EURweb |
INSIDE THE CARIBBEAN: Rockwell signs with Epic; Calypso World Cup in Anguilla; Blackman and Prodigal Son awards; St. Lucia and St. Kitts festival line-up; plus more...
*Eurweb readers, welcome to Inside the Caribbean, which is aimed at providing updates about entertainment and lifestyle stories from across the Caribbean.
Jamaican singer Jovi Rockwell signs with Epic Records
Singer Jovi Rockwell is the latest Jamaican artiste to join the Epic Records roster. Epic Records is an American record label. It is owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment. The label was founded in 1953 as a jazz label, and was eventually expanded to several genres of music. The label manages several imprints as well.
Rockwell who is also signed to Uprize Music, which has distribution through Epic, says the deal with Epic calls for five albums. 'Being signed to Epic means a bunch of different and great things for me. I mean a major label like Epic will distribute your product and help to get things going. I am hoping it will take my career to the next level', Rockwell said via telephone from her Florida home recently.
Richard Myrie, CEO of Uprize Music who played a role in the negotiations with Epic, commented. 'Jovi is one of the better female artistes in Jamaica, and she has a different style to bring. She also has that crossover, funky, pop vibe that you just cannot miss. I saw where she needed an international push, and we're working on her debut album which we are looking at possibly releasing later this year', said Myrie.
Rockwell gained attention in Jamaica with the songs Party On (from Don Corleon's Junkanoo rhythm); 'Its All About Love', Hey (with Courtney John) and You're Gonna Need Me (with Mr Vegas).
Rockwell says her reggae and dancehall roots will be evident on her album when its released. 'I still have my reggae and dancehall element and I am merging both with a bit of pop and R&B on the album'.
Myrie says a single for US radio hasnt been decided yet, although his team have a few singles to choose from. 'We're really excited about Jovi and so too is the label. They definitely want her to keep her Caribbean vibe, but they also want to promote her as a pop star'.
A heavyweight cast of producers have injected their talents on Rockwell's Epic Records debut. Among them are Lil Boy Fresh, Chuck Harmony, and Mad Scientist.
Rockwell isnt the first Jamaican artiste to have joined the Sony Music Entertainment empire. Shabba Ranks was signed to Epic in the 1990's. Columbia Records which falls under the Sony Music radar was also home for a short time in the 1990's to Tony Rebel, Super Cat, Mad Cobra and Tiger.
Diana King was signed to Work, one of the imprints under Epic); Patra (signed to Epic Records imprint 550 Music); and Sean Kingston is signed to Beluga Heights, an imprint under the Sony Music umbrella.
Non Jamaican reggae artiste, the Jewish Matisyahu, is signed to Sony, while Bermuda raised reggae artiste Collie Buddz was recently dropped from Sony's Columbia Records.
R&B singer Glenn Lewis who was born in Canada (and whose father is Jamaican singer Glen Ricketts aka Glen Ricks), was signed to Epic in the 1990's.
Epic Records is home to stellar lineup of R&B, pop and jazz acts including Celine Dion, Natasha Beddingfield and Michael Jackson.
Music, Arts and Craft festival for Grenada
After a seven-year hiatus, the Co-op Bank Rock-D-Spice Music, Arts and Craft Festival is returning to Grenada. The festival, scheduled for May 29 to 31, will feature dancehall artiste Shaggy, soca sensation Destra Garcia, and international reggae band Third World, among others.
Jamaican play heads to St. Kitts and Nevis
One of Jamaica’s most popular and successful plays, Bashment Granny, is coming to Saint Kitts and Nevis. The play is scheduled to run three nights, from May 1 to 3. Organizers say the proceeds will go towards funding the participation of Miss Saint Kitts/Nevis, Venetta Zakers, in the Miss World competition.
Isaac Blackman and Prodigal Son win big at Marlin Awards
Trinidad native Isaac Blackman and Jamaican gospel dancehall artist Prodigal Son dominated the inaugural Caribbean Gospel Music Marlin Awards. The show was held in Nassau, Bahamas recently. Blackman won four awards: New Artist of the Year, Ethnic Recording of the Year, Music Video of the Year, and Song of the Year; while Prodigal took three: Dub Recording of the Year, Deejay Performance of the Year, and the most prestigious prize, Album of the Year. Another top winner was the Mount Tabor Praise and Worship Ministry from the Bahamas, which also took three awards. Meanwhile, the late Jamaican gospel artist, Moses Grant, won a posthumous award for Culture Recording of the year for “Feels it, knows it”.
Calypso World Cup championship set for Anguilla in May
Eliminations will soon get underway for the King of King, Queen of Queens Calypso World Cup Championship. Calypsonians from 31 countries, including the Caribbean, England, Canada, the US and Holland, are expected to compete for the US-50-thousand-dollar prize. The first elimination round will be Saint Maarten against Anguilla on May 9. The semi-finals are scheduled for Barbados in November, and the big show will take place in March of next year in Antigua.
Shaggy, Estelle and Chaka Khan for St Lucia Jazz Festival
The line-up for the Saint Lucia Jazz Festival has finally been announced. Reggae artiste Shaggy and R-and-B singer Estelle will headline the show at Pigeon Island. Other performers include Patti Labelle, Chaka Khan, Amy Winehouse, and the Original Wailers. The festival is scheduled for May 2 to 10.
Regina Belle headlines St Kitts Music Festival
Grammy Award winning R&B singer Regina Belle will headline the 13th annual St. Kitts Music Festival which is set to unfold from June 25 to 27. Michael Bolton, Air Supply, Shaggy, Boyz II Men, and John Legend are just some of the big name stars who have performed at the festival. Several Caribbean and US acts are still be added to this year’s lineup.
And still in St. Kitts Over Davina Cranston Doras emerged the winner in the 2009 Miss Back to Root Pageant which was held in Carnival City. The contestants were drawn from the History and Sociology Class at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College. In what was supposed to be a five-contestant showdown, only four beauties were there to showcase their talent and other abilities as one of the contestants was hospitalized just before the show. The main objective of the competition was the showcase the students’ talents while re-implanting in the audience a sense of where they came from.
Trinidad & Tobago’s International and Groovy Soca Monarch winner Fay Ann Lyons gives birth
The 2009 International Soca and Groovy Monarch Queen Faye-Ann Lyons Alvarez gave birth to a bouncing baby girl in Trinidad. Fay Ann also received the ‘People’s Choice’ award and the Road March title at the recently held Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. According to Trinidad and Tobago’s News Day Online, the soca star gave birth via caesarian-section during the eighth month of her pregnancy. She is married to fellow soca artiste Bunji Garlin. Fay Ann’s father is veteran soca star Super Blue and her mother is Calypsonian Lady Gypsi. Fay Ann currently occupies the number one spot on several Caribbean charts with the hits Meet Superblue and Heavy T.
And that’s a wrap for Inside the Caribbean for this week. We certainly hope that you enjoyed the column and we look forward to your comments and suggestions. I can be reached at kevinjacksonkj@gmail.com
NOTE: Kevin Jackson is the Production Manager at Reggae Entertainment Television (RETV), an all music cable channel which is a subsidiary of the RJR Communications Group in Kingston, Jamaica. RETV is watched in Jamaica and 12 other Caribbean countries including Trinidad & Tobago, St Vincent & The Grenadines, Belize, Costa Rica, St Lucia, St Marteen, Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda.
Click for the latest Obama - Political headlines
Share and Bookmark |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
