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CLINTON LINDSAY » Entries tagged with "Earl “Chinna” Smith"

THE DOCU-FILM “PRESSING MATTERS” LOOKS AT JAMAICA’S DYING VINYL INDUSTRY!

BY RICHARD JOHNSON—  Musician Earl “Chinna” Smith discusses the state of the Jamaican vinyl record industry in Pressing Matters, in Jamaica, directed by Vivien Goldman.. Last year British-born, New York-based writer and reggae lover Vivien Goldman was in Jamaica for activities related to International Reggae Day. Based on discussions she had with players in the local music industry, she became aware of the death of the local vinyl industry. “How could this happen?” she questioned. “Vinyl is such a strong signature of Jamaican music, and the fact that this arm of Jamaican music and culture was dying was astonishing.” Goldman would team up with the international firm The Vinyl Factory to produce Pressing Matters, a docu-film on this dying aspect of Jamaica’s culture. “Like me, The Vinyl Factory was distressed that a country like Jamaica, … Read entire article »

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MUSICIAN EARL “CHINNA” SMITH TO HOST TRIBUTE TO SINGER JUNIOR BYLES!

By Howard Campbell—  Top: Earl “Chinna” Smith Bottom: Junior Byles— OF the countless songs guitarist Earl “Chinna” Smith has played on, Fade Away holds a special place. He also wrote and produced the timeless track sung by Junior Byles. On Sunday, the respected session musician pays tribute to the troubled singer with a performance at the Dub Club in Jack Hills, St Andrew. This year marks the 45th anniversary of Beat Down Babylon, Byles’ classic song and album produced by Lee “Scratch” Perry. For Smith, Byles’ rehabilitation is personal. “A lotta artist dat dem rate like Bob Marley, Dennis Brown an’ Alton Ellis, Junior Byles is one of dem artist dey, based on di kinda music him have. Him still alive; all him want is some treatment,” Smith told the Jamaica Observer.  The 68-year-old Byles has a … Read entire article »

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VETERAN GUITARIST, EARL “CHINNA” SMITH, HAS STRUMMED HIS WAY ON MANY REGGAE CLASSICS!

BY HOWARD CAMPBELL—  Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith with his 1968 Telecaster guitar.Photo: Joseph Wellington— Today marks 35 years since the death of reggae legend Bob Marley. The Jamaica Observer ’s entertainment section looks at aspects of his legacy. EARL ‘Chinna’ Smith cradles his well-worn 1968 Telecaster guitar as a doting mother would her newborn child. Smith, 60, refers to the cherished instrument as ‘the reggae guitar of the world’, given the countless hit songs he has played on.   Among its biggest gigs were the 1975 recording sessions for Rastaman Vibration, Bob Marley and The Wailers’ album that was released the following year by Island Records.That set was Marley’s third for Island Records. It is considered by many critics and fans as his best work. Smith was one of two guitarists in the Soul Syndicate Band at the … Read entire article »

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“HEY JUDE” IS DOING IT FOR SINGER HUGH ENGLISH!

 Hugh English— RIDING high on the positive reception to his version of The Beatles classic 1968 song Hey Jude, singer Hugh English is confident 2016 is a watershed for his career. Hey Jude entered Broadcast/Journalist Clinton Lindsay’s New York Foundation Radio Network chart in New York and South Florida late last year. Its acoustic version, featuring veteran session guitarist Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith, re-entered  that table recently, where it currently sits in the No.24 position. English told Splash that the song’s success transcends the charts. He sees it as part of a musical rebirth in his native Trench Town. “My dream is to see 30 or 40 musician walk down the streets a Trench Town ‘cause respect ever due to musician inna Trench Town, nuh matter the crime an’ politics,” he said.   The dreadlocked English is … Read entire article »

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NO REGGAE AT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MUSIC MERCHANTS!

 Guitatist Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith— RESPECTED guitarist Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith says Jamaican administrators missed a golden opportunity by not showcasing the country’s music at the recent National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) in Anaheim, California. Smith attended the January 21-24 show at Anaheim Convention Center. The annual event, a must-go for musicians, attracted 100,000 persons over four days. It was the second visit at NAMM for the veteran session musician. He said one of its most popular attractions was a John Lennon booth where the former Beatle’s legacy was honored by musicians who performed his songs. In addition, organizers of the booth donated US$14,000 of equipment daily, including four Epiphone Casino guitars which Lennon consistently used throughout his career. “With an artist like Bob Marley wid such a strong message, there should have been a presence. … Read entire article »

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VETERAN MUSICIANS SING LEAD ON “THE INSPIRATORS!”

