Ramblings 12/23

Welcome to another ramblings….last night (Thurs) at 10:50 I got a call from my brethren Byron who was in the Emancipation Park, New Kingston, shouting in my ears (music blasting in the background – I could hardly hear him) telling me how I am missing a “wicked” concert….a wicket concert? I asked, he said yes, in the park that I talked so much about. I said “really?..but the little blurb I read about this concert gave the impression that it was a little thing featuring Tarrus Riley..” He went on to tell me how Tarrus and Dean Fraser organized this massive free concert (he believes it’s the third year now) featuring some of the biggest names in the business….my response was “how could some of the biggest names in the biz do a free concert in the middle of the festive Christmas season when people are spending big bucks to see them at Sting, GT Christmas Extravaganza, Rebel Salute?”  Byron say him no know, but he been in the park for some hours now, and began to reel off some of the names he’d already seen…are you ready for this? Marcia Griffiths, Tarrus Riley, Luciano, Tony Rebel, Etana, Shaggy, Proteje, Fantan Mojah, Beres Hammond, Pinchers, Wayne Marshall, Louie Culture, Tifa, Future Fambo, and HE promised to call back with the night’s last 2 acts, all FREE in the park!  I am sure this must piss off some promoters who have laid out big deposits, then to have the artists doing a free performance days before their paid dates….however, the music industry in Jamaica is very tight one, and artists are generally supportive of each other…so if Tarrus is jammin in the park, others will pass thru to do a ting – touch the mike.. (regardless if they are paid to appear around the corner in a few days)  Man, I can just imagine that vibe in my favorite park, the Jamaican public is the beneficiary of this concert and sometimes one has to give back to the people, and when is a better time than Christmas? Big up Tarrus, Dean and the entire cast – but please fellas, next time give me some advance notice so I can be jammin in the park too! (oh, the one Byron never called back with the other names)

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Congratulations to the West Indian/Caribbean connected, 19 year-old Melanie Amaro of Sunshine, South Florida, for walking away with the $5m prize in last night’s grand finale of the X-Factor talent show. This young lady has the pipes of a young Whitney Houston and blew away the competition…for weeks, local Channel 7 News has been covering her progress on the show, and have set up cameras at her home, and at various community centers, and even at her church. From the finals were chosen, Georgia been telling me about her choice to win, so from then I began taking notice…Melanie can really sing, and her West Indian connection even makes it sweeter! Her family is very tight-knit and well spoken, they make one proud to be from the West Indies, all have positive attitudes, and I wish Melanie and her family all the best.

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in the next 2 days, I would like to take the time to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!