapping and hands clapping, as the celebratory mix and the obvious joy of the players seeped into the crowd.

By night’s end, with the band having played two sets, the party was well and truly on at the final number with patrons willingly abandoning their chairs and dancing in the soft lush grass.

Earlier in the evening, the focus (at least on the leader part anyway) shifted to strings. Maurice Gordon functioned as a kind of “special guest” along with a young trio that gave good support on numbers like “Oleo” “Irie Moods” and the opener, “All Blues”. Before Gordon, Benjy Myaz (whose new album drops very soon) led the audience on a journey through contemporary r&b, pop and reggae.

The entertainment began in the afternoon, with 16 acts who had pre-booked for the Open Mic segment showcasing their talents for the audience. The Fete De Musique is a global celebration co-ordinated by the offices of the Alliance-Francaise in each country. The event is also included in the roster of the Kingston on the Edge arts festival - steadily growing in both quality and quantity in its third year. Many more music and arts events remain over the next several days

But for now, Jamaicans can celebrate the building of some new bridges through music and the visual arts , which is what those things were intended to do in the first place.

www.myspace.com/brotherjacques
www.myspace.com/svetimarko
www.myspace.com/milanmilanovic

“COOL RUNNINGS – ONE MORE TIME”

2009-05-27T03:50:00.000-07:00

Cool Runnings Audio book launch

With a soundtrack encompassing the Fugees as well as the obligatory Bob Marley (who in fact, did use the refrain “cool runnings” in his song “Black Man Redemption”), Chris Stokes launched the audio-book of his bobsleigh memoir, Cool Runnings and Beyond: The story of the Jamaican Bobsleigh Team at Bookophilia in Kingston two Saturdays past.

Stokes drew on the varied skills and enthusiasm of family members and friends (including mom, Blossom O’ Meally Nelson), many of whom crammed into the cozy Liguanea bookstore-cum-hangout. The audio excerpts, read by the author, told the familiar story of courage, physical and mental endurance and unwavering self-belief that has made Jamaica Bobsleigh an indigenous sporting icon surpassed only recently by one-man sprint phenomenon Usain Bolt (imagine the start times the bobsleigh team could get with him pushing).

To hear Stokes and family friend/collaborator Don McDowell tell it, the 13-month recording and editing process of transferring the book (originally published in 2002) to audio was almost as grueling as going downhill on ice (minus, of course, the separated ribs and other physical injuries), with recording sessions frequently running 16 hours or more.

The excerpts played at the launch began – expectedly – with the famous disaster-turned –delight of Calgary 1998, where the team crashed spectacularly out of contention, but into the hearts of the spectators and the world (dramatized, and embellished, in the hit movie). Then ether was the triumph, six years later, in Lillehammer Norway, where the team again overcame injury and lack of equipment (their race sled was a “rental” a ‘display model’ graciously provided by the hotel in which they were staying ) to shock the world by finishing 14th, ahead of the French, Italians, Russians and –most satisfyingly – the Americans.

In her remarks, Mom Blossom O’ Meally Nelson spoke not only to the courage of her sons (brother Tal Stokes was captain of the 4-man teams at Calgary and Lillehammer), but also the perseverance and resourcefulness of their wives, who often had to send money to help keep their spouses “on the ice” and out of hot water, so to speak, this in addition to raising the children.

Na-Talia Stokes rendered the famous Kipling poem, “If” and then Chris took the microphone and delivered a thoroughly inspiring address, beginning with a reference to Sir Phillip Sherlock and Dr Hazel Bennett’s The Story of the Jamaican People and ending with a challenge to members of the audience to commit their own stories to audio books and to books in general.

With even more great stories to tell - the formation, for example of a Jamaican women’s bobsleigh team, and the upcoming expedition to Antarctica (which includes Jamaican Kim-Marie Spence) – another of the Gong’s refrains comes to mind: “spread out, spread out”

Calabash '09 programme

2009-05-02T19:47:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to say....

The 2009 Calabash programme is up at
www.calabashfestival.org
See you in Treasure Beach in 3 weeks!

check back with us - as well as www.yardedge.net for more updates

Winning Actor Boys & Girls

2009-04-01T10:02:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to all the 2008 Actor Boy Awards Winners

An entertaining presentation at the Courtleigh Auditorium last night saw the following, emerge victorious:

Special Effects - Robin Baston, Yes!
Lighting Design - Robin Baston, Yes!
Set Design - Michael Lorde, Runner Boy
Costume Design - Brian Heap, A Tempest
Musical - Yes! Fr. Holung & Friends
Revue - Jamaica 2 Rhatid Pupalick
Comedy - Caughtin in the net, Pablo Hoilett Productions
Original Score - Jamaica 2 Rhatid Pupalick, Lyrics by Aston Cooke, Music by Grub Cooper
Original Song - 'Gangsta's Mercy' Jamaica 2 Rhatid Pupalick, Lyrics by Christopher Gordon, Music by Grub Cooper
Choreography - Tony Wilson, CATS
Childrens Theatre - CATS, Jamaica Junior Theatre
New Jamaican Play - Basil Dawkins, Which Way Is Out?
Actor in a Supporting Role - Munair Zacca, Art
Actress in a Supporting Role - Zandriann Maye
Actor in a Lead Role - Christopher McFarlane, A Tempest
Actress in a Lead Role - Hilary Nicholson, Fallen Angel & Di Devil's Concubine
Director - Brian Heap, A Tempest
Production - YES! Fr. Holung & Friends

Four Literary Trails converge at Terra Nova

2009-03-25T06:58:00.000-07:00

The absence of the two featured female writers could not dampen the spirit of the mutli-ttle book launch hosted by Trailblazer Ink atthe Terra Nova on tuesday (March 24).
The two gentlemen, Dudley Earlington (author of The Fallacy of the Democratic System of the United States) and poet Victor Robertson, whose collection, This Bridge, was being launched, ably received a small but eager crowd of literati, alongside publisher-entrepreneur Joanne Simpson. Zoe Asher (I Woman: The Sacred Trust) and Melda Evans (Sweet & Sour Love) round out the four authors presented.

Simpson pointed out that while the publishing business in Jmaaica was not for the faint-hearted, books were still relevant to the Jamaican situation, and there was some evcidence that Jamaicans at home and in the Disapora would gladly accept books that spoke to our own indigenous experiences and values.

This was echoed by guest speaker (and Director of Culture in the Ministry of Information Youth,Culture and Sports)Sydney Barltey, deputizing for Minister Olivia 'Babsy' Grange. I na typically wide ranging address, he said that if more Jamaicans hada sense of our own heroes, the way that persons in Western civilization do, then this would be a very different (the clear implication is "improved") society.

He pledged the Ministry's support for Simpson's proposed jamaica Writers' Club, a writng-publishing co-operative, for which funding is presently being sought, and also urged the audience to support Jamaican and regional writers as frequently as they could.

A robust discussion session ensued, halted temporarily as emcee Rosemarie Chung brought the proceedings back to formal order, and resumed - in pockets - as soon as the formalities had ended.

end

4 New J'can books

2009-03-16T16:28:00.000-07:00

Joanne simpson's Trailblazer Ink will launch 4 new titles by J'can writers Tues March 24 at the Venetian @ Terra Nova, starting 7:00 pm

The four cover a wide stylistic range, from Sweet & Sour Love, Melda Graham’s short story collection depicting the vagaries of life in rural St Elizabeth, to Dudley Earlington’s unsparing examination of America’s role as the world’s lone superpower, entitled – controversially enough – The Fallacy of the Democratic System of the United States. The other two titles are motivational expert Derrick Evans’ recollections, The Warm-Up, and Zoe Asher’s “neo-feminist” tract, I, Woman: The Sacred Trust.

A Tempest, Yes & Pupalick lead Actor Boy noms

2009-03-10T05:55:00.000-07:00

The drama, A Tempest, the Father Ho Lung production, Yes, and Aston Cooke's comedy revue Jamaica 2 Rhatid: Pupalick, lead the nominations for the 2008 International Theatr Institute (ITI) Jamaica Centre's Actor Boy Awards.

In the nominations, announced on Tuesday evening at the headquarters of Jmaaica Trade & Invest(JTI), A Tempest and Pupalick each scored 11 nods(including double nominations in several categories), while Yes earned 9 nominations. All three are also up for Best Production, a field which also includes Basil Dawkins' Which Way IS Out? and the University Players' Art.

The Best New Jamaican Play award will be contested by Pupa Lick, Yes, Secrets (by Karl Hart) and Which Way Is Out. Hilary Nicholson, Dorothy Cunningham, Sakina Dear and nadean Rawlins (with 2 nominations) are up for Best Lead Actress, while the Leaqd Actor honour will be between Rooney Chambers, Jena paul Menou, Christopher McFarlane, Paul Skeen and Orville Hall.

The awards will be presented on March 31 at the Courtleigh Auditorium (former Island life Cinema). Keri Ki- Ki' Lewis - who emceed the nomination announcement and Chris' Johnny' Daley will preside.

next post: Guest speaker Peter Couch bats for dedicated entertainment venues.

Some 22 productions qaulified for review with a new judging system requring that each play be be marked in a number of categories with the top five scorers going on to get the nomination.

Salman Hates 'Slumdog'

2009-03-09T05:52:00.001-07:00

I'm being very selective here (dangerously so, perhaps) but I couldn't resist taking out this piece from an essay by author Salman Rushdie ( he of The Satanic Verses) in the UK Guardian. The piece is about film adaptations of novels, and Mr Rushdie is none too pleased about Oscar-winning 'Slumdog' nor the novel from which its taken (originally published as Q & A)

What can one say about Slumdog Millionaire, adapted from the novel Q&A by the Indian diplomat Vikas Swarup and directed by Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandan, which won eight Oscars, including best picture? A feelgood movie about the dreadful Bombay slums, an opulently photographed movie about extreme poverty, a romantic, Bollywoodised look at the harsh, unromantic underbelly of India - well - it feels good, right? And, just to clinch it, there's a nifty Bollywood dance sequence at the end. (Actually, it's an amazingly second-rate dance sequence even by Bollywood's standards, but never mind.) It's probably pointless to go up against such a popular film, but let me try.

The problems begin with the work being adapted. Swarup's novel is a corny potboiler, with a plot that defies belief: a boy from the slums somehow manages to get on to the hit Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and answers all his questions correctly because the random accidents of his life have, in a series of outrageous coincidences, given him the information he needs, and are conveniently asked in the order that allows his flashbacks to occur in chronological sequence. This is a patently ridiculous conceit, the kind of fantasy writing that gives fantasy writing a bad name. It is a plot device faithfully preserved by the film-makers, and lies at the heart of the weirdly renamed Slumdog Millionaire. As a result the film, too, beggars belief

"Watchmen" put a US$55M lock on box office

2009-03-09T05:38:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES – "Watchmen" clocked in with $55.7 million in ticket sales to claim the top spot at the box office, making director Zack Snyder's comic book adaptation about a team of twisted superheros the biggest opening of 2009 so far.

Still, it was not quite as big as the $70 million take of Snyder's "300" in 2007.

Dan Fellman, head of distribution for "Watchmen" studio Warner Bros., said it was unfair to compare the two films.

