Blessed we are for the music albums of 2016 that made this life feel a whole lot sweeter. Thankful are we to the artists who created those albums. Some, like Kendrick Lamar’s untitled unmastered, came quickly after his last and were released unexpectedly. Other albums like De La Soul’s and the Anonymous Nobody, and The Diary Of… Continue reading Ten Albums of 2016 That Made Life Sweeter
Category: Jamaica
Jamaican Music Artists
Stephen Marley – Revelation Part 2- The Fruit of Life
Stephen Marley has given music lovers a hell of a lot to absorb on his new album Revelation Pt. II: The Fruit of Life. The album has an epic 19 tracks, more if you access them digitally. It features around two dozen North American and Jamaican vocalists and MCs. And it showcases the roots of reggae… Continue reading Stephen Marley – Revelation Part 2- The Fruit of Life
Protoje & The InDiggNation Live In Amsterdam – Ancient Future Tour 2015
About this time two years ago I was in Jamaica on the hunt to find Protoje’s then-new album The 8 Year Affair. Finding a Summer show on his island home wasn’t an option because Protoje and The InDiggNation were touring Europe. I’ve watched their busy tour schedules since, waiting patiently for a chance to catch a… Continue reading Protoje & The InDiggNation Live In Amsterdam – Ancient Future Tour 2015
Bluesfest 2015 – Nothing But The Euphoric Funk
Five festival days of performances by 89 international and Australian acts at Byron Bay Bluesfest ended for me with three hours at the main stage frontline having what felt like the most euphoric live music experience of my lifetime. I was, of course, in the company of George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic. With the greatest of… Continue reading Bluesfest 2015 – Nothing But The Euphoric Funk
WOMADelaide 2015: Nourishment Forever-After
Oh WOMADelaide, how I long to be back in your nourishing arms. You came again and gave the people four days and nights of awesomely-diverse arts, culture and music from around the world under sunshine and shady trees in Adelaide’s Botanic Park. You created the space for a vibrant community of friendly, conscious, arts-loving people… Continue reading WOMADelaide 2015: Nourishment Forever-After
Reggae Still Got Soul With Etana
I Rise starts off gently with just keyboards and Etana’s super-soulful voice reverently singing the Rastafarian lyrics sung by Bob Marley with The Wailers on ‘Selassie Is The Chapel’. Bring on track two of I Rise and Etana’s calm, emotive reverence shifts to emotional outcry about how very long the people’s suffering at the hands of their leaders… Continue reading Reggae Still Got Soul With Etana
A Better Today And Tomorrow With Etana
If the soulful voice of Jamaican diva Etana over the reggae skank in her music don’t make you feel good, or at least better, I don’t know what possibly will. Soul Diva of Reggae Etana is an Angie Stone, Jill Scott, India Arie or Leela James of reggae music. Like those divas of stature in the… Continue reading A Better Today And Tomorrow With Etana
Jah9 – Woman of ‘Good Music History’
There’s not enough female dub/reggae singers or songwriters in the spotlights of our musical history. I only just realised that while listening to the debut album of Jamaica’s Jah9 – and in each and every track appreciating the jazzy, soulful and refreshingly feminine vocals of She Who Is Jah9: Janine Cunningham. There’s so much more… Continue reading Jah9 – Woman of ‘Good Music History’
Byron Bay Bluesfest – Only For The Music
On it’s 25th anniversary, Byron Bay Bluesfest 2014 was the best one for me yet. It was an unusually comfortable Bluesfest experience under unusually clear, blue Easter skies and sunshine – with the usual phenomenal music artists playing on its 7 stages. Every year that I’ve gone to Byron Bay Bluesfests past, I have moaned… Continue reading Byron Bay Bluesfest – Only For The Music
A Magical Woodford Folk Festival World Away
Being at Woodford Folk Festival is to live in a beautiful, magical, far-away world of its own. A World Away You move into a temporary village of lantern-lit streets and paths, nestled amongst the hills. Those paths are lined with restaurants, bars, venues & stages, artisan market stalls, art works and more. Surrounding them are… Continue reading A Magical Woodford Folk Festival World Away