KINGSTON, Jamaica– The Voice season-five winner Jamaican songbird Tessanne Chin says she will begin recording with Universal Music group in early 2014. Speaking with reporters at the Jamaica Observer’s Beechwood Avenue headquarters Monday morning, Tessanne said recording should begin in January or February next year, depending on the decisions of the record label. Tessanne Chin Tessanne said that she wants her album to be different from what she has done in the past, adding however, that it will … Read entire article »

By Howard Campbell–  BORN in England to parents of Caribbean heritage, music producer/engineer Jermaine Forde has always related to different cultures in both regions. He says bridging a generational divide is the focus of his music. The son of Aswad guitarist/singer Brinsley Forde, Forde produces artists from Britain and Jamaica from his base in London. Most of those productions are released through Ajang Music, a company he operates with his mother, music industry veteran Marcia Simpson. Jermaine Forde Forde, … Read entire article »

William Maragh, more popularly known as Super Cat, receives a hug from a fan upon his homecoming after arriving via helicopter at the Cockburn Gardens Primary and Junior High School play ground.   Iconic dancehall artist, Super Cat, is in Jamaica ahead of his Sting performance. Super Cat has not been in the line-up in more than a decade. The artist, yesterday, gave some of his fans a taste of what they can expect at this week’s staging of Sting by transforming the … Read entire article »

  KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jacob Miller’s hefty size and jovial personality would certainly have qualified him for the role of Santa Claus. The singer was in a merry mood when he and the Inner Circle band gathered at Channel Studio One in 1978 to record what has become a Christmas classic. On Natty Christmas, the burly singer puts a humorous spin on Yuletide standards like Wish You a Merry Christmas/Amheric Temple, Silver Bells (Natty No Santa Claus), All I … Read entire article »

Bikers form part of a motorcade in Uganda to celebrate the arrival of Busy Signal.-Contributed   He wants artists to make music that lasts! By Curtis Campbell— Platinum-selling, reggae-dancehall artist Busy Signal was recently welcomed to Uganda in fine style, as show promoters and the Ugandan government arranged a welcoming motorcade for the Bumaye singer. “It was a lot of people, males, females, government officials and children. Persons where riding bikes and others were in vehicles, and I just got a chance to say ‘hi’ … Read entire article »

THE funeral service for singer Murvin ‘Junior Murvin’ Smith takes place December 29 at the Christ Church in his native Portland. According to Shikisha Chang Cowan of Glory Music, coordinators of the service, there will be tributes prior to the funeral at 2:00 pm. MURVIN… made international mark in 1976 with the hit song Police and Thieves “We are still confirming the persons who will be doing them,” she said. Murvin, who made an international mark in 1976 with … Read entire article »

‘It feels amazing to be home!’ Those were the first words from Jamaican singer Tessanne Chin, winner of season five of the NBC talent show The Voice, as she addressed a press conference in her honor upon her return to the island late Friday evening at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston. Top:The Meadowbrook High School choir cheers on Tessanne as she leaves the airport on Frid Bottom: Tessanne gets a reassuring squeeze from mentor, diamondselling reggae … Read entire article »

By Rory Daley— MARKING its 21 staging, music festival Rebel Salute will be held at Richmond Park Estate in Priory, St Ann, on January 17-18. The announcement was made by the conceptualiser Tony Rebel at the festival’s launch at the renovated Countryside Club in St Andrew. Tony Rebel “Rebel Salute will offer camping, a better ticketing system, several new artists, and a more concise presentation of the musical line up,” Rebel told the Jamaica Observer. The more than 40 acts, … Read entire article »

  International mezzo-soprano Raehann Bryce-Davis will perform in the Kingston College (KC) Chapel Choir Christmas Concerts which feature Handel’s Messiah, following her December 7 appearance in this celebrated work with the St Mark’s United Methodist Church Choir in Harlem, New York, in the United States. Bryce-Davis has been hailed by the New York Times as a “striking mezzo-soprano” who “sang and spoke potently and moved vivaciously”, and by Opera News as one who “held the stage with admirable intensity and commitment”. Audley Davidson, … Read entire article »

Reggae maestros Luciano Jah Messenger and Ras Zachari are set to rock Zambia. Luciano who is also known as the Jah Messenger and Ras Zachari are due for a show on December 27 at Government Complex. The two will be in the country courtesy of Genius Riddim Promotions. Nicholas Muchindu who is the director of administration and his counterpart Still Jah Siankuku who is director of communications announced Genius Riddims’ plans to Times Entertainment. Luciano and Ras Zachari are … Read entire article »