"They're two different movies," Fellman said Sunday. "This is a movie that runs two hours and 45 minutes. That really only leaves the exhibitor with one showing a night. If you have an 8 o'clock show, the next show is at midnight. So with essentially one show a night, I think this is outstanding."

Fans of the subversive comic book series by writer Alan Moore and illustrator Dave Gibbons waited years for Snyder's big-screen version. The anticipation was complicated last year when Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox fought over who owned rights to the $125 million film. The studios eventually settled in January, keeping the March 6 opening intact.

Many "Watchmen" enthusiasts raced to IMAX theaters to see the exploits of Dr. Manhattan and company on the bigger screens. Greg Foster, chairman and president of IMAX Filmed Entertainment, said the movie sold out on all 124 IMAX screens it was playing on during the weekend and was the second largest opening in company history behind another superhero film, 2008's "The Dark Knight."

With no other new releases to compete against, "Watchmen" easily bumped off "Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail," which had held the top spot the two previous weekends. The Lionsgate comedy took in $8.8 million, good for second place, according to studio estimates Sunday. 20th Century Fox's "Taken," starring Liam Neeson, took the No. 3 position with $7.5 million.

For the year, movie attendance continues to soar, with revenue at $1.9 billion, up 16 percent through the same point in 2008. Even factoring in 2009's higher ticket prices, movie attendance is running 14 percent higher than last year.
-AP

www.watchmenmovie.com

Icarus Lands at Phillip Sherlock Centre

2009-02-25T18:45:00.000-08:00

With the bust of the eponymous founder watching, The Sir Phillip Sherlock Centre presented an installation by artist Robert 'Toby' Grant this evening. The installation, depicting the fallen winged creature of myth (he flew too close to the sun), is made of creeping vines, or 'wist' and thus will grow and transform over the five to six weeks that it will remain suspended from the Centre's ceiling.
1876 Wines refreshed a solid turno ut of well-wishers and artphiles.
More on this , as well as photos, next post.

“We Can’t Pay, We Won’t Pay!” @ EMC Drama Auditorium

2009-02-25T18:43:00.000-08:00

a political farce written by Nobel Prize winner Dario Fo, directed by Pierre Lemaire and featuring 2nd and 3rd year students from the Drama School will open on Thursday 5 March at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts. This play shows how people can change when put under extreme financial pressure. We have dedicated this production to the people of Guadeloupe and Martinique who are entering their second month of general strike, fighting against abnormally high prices facing the population of these islands. Come and multi task: Laugh and think!

The M n' M show:FABRICated Journals

2009-02-25T06:58:00.000-08:00

An Exhibition by Margaret Stanley and Miriam Hinds
Opening: Sunday, March 8th, 2009, 11am
Revolution Gallery, 44 Lady Musgrave Road, Kgn 10
Exhibition continues until March 31st, 2009

What does Darwin Have to do with fiction writing?

2009-02-23T07:44:00.000-08:00

Plenty , as it turns out. The Darwinian effect on character development was but one of the more interesting points raised during the panel discussion (followed by a workshop) on Speculative fiction, which was held Saturday last (Feb 21) at the UWI Library Multi-function room.
The panel featured Prof. John Leonard, writer and elcturer Jean Small, and novelists Erna Brodber and Nalo Hopkinson.
I'll have more on the conference, Inlcuding comments from Nalo Hopkinson and Prof Leonard, tomorrow.

Thanks again to Michael Holgate and Brian Heap, whose persistence helped see this important event through to fruition - time well spent.

Watchmen greet the world form London

2009-02-23T07:40:00.000-08:00

Watchmen, the film adaptation of the legendary graphic novel, premieres in London tomorrow (Feb 23) before crossing the Atlantic for a March 6 scheduled open in the U.S. no word yet on when, or even if the controversial film will open on local Jamaican screens.

In an alternate 1985 America, costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society, and the "Doomsday Clock" - which charts the USA's tension with the Soviet Union - is permanently set at five minutes to midnight. When one of his former colleagues is murdered, the washed-up but no less determined masked vigilante Rorschach sets out to uncover a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes. As he reconnects with his former crime-fighting legion - a ragtag group of retired superheroes, only one of whom has true powers - Rorschach glimpses a wide-ranging and disturbing conspiracy with links to their shared past and catastrophic consequences for the future. Their mission is to watch over humanity...but who is watching the watchmen?

James in NYC

2009-02-19T09:31:00.000-08:00

John Crow's Devil author and sometime critic Marlon James will be giving readings in New York Feb 23 and 24. Will come back with details on venue and time (yeh, I know I've said that already).
James' new novel, The Book of Night Women, officially hits stores (U.S. I believe, check amazon.com or publisher Riverhead to secure a copy online) and see the Sunday edition of the Jamaica Observer (Feb 15) for an interview with marlon

'Salt Roads' author @ UWI Sat

2009-02-18T12:02:00.000-08:00

Renowned sci-fi/fantasy writer Nalo Hopkinson (who is of Jamaican-Guyanese parentage) will participate in a workshop at the UWI- the Multi-function Room atthe Main Library - Saturday, Feb 21, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Hopkinson's books include Midnight Robber, Brown Girl in the Ring and The Salt Roads

The Spanish View: XAYMACA - Life in Spanish Jamaica 1494-1655

2009-02-11T09:31:00.000-08:00

The Institute of Jamaica
February 17, 2009 – August 17, 2009
Limestone frieze, New Seville,c. 1524.
Photo Tony Wong
OPENING: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2009, 11 A.M.
The competition between European nations for wealth, power and religious dominance in the New World began in the 15th Century. Advances in cartography, navigation and shipbuilding fuelled the desire to find new trade routes, gold and spices. Ultimately, this led to the discovery and conquest of lands previously undreamt of.
The Spanish monarchs, King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella, joined in the pursuit of supremacy via the seas in 1492 by supporting the expeditions of Italian-born seaman Christopher Columbus. Their goal was to find trade routes to the east that were unknown to their European rivals and to acquire the much desired gold and precious stones to be found in Asia. However, what their expeditions discovered was far removed from their original intentions.
Featuring the magnificent stone sculpture from New Seville, original Taino and Spanish objects plus reproductions of navigational tools and documents from the period of the Spanish control of Jamaica, XAYMACA: Life in Spanish Jamaica 1494-1655 tells the story of the Spanish experience in Jamaica from the time of Columbus' arrival in 1494 until the time of the island's complete conquest by the English in 1660.

The full-colour catalogue features articles by Professor Patrick Bryan of the University of the West Indies, Dr. Robyn Woodward of Simon Fraser University and Dr. James Robertson of the University of the West Indies. The exhibition has been curated by Dr. Rebecca Tortello and Dr. Jonathan Greenland.

XAYMACA: Life in Spanish Jamaica 1494-1655 has been made possible through the support of The Embassy of Spain in Jamaica, The Jamaica National Heritage Trust, The Ministry of Culture of Spain, The Archive of the Indies, Seville, The Museum of America, Madrid, The Jamaica Archives, The National Library of Jamaica, The Museo Naval, Madrid, and The Ministry of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports.

The Night Women are Coming

2009-01-29T09:04:00.000-08:00

New from Jamaican writer Marlon James, whose debut John Crow's Devil almost singlehandedly brought J'can letters into the 21st Century, comes The Book of Night Women.

The Amazon blurb describes it as "a sweeping, startling novel, a true tour de force of both voice and storytelling."

It tells the story of Lilith, born into slavery on a Jamaican sugar plantation at the end of the eighteenth century. Even at her birth, the slave women around her recognize a dark power that they—and she—will come to both revere and fear.

The Night Women, as they call themselves, have long been plotting a slave revolt, and as Lilith comes of age and reveals the extent of her power, they see her as the key to their plans. But when she begins to understand her own feelings and desires and identity, Lilith starts to push at the edges of what is imaginable for the life of a slave woman in Jamaica, and risks becoming the conspiracy’s weak link.

Lilith’s story overflows with high drama and heartbreak, and life on the plantation is rife with dangerous secrets, unspoken jealousies, inhuman violence, and very human emotion—between slave and master, between slave and overseer, and among the slaves themselves.

Night Women is avaialble as of Feb 19

'Angels' in the Pool Hall

2008-10-14T09:25:00.001-07:00

Practically stumbled into Monday night's launch of
the Kingston Beer, ultimate Pool Tournament, a $1.5m
market play by the beer brand aimed at the potentially
lucrative fiercely loyal comunity of pool players - mmle
& female - now frequenbting sports bars and lounges
acrosss the island.
Some interestingf perspectives from players, old, not so old
and nubile (as in the ladies of the Devil's Angels team -
unfortunate choice of name.

God show by Kingston Beer and hope it grows for them.

[Birth of a] Live Music Nation

2008-08-14T15:12:00.000-07:00

The Griot Music Live Music nation series has proven quite encouraging, and the series enters week II, with Ricardo Suave @ Christopher's tonite (Ian hird played a great show on Tuesday nite), Nina Karle @ Village blues Bar on Friday; and trumpeter Mickey Hanson at Heather's Garden Restaurant on Saturday. Check it out.

Link to Live music nation calendar - August

2008-07-31T13:27:00.000-07:00

http://griotpublishing.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=48

The above takes you to the list of live venues and acts for August

One Nation

2008-07-31T09:40:00.000-07:00

Griot Music is about to launch the largest live music campaign in
Jamaica's history.
Live Music Nation will provide live music in Kingston 7 nights a week
at different venues.

We begin the series at Christopher's which has been our home for the
past three years (time really flies) on Tuesday August 5 and it's
fitting we should begin with Seretse Small, the master of it all.

Show time: 7:30pm
Cover: $500

Tuesday August 5 - Seretse @ Christopher's Jazz Cafe
Thursday August 7 - Gas Money @ Christopher's Jazz Cafe (They're
baaack!!)
Friday August 8 - Ian Hird @ Village Blues Bar (Yes, they are now open
for business)
Saturday August 9 - Kathy Brown @ Heather's Garden Restaurant

Click on the link to see our Live Music Nation advertisement that will
appear in the Sunday Gleaner this week.

http://griot-music-mailing-list.googlegroups.com/web/LMN%20Ad%20Template%20BW%20copy.jpg?gsc=uFhxxQsAAABb14q8xh0Skz_wsyOyIa7K

Support K O W

2008-07-31T09:30:00.000-07:00

Actor-writer-provocateur Karl Williams has been accepted to do an MA Educational Theatre at New York University this September and the funds from the following shows will be used to subsidize fees towards this. Please spread the word and come out if you can.

"Cracking Up"

2 One-Act plays written by Amba Chevannes

'The Last Bloom' directed by Michael Daley

Cast: Marguerite Newland & Afolashade (from Sistren Theatre Collective)

'Dinner with Eleanor' directed by Eugene Williams

Cast: Bertina Macauley, Karl Williams & Munair Zacca

August 15-24

2 Weekends Only!

The Philip Sherlock Centre –UWI

Friday & Saturday 8pm

Sunday 6pm

KOTE 08 finale

2008-06-26T09:25:00.000-07:00

The whole thing comes together at Bookophilia this Saturday afternoon June 28 at 5 pm for "WORD LOVE POWER" the Kingston on the Edge closing show. In addition to the awesome lineup of artists, poets, actors authors and musicians, there will be cuisine from Starapples and a full service coffee bar by Cafe Blue.

