Ce'Cile told it like it s, but Mr Lexx told it like we'd like to hear it

He is among that class of dancehall artistes that emerged in the late 90s - never quite as strident as Bounty Killer, but not clinically stuck on the "girls' train" like Beenie Man,

Mr Lexx made his name (initially as Lexxus) with tracks like "Cook" and "Cellie" and managed to weather the vagaries of the business and the changing winds of audience trends to join that small but expanding cadre of artistes that does not depend solely on the "the latest hit" for his currency.

Still, his road to success has not been with ptifalls and it was an animated Lexx who showed up at the Knutsford Court hotel last week and vented on the frustrations of  being an "ignorant, dunce-head" artiste just coming up.

Succeeding dancehall diva Ce'Cile, Lexx spoke unanbashedly about signign away his rights in his initial (and still pending till next, week, according to him ) contract with reggae imprint VP Records, which included the famous "Automatic renewal" clause that regards the contract as auotmatically renewed in the event the artiste fails to give notice to that effect within six months of initial expiration date.

As expected, both artistes paid homage to hosts Jamaic Association of Authors, Composers and Publishers (JACAP), which is itself on a drive to raise its profile within both the business and talent sectors of the industry - another seminar is to follow next month. Lexx made the call for more such interventions to prevent the present crop of uninitiated artistes from falling prey to exploitative agents and to better establish their presence and enforce their rights in what is an increasingly global scenario.

Looking svelte in a black dress pant, her trademark heels and a demure blouse, it was obvious that petite dancehall diva, Ce'cile had  traded in her 'bad gyal' persona for a minute , as

she took on the important role of ambassador for the Jamaica Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers (JACAP) at that society's Open House Forum held at the Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston last Wednesday afternoon.

Clearly passionate about her role, Ce'cile was generous in her praise of the copyright body of which she has been a long-standing member and  disclosed that she had benefited tremendously since signing on to the collections agency . The JACAP ambassador left no stones un-turned as she urged her fellow artistes to get their act together and become members of JACAP.

"We always complain about the fact that 'things not going right'... well, here is an organisation that is doing a wonderful job of trying to turn this hustle mentality into a serious business," Ce'cile stated emphatically.

Getting a bit more personal, the 'bad gyal', who recently returned from Europe, where she had performed on major festivals, explained that there are "two Ce'ciles, the local and the foreign". With a hint of sadness, she stated that "the real Ce'cile is not wanted in Jamaica", and as a result she performs her more serious, but equally entertaining songs at festivals such as Rottotom, where she is embraced and respected for her complete repertoire, rather than a sample of salaciousness, slackness and gyrations.

"When I was on my way from Europe, I thought to myself -  'Okay, mi haffi go mek some fool-fool song for Jamaica now' -," Ce'cile admitted, to much laughter from the capacity audience at JACAP's Open House Forum.

The JACAP ambassador ended with a call for her Jamaican audience to really listen to her songs and learn to appreciate the real Ce'cile. "I need to feel that I can perform the same songs at Rottotom and in Jamaica," she said.

Guest speaker at JACAP's Open House Forum was Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Anthony Hylton, who commended JACAP for hosting such a timely forum under the theme, Understanding Copyright and Valuing the Rights of the Creators of Music'. Also present were several members of the music, media and entertainment fraternities including Mikie Bennett, Gussie Clarke, Herbie Miller, Frankie Campbell,  Clyde McKenzie, Evon Mullings, Teddy Laidley, Mr. Lexx, Tanice 'Soulchild' Morrison, Derrick '10 Percent' Brown, Brigitte Anderson, George Golding, Francois St. Juste, Joan Hutchinson, Judith Alberga and Adrian St. Louis. 

Emcee was Desmond Young, a Board member of JACAP and also the president of the Jamaica Federation of Musicians.

Miss Global 2013 Brings the World's Beauties to Jamaica

Press Release

"Rather than be content to send our Jamaican beauties abroad, we are actively bringing the world's beauties to Jamaica."

With that assertion, Pageant Direct Lachu Ramchandani officially set in motion the run-up to the official coronation of Miss Global International 2013 during a lively media launch at the Jamaica Pegasus in Kingston on August 19. The Grand Coronation show will take place on September 28 at the Sunset Jamaica Resort in the western capital of Montego Bay.

"While we are still awaiting final travel itineraries from some of the entrants I can confirm that we will have 40 participants for this year's Miss Global International Crown," Ramchandi said. They include Ireland, Trinidad & Tobago, Russia, Canada, South Africa, India, Colombia, Australia, Haiti, Belgium, Portugal, Sri Lanka,  Panama, Singapore, the United States and more

The contest, which enters its 8th renewal,  will this year support the charity Friends for Education, which raises funds to help provide tuition and other educational needs for deserving students in several communities.

J Reid Lillico of the Canada-based Commonwealth Group, which is among the sponsors, told the gathering that the Group was not only happy to be associated withthe pagaent, but was working to present the 2014 renewal in Toronto, ata venue to be announced.

The launch also took time out to recognize the 35 anniversary of the crowning of Joan McDonald as Miss Jamaica World (1978).

