Jamaican Folk Singers 2016 concert season kicks off this weekend

The Jamaican Folk Singers is all set to kick off its 2016 concert season at the Little Theatre, Tom Redcam Avenue, on Saturday, September 10 and Sunday, September 11, 2016.

Patrons will journey with The Jamaican Folk Singers through the phases of relationships: Attraction, Courting, Community Affairs, Problems, Marriage, Birth, Death and Reconciliation, weaving the story of young love and its challenges and wonders. Pertinent to The Jamaican Folk Singers is education through entertainment and the annual concert season presents another opportunity to help educate on aspects of Jamaica's folk music culture and its relevance in present society.

The Jamaican Folk Singers, which was founded in 1967 by Dr Olive Lewin, has strived through the years to remain true to its mission, which includes unearthing and exposing the beauty and artistic worth of Jamaica's folk music heritage. In its 49th year, the group proudly continues to fulfil its mission of keeping alive the folk foundations of Jamaica's music culture, maintaining the focus on respect for our traditions and for the people who have kept them alive.

With a repertoire of over 200 songs arranged by Dr Lewin, the group has sung to enthusiastic audiences in Jamaica and several other countries, including Martinique, Barbados, Cuba, Mexico, USA, Germany, Canada, Great Britain, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago and Argentina. More recently, in August 2016, the group completed a successful tour to Costa Rica, performing at the Limon Roots Afro Cultural Festival, as part of efforts to help further cultural relationships between Jamaica and Costa Rica. In addition to overseas tours, the group has arranged island tours - giving free performances in markets, schools, church halls and town centres across the island. These tours over the years have been sponsored initially by Berger Paints in the 1980s, and since 2009 by Mother's.

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

This concert season serves as a lead-up to the group's 50th anniversary, on March 15, 2017. The group's 50th anniversary schedule of activities runs from March 2017 to March 2018, and will include a celebratory anniversary service; memorial service to honour its founder, Dr Lewin; free concerts islandwide as a way of giving back to Jamaica; the release of a new compact disc; a 50th anniversary concert season and a series of overseas tours.

The 2016 concert season, as a lead-up to the milestone 50th year, presents another opportunity for the group to use Jamaica's folk music and its messages to uplift Jamaica while highlighting some of the values of 'old Jamaica', encouraging respect and understanding among people of different backgrounds.

The season is scheduled for September 10 and 11 at the Little Theatre, with shows on Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 6 p.m.

Tickets cost $1,500 and are available at the Little Theatre, Tom Redcam Avenue and Music Mart, South Avenue.