Firefly night

2008-06-26T09:10:00.000-07:00

Firefly Summer Lick - July 6th: Ease into the Week...

"It is almost time for our second Firefly (Oracabessa) Summerlick - Next weekend July 6th. It is worth the drive to come out and spend the day listening to some mellow sounds, eating some yummy food and sipping something cool. Lascelles will have a selection of wines available as part of the package, and there will be Blackwell Rum for tasting. Come with a group or alone with a book! It will be a casual Island vibe..."

KOTE 2K8 Schedule

2008-06-20T08:17:00.000-07:00

Ok, here it is, th whole shebang - subject to change of course, but it looks like a nother great year for the Edge.

Olympia & the Potters

2008-06-20T07:55:00.000-07:00

ASSOCIATION OF JAMAICAN POTTERS

ANNUAL EXHIBITION & SALE

opening on

SUNDAY JUNE 22nd 2008 @ 1.00 PM

BANK OF JAMAICA AUDITORIUM

NETHERSOLE PLACE

Opening remarks will be given by:

Mr. Earl Jarrett

General Manager, Jamaica National Building Society

FREE Parking for guests will be in the secured facility

to the left of the B.O.J. Building at the end of East Street .

Entrance at the front of the building

R.S.V.P. TEL. 496 3481 / 926 6331

EXHIBITION CONTINUES:

MON – FRI 9 am – 4 pm UNTIL JUNE 27TH

Part Sponsors: JN Building Society & Grace Kennedy Foods

KOTE event - emBODYment Art show

2008-06-20T07:53:00.000-07:00

17 visual artists explore the theme of the human form through clay, metal, textile / fibre, photography/ printmaking, wood, painting, and mixed media. In addition, on opening night, there will be performances by Marguerite Orane reading from her new book "Free & Laughing"; poetry reading by Judith Hamilton, Phillip Supersad drumming on his handmade drums to accompany an Akan dancer, and Jason Warton on wind instruments.

"emBODYment": A Celebration of the Human Form, opens Monday, June 23,@ 7:00 p.m. at REVOLUTION GALLERY, as part of the Kingston on the Edge urban art festival.

See you there!

Word Play - and look out for KOTE coverage

2008-06-19T08:38:00.000-07:00

Kingston's underground indulges in wordplay

Kingston, Ja - JUNE 18, 2008 - Kingston's latest underground event, WordPlay: Poetry. Music. Art., will have tongues wagging with its fresh and eclectic line up of young talent. This alternative form of entertainment is slated to re-launch the monthly series beginning July 20, 2008 at the Altamont Court Hotel's Luxur Suite at 8pm. The show is geared toward exposing and cultivating underground genres using the radical blend of 'floetry', dub, reggae, old school hip hop, jazz and soul - all performed live.

Fusion of Poetry and Live Music

WordPlay was introduced in November 2006 by Simple Chaos Entertainment and began as the fusion of Poetry and Jazz. After the closure of the original venue the concept of WordPlay has been broadened to include the fusion of various genres in such a way as to ensure the singularity of the show. All artistes performing on WordPlay make use of a completely live set, which encourages a vastly different sound, feel and atmosphere than can be had elsewhere in Kingston. Additionally, artistes are encouraged to go outside of their comfort zone and create an offering that is far from main-stream.

First Installment

The re-launch of WordPlay promises to be the premiere in live entertainment and will feature live performances by, among others, Sarah Couch – daughter of renowned singer and pianist, Suzanne Couch; this exceptionally talented singer/songwriter revels in the joys of music; Mo' Scherrie – the winner of various national awards for her poetry, Mo'Scherrie is also an author with a book in production as well as the creator and director of Concept One, the name behind videos such as Tarrus Riley's 'She's Royal'; and Kali – talented rapper, songwriter, painter, dancer and actress. The show will be hosted by Miss Jamaica World 2001, Regina Beavers and Kamila Ann McDonald, who are also the upcoming recording artistes more popularly known as Gina Stars and Meela K of the underground R&B sensation, True Kolors.

Heating Up

2008-06-01T19:15:00.000-07:00

Just finished my 3rd Simon Winchester book, Krakatoa. The Day The Wolrd Exploded: August 27, 1883

look out for my review (hint: I think its his best so far, but then, I sitll havea way to go)

Rootz firm, Movement springing forward

2008-05-19T04:47:00.000-07:00

In an earlier generation, The Hope Zoo Bandshell was the place where well-thinking Jmaaicans were exposed to a variety of musical expressions, from jazz to reggae to the orchestral strains of the Jamaica Military band. It had lain dormant for many years, and had fallen into disrepair until telecoms provider Digicel too kup the mantle late last year. Still, save for a few company functions, the Bandshell had not hosted a quality live music presentation.

That is, not until Saturday night last when Rootz Underground celebrated the release of their debut studio set, Movement.

"We buss de seal pon de venue" was lead singer Steven "Stevie G" Newland's triumphant declaration al ittle more than midway through a set that was by turns rollicking and subtly layered. Through over an hour of music with scant breaks, the six-man aggregation confirmed their status as the premier reggae-rockers in the business.

Newland, perhaps even unnoticed by the large crowd that blanketed the hillock in front of the Bandshell, has successfully steered past the easy Bob Marley comparisons that lurked like a quicksand bed in the early going. Depsite the familiar high-jumping, locks-shaking antics common to both, Newland brings an quicksilver intensity and one daresay, a welcome unpredictability to hisstage presence. Just when you think its old hat, that spark goes off in his eyes and he's found a new way to express the feelings in the band's potent lyrics.

And his bandmates were right up there with him. Colin Young laid down bass lines heavy enough to flatten steel, particularly on "Herb Field" where the group was augmented by the presence of a first-rate horn section. Charles Lazarus on lead guitar showed that the inspiration he gained from watching - and listening to -Cat Coore was not lost on him. Keyboardist Paul Smith showed good vocal skills (not to mention tremendous fitness) on Slumberland, and joined rhythm guitarist Jeffrey Moss-Solomon and Newland in a three-man 'jogging line' as drummer Leon Campbell kept time and more.

Indeed, the big reason why Rootz is worthy of acclaim is that in their hands, reggae once again emerges as a WORLD music, assimilating other styles and sounds, but without compromising the drum-and-bass core. Their shifting tempos and chanted vocal hooks ("The enemy's a robber Babylonian"; "Please don't let my well run dry") restore tothe music the revolutionary power that caused it to sweep the globe in the first place.

Part of that international community was represented by Philadeplhia-based sound system Solomonic, which kept both new and old jams coming before and after the set
Even before the set, the band members spoke of hte great potential of the venue and of plans for a return visit, alongside other reggae warriors.

This is one Movement we can get with.

Call Me 'Book-o-phile'

2008-04-18T03:02:00.001-07:00

It's scarcely been open two weeks, but Andrea Dempster's bookstore-cafe Bookophilia, looks set to establish itself in this still-growing niche category of retail.
Expressionz missed the official opening on Saturday last, but returned (having gone in to the store the previous Friday for a 'sneak preview') last Wednesday and was handsomely rewarded by finding a copy of Anglo-jamaican jazz bassist Coleridge Goode's auto-bio, Bass Lines: A Life In Jazz, in the used books/trade section. Persons who wish to trade books need to bring in a comparable title (same genre) or otherwise pay the listed price on the book.
The new book selection is quite wide, and the young 'art-o-phile' also has paintings available.

if you're in the Liguanea area, stop by on Hope Road (next to Starapples restaurant)anf get your book fix

'Inspirating' with Charlie Bobus

2008-04-18T03:00:00.000-07:00

Charlie Bobus: HARDEST-WORKING MAN IN THE DUB POETRY BUSINESS

The following are excerpts from an interview with poet-entrepreneur Nicardo ‘Charlie Bobus’ Murray by Karin Wilson of Jamaican culture blog, Yard Edge. The interview in full is available at www.yardedge.net
How did you first become a dub poet?
Charlie Bobus: I first became a dub poet through the writing of poems while attending Wolmers High, especially after starting English Language and English Literature classes. I used to first DJ in public since around 1993 appearing on community stage shows, going to studios and talent shows, but I always wrote poetry.
Disgusted with the dancehall fraternity heading towards glorifying guns and sex, the lack of motivational lyrics that weren’t necessarily religious and seeing the need for the upliftment of the youths I stopped writing certain lyrics and started writing only positive lyrics.

What do you see as your “mission” as a dub poet?
Charlie Bobus: My mission is the empowerment of minds and the upliftment of youths for the betterment of mankind. The mission is to use dub poetry to spread a positive message while building the poetry industry to be viable commercially, changing the view that poetry is not a viable occupation.

What inspires you in your work?
Charlie Bobus: The love of dub poetry and the purpose that the Almighty has given me that I have dedicated my life to, the dedication that lead me to give up working 9 to 5 and everything and start Inspirator International.
What drives me is the dedication to working with youths and bringing the positive messages to them knowing the situation they face growing up having come from a volatile community and having faced hardship.

How have you developed your skill?
Charlie Bobus: I have developed my skill through my long experience in the performing arts, having started writing and performing on stage from an early age; through years of self-education, online courses, reading and preparation. Learning from the elders in the dub poetry movement and having a strong consultation network.

How would people who know you describe you?
Charlie Bobus: I am being called by the poets and poetry events promoters in business as the hardest-working dub poet. I am described as a high energy motivational dub poet who is always out there supporting the poetry scene and poets’ careers

What exactly is “Inspirator International”?
Charlie Bobus: Inspirator International is a company formed by Nicardo Charlie Bobus Murray, August 13th 2005. It is now a home based business and was formed after Charlie Bobus saw a need for the people to get motivational products and entertainment and he had certain plans that he saw no other organization or company inside the dub poetry industry providing the way to achieve.

Inspirator International is a licensed book publishing company and has produced the “Creative Energy” book of motivation and poetry, as well as the “Creative Energy” video that has premiered on Hype TV and the “Creative Energy” CD and is a therefore also a dub poetry record label. I have also edited a number of books and poems for other authors and will soon be publishing the works of poets from Jamaica and Trinidad.
Inspirator International is a events promotion company specializing in dub poetry events and keeps an annual show in the Grants Pen community that is going three years this June 28. We are also organizing the first Dub Poetry Festival for August 2009 and Jamaica’s first Poetry Lounge to be opened early 2009 which will also be the offices and store of Inspirator International.
We also have launched the Inspirator Dub Poetry Sound System. We work with the youths, volunteer with youth programs and schools to teach dub poetry for the National Festival programs, offer workshops and motivational speaking sessions.

Curator's Eye Returns

2008-04-12T06:01:00.000-07:00

This from our friends at the Nat Gal

CURATOR’S EYE III: Ceremony in Space, Time and Sound

(April 17 – June 28, 2008)

Curated by Keith Morrison

Curator’s Eye III consists of the work of 15 artists, five of whom live abroad. The exhibition is called Ceremony in Space, Time and Sound because the media used by the artists extend the range of the traditional visual arts. The exhibition involves animation, film, TV and video projections mixed with sound, room installations, and interactive art, along with paintings, photographs, prints and sculptures. It is an exhibition with a variety of ceremonial themes to be found in Jamaican art, reflecting a dynamism from which Jamaica takes its cultural character and a source of a continuum from the cultures of ancient Africa to our time.

