Reggae Month starts with a bang

Reggae Month officially commenced on Sunday, February 1, with a church service at the Fellowship Tabernacle at 2 Fairfield Avenue in Kingston. A wholesome praise and worship session was held under the theme ‘Reggae ... A Balm In Gilead’, magnifying the healing power of reggae music, especially in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

On Sunday, delegations also paid tribute to the late Crown Prince of Reggae, Dennis Emmanuel Brown, at Heroes Park in Kingston, where he is buried. In the evening, a tribute concert was held at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts.

Also on Sunday was the start of the Grounation series at the Institute of Jamaica Lecture Theatre, on East Street, and the Essence of Reggae Festival at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in St Andrew.

Other Reggae Month events include the annual Bob Marley Tribute Concert at Emancipation Park on Marley’s birthday, February 6, with a special appearance from his son, Stephen Marley.

“He will be the featured Marley at the celebration, but the concert will [also] bring together overseas acts. They will be standing alongside our local talent in a powerful reminder that reggae is global, but its soul remains Jamaican,” Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange told those in attendance at the recent Reggae Month launch.

The younger generation of reggae musicians will be spotlighted at Young Reggae Ambassadors in Negril, Westmoreland, on February 24. Minister Grange said that as more senior pioneers of Jamaican music pass on, “it is important that we promote and highlight the next generation”. Among the other activities to take place in Western Jamaica are the Waves One Love Jerk Fest and the MoBay Reggae Night in St James.

Minister Grange said that the celebration comes “at a time when half our country is rebuilding from the devastating hurricane and when we see so much trouble in the world”.

“In all of this, it falls to our composers, our songwriters, singers, players of instruments, and also the soundman, to use their beautiful and powerful reggae music to bring us all together. Our reggae music is therapy. We turn to this music in the good and in the bad times,” Grange said.

Dancehall Week will be a key feature of Reggae Month, with events running from February 22 to March 1.

The full schedule of activities for Reggae Month is available on the Reggae Jamaica App, which is free for download from the App Store as well as the Google Playstore.