Mighty Sparrow—-   FANS and colleagues of calypso legend the Mighty Sparrow jammed Melanie’s Sports Bar in Brooklyn, New York, last week for a concert in his honor. The January 18 event was organised by Derek Parsons of WACK Radio and famed calypsonian singer Calypso Rose. According to EVERYBODY’S Magazine, Sparrow, sitting on a tall chair, performed some of his classic songs including Jean and Dinah, Melda and Congo Man as well as a rendition of The Lord’s Prayer. He … Read entire article »

   JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A new, 9-meter (29.5-foot) sculpture of Nelson Mandela is billed as the biggest statue of the South African leader. It also has a tiny, barely visible quirk: a sculpted rabbit tucked inside one of the bronze ears. South African officials want the miniature bunny removed from the statue, which was unveiled outside the government complex in Pretoria, the capital, on December 16, a day after Mandela’s funeral. The department of arts and culture … Read entire article »

  Nesbeth has been knocking on the doors of stardom for some time now. The humble Rastafarian entertainer who is known for hits such as Board House, Baby Mother and Guns Out This Morning is working assiduously to take his career to new heights. “Everyone in the business knows that Nesbeth is a hard working artist and they also know that I have the talent to make it to the highest level in the business. Now is the … Read entire article »

  Pioneers of Caribbean entertainment, Irish and Chin, have announced the “3 Di Hard Way Reunion Tour,” featuring the likes of the Rub-a-Dub era’s most prominent trio of artists (deejays) Josey Wales, Brigadier Jerry and Charlie Chaplin. Pegged to start in the spring 2014, this exciting tour will give Reggae Dancehall enthusiasts throughout the U.S. a taste of Rub-a-Dub culture at its best! Adding to the already awesome line-up is Mighty Crown “The Far East Rulers,” … Read entire article »

By Cecelia Campbell-Livingston— Marcia Griffiths (File Photo) Marcia Griffiths and Freddie McGregor, whose careers started at Studio One in the early 1960s, are headliners for the ‘Valentine’s Affair’ show in Atlanta, Georgia on February 16. The event, which also features singers Mikey Spice and Everton Blender, will be held at The Atrium. McGregor was a protege of Studio One patriarch Clement ‘Coxson’ Dodd. His hit run actually started with Dodd in the 1970s with the hard-hitting roots songs ‘Bobby … Read entire article »

By Simone Morgan— Tony Rebel— DESPITE persistent rain and complaints of long band changes, Tony Rebel, organiser of Rebel Salute, says the two-day show exceeded his expectations. Rebel Salute was held January 17-18 at expansive Richmond Park Estate in St Ann. “I didn’t even expect such a huge audience on the second night because of the heavy rains, but the supporters came out in their numbers,” Rebel told the Jamaica Observer. He addressed the lengthy band changes which caused both … Read entire article »

Christopher Martin—   The Trelawny Multipurpose Stadium will be energised with the addition of young reggae sensations, Chronixx, Protoje and Christopher Martin to the 18th staging of the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival. Scheduled for January 30-February 1, the organisers have identified the value of incorporating younger acts into the three-day music Festival. The 2014 staging is already shaped to deliver quality performances and the organisers feel the inclusion of younger acts will serve to attract the younger generation to the festival and simultaneously diversify its … Read entire article »

Former Choice FM DJ Daddy Ernie, one of the persons who no longer works at the radio station following its changes—. By Lee Jasper— Saturday is the day of the next protest against the changes made to Choice FM. Church congregations are looking forward to the planned appearance at the protest in Leicester Square of gospel choirs, alongside reggae band Musical Youth and the United Kingdom’s (UK) top calypsonian Alexander D Great, among others. Since Global Radio rebranded … Read entire article »

A United States Military Academy publication says since the Tivoli Police/Military Operation in 2010, it remains to be seen whether Jamaican politicians will avoid turning their backs on gang leaders to deliver votes in future elections. The May 2010 operation was aimed at capturing drug lord Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke for extradition to the US. According to the article from the academy’s Combating Terrorism Center, Jamaican politicians appear to have learned from the confrontation and backed away from … Read entire article »

HILADELPHIA (CMC): Currency amounting to nearly US$100,000 was seized from two unidentified women destined for Montego Bay, Jamaica, by the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency on consecutive days earlier this month. CBP said the women had violated federal currency reporting regulations and that the first woman had been stopped as she attempted to board a flight to Montego Bay on January 4. It said that the unidentified woman had originally indicated that she was caring … Read entire article »