The following is a brief description of the work of each artist in the exhibition:

Cleve Bowen’s work is a mixed media room installation called Tribulation of the Flesh, but. It includes sculptural objects, paintings and mirror reflections. Projected with dramatic light Bowen’s art is about time seen through light as a source of biblical and futuristic spirituality.

Lawrence Graham-Brown presents a series titled Who is Most Masculine. Using a video of a beauty pageant, and allegorical paintings about the primitive nature of sexuality, Graham-Brown examines the social construct of gender behaviour and questions gender-identity.

Photographer Albert Chong’s work in the show is a presentation of 27 slides. His photographs are transformations of men and women in bodies that are decoratively adorned or tattooed. Through adornment and metamorphosis, Chong creates a world of figures that are sometimes androgynous, sometimes macabre, sometimes regal, sometimes feminine or masculine, but always sensual.

Carol Campbell’s work in this exhibition is an installation of jewellery using imagery from ancient Africa to the present. The objects of jewellery are artistic expressions that stand alone as sculptural objects, each with its own individual expression.

Carol Crichton makes richly layered paintings in which the Jamaican athlete is depicted as hero. Her highly structured compositions are like x-rays of colours and patterns that move back and forth through space.

Paula Daley has created an installation evoking her childhood experience of marching to the altar to receive the priest’s blessing in church. Her work seeks to recapture the magic and beauty of the mysterious artefacts and symbols of the altar.

Michelle Eistrup makes microscopic studies of plants, objects, animals and birds that become symbolic participants in her art work. Her method fuses photography and drawing and focuses on the nature of cultural dichotomies. The artist feels her work embodies much of the essence of expatriate Caribbean people who cull information from plants and insects to develop their own potions for survival.

Andy Jefferson has created a two-part concept of Totems and mixed media images. His six totem poles mirrored by three prints and three paintings form a conceptualisation of ceremony and ritual. Jefferson ’s totems each represent an area of ceremony. The artist uses African, North American Indian and Taino symbols, embellished with mixed media, found objects, paint and varnish to create images of ceremony.

Ras Kassa’s work titled The Stew is an audio-visual presentation of traditional and contemporary life and performance in urban Jamaica . His work captures on film pedestrians, traffic and accompanying sounds in teaming Kingston . Imagery of Kumina, Jonkunu, Rastafari, Carnival, Dancehall, Obeah, marijuana, and a variety of other social rituals are wielded together into a personal vision.

O’Neil Lawrence ’s black and white photographs dramatize a ritual by the sea. They are allegorical dramas that are staged with human models shrouded by a large white sheet billowing in the wind by the shore. Lawrence ’s work occupies an aesthetic place somewhere between the photograph as a mirror of existence and the photograph as a documentation of a staged action.

Khepera Hatsheptwa’s installation titled Commemoration and Memorialisation has three components, most prominent of which is a large circular form on the floor in the centre of the room. The second is a form made of meshing which is installed on a wall as an interactive assemblage. Paper and strings are provided for viewers to write tribute to loved ones that died. The concept also includes is a surrounding music system, with sounds evoking commemoration and memorialisation. Hatsheptwa’s idea is that art in the traditional African sense is a forum for celebration, commemoration or mourning.

Petrona Morrison’s video installation Us/Dem II continues an investigation into the dominance of contested territory and space within Jamaican culture, and its reinforcement in popular culture. What began as the artist’s concern with the degree of violence in the society has broadened: in what ways has our history shaped our stratifications and what is its relationship to this violence?

Ebony Patterson’s works on the theme “Gangstas for life” is a series of mixed media paintings on paper of characters that the artist uses as quintessential images for masculinity within Jamaican Dancehall culture. Patterson’s work explores the fashionable Jamaican practice of skin bleaching within the Dancehall culture and issues of dark skin/light skin prejudice from slavery to the present. Patterson’s work deconstructs stereotypical homosexual beauties, with bleached faces, red glossed lips and feminine motifs.

Tal Rickards is a filmmaker and photographer whose entry in the exhibition is his 9 minute film Serengeti. This is a film about the complex maze that is urban life today. In Serengeti a figure is running purposefully through an urban landscape toward some unknown destination. He appears to be lost yet focused and resolved in his journey as he runs through danger and foreboding toward a calmer space. Serengeti is a metaphor for the human journey through life’s obstacles. It is also the ritual of the mythic Jamaica wanderlust.

Filmmaker Oneika Russell’s work in the exhibition is a video animation about the metamorphosis of an imaginary slave ship into a contemporary urban icon. In her video Moby Dick dives with Ophelia who rises transformed as the Dancehall girl. Russell’s video is about the indelible stamp of Western education that is part of the fabric of Jamaica , and posits its relationship to the emerging literature of popular culture.

CURATOR’S EYE III: Ceremony in Space, Time and Sound brings together new media with more conventional forms of art to explore ideas that are important in Jamaican culture today. Issues include Dancehall culture, reinterpretations of beauty and a variety of ceremonial practices. If Curator’s Eye III is any indication, the future of Jamaican art could be internationally outstanding.

________________________________________________________________

Keith Morrison is a Jamaican-born artist who has exhibited internationally in many galleries and museums, including the art Institute of Chicago , the Smithsonian, The Cincinnati Museum, the DeYoung Museum , and the Corcoran Gallery of Art. He has curated many exhibitions, including Art in Washington and its African American Presence: 1940-1970.He has been Professor and Dean in many art schools and universities, including the San Francisco Art Institute, the San Francisco State University , the University of Maryland , and the Tyler School of Art Temple University. Morrison has written for many publications including The New art Examiner, the Corcoran Gallery, The Baltimore Museum of Art, the Getty Museum, and the Washington Post. The monograph titled Keith Morrison, by Dr. Renee Ater was published by Pomegranate Press in 2005.

GENERAL INFORMATION
www.galleryjamaica.org

Bobus poetry flyer

2008-04-08T03:34:00.000-07:00

Just as a reminder, here's the flyer for Charlie Bobus

Red Bones gathering

Poppy Seed & Cherry Natural for Bobus

2008-04-08T02:25:00.000-07:00

These two ladies, Poppy Seed & Cherry Natural are aming the featured acts on Charlie Bobus' latest dub poetry venture. Thier bios follow:

POPPY SEED AKA ANGELA HARVEY takes performance poetry to a new level she has been described as being “on the cusp of poetry and song” and sheds a positive light on the Urban music scene. From North London, this Poet, Activist, Composer, Playwright, Singer/Songwriter, and Lecturer for over a decade has composed and penned an extensive repertoire. Described as being a “cut between Eryka Badu and Sade” with “a Breeze of her own”; Poppy Seed ‘s original music crosses genres to embrace Jazz, Soul, R&B, African Roots, Rock, Reggae and pop influences which enhance the themes of her poetry. The lyrics are socially and environmentally aware, conscious and easy to listen to. Poppy Seed is a musical act which is eloquent, thought provoking, intoxicating, and a natural high, which
‘has to be seen to appreciate the visual and spiritual impact’ (Muta);
‘A warm revolutionary’ (Observer JA),
‘Compelling and inspiring’ (Invincible Magazine).
‘A rare flower…’ (Sade)
With extensive experience on the live poetry gig circuit, unsigned Poppy Seed in 2007 released her Album ‘Coming Through’, which is a selection from that wide repertoire. It aims to solidify her presence and make an official POPPY SEED imprint into the wider public arena and music industry. With its unique spin on Poetic Soulful, Jazz Roots and Culture, the POPPY SEED sound is versatile, well crafted, intelligent, feisty, and healing!

In recent years Poppy Seed has impacted on regional UK festivals, high profile Corporate Arenas, countless Social Justice Campaigns in the UK and abroad including Germany (Lyrik Eins Poetry Festival), New York, Philadelphia, and South Africa (Step Afrika – Aids Awareness), gaining National & International notoriety. Further seasoned and encouraged by Mentors and associates - Mutabaruka (Godfather of Dub Poetry), Sade (Queen of Sultry Soul); and Producers David Ivory (The Roots, Gill Scot), Delroy Murray (Total Contrast, En Core), Robin Millar (Sade), Paul Hussey (Celloman, Thabani), and Mad Professor (Dub music Emporium);
2008 promises a lasting impression for POPPY SEED as she Comes Through the London poetry scene for International Woman’s month and beyond.
Whether performing as a PA, Full band sound, or acoustic set, Poppy Seed will move you.
See www.myspace.com/poppyseedpoetry

For bookings contact Management: Linda Small at email: eventsinmotionuk@yahoo.co.uk

Cherry Natural
Meet Cherry Natural, Jamaica’s top reggae female poet.
She’s been described as an African guerrilla woman. This petite black belt martial arts instructor is a revolutionary who speaks on behalf of oppressed peoples throughout the world. She’s concerned about women and their struggles, their rights to equal social and economic opportunities and her poems make no apologies in addressing these issues. Her work celebrates poetry, advocates militancy and celebrates women.

Everyone knows her as Cherry Natural but her given name is Marcia Wedderburn Inspired by Jamaica’s own legendary folklorist, poet, actress, author, Louise Bennett , Cherry Natural has been entertaining and using her work to educate people from all over the world for almost 20-years. It all started when Cherry was 12. Using Miss Lou’s works on which to hinge her own style of writing , she penned a poem called ‘Time Hard’ which won favour with both her teacher and classmates. From that time until now, Cherry Natural has done nothing but write and perform her poems. Her collection of poems to date is somewhere in the region of 3000.

Her poems reflect her militancy, her ability to use her art to heal, liberate, and motivate. She gets her fulfilment from the changes her works bring about among women who are still among the most oppressed and suffer from low self esteem. But she also writes to motivate men and children. In fact, she writes to motivate the human race because as Cherry Natural puts it herself, her greatest joy in life is to see people enjoying life and the privileges that come with living.

While her emphasis is on live performances, Cherry Natural has to date published two books of her poetry, the first in 1989 titled, 'Come Mek we Reason’ and in 2002, ‘Earth Woman’. Her debut album also titled ‘Earth Woman’ was released in 1999. She also performs with her daughter. ‘Little Natural’ who though not so little anymore, has been strongly influenced by her mother’s teachings

Please come out and support Charlie Bobus fundraising show @ Red Bones Blues Cafe, proceeds in aid of Charlie Bobus Texas Tour to go perform on the Austin International Poetry Festival this weekend, See Letter attached for details on tour and please assist if you can, forward this email to all poetry loving Jamaicans or all your contacts, Dub Poetry is on a rise .

Everybody has been asking about Poppy Seed well here is information about this poet and also Cherry Natural!