VETERAN MUSICIANS SING LEAD ON “THE INSPIRATORS!”

 Swiss producer Mathias Liengme and bassist Lloyd Parks with a copy of the eight-song album The Inspirators.— FOR most reggae fans, Leroy ‘Horsemouth’ Wallace is one of the music’s premier drummers, a leader of the militant 1970’s Rockers movement. Wallace, genial star of the 1978 movie Rockers, shows his vocal prowess on The Inspirators, an eight-song album produced by Mathias Liengme of Switzerland. Released by Liengme’s Fruits Records, the set also showcases the vocal talents of two other … Read entire article »

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“HEY JUDE” GIVES SINGER HUGH ENGLISH HIS FIRST CHART SUCCESS!

 Hugh English— Ever since his ‘youth days’ in Waterhouse, singer Hugh English was taken by the classic Beatles song, Hey Jude. Last year, he finally covered the sombre 1968 hit, one of many gems in the ‘Fab Four’s hallowed catalogue. “From mi was a juvenile mi love it, but mi used to sey ‘Hey June’. Is not till mi voice it dat (guitarist) Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith tell mi is Hey Jude,” said the dreadlocked English. Smith played on the English version which is co-produced by his son, Earl Smith Jr and English.Released in late 2015, Hey Jude has turned out to be the journeyman artist’s best work to date, making the Foundation Radio Network Top 30 Music Chart out of New York. It is a long time coming for English (born Donovan English), who spent … Read entire article »

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HERE COMES SINGER HUGH ENGLISH!

  Jamaican Ras Tafari recording artist Donovan Hugh English, popularly known as “Hugh English” was born on November 12th, 1965, in Trench Town, Kingston 12. He grew up in the musical community of Waterhouse, Kingston 11 with his aunt. While growing up in Waterhouse, he met a lot of friends such as singer Andrew Bees (lead singer of Reggae’s first Grammy winning Black Uhuru), the late Wayne “Sleng Teng”Smith, Hugh Mundell, singers Junior Reid, Half Pint, King Everald, and “Dub Inventor” the late great King Tubbys, just to name a few. He then migrated back to his original community Trench Town to pursue music,and started his professional career in 2012 with the recording of various singles like “Sufferation”, and “Muss Buss” on his own Trench Town International Music label. He had also worked with … Read entire article »

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OPERA SINGER TOLEDO JOINS EARL “CHINNA” SMITH FOR “OPERA MEETS NYAHBINGHI” BENEFIT CONCERT!

By Howard Campbell–  Chilean-born Maria Cecilia Toledo and guitarist Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith. WITH rolling Nyahbinghi drums as the perfect backdrop to her Latin guitar licks, Maria Cecilia Toledo was in fine voice as she led a spirited rendition of Guantanamera, the Cuban patriotic standard. An opera singer of international repute, the Chilean-born Toledo is not into labels. “I’m a musician and I love music, it’s my passion,” she said during a break from rehearsals at guitarist Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith’s St Andrew home. Toledo, wife of Joachim Schmillen, the German ambassador to Jamaica, will perform with Smith’s Bingestra group at a June 28 show at The Ward Theatre in downtown Kingston. Dubbed ‘Opera Meets Nyahbinghi’, it is the closing event on this year’s Kingston On The Edge (KOTE) arts series, a fund-raiser to help revive the … Read entire article »

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ROOTS SINGER CEDRIC MYTON HEADLINES THE “INNA DI YARD SHOWCASE” AT REDBONES IN NEW KINGSTON!

 Cedric Myton—- SINGER Cedric Myton, whose distinct tenor helped make The Congos one of roots-reggae’s most influential groups, will headline tomorrow evening’s Inna Di Yard show at Redbones Blues Café in St Andrew. Myton, who has been based in Brazil for the last two years, will lead a cast that comprises the Inna Di Yard Nyahbinghi group led by guitarist Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith. Singers Max Romeo, Sangie Davis, Kiddus-I and Jhamiela complete the line-up of artistes who will be backed by the Inna Di Yard band. Showtime is 9:00pm. … Read entire article »

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