The Miss Global International Pagaent is being presented with the support of Sunset Jamaica Resort, The Commonwealth Group, Soft Sheen Carson, Fire Blade Energy Drink, Interlinc Communications

Wellness Fest (Black As Cole) Pt II: I-Frica, the Unrepentant Queen

Those thinking that the public outcry against her mini-invective against gays and pro-cannabis at the recent Independence Grand Gala would have chastened Queen I-frica were stopped in their tracks at Devon House on Saturday evening when the roots reggae artiste performed in the waning moments of the Reve Wellness fest.

Queen I-frica

After her usual admonishments to the sound crew in relation to getting her tracks in order ,the "Queen" issued a call-out to all the "straight" people in the house and got a fervent response in the affirmative that gave her all the juice she needed to go into "Keep It To Yuself" which in turn received the inevitable massive forwards. Neither did she restrain herself in her spoken pronouncements, though she did humourously acknowledge that "certain quarters" would rather she hadn't said what she said.

Her brief but lively stint offered yet another performance highlight following on the stellar earlier displays by reggae bands Black As Cole and Jewelz

Still Black As Cole....and better than ever

Anyone still questioning the future and potential of our indigenous reggae idiom [it means you haven't closely followed this blog :-) ] ought to have found themselves at the North (?) lawn of Devon House on Saturday. On that occasion, not only did female-led sextet Black As Cole reaffirm their status as the pre-eminent new reggae outfit in the land, but there was an added treat.

As the summer afternoon sun warmed up to critical mass (a strong hint of rain), the growing and enthusiastic crowd were treated to a similarly robust showing from

all-woman band Jewelz

an all-female outfit, dubbed Jewelz. Their repertoire on the day was, to my ears, limited to covers, but they were well executed, and spanned the gamut from Bob Marley and Lauren Hill to Chronixx.

That then set the stage for Black As Cole frontwoman Cecile, pleasantly reminiscent of the DapKings leader Sharon Jones and, if anything, even more soulful.With the supporting cast throwing down some irresistible grooves (especially bass player and partner Craig Cole who dished up bass lines that were both thick as mud and yet refined as glass), they took the crowd throu

Black As Cole band from Wellness fest 2012

gh a diverse collection of tunes, from the funky "Lovesick" to the mid-tempo "Maybe" and the socially conscious "Woman". Live music from both groups that well and truly lives up to the tag. A musical prescription that delivered wellness.

The performance was among several features of this year's renewal of the Reve Wellness festival, presented by jewellry and accessories designers Reve jewellery (Teasea and Duane Bennett. A wide range of quality and innovative art and craft items was also available

Courtney John, The Future: Taking Reggae into the Theatre of Ideas

There's no serious listener of Jamaican music who would contest that the idiom has gone into a prolonged and unhealthy stasis over the last 25 years. Its not that not good music ha been released over that period, but rather that the few worthy tunes have been bowled over by the tide of mediocrity and even excrement that has prevailed. Simply put, Jamaican music has run out of ideas.

Barely a minute into Courtney John's rendering of Errol Dunkley's "Black Cinderella" one gets the first thrilling jolts of hope; the track is one off his latest project entitled "The Future" - the album's been out for months now and the music's been worked on for even longer but - with material this good - the public may forgive us for being a bit tardy in covering it.

For The Future - notwithstanding that it references the past in covering a decades-old classic (among other tunes) - is Courtney John's theatre of ideas, and those ideas are very powerful, especially from the sonic viewpoint. For the fuss that has been made about "riddims" in the dancehall space since their 90s heyday, only handful of those have proven to be truly transcendent. Onr of that handful is the "Diwali"  the handiwork of keyboard ace Steve "Lenky" Marsden, who is one of John's recording and producing cohorts on this project which he has dubbed "Rootstronic".

On the "Cinderella" track, John's spare yet urgent vocals form a cool counterpoint to the super -spaced-out dub and ambient sounds that form the backdrop, addin

g even greater urgency to the question of the title. But this is far from the album's only stellar offering. Cue up "Soul of A Man" and an even more marvelous contrast emerges, this time with John employing the more familiar falsetto. If "Cinderella" is an homage to the classics, "Soul of a Man" is a torpedo - John, Marsden and drummer-performer Wizzard have put together a sonic storm that sounds not only perfectly logical, but entirely heart-felt and, in fact........human. Similalr effects are realized on "Rain Like Gold" and "Nothing For free"

this is indeed the great virtue of this entire project. john and his partners have managed to  sincerely reinvigorate the Jamaican sound and make it more globally accessible but without robbing it of the warmth and spontaneity for which it deservedly grabbed world attention in the first place. This sounds easier said than done and may come off as casual praise, but if one patiently takes in this album and allows the sounds to simply find their way and wash over one's consciousness, the simplicity and daring within them becomes apparent - in most cases wonderfully so. this is an album which will elicit many an unintentional smile and a nod of the head - not simply in time with the often staccato beat, but in recognition that one is witnessing the evolution of an artist who is intent on pushing the sound forward on his own terms.

it's about time.

Gina Shone Brightest in the West

With a full moon outside the Montego Bay Convention Centre and bright lights inside the ballroom, the radiant Gina Hargitay eclipsed her 24 rivals to

Suzuki MJW 2013 Gina Hargitay

take the coveted Suzuki Miss Jamaica World 2013 crown and this book her place at the Miss World Pageant in Indonesia later this year. Strong support also followed 1st runner-up Jennae Jackson and 2nd runner Amanda Mcreath.

Full review and pics tomorrow

[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