Euro Movie Night @ REd Bones

2008-04-04T18:16:00.000-07:00

Movie Night at Redbones - 21 Braemar Avenue
This Saturday 5th April, 2008
Presents:
1) La Vie En Rose
Marion Cotillard won the Oscar for Best Actress(2008) for her portrayal of the great French singer Edith Piaf in this recreation of her tragic life.
(Directed by Olivier Dahan, in French w/subtitles, 140 minutes, 2007)
2)The Counterfeiters(Die Fälscher)
This film just won the Oscar for the Best Foreign Film (2008). The Counterfeiters is the true story of the largest counterfeiting operation in history set up by the Nazis in a concentration camp during World War II. The moral dilemma for the prisoners involved was to decide on helping the German war effort or to sabotage it and risk execution.
(Directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky, in German w/subtitles, 95 minutes, 2007)

Contribution: $250
Showtime: 8pm(La Vie En Rose); 10:30pm(Counterfeiters)
Carry a blanket if you want to lie on the grass and hang out and listen to the music in the courtyard afterwards.

Flashpoint Film @ expressionzjm

2008-03-21T13:29:00.000-07:00

This blog is now your official link to updates on the 2008
Flashpoint Film & Music Festival, June 5-8 in Port Royal.

get news releases as well as a direct link to www.flashpointfestival.com

Watch this space

Poetry @ Red Bones

2008-03-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

AN EVENING OF
CONTEMPORARY LITERATUREReadings By: BARBARA DIXON,Poet

Wednesday, March 26, 2008 @ 8:30 pm

NO COVER CHARGE!

Fashion & Britannia at the movies

2008-02-29T19:24:00.000-08:00

Movie Night at Redbones - 21 Braemar Avenue
This Saturday 1st March, 2008
Presents:
1) Over The Hill
This documentary done by a Dutch woman takes a look at the fashion and cosmetics industries and their link with women's magazines and mass media which ultimately make women feel worse about themselves as they struggle to achieve a beauty ideal that has no basis in reality. Based largely on interviews in Amsterdam and Los Angeles.
(Directed by Sunny Bergman, in English and Dutch w/subtitles, 60 minutes, 2007)

2) This is England
This is England is a look back at the early eighties of British working-class life through the eyes of 12 year old Shaun and his new gang dealing with the bitterness of racism, unemployment and the fall out of the Falkland's War. Won the prize for Best British Film at the 2008 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards.
(Directed by Shane Meadows, 98 minutes, 2006)

Beat the Drums

2008-02-19T21:45:00.000-08:00

DRUMFEST 2008!

Who: The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission

When: Thursday, February 21, 2008 4pm - 8pm

Where: Emancipation Park

What : Drumfest 2008
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The 2nd Annual Drum Fest competition began this year with a series of regional eliminations across the island, the finals take place on February 21, 2008 at the Emancipation Park in Kingston, Jamaica. The event is scheduled to start at 4 pm – concert & competition continue till 8pm.

Drums have always played an important role in the lives of the Jamaican People. It is believed that the drums create a deep spiritual feeling, transcending the listener. Drums evoke moods of happiness, sadness and are rooted in the lives of a people.

he JCDC seeks to sustain the rich legacy of the conga and other types of hand beaten drums found across the island. The National Drumming Festival –Drumfest creates a unique opportunity for drummers all across the island to display their skills at playing the drum.

It will also allow Jamaicans to see our young people involved in sustaining and creating music of a high standard through dexterity, creativity and communicative skills.

MC : Fae Ellington

Special Guests: Akwaaba Drummers, Nomaddz and the La 'Cadco Dummers & Dancers

Admission: Free

Donald, Diamara & Co @ Red Bones

2008-02-19T21:37:00.000-08:00

REDBONES THE BLUES CAFE

PRESENTS

Airplai

Featuring

Donald Waugh

Omar Francis

Kieran Murray

Jerome Tulloch

with

Vocalist Diamara Neil

Friday February 22nd, 2008

Gates Open 8 pm

Show Time 9 pm

ADM: J$500.00

Heron does the Messenger in 'Medea'

2008-02-16T08:13:00.001-08:00

HERON RETURNS TO NEW YORK STAGE IN “MEDEA”

New York- February 14, 2008

Award winning Jamaican Playwright and actor David Heron will mark his return to the Off Broadway stage in a new production of Euripedes’ Greek tragedy Medea, opening on Friday February 15 for a limited exclusive run at the world famous National Black Theater in Harlem.

In a new adaptation by acclaimed scholar Nicolas Rudall, the play tells the story of the Sorceress/Princess Medea, who is left for another woman by her husband, Jason of The Argonauts, and decides to seek revenge at any cost.

Tony Award winning actress Trezana Beverley, who won Broadway’s highest honour for her role in the original production of For Coloured Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Was Enuf, heads the cast as Medea, while reknowned theater actor and singer Dathan B. Williams takes on the role of Jason.

Heron will play the role of The Messenger, whose dramatic entrance and vivid recollection of events, illuminates the audience’s understanding of the vengeance Medea wreaks on all those who have wronged her.

The production is directed by Award winning actress and director Petronia Paley, whose credits include Another World, Guiding Light, Electra and the Broadway revival of On Golden Pond opposite James Earl Jones.

Medea marks Heron’s third Off-Broadway appearance in less than one year.

He made his Shakespearean debut to excellent reviews as Laertes opposite One Life To Live star Timothy D. Stickney in Hamlet at The Workshop Theater last April, and appeared immediately afterwards in The New Federal Theater’s popular revival of Errol John’s classic Caribbean play Moon On A Rainbow Shawl, produced by Woodie King Jr .

A Movie Nite Full of Fidel @ Red Bones

2008-02-16T07:46:00.000-08:00

Movie Night at Redbones - 21 Braemar Avenue
This Saturday 16th February, 2008
Presents:
1) Blame it on Fidel
The story takes place in the early 1970's in France where 9 year old Anna has a nice comfortable life with her little brother until their parents decide to reject the comforts of their bourgeois life and dedicate themselves to radical activism turning Anna's life upside-down.
(Directed by Julie Gavras, 95 minutes, in French w/subtitles, 2006)

2) 638 Ways to Kill Castro
This documentary looks at the 638 alleged plots to assassinate the Cuban leader.
(Directed by Dollan Cannell, 78 minutes, 2006)

Contribution: $250
Showtime: 8pm(Blame it on Fidel) 9:45pm(638 Ways to Kill Castro)

Carry a blanket if you want to lie on the grass and hang out and listen to the music in the courtyard afterwards.

Flamenco Time

2008-02-10T16:10:00.000-08:00

The following link takes you to upcoming Flamenco perfromance March 4

www.jamaicapegasus.com/flamenco/

Belisario @ the NG

2008-02-10T16:06:00.000-08:00

Opening Event March 2, 11 a.m.

Organized by the Yale Center for British Art, the ground-breaking exhibition Art and Emancipation in Jamaica: Isaac Mendes Belisario and His Worlds (September 27–and December 30th, 2007) was curated by Gillian Forrester, Associate Curator of Prints and Drawings, Yale Center for British Art; Tim Barringer, Paul Mellon Professor of the History of Art, Yale University; and Barbaro Martinez-Ruiz, Assistant Professor, Department of Art and Art History, Stanford University. The exhibition examined the visual culture of slavery and emancipation in Jamaica . The exhibition was organized to commemorate the bicentenary of the abolition of the British slave trade and featured some 234 works of art and objects drawn from Yale’s own collections and from Museum and private collections in Britain , France and Jamaica . Generous support for this project was provided by The Reed Foundation.

On March 2nd The National Gallery of Jamaica will be opening an abridged and amended version of the exhibition utilising the Jamaican loans to the original exhibition and additional loans from various Jamaican collections. A total of approximately 150 objects including paintings, sculptures, furniture, rare books and documents, costumes and musical instruments will be presented. The title of this exhibition is Isaac Mendes Belisario: Art and Emancipation in Jamaica .

Putting it together: Collage Exhibition

2008-02-10T15:54:00.000-08:00

The public is invited to the official opening of the ‘Art of Collage and Assemblage’ on 14 February 2008 at 6:00 p.m. Gallery hours are Monday to Friday 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. and Saturday from 10.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. The Exhibition closes on 8 March 2008.

The first exhibition for 2008 staged by the Mutual Gallery is The Art of Collage and Assemblage starting on 14 February at 6 pm. It is staged in conjunction with NCB, Hardys wines, Carreras, Island Grill, Capital & Credit Merchant Bank, Super Plus, RBTT, COK, Ideal Portfolio Services Company and LOJ. Mr. Cecil Cooper, Head of the Fine Arts Department at the Edna Manley College for the Visual Arts and Performing Arts will be the guest speaker.

As in past years, this exhibition highlights a medium through the exposition of the work of artists working in that medium. Amongst the renowned artists are David Boxer, Hope Brooks, Karl ‘Jerry’ Craig, Petrona Morrison, Stanford Watson, also Paula Daley, Rafiki Kariuki, David Marchand, Mazola Wa Mwashighadi, Errol Moo Young, Phillip Tomlinson and Hope Wheeler.

The rising stars in the exhibition are Zawdie Reece, Kericee Fletcher, Keisha Castello, Khepera Oluyia Hatsheptwa, Tricia Gordon Johnston, Michela Lee, Nosbourne Lee, Ebony Patterson, Nicole Risden, Michelle Bright Chin See and Sana Rose. Two newcomers on the Jamaican art scene are Kaye Hanna and Gerry Ruecker.

The term collage is derived from the French verb “coller”, meaning to glue. A collage is a work of art made from assemblages of different objects into a new work. The term was coined by both Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso in the beginning of the 20th century when collage became a distinctive technique in modern art. An assemblage made from putting together found objects is the three-dimensional counterpart of a collage.

Love Inna De Air

2008-01-22T21:31:00.000-08:00

INNA MI HEART" on Friday, February 15 at 9:00pm.

It's going to be "Funny Valentine" with Mizz Joan-Andrea Hutchinson".

Event: INNA MI HEART
"...because laughter and love go together"
What: Performance
Host: M.A.D.K.O.W. Productions
When: Friday, February 15 at 9:00pm
Where: Red Bones Blues Cafe

The BIG 4

2008-01-16T20:03:00.000-08:00

Advt

How to Buss Session

The BIG 4 Questions of Artiste promotion

WHY?

WHO?

WHAT?

HOW?

For the answers, email liveplug22@gmail.com or call 426-3106 to register
for our exciting, career-making session series.

Red Bones Jazz & Blues films

2008-01-16T19:12:00.000-08:00

With the Air jamaica Jaz and blues festival fast approaching and, beyond thatthe annual African-American Hostory month observances, the US Embassy and Red bones the blues cafe are gearing up by presenting the Ken Burns series

U.S. EMBASSY, RED BONES HOST FILM SERIES – ‘THE BLUES MEETS JAZZ’

The U.S. Embassy and Red Bones Blues Café for the fourth year will collaborate to bring selected films from the series, “JAZZ,” by renowned filmmaker Ken Burns, as a precursor to its annual African American History Month observances. In addition, there will other documentaries featured such as the Blues Masters, The Howlin’ Wolf Story among others.

The films, which are free to the public, will be shown from January 24 to February 28, at the Red Bones Blues Café` in Kingston, starting at 7:30 p.m.

On January 24, Ken Burns’ “Gumbo” explores how jazz begins in 19th century New Orleans, where the sound of marching bands, Italian opera, Caribbean rhythms, and minstrel shows fills the streets with a richly diverse musical culture. Here, African-American musicians create a new music out of these ingredients by mixing in ragtime syncopations and the soulful feeling of the blues. Soon after the start of the new century, people are calling it jazz.

