[Miss] Jamaica's Got Talent

Forget the varied public appearances, the "grip n' grin" expressions, the forced charm even if you're rubbing them the wrong way.

The Talent segment is the way into the real Miss Jamaica World 2013 contestants, and alst Saturday's showcase at the Spartan complex revealed a lot in the concept but sadly not so much in the execution. The evening began and ended with drama: Arriel Brown's thought-provoking but overly long presentation on race and class, set to Etana's "Wrong Address" and then the best of the night's offerings (see more below)
The best was saved for last as first Ashley Miller(right), known to the demographic as the co-host of TVJ's "Intense" staged a clever but bouncy and heart-fel
t dance skit involving a suited male mannequin, delivered to the beat of Chronixx' Smile Jamaica. She was "pipped at the line" for best over all performance (in my opinion) by  contestant #25,  Jenaae Jackson (below
left), who




showed true star power as the ghetto girl Bo-Quee-sha   returning form "foreign" with all her hot things purchased, and confronting her no-good man, Tony. Despite a slip into sanctimony near the end, Jackson's melodrama was fun, fierce and authentic, qualities not sufficiently present in most of the other routines. There was even a risky but ultimately harmless and fun fire-eating routine, from Jessica Campbell,

which had  the judging panel - and most everyone else - rather skittish, given the wood floors and low-hanging fan blades.  

The preparation continues towards the Grand Coronation come July 21, but you'll hardly get a better or more diverse look at the entrants than this

Reggae Nite: Tanya Stephens' "Ride" and Sumfest Steps Out

Live entertainment has traditionally held down the weekend slots, especially in Kingston, but traditions are giving way in this "instant-eferything" media age. Tuesday night last proveda banner night, as there was a trio of quality live presentations within a half-mile radius on the night.

At the salubrious Macau Bar & Grill, itself home to the excellent Live & Revive series (held mondays, but presently on hiatus), the crew bwhind reggae Sumfest took their 21st Launch to members of the media and other interests. Mis Kitty kept the proceedings moving as the obligatory sponsors greetings and lineup announcements flowed, amid giveaways and photo-ops galore. Continuing its tradition of adding US r n' b and hip-hop to the local reggae/dancehall fare. Thus current r n b hearthrob (and stage diver) Miguel will bring his ditial-age funk n' soul to Mobay on the climactic International Nite 2; before that, the cleverly named Flo Rida charges into International Nite 1.

But the local reggae guard are no slouches and a couple of them took to the small stage on hand to deliver a satisfying preview of things to come. The fast-rising Nature showed a welcome intensity in his pleas for "World Peace" but it was Portland native Bugle who had the guests rocking to his cautioanry hit "nuh Compatible". All in all a typically robust outing for the Summerfest crew, indicating good things await the live stgae faithful come July 21 through 27.

A long stone's throw from Macau saw veteran (yes she is now) singer-songwriter-provocateur Tanya Stephens delivering a typically (if rarely heard these days ) stirring set as part of the Behind The Screen series at Usain Bolt's Tracks & Records. With the bodacious Stacious introducing her, Stevens, never shy with her opinions, rapped with the capacity crowd about all manner of subjects in between delivering her hits and near-misses, the majority female audience prominent (hostile in a few instances) with their devotion to "girl power, dancehall style".

Neither time nor energy co-operated for us to catch the third event, that of Tina Simone delivering her soul-jazz-rockers gems at the Bleu essence club tucked into the Kings Plaza - the show actually unfolds in the large car park. We're sure however that she gave a great account of herself and encourage you to look out for and follow her future endeavours. Find her on facebook - https://www.facebook.com/anit.ttawom?fref=ts

Earthbound EcoMusicFest 2013 Advisory

Earthbound Jamaica invites coverage of


The 2013 Eartbound EcoMusicFest

Saturday, June 22, 2013; 10"00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.


Gunboat Beach, Palisados Road, Kingston





The event, which is aimed primarily a the young ,the young at heart, the enviro-conscious and the culturall-minded will feature a 

Kids WaterPark, Farmers Market, Eco Centre, Dominoes, Ms Earth, Jamaican Food, Arts and Music


Patrons will also be moved by the sounds of Patra, Hezron, Nicksheisha Barnes,
OC, Accompong Story Teller and Dancers;

EcoMusic Fest will culminate with a screening of the classic Jamaican Movie: The Lunatic 

JazzFest says "Hi - PHI"; Turns 23

Monday, June 10, 2013

It was in Trinidad that the last great new instrument of the 20th Century was born: out of the oil industry, our neighbours to the south gave the world the steel pan, now known universally as the pan.

Fast-forward to the present and a team of Trinis have done it again - this time the instrument carries a more pedestrian name: The Percussive-Harmonic Instrument. But being the inventitive people we are, we've shortened it to PHI.Hi-PHI, Lo-PHI. Just PHI. Its essentially a form of electronic pan that has full MIDI connections and the ability to reproduce a gamut of instrumental sounds, even piano/keyboard)

 The new invention will have its Jamaican premiere during the

23rd Anniversary edition of the Jmaaica Ocho RIos Jazz Fest, which had its official (but i nthe true spirit, never too formal) kick-off on Saturday last at Hotel Four Seasons.

