Published:Friday | September 30, 2016 | 3:36 PMMel Cooke
At Thursday night's launch of the first Merritone Reunion and Family Homecoming since Winston Blake's death in February this year, naturally there were numerous references to him.However, it was the famed Merritone man's brother, Monte Blake, who...
Published:Friday | September 30, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
As Hurricane Matthew seems sure to affect Jamaica extensively between today and tomorrow, even if there is not a direct hit, 'breeze blow' tunes come to mind.Of course, there is the famed Wild Gilbert by Lloyd Lovindeer, which is about the category...
Published:Thursday | September 29, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
Earlier this week, the Conscious Reggae Party School Tour made a stop at St George's College on North Street, Kingston. Warrior King, Isha Blender and Xylophone (who is a youth ambassador for the Conscious Reggae Party concert series) performed for...
Published:Wednesday | September 28, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
There were patent connections between the late Prince Buster and performers at Saturday's tribute concert which followed his interment at May Men Cemetery, Spanish Town Road, St Andrew.Some links crossed generations; the leader of the Mystic...
Published:Sunday | September 25, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
Before Saturday morning's funeral service for the late Muhammad Yusuf Ali, the Muslim name of Cecil Bustamante Campbell, who performed as Prince Buster, it was made clear that it would end quickly.And it was, with the actual service at the...
Published:Friday | September 23, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
As a martial artist, Chuck Norris has loomed large in the movies and on television. There are those who would remember him from classic martial arts flick, Way of the Dragon, directed by and starring Bruce Lee. It was released in 1972, a year after...
Published:Thursday | September 22, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
Some things have remained the same about the annual Roy Hall Memorial Scholarship fund-raiser, but at least one critical thing has changed. For this year's effort to raise funds for the scholarship's 16th disbursement, the venue remains The Deck on...
Published:Wednesday | September 21, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
The two songs currently on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in which United States performers do a snippet of a Jamaican recording are Torey Lanez' LUV and Fifth Harmony's (featuring Fetty Wap) All in My Head (Flex). LUV has lines from Tanto...
Published:Tuesday | September 13, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
I hope that the lead story in last week's Sunday Gleaner, about the high rate of men being abused by women in Jamaica, made some impact on how we view adult intimate relationships, especially when they go awry.Abuse goes...
Published:Friday | September 16, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
Sam McKenzie, head of business, Honda Jamaica, is confident about the 10th generation's success in the Jamaican market. And well he might. Ahead of Wednesday's simultaneous dual launch at ATL's Kingston and Montego Bay offices two shipments had...
Published:Friday | September 16, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
Cricketer Dwayne Bravo, recording as DJ Bravo, says the word 'champion' over and over again in his infectious song centred around sporting prowess (including in the game he plays to the highest level) and music success. So Chris Gayle is identified...
Published:Wednesday | September 14, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
The placement of the song, Where Does Slackness Come From, on Shabba Ranks' 1991 album, As Raw As Ever, indicates that addressing the matter of his penchant for salacious lyrical content was a priority.The song is the album's second track,...
Published:Friday | September 9, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
Tomorrow marks 28 years since Hurricane Gilbert struck Jamaica. There has been many a 'breeze blow' (including Hurricane Ivan, which affected Jamaica from September 11-12, 2004) and near miss (Tropical Storm Earl in August 2016) affecting Jamaica...
Published:Wednesday | September 7, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
So here I am, going to pour a cup or two of cold water on Jamaica's presence in a couple songs which currently have a Billboard chart presence.For Drake's sampling of Beenie Man's Tear off mi garment in Controlla; the lines from Tanto Metro and...
Published:Wednesday | August 31, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
There was a time when the sound systems played the Jamaican popular music which radio ignored, before ska became a respected classic Jamaican music genre and some of those who were are now honoured by the state, with capital letters behind their...
Published:Thursday | August 18, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
Red - the colour of rage and extreme ardour, blood and part of the Rastafarian tri-colour - is utilised in multiple ways in Jamaican popular music. From Super Cat commenting on the levels of violence in the inner city with Ghetto Red Hot, to Beenie...
Published:Friday | August 19, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
An unusual motor sport event will be held on Saturday, August 27, in Montego Bay, St James. With the snarl of finely tuned engines and howl of tyres scrambling for purchase during intricate high-speed manoeuvres is the opposite of a classroom's...
Published:Wednesday | August 17, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
Last week I wrote the first of a two-part article about the need for entertainment journalists to be trained for a specialised field. Today is the conclusion.Since I have been covering entertainment - overwhelmingly Jamaican popular music - one of...
Published:Sunday | August 14, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
Speaking at last Tuesday's launch of the first annual One World Ska & Rocksteady Music Festival, Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett asked the audience to guess the words most associated with Jamaica on social media...
Published:Friday | August 12, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
In another two weeks, the FLOW Skool Aid back-to-school event will be held once again. Up to last year, when it was used for the coming-out party of the unified telecommunications company, the combination of a concert, fun park, and preparation for...
Published:Wednesday | August 10, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
In Monday's main STAR entertainment story, producer Gussie Clarke did not say anything about payola we have not heard before, but it is not important to keep talking about it. So it is accepted that in some quarters, it is as Clarke said:"Music...
Published:Friday | August 5, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
The ska king, Derrick Morgan, cuts an impressive figure on stage. In his standard opening, the visually impaired Morgan is led to the appropriate spot and positioned to face the audience. Invariably attired...
Published:Friday | August 5, 2016 | 12:00 AMMel Cooke
There was a time when Christal Heaven’s father would chase her out of his businessplace, Clifton’s Machine Shop, Montego Bay, St James. That did not curb her enthusiasm for a place of strange looking machinery and pieces of equipment...
Published:Monday | August 1, 2016 | 1:15 AMMel Cooke
Sylvia Browne, matriarch of the family which was honoured last at Saturday night's Tribute to the Greats 19, had the last and defining words in the awards section of the annual event."I am honoured at receiving this citation. I am happy this has...