“Blues Masters – The Essential History of the Blues” on January 31, captures performances of the early masters on film and those that were are profoundly insightful and entertaining such as Son House, Leadbelly, Bessie Smith, B.B. King , Billie Holiday, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Big Joe Turner, Mamie Smith, Ethel Waters with Count Basie and many others.

Another film from the Ken Burns series, “Our Language” will be featured on February 7 while ‘The Howlin Wolf Story,’ will be shown on Wednesday, February 13. This eminently watchable documentary is about Chester A. Burnett, better known as Howlin' Wolf with some history of the Blues in general.

“A Masterpiece at Midnight” and "Antone's Home of the Blues: A Legend Every Night" will be featured on February 21 and 28 respectively

Reggae In Film

2008-01-15T04:05:00.000-08:00

Minister Of Culture Announces Reggae Film FestivalA reggae film festival featuring films that have reggae music as the subject, story line or content will be held in Kingston on February 15,17 to focus on film as an aspect of Jamaican music culture. This was announced today by Minister of Information, Culture, Youth & Sports with responsibility for Entertainment, Hon. Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, who said that her Ministry will be assisting the Reggae Film Festival to showcase some of the many documentaries, feature films and music videos being made that incorporate or highlight Jamaica's unique reggae music.

The Film Festival will be a prelude to the Reggae Academy Awards being presented at that time by Recording Industry Association of Jamaica (RIAJam) as well as a sidebar of the Global Reggae 2008 conference hosted by the UWI Institute of Caribbean Studies.

The REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL is organized by film maker and film festival organizer Barbara Blake Hannah in collaboration with ReggaeFilms.co.uk, a UK-based online community and marketplace for films, books and music highlighting Jamaica's reggae culture. Minister Grange says the REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL will give Jamaicans the opportunity to view some of the best of the hundreds of films made about and because of the world famous music of Jamaica, that not only reflect the wide interest in Jamaican music, but also bring tourists on vacation and income to members of the entertainment fraternity, as well as the nation.

"Most of the films about Jamaica are made by reggae lovers in countries outside Jamaica and we here at home have never seen them. There are also some Jamaican films that equally have never had local TV or cinema exposure. The REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL will showcase the best of these. There is certainly enough material of interest continually being produced to make this an annual event," said Minister Grange.

Co-ordinators Barbara Blake Hannah and Peter Gittins of Reggae Films UK, say the Reggae Film Festival will be a Red Carpet event of films in the categories of Reggae Rock-umentary, Roots – Rock - Reggae, and Give Thanks & Praise. Films include "ROOTS TIME" an amusing feature film by Peruvian film maker Silvestre Jacobi that follows two Rastas who travel around Jamaica selling records.

Movie Nite tonite

2007-12-08T05:28:00.000-08:00

Movie Night at Redbones - 21 Braemar Avenue
This Saturday 8th December, 2007
Presents:
SICKO
Michael Moore (Fahrenheit 9/11) is back and now he is taking on the U.S. health care system. Using personal testimonies to recount some of the problems faced by the many without health insurance he makes comparison with the existing health care systems in places like Canada, France, Cuba and England. As always Moore injects a bit of humour along the way into the sometimes gloomy picture.
(Directed by Michael Moore; 123 minutes, 2007)

Contribution: $250
Showtime: 8pm

Carry a blanket if you want to lay on the grass and hang out and listen to the music in the courtyard afterwards.

R.I.P. Darren Khan

2007-12-07T06:36:00.001-08:00

Got news this morning which stopped me in my tracks.
Darren Khan, whom I had recruited (on the recommendation of Analisa Chapman and above the stern reservations of Exec Editor Vernon Davidson) as a freelance

features writer/reviewer at the Observer, was founded burned to death in Surbiton Road apartment on Thursday

Darren had issues as well as do, but during his tenure at the Observer I saw the beginnings of a maturation process that was showing first in his writing and less so but still noticeable in his overall demeanour.
I'm very saddened by his death, and I extend my heartfelt condolences to his mother, other family and friends.

"It may be easy to choose to live without Christ, but to die without Him is hell"

Time Trippin'

2007-12-03T19:06:00.000-08:00

SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW HISTORY? Maybe so – but actor-comedian Chris “Johnny” Daley learns Jamaican history by magic when ghosts from the past put him straight about facts he took for granted. The stories unfold in the new dramatized six-part series TIME TRIP by Video for Change.
Did Christopher Columbus really discover a ‘new world’ ? A young Taino woman ghost reminds us that her people were in Jamaica thousands of years before Columbus arrived. In fact, the Tainos found it quite annoying when Columbus kept asking “Where’s India? Where’s China? Where’s Japan?”
Chris Daley’s second encounter is with a rascally sailor from a slave ship who explains the trade in captive Africans, and the profits it made for Queens, Barons, Dukes - and even the Bank of England. A strong-spirited woman cane cutter combines humour and pathos in her story, and an enslaved descendant of an African Chieftain relates the dangers of his escape to join Nanny and the Maroons. The next encounter is with a courageous and intriguing Haitian housemaid brought to Jamaica by her owner during the Haitian revolution – the first successful Black revolution in the western world. In the final Episode, our traveler Chris Daley meets a brave warrior who fought at Sam Sharpe’s side in 1831.
The cast of the Time Trip Series includes well known actors Nadean Rawlins, Brian Heap, Deanne Allgrove, Damion Radcliffe, Michelle Serieux and Saun Drysdale. Each segment ends with an original rap song summing up the story, composed and performed by the talented group From The Deep.
Although the series is primarily aimed at students, the humour and excitement of the stories attract audiences of all ages. This innovative DVD series is the work of its creative directors/producers, Cynthia Wilmot and Hilary Nicholson, while support for the project came from CHASE. (END)

CONTACT: Hilary Nicholson 926 0882, 927-7599, 532-0996
Cynthia Wilmot, 750 0748

[Art] Basel on the [Miami] Beach

2007-12-03T19:03:00.000-08:00

If you're going to Miami this weekend, this is a good bet for art lovers

Art Basel Miami Beach
November 28-December 11, 2007

Winning over the art world with its spirited flair, Art Basel Miami Beach returns for its sixth year with even more special events and a coterie of emerging fringe fairs. We preview ABMB's highlights, from the new Art Supernova section to the multimedia Art Sound Lounge in the Botanical Gardens. Miami-based artists Naomi Fisher and Jim Drain talk to us about the local art community, and we profile the trendsetting designers of Studio Job, who exhibit their latest work at Design Miami. Beyond the Miami hubbub, we review the catalogue for Takashi Murakami's controversial LA show, as well as new projects around the globe from Kirsten Hassenfeld and Jon Kessler.

The 'Rainmaker' Returns

2007-12-01T17:07:00.000-08:00

He's from a line of naturistic 'rainmakers' in his native Kenya,
but multi-media artist Mazola has been making a lot of hay in the
Jamaican sun since making the island his base several years ago
His new solo show opens atthe Mutual Gallery this Thursday at 7 pm.
It runs through Jan '08

Fine Arts fest for Mobay

2007-12-01T16:49:00.000-08:00

HALF MOON SPONSORS MONTEGO BAY’S 1ST INTERNATIONAL FINE ARTS FESTIVAL
On Saturday, December 15th Expressions Art & Framing will present Montego Bay’s first international fine arts festival at the Cornwall Room, Half Moon Shopping Village.

The brainchild and dream of Expressions Art & Framing founder and Managing Director Nereree Edwards, the aim of the seven-day festival is to unearth and showcase Jamaican artists and to allow the viewing public in Western Jamaica the rare opportunity of seeing and appreciating a diverse cross section of fine arts. In addition to Jamaican artists there will also be several international artists, from South Africa., Belize, Guadeloupe and the Caribbean.

Highlights of the Festival will include educational fora, panel discussions, student exhibitions, artist development workshops, live entertainment and the launch of Kevin McIntyre’s innovative artwear fashion line, McEsson.

Edwards, who has also formed a fine artist management company called Art by Expression, explains: “It is hoped that visitors to the island including Jamaicans returning ‘home’ for Christmas, will be able to experience and savour the high caliber art on display alongside Jamaican art appreciators. History shows us that the fine arts are an essential thread in the fabric of a nation’s cultural identity and heritage. Given the varying palates of our visitors, we believe the festival will offer a fulfilling experience which may assist the development of an integrated tourism product. I am eternally grateful to Half Moon for coming on-board as a sponsor. Our goal is that this Festival will be a resounding success and become a permanent fixture on the international arts calendar.”

There is no cover charge for entry to the Festival, but there will be a wide variety of fine art on sale.

Tis' the Season for art fairs - like Grosvenor's

2007-11-25T17:34:00.000-08:00

GROSVENOR GALLERIES

CHRISTMAS FAIR

Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th December, 2007

10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Over 50 booths of things you can’t find in stores! silver jewelry, pottery, precious stones,

wood craft, paintings, prints, ceramics,

Indian clothing, stained glass, linens, leather bags,

carvings, curios, driftwood angels,

aromatherapy products, books,

coffee gift baskets, furniture, antiques,

food court and much more!

Entertainment and drinks by Tony’s Bar

1 Grosvenor Terrace, Kingston 8, Jamaica

876-924-6684, 876-931-5569

grosvenorgallery@cwjamaica.com , www.artofjamaica.com

Shakespeare: gang-breaker?

2007-11-08T01:44:00.000-08:00

From David Heron in NY, the notice is short, but the info is good nonethless

H

- An Adaptation of William Shakespeare's HENRY IV, Parts 1&2 -

This workshop production examines “power” and “the divine right to rule”

through Spoken Word & Shakespeare’s text

conceived & directed by Kaia Calhoun

Cast:

Kim Sullivan* Jeffrey Thompson* Chris Bauer* David Heron
Jeanetta Rich Carsey Walker Jr.* C.L. Rivera LaKai Worrell

Xavier Rodney Tennesse Palmer

Michael Leonard James* Xavier Merchan

November 9 -10, 2007
Location & Performance Schedule:

BRIC Studio

57 Rockwell Place (bet. DeKalb Ave. & Fulton St.)

Brooklyn, NY
Fri. at 8pm, Sat. at 2PM & 8PM/

Post-Show Discussion(s) on the production, street gangs and their impact on the Brooklyn community

Francophone Film 07

2007-11-06T02:24:00.000-08:00

Good food, good wie, good music and good film combined excellently
atthe Alliance Francaise in Kgn on Monday as the 31st (wow!) Francophone FIlm Festival was officially launched, with one new entrant - Senegal - repepd by the new ambassador (Switzerland is the other)
Thae audience also heard live interpretation of Guadeloupean composer Chevalier de St George (b. Joseph Bolougne)courtesy of Anee McNamee and Peter Ashbourne before viewing a documentary made by Caribbean hudban-wife filmaking team Steve and Stephanie James abouta special comemmoration of St George - a ballet and musical concert - that took place in Cuba.
The festival runs for one week
Will return with film titles and schedules

Wine 101

2007-10-29T18:49:00.000-07:00

CLASS REPEAT BY SPECIAL REQUEST - Our Oct class was oversold, so we organized this one on Nov 10th !! Please book early.