Organizer and heartbeat Myrna Hague-Bradshaw told the gathering that the event was being continued as a labour of love, a service to musicians, and of course, a tribute to her late husband, and festival co-founder, Sonny Bradshaw.

Darren Shepard is Trinidadian, but no stranger to Jamaica, having expounded on the steel pan art on several occasions here in the past. He will, in fact be manning the PHI and will be featured in a special Saturday night (June 15) concert at Red Bones the blues Cafe, alongside Harold Davis, who will be keeping up on keyboards as well as vocals.

The festival line-up also includes US alto saxist Idris Ackamoor, himself pretty much an "honorary Jamaican" and whose theatre-infused style (he incorporates dance, spoken word and costuming in his act) is sure to

Ackamoor

enthrall audiences, UK-born Jamaican saxophonist Yolanda Brown, fresh off a banner year that saw her win a MOBO award, and keyboardist Dr Kathy Brown. The Jamaica Big Band is  unquestionably a staple of the Festival (as it streams towards its Silver year in 2015), and new thus year - but again no stranger - is the Ralph Holding Trio. Holding, a longtime musical collaborator of Hague-bradshaw, recently served as musical direcotr for the renewal of her "Simply Myrna" concert series. Nightly Jazz Jams will be open to all (and all vocal comers) at the 4Seasons.

The fest will also feature two other stalwart female vocalists: Christine Fisher who, along with life & musical partner Alex Martin-Blanken entertained at the follow-up Jazz Brunch (watch this space for our review) and Keisha Patterson, whose previous CD, Sunday Kind of Love, established firmly her jazz vocal chops and affinity.

Musical "Mahogany" Under The Tree

Pon Fyah band - Junior "Bird Bailey on drums, Paul "Smiley" Madden on bass and Ozoune(right) on keyboards

One would expect such a top-flight and well-versed trio to provide excellent accompaniment to vocalists  - and that they did - in this case Althea Hewitt and Clancy Eccles Jr (below), each of them well-travelled on the Jamaican entertainment scene. The two worked in tandem as well as in duet form, thrilling a very appreciative audience at the Mahogany Tree Bar at  Devon House, a venue which, save for the occasional bad sight liner, could hardly be more salubrious
or accommodating of the quality live performances on offer. The spanned the gamut of popular song choices, from ballads like Adele's "Never Mind" and Evanescence's "All of Me" to jazz-pop like Bobby Caldwell's "You Do For Love" and reggae.

The musical outing was the first at the venue, but far from the first for promoters Mo'Muzyk Pros, who also stage a regular Saturday night showcase at Jo-Jo's on Waterloo Road, and previously hosted a twice weekly live presentation at the former Christopher's Jazz Cafe, all in Kingston.

With this new  - but well-known - space added to the roster, the team is bent on making an indelible mark on the Jamaican entertainment landscape, with an eye on both local and international audiences for what is undeniably a polished, heart-felt and superlative live offering

Althea Hewitt

Clancy Eccles Jr

With "Hey You" Nickeisha Barnes grabs our attention - again

So, we know she can saaaaing. But former Rising Star finalist Nickeisha Barnes can throw down live too, as she reminded us on Thursday night's final pre-show for Pulse Caribbean Fashion Week 2013. The models having already strutted their stuff, NB took the runway in a blue-and-white ensemble (repping perhaps her alma mater) kicking off her spicy set with Adele's "One & Only"

But it was a new original, "Hey You" that reconfirmed for us that she is deserving of much wider recognition. Even in the largely informal confines of the Puls8 complex, with the models having already strutted their stuff, and emcee/Pulse head honcho Kingsley Cooper having vacated the raised platform, Barnes established that level of connection with the audience that only the select few quality artistes consistently do. And the song, a catchy yet subtle mid-tempo, came in like a breeze after the slow-burn of the Adele cover and the other pop numbers (JLo's Dont Bring Me Roses). Nickeisha has been steadily putting her all into the new material, which of course John Public will be more fully exposed to over the coming months.

Nickeisha will next be seen - and heard - at the Earthbound EcoMusic Fest at Gunboat Beach come June 22, where she will share billing with Hezron, Patra and fast-rising newcomer OC.

.

Art: Majoring in the Majors at Mutual Gallery

MORE than 100 items — including the works of master artists Carl Abrahams, Osmond Watson, Albert Huie, Kapo, and Barrington Watson — go under the gavel on June 5 at the Mutual Gallery in Kingston.

Other artists whose works will be up for sale are Christopher Gonzalez, Hope Brooks, Cecil Cooper, Ras Dizzy, and Donette Zacca.

Gilou Bauer, curator at the Mutual Gallery, dismisses the notion that the auction is being held to clear stock not sold during an exhibition.

She notes that the majority of these pieces come from private collectors. Bauer adds that the auction is another in a series organised by the gallery.

She says some of the previous auctions have been successful, while others have not. This she attributes to timing and the market being targeted.

"We have been working closely with (auctioneer) William Tavares-Finson and have been guided by him in setting prices, as well as the pieces to be auctioned," says Bauer.

The works usually in high demand include those by Abrahams, Huie, Osmond, Barrington Watson, and Kapo. All have pieces in next Wednesday's auction, as well as those by younger talent.

-from the Jamaica Observer

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Masters-for-sale_14365903#ixzz2Ugm4xeP6