BY KEVIN JACKSON—Observer writer— Kirk Diamond (left) and Patrick Brown, mayor of Brampton, with a replica of the sign for the newly renamed park on Monday. THE Shields Park in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, is now officially the Kirk Diamond Park. The park was renamed in honor of the Jamaica-born reggae artiste who resides in the community on Monday. The Juno Award-winning singer was elated at the gesture. “This means a lot to me being a Jamaica artiste because I … Read entire article »

Maestro Marley Cup combines reggae music festival, soccer and Caribbean food for a good cause (Hollywood, Florida) Join Ky-Mani Marley, a son of iconic reggae legend Bob Marley and his brothers for the Maestro Marley Cup reggae music festival on Saturday, March 5th at Hollywood Arts Park at Young Circle. The event will feature live musical performances by Ky-Mani Marley, Julian Marley, Damian Marley, Stephen Marley, Yellow Man, Jesse Royal, Locos Por Juana, The Dubplates, Dubwise, KJ Marley, … Read entire article »

Second week @ No.1 Six weeks @ No.1 … Read entire article »

BY HOWARD CAMPBELL—Observer senior writer—- Audley Rollen Before Robbie Shakespeare became a world-famous musician, he developed what would become his legendary bass sound playing in bands from his native east Kingston. One of his musical colleagues was singer Audley Rollen. Now an ordained minister of religion, Rollen leads the congregation at Pastors of Wisdom Sabbath Ministry in Plantation, Florida. He still records reggae songs, and never tires of reflecting on his days in the late 1960s/early 1970s with Robbie … Read entire article »

BY RICHARD JOHNSON—Observer senior reporter— NADINE Sutherland is Jamaica’s most enduring child star. Ever since she first wowed audience and judges alike as an 11-year-old with a performance of Peter Tosh’s Buckingham Palace at the Tastee Talent Contest in 1979, Sutherland has been charting a course for herself and writing her name in the history of Jamaican music. It has been over 40 years since that Tastee performance and with each passing decade, the name Nadine Sutherland continues to be … Read entire article »

In this photo released by Casio Computer Co., Hiroko Okuda holds, at its headquarters in Tokyo, the Casio MT-40 portable keyboard player, which she created in 1981.— TOKYO (AP): A musical revolution in Jamaica has a connection with a bouncy rhythm from a portable electronic keyboard that’s the brainchild of a Japanese woman. The pattern that resonates in the 1985 reggae hit by Wayne Smith, Under Mi Sleng Teng, came from Casiotone MT-40, which went on sale in 1981, … Read entire article »

Singer / producer Ed Robinson is getting a lot of kudos for his impressive remake of Lionel Richie‘s 1983 hit single All Night Long. Kashief Lindo According to Robinson, the idea to do the song came from KashieF Lindo, who felt that he had the vocal dexterity to pull it off. Furthermore, All Night Long was in his repertoire when he worked the hotel circuit as a singer and drummer many years ago.  Selectors worldwide are clearly in agreement with Lindo, because they have been supporting the … Read entire article »

BY HOWARDCAMPBELL—Observer senior writer— Patricia “Miss Pat” Chin IN over 60 years in the music business, Patricia “Miss Pat” Chin has never been one for the spotlight. But in 2021, as she promoted her memoir, millions of people got to know her amazing story. Miss Pat — My Reggae Music Journey traces her life as a first-generation Jamaican born to immigrants from India and China. She helped her husband, Vincent “Randy” Chin, build an empire through Randy’s Records and … Read entire article »