Don't know much about wine? Not sure where to begin?

This one-session class will teach you how to taste like a pro while sampling major varietals in an entertaining, interactive setting.

You'll taste six major varietals of the wine world, and then some ........

Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Pinot Noir from the largest wine-producing countries.

By tasting the wines and smelling them side-by-side with "scent cues", you'll learn to identify basic elements of a wine including tannin, acidity, how to describe different tasting characteristics

Other topics covered in this introductory class:

How grapes become wine.
The major types and styles of wine.
Major wine producing regions of the world
What stemware to use with the various varietals of wine.
The correct temperature to serve wine.
How to best store wine.
You have got the wine list, now what ?

Plus, the techniques of tasting wine.

You will taste a minimum of 6 wines representing the "big 6 grape varietals"

Whites
Riesling; Sauvignon Blanc; Chardonnay
Reds
Pinot Noir; Merlot; Cabernet Sauvignon
The Wines for this class will be supplied by Caribbean Producers.

SATURDAY NOV 10, 2007

Liguanea Club

Knutsford Blvd

2pm - 6pm

US$ 50 J$ 3,600 per person (Call for group Rates)

Email winesjamaica@gmail.com or Call Kerri-Anne on 816-9707 to reserve your space.

Red Bones Movie night

2007-10-22T19:53:00.000-07:00

This has unfortunately moved from Saturday night to tuesday night (as in tonight), ruling me out, but check this out if you can:

Movie Night at Redbones - 21 Braemar Avenue
This Tuesday 23rd October, 2007
Presents:
MOOLAADE
In a small village in Burkino Faso(Africa), four young girls flee the ritual ceremony for their circumcision and seek protection from a woman who gives them "Moolaade" which is a special magical defence that cannot be broken unless it is revoked by the person who first casts it. This creates a tense stand-off between the traditionalists and the modern thinkers in the village. This film won the "Un Certain Regard Award" and "Prize of the Ecumenical Jury - Special Mention" at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. The writer-director Ousmane Sembene is widely regarded as the father of African cinema and the first film director from an African country to achieve international recognition.
(Directed by Ousmane Sembene; 120 minutes, in Bambara and French with English subtitles, 2004)
Contribution: $250
Showtime: 8pm
We have chairs but you can bring cushions for them or carry a blanket if you want to lay on the grass. Hang out and listen to the music in the courtyard
afterwards.

Link to NY Times review

2007-10-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

The following from the NY Times literary review is very interesting.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/21/books/review/Schillinger2-t.html?8bu&emc=bu

Rains force move of Red bones movie night

2007-10-11T14:43:00.000-07:00

The inclement weather has forced a relocation of the weekly Red bones movie night

The presentation, a documentary entitled Coping With Babylon, will be shown
atthe Edna Manley College School of Music Auditorium, on Arthur Wint Drive
opposite the Little Theatre.

A relase from red bones said that an accompanying book launch will still take
place at the Braemar Avenue eatery/lounge.

Promo link for Word Sound Power

2007-10-11T14:02:00.000-07:00

Go to myspace.com/thewordsoundpower to see a promo clip from the
new BET-J live poets show.
I recognised yassus Afari, Rootz Underground, Cherry Natural among others.

Carib dub poets puto ut 'Word Sound Power' on BETJ

2007-10-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

Caribbean Dubpoets given a platform on BET J’s
Word Sound Power every Saturday 11am &11pm

Last Saturday at 11am and 11pm, the first show for the series Word Sound Power was viewed by millions on BET J, world wide. For the first time, dub-poets were given a platform on a commercial network to showcase Caribbean poetry for the world to experience.

Word Sound Power is an artistic force uniting the African oral tradition of rhythmic dub poetry and the literary art form of spoken word to form the voice of a new poetic generation.

Hosted weekly by M-1 of legendary Hip-Hop Duo Dead Prez, it features some of the best dub poets like Ansley Burrows, Cherry Natural, Yasas Afari, Suhir Hammad, LSX, Roger Bonair Agaird, Kamika and others.

The first three shows of the series were recorded at Boone Hall in Stony Hill. The cast will return to Jamaica to finish recording the rest of the show, utilizing the beauty, wonderful themes, and perfect location.

Word Sound Power redefines the boundaries of entertainment by directly addressing socio- economic, political issues with prose and purpose while providing an elevated visionary alternative to bridge the gap between cultures and countries of the African Diaspora.

This marriage of cultures brings together talent dub-poets of the world representing Caribbean and African background to express them-selves creatively yet sending strong messages. Produced by Roots Cause Entertainment and Earth Strong Production, Aranthes explains, “Dub Poets have never had a platform like this on a major international network. It’s never been done before. BET J has given us a platform to showcase this art form across the world.” Word Sound Power will air on BET J

More Red Bones Lit

2007-09-26T06:51:00.000-07:00

Wednesday September 26, 2007 @ 8:30pm

Redbones the Blues Cafe presents
An Evening of Contemporary Literature
Readings by: Clement Hamilton and Mo' Scherrie

Admission is Free

Five books to be launched at Red Bones

2007-09-25T15:55:00.000-07:00

Novelty Trading continues to step up its marketing
of books locally.
On Oct 4, the distributor in association with
Red bones the Blues Cafe will host a multiple book launch
under the banner Writing Home, at Red bones beginning at 7:00pm
The books, all by Dawes (whose Shook Foil and Jacko Jacobus
are favourites of this blog)include Gomer's Song, She's Gone, Impossible Flying, A Far Cry From Plymouth Rock and Wisteria
The latter book will also be the subject of a special presentation
on Sunday October 7 at the Phillip Sherlock Centre at UWI - Mona.

Dawes' Progeny of Air won Britain's Forward Prize as Best First Poetry
collection

'Big Dickey' returns

2007-09-13T16:03:00.000-07:00

"Oh, he just gets women!"
That was but one of the comments from a raving female fan
at Wednesday night's lauch of the latest tome from Afro-American
author Eric Jerome Dickey.
Titled Waking With Enemies, it succeeds Sleeping With Strangers.
The plot - not that it matters to the hordeof female fans who turned up at
Devon House to see and hear hm - centres on a hit mna who is himself the object of a hit. He moves form locale to locale while trying to find out who wants to kill him, to come to terms with his past and also to enjoy some heated sex with his girfriend (who wants him to kill her sister) among others.
Our arrival at the venue fouund Dickey getting into - what else? -a sex scene,
and women who otherwise feign disinterest in such matters were hanging on his
every word.
Its a relief to know, from our standpoint, that Dickey isn't only about steamy potboilers. He's also donje a book based on the X-Men character Storm, and in a previous interview with this writer, revealed that he was working on a graphic novel revival of the Afro-American comic superhero, The Black Panther.

National Gallery exhibition

2007-09-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

Materialising Slavery: Art, Artefact, Memory and Identity
September 16- End of 2007

The Institute of Jamaica Galleries and

The National Gallery of Jamaica

This exhibition is a collaboration of the Museums Division, Institute of Jamaica , and the National Gallery of Jamaica to commemorate the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Atlantic slave trade.

This exhibition examines the intersection of slavery, history, trauma, memory and representation. More specifically, it is an exploration of the complex relationships between slavery and identity and belonging in contemporary Jamaica . Utilising materials such as implements of torture, books, prints and drawings, among others produced at the time of, and to reinforce the system of slavery, this exhibition will explore new world slavery from the position of the “colony”. It will seek to examine how we as peoples whose original location is rooted in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade can visualise this past. Though grounded in the historical, the exhibition will also explore the relationship between the slave past and the present, especially through the lenses of several Jamaican contemporary artists whose work examine the impact of “memories” of slavery. Additionally, we have invited renowned African American (of Caribbean descent) Artist and Scholar, Fred Wilson, who has been at the forefront of museological engagement with the objects of slavery and visual display of the “hidden” past, to create an installation using some of the collections of the Institute of Jamaica.

This Four Part Exhibition is being curated by Wayne Modest of the Museums Division of the Institute of Jamaica and David Boxer of the National Gallery of Jamaica

The opening function on Sunday September 16 will be at the Institute of Jamaica and the National Gallery of Jamaica.

FEATURED ARTISTS

Joseph B. Kidd, James Hakewill, Isaac M. Belisario, Adolphe Duperly, George Robertson, Carl Abrahams, Henry Daley / Vera Alabaster, Everald Brown, Clinton Brown, Christopher Gonzales, Augustus John, Judy MacMillan, Ronald Moody, Karl Parboosingh, Edna Manley, Koren Der Harootian, Albert Huie, Alvin Marriott, Ronald Moody, Namba Roy, David Miller Snr, David Miller Jnr., Hector Whistler, Osmond Watson, Barrington Watson, Richmond Barthe, Gloria Escoffery, Leonard Morris, Mallica Kapo Reynolds, Albert Artwell, William Rhule, Marvin Bartley

Charles Campbell, Camille Chedda, Christopher Clare, Renee Cox, Carol Crichton, Laura Facey, Nicholas Morris, Petrona Morrison, K. Khalfani Ra, Omari Ra, Roberta Stoddart, Oya Tyehimba, David Boxer, Christopher Irons, Lawrence Graham Brown, Oneika Russell, Michael Parchment

And specially invited eminent American Artist Fred Wilson

Bleu Flame Cooking

2005-07-04T08:47:00.000-07:00

The Cordon Bleu experience comes to Jamaica

He’s only been here a few days, but chef Franck Jeandon of Le Cordon Bleu,
the gold (or shall we say blue) standard for culinary arts training worldwide,
has already tasted a modicum of “cusiine Jamaicenne”.

“I have had the jerk chicken, escoveitch fish and also mango,” he says
in his heavily accented but fluent English (the French native, from the
legendary Mediterranean seaport of Nice, is presently based in London).
He is quick to point out, however, that he has not had sufficient exposure
so as to make a deifinitive comment.

One thing he can speak to without reservation is the experience of conducting
training in the summer Caribbean heat. Thus far, he points out, a “no problem”
attitude has been very much required, given the challenges of grafting French
cuisine in the tropical setting.

As we chatted over lunch, the thermometer inside the classroom/kitchen at the
School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at UTech registered a grill-like
34 degrees. “With all the stoves on,” he points out,” its even hotter than that,
which is really not good for doing most French meals — the textures and the
freshness are affected.”

Nevertheless, the chef and his enthusiastic band of students have pressed
on, also substituting Jamaican ingredients where necessary and applicable.

So does that mean his charges will be able to head out and start their own
little bistros and brasseries on completion of the five-day workshop? Obviously
not, but, as he points out, “they will have an understanding some techniques and
a basic approach to cuisine.”

Cooking goes way beyond simply preparing meals, as the participants, all of
them chefs, caterers and restarateurs, already understand.

For Chef Jeandon’s part, his understanding was honed by five years of culinary
school, followed by stints with uber-restaurateur Alain Ducasse and in London
with Bruno Loubet (with a stop in Istanbul, Turkey for good measure).

He joined le Cordon Bleu some two years ago with the intent of getting some
more travelling under his belt but also spreading the gospel of French cuisine
while interacting with other cultures, as he’s doing now.

