Close to the end of an on-air shift at Kool97FM, the vibe just right and the dancing by now reaching its peak, I hear the early beginnings of a song I love, one that marked part of my youth and naturally I got excited. Like a DJ might tease an audience and that audience might wait semi-patiently, I filled up on the introductory beat, certain I knew...

 American girl groups with catchy monikers like the Ronettes, the Marvelettes, and the Bobbettes, influenced the naming of at least two popular local singing groups. One of the two, the Gaylettes, have already been featured in Notes in Jamaican Music, so the spotlight now falls on the other, the Soulettes. Formed in the mid-sixties, the origin...

 As we approach the day (probably arbitrarily) designated as Fathers Day, I find myself increasingly committed to the idea and task of reframing the narrative of fatherhood, especially as it relates to men of colour. I am convinced that the old, hackneyed stereotypes of 'wutless', deadbeat, absent fathers have outlived their usefulness. Haven'...

I read a quote somewhere that said "Self-care is how you take your power back." – It really stuck with me as someone who doesn't really make it a habit to take time to rest or just.... relax. A therapist told me it's because I have an 'avoidant' process of handling my struggles or day-to-day problems so I am always doing something – cleaning an alr...

  American music trends such as jazz and rhythm & blues, infiltrated and eroded Jamaica's colonial tradition of classical music, which had gathered steam in the 1940s. By the early 1960s, America's newest genre, soul, was also influencing Jamaica's musical landscape. While male solo singers and groups ruled the new art-form, girl groups we...

Without the life of Sister Ignatius, Jamaican music wouldn't be the same. In fact, it is arguable that without Sister Iggy, as she was affectionately known by her students, reggae, rocksteady, even ska may not have seen its genesis through the horns and drums of the boys in her care. The music world owes a great debt to Sister Mary Ignatius Davies—...

Born in that celebrated seedbed of talent called Trench Town on April 18, 1941, Hortense Mahalia Ellis blossomed into a highly regarded vocalist. Her potential as such was apparent from an early age, and she often participated in school and community concerts. But, by the late 1950s, it was time to showcase her voice on a grander stage. Brother Alt...

This year, the 76th anniversary of his birth, marks forty years since Bob Marley's passing and yet he remains the King of Reggae, the face of Jamaica and one of the most revered artistes in the world.It is not by chance that this artiste continues to set the bar for the success of Reggae in the world.Robert Nesta Marley, Jamaican African Rastaman w...

 One of the most brilliant and well-respected Reggae heavyweights in Jamaican history is Burning Spear, born Winston Rodney on March 1, 1945. He's been a stalwart of Reggae music since the 1970s. Part preacher, part Black historian, Spear was an early proponent of Marcus Garvey, having shared the same birthplace as the national hero – St. Ann'...

Sooooo 2020, in all its 'covidity', is ending. We are beginning a new year, which for many of us means, resolution time. "New tings, I'm going to sort out my life." While many of us say that some other people wax bitter and salty, you know criticizing and judging: "Oh yea, here they come again with their new year's resolutions and their vision boar...