And thus far the “acolytes” have been similarly impressed. “its a very fgood experience,” says one. “We need to have an institution like this formalized
and running permanently here.”

Who knows, a few more helpings of jerk (washed down alternately with Appleton
rum and Blue Mountain coffee) and Le Cordon Bleu may have a permanent outpost
here — or at least a qualified representative.

West figures big in Style Awards

2005-06-13T06:47:00.000-07:00

Patrick Casserly and Verona Carter took
the Style Man and Woman of the Year
honours at the Fashion Observer Style
Awards atthe Terra Nova over the
weekend. Other winners included Jaime
Stewart as Style Breakthrough and
Sophia Max- Brown, whose entrance
at the Observer's Busienss Leader Awards
earned her the Style Moment of the Year

French Wine - A Very Good Hour

2005-06-04T10:51:00.000-07:00

B&G Wine Rap Session - A good hour
Sunday - Cuisine
By Michael A Edwards Observer writer
Sunday, April 17, 2005

Three centuries or so of French wine-making and distributary expertise were adroitly condensed by Barton & Guestier's Raphael Martinaud into roughly a one-hour presentation at the Hilton Kingston that proved highly engaging.

Martinaud, who represents the oldest wine merchant in the Bordeaux region and the first brand of fine French wines to be exported, took the audience - with the help of slides - on a journey through the art and science of French wine, going virtually from grapes to grace (or at least the toast).
In France, winemaking is largely concetrated in three main regions - Northern, Oceanic and Southern.

The North, with its wide variance between summer and winter temperatures, is known for its whites (including the renowned Champagne); the South, bordered by the Mediterranean, is known
for heat and dryness, producing a wide range of wines, but among
them some celebrated reds; the Oceanic is the median of the three, known for even temperatures and regular rainfall, which again yields a wide variety.

The presenter also did one of the best jobs yet (at least witnessed by this writer) of de-mystifying the almost Byzantine system of the French Institute for Apellations of Origin (INAO) which, among other things, approves and defines vineyards and categorises the production. The Institute came about in 1935, a quarter-century after a massive fraud had almost crippled the industry.

Of course, no session on wine would truly be complete without the tasting, so B&G, through local agents Lascelles Wines & Spirits,
obliged as Martinaud went through comparative characteristics,
tasting terms and other elements of a Chardonnay and Merlot.

The comprehensive exposé also encompassed storing (the average room temperature in Jamaica is not conducive to proper wine storage), and serving.

Long after the formal presentations concluded, several of the oenology "experts" stayed on to quiz the rep, compare notes and enjoy the general conviviality that only fine wine and good people can generate.

Ena Manley Final Year show 2005

2005-05-31T06:17:00.000-07:00

It is that time of the year when the graduating students of the "School of Visual Arts" of the Edna Manley College stage their final year exhibition. The show will feature works in Ceramics, Textiles, Visual Communication (Graphic Design and Illustration), Painting, Art Education and Sculpture. The show will open on Saturday June 4 at 6:00 p.m. and the guest speaker will be Ms. Lois Sherwood, artist and entrepreneur. There will be entertainment as well as cocktails provided by Sangster's Rum Cream.

The show will continue daily until June 17, 2005.

theatre Roundup

2005-05-27T11:56:00.000-07:00

THE BLACK THAT I AM & WINE AND ROSES

Despite criticisms leveled in respect of quantity and quality,
Jamaican theatre has not slowed down in 2005. Younger talents
are increasingly finding their way amidst the veterans and in
the two above-mentioned productions, one is heartened to see
young writers, Karl Williams and David Tulloch coming to the fore.

The Black That I Am
Written by Karl Williams
Directed by Brian Heap
Cast: The University Players
Phillip Sherlock Centre

To have fashioned a theatrical revue from his own poem is commendable
enough. To have created a work as vibrant, as bitingly contemporary and
funky as The Black That I Am is worthy of celebration. Collaborating with
Brian Heap, his dramatic cohorts in the University Players and choroegraphers
Shelly Anne Maxwell and Neila Ebanks, karl Williams has crafted a visual statement,
both manifesto and documentary, on today’s Jamaica, a place where overt class prejudices
and latent colour prejudices (sometimes they’re overt too) coalesce and bubble over in
an intriguing but piquant stew.

No topic is sacred or off-limits: race, religion, sexuality, even the Jamaican
preoccupation with team sports are skewered with gusto and panache, the language
combining grit, wit and forthrightness in near equal measure but never veering into
vulgarity.

The cast was excellent as a whole, but on the night this writer viewed the play,
the women were in ascendancy. Monique Caesar showed consummate skill in her monologue
of a black Jamaican young woman about to marry a white man. He variations in modulation
and her timing in "fixing up" for the nuptials were a treat to watch. Nadia Khan riffed
eloquently on racial ambivalence, trying to decide what racial box to tick on her
immigration form while awaiting a flight to New York.

Neither of those were as compelling however, as Nadean Rawlins’ sublimely venemous
Church Lady, heaping condemnation and epithets on an unseen Afro-centric "church sister"
amid choruses of "hallelujah" and "preach brother" her underlying mercenary motives
(the sister in question does not patronize her clothing and hair store). Whipping her
fan open and closed to punctuate her seething diatribes.

The men held their own, especially Jerry Benzwick as the "girls man" with a twist in
"I Do Women" and Peter Parkinson as a game show host(squinting and shifting his weight
from one leg to the other in mock concentration) in which the participants shuffle giant
letters to spell out racial double-entendres. A taped vox pop with persons from different
walks of life giving their thoughts on the term ghetto yielded some interesting and
humourous perspectives but could have been trimmed a bit. Choereographers Maxwell and
Ebanks kept the cast collectively light on its feet and in near perfect time.

The Black That I Am is more experimental in its sensibilities than the majority of
local theatre offerings but it offers lot ,both in terms of form and content to
theatregoers of all stripes and is deserving of a wider audience.

Wine And Roses [A Gentleman’s Hand]
Written by David Tulloch
Directed by Michael Nicholson
Cast: David Tulloch, Totlyn Oliver, Paul Skeen, Marguerite Newland,
Courtney Wilson, Sandra Knight

Little Little Theatre

Adapted from a previous radio presentation by current cast member Totlyn Oliver,
the one-act drama Wine & Roses begins on the familiar premise of a younger man-
older woman relationship.

Tulloch’s script however, proceeds to add a variety of complications to this rubric.
The woman in question is married (her husband is away but set to return); the young man
is coping with the absence of his father and his mother’s near-smothering attention,
as well as that of a girl his own age (Knight). Class and social issues are thrown
into the mix as well, largely in the form of the young man’s friend, a mechanic and
prototype of the inner-city Lothario. Through the characters, the author also makes
comments about the gun culture, the place of the church in modern society and contemporary
music (read dancehall) in contrast to "vintage" .

The functional set is split between the homes of the two main characters, with the
action alternating almost equally between the two. Tulloch and Director Nicholson
go easy on the audience with mostly short scenes and no distinct monologues. The
action builds steadily towards a somewhat implausible yet entertaining resolution.

Both leads are hampered, albeit minimally, by voice tones that tend toward deadpan,
but their mannerism make the age gap manifest. Wilson, as Deeko, the "mechanic" can
hardly tame the urge to overact, but comes into his own in a fine segment opposite
Newland, who hits the emotional marks of her character with little apparent effort.
Paul Skeen, as the husband, is in similarly good form, eliciting scorn, pity,
antipathy and admiration from the audience with similar ease.
Wine and Roses will leave a pleasant taste on the palates of those seeking a
refreshing, well-balanced evening of theatre.

Arts round up

2005-05-25T13:20:00.000-07:00

ARTS ROUND UP

Grosvenor Galleries renews its seasonal outreach activities
for children with a Summer Art & Craft for Kids programme.

The 2005 programme commences on July 4th, and runs through
July 15. It resumes July 18 and continues through July 29.
In August, the art camp runs from August 9th through 19th and
from August 22nd through to the close on September 2.
“What we aim for” says proprietor Douglas Reid “is to give kids
the opportunity to explore their creative sides and experiment with
a wide variety of materials. They'll come home with finished works
of art ready to display, wear and use.”

The activities will include painting, creating and decorating
ceramic bear banks, canvas pillows, hanging beaded stars, glass
vases, memory boxes, neon pencil cases, glazed wall tiles, rainbow
foam fish, wooden windchimes, driftwood and shell hangers, tie-dyed
t-shirts, clay, beadwork, waterplay and more.

Sessions run from 9 a.m. - 12.30p.m. Mondays through Fridays and are
primarily aimed at children ages 4 through 12 years.

Remembering Carl
“He’s kind of like a mountain, there are so many perspectives
from which his work can be viewed,” offered National Gallery
executive director Johnathan Greenland.

The mountain he refers to is the late Carl Abrahams, who is the
subject of a special tribute at the NG beginning May 29. A wide
variety of works from Abrahams’ vast oeuvre will be presented,
including illustrations, portraits, sketches and recreations of
Bible scenes.

“His work is very approachable yet very expressive and honest,”
Greenland continues, “and I think this will be an ideal show for
children and for families.”

Also on display will be Abrahams’ frames, which he made himself
and many of which are works of art in themselves.

Broadcaster Anthony Abrahams (the artist’s nephew) and his daughter,
columnist Tara Abrahams-Clivio will be among those offering their
personal recollections of the artist.

Painter and National Gallery Chairman Emeritus Dr. David Boxer will
also offer their perspectives on Abrahams’ work and life.

Gallery Pegasus
At the Pegasus, Portland-born Jeffrey Grant’s solo show, Expressions and
Symbols, continues. the show combines paintings and sculptures in both wood
and metal, featuring Grant’s mordant wit and social commentary.

Art View: J’cans need to look more closley at African-American market

As Jamaican art continues to expand beyond its established markets,
one Jamaican painter is urging consideration of African-Americans and
Jamaicans abroad.

“Increasing education levels, as well as increasing overall incomes
among African-Americans is driving greater interest in art,” says
Joshua Higgins.

“We should also be mindful of the large Jamaican and Caribbean community
in North America as well as the UK.”

Higgins said Jamaican artists should make adequate preparations to exploit
this market, including placing their portfolios online and having reproductions
available in addition to original pieces.

Artists, he offered, should also look to representing themes in works, in
order to reach overseas collectors with a variety of special interests.

Afro-American collectors increasingly want more detailed information on
artists, particularly those from overseas. “They’re looking to get a sense
of how long this indivdual has been an artist, the kind of wrok they’ve done
and who has acquired the work,” Higgins pointed out.

he furhter feels that “Now is the time to introduce the Caribbean experience
to Afro-American collectors. The market is open enough and sophisticated enough
for an appreciation of our multi-cultural story.”

Higgins pauses to recognize the energy and encouragement of all the galleries
that have provided a forum and visibility for Jamaican artists over the years,
and he furhter welcomes the most recent addition,Gallerie 128 and the entrepreneurial
spirit of Simon Fredericks.

The painter views Jamaican art as a strong an enduring category that
has expanded beyond a specific market of home and office decor. As more
works of quality and diverse styles come to the market, he adds more of
the artists will be seeking to capture public attention.