2010 year in review

• Shaggy starts the year in style

Starting the year with a bang was the Shaggy and Friends concert at Jamaica House, St Andrew. There were performances from acts like Joe, Boyz II Men and Mario, Beenie Man, Machel Montano, Ding Dong, CeCile, T.O.K, Toots Hibbert, Sanchez, Ity and Fancy Cat, Baby Cham, Alaine, Queen Ifrica and Mavado. Despite the outstanding performances, many people remember the bad timing of Bounty Killer's outburst in which he openly bashed homosexuals.

• Artistes join Haiti recovery effort

A day after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake thrashed Haiti, promoters, Tony Rebel from Rebel Salute and Walter Elmore who hosts Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, decided to donate part proceeds from their events to those affected by the earthquake. Both concerts went on to do well with Babyface, Hall and Oates, Gladys Knight, Marion Hall (Lady Saw), Deborah Cox, Tamia and Kelly Price stunned audiences at Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival.

Rebel Salute also had pleased patrons who were treated to impressive performances from artistes like Steel Pulse, Admiral Tibet, Barrington Levy, Leroy Gibbons, Richie Spice and Freddie McGregor. These were joined by other acts, such as the fireman Capleton, Queen Ifrica, Tarrus Riley, Etana and Assassin, who closed the show.

• Bashment Granny hits the silver screen

January was also the month when the Bashment Granny movie hit theatre screens locally and abroad.

• Marleys dominate Grammys

Ending the month on an extremely high note, brothers Stephen and Ziggy Marley walked away with Grammy awards. Stephen got the award for Best Reggae Album for Mind Control (Acoustic Version), while Ziggy grabbed the fifth Grammy of his career, this time in the children's musical album category for his all-star project, Family Time.

February

• Nettleford dies

Leaving a void in Jamaica's cultural landscape, Rex Nettleford died at The George Washington University Hospital in Washington, DC, days after suffering a heart attack on January 27. Nettleford, who was the vice-chancellor emeritus of the University of the West Indies and founder of the National Dance Theatre Company, wore many hats and was very passionate about our country's culture.

• Youth View Awards, a success

February was also the month of awards. There was the successful third staging of the Youth View Awards that had American rap group New Boyz as the main act. And, there was the late-starting Excellence in Music and Entertainment (EME) awards. Despite the disorganisation, there were strong performances from India Arie, Gramps Morgan and the Bonner Brothers.

• Tuff Gong tour adds art gallery

During the month The Berhane Selassie Art Gallery was launched at Tuff Gong International Ltd on Marcus Garvey Drive, St Andrew. It will not only display the works of local and international artists, but it also became a part of Tuff Gong's Making of Music Tour.

• Artistes continue to aid Haiti recovery

Still trying to help Haiti's plight, several musicians and artistes collaborated on Listen2theCall, which featured Toots Hibbert, Sly & Robbie, Marcia Griffiths, Maxi Priest, Diana King, Luciano, Barrington Levy, Beres Hammond, Beenie Man and dub poet Mutabaruka along with more than 25 others.

Proceeds from the sale of the song went to the relief and rehabilitation effort in Haiti.

• Reggae Month celebrated

Reggae Month led the celebration of Jamaica's music culture but on what seemed to be a smaller scale. Nonetheless, there were events like the Dennis Brown Birthday Special on Irie FM, the week-long celebration of Bob Marley's birthday in Negril, reggae villages, parties, symposia, films, exhibitions, award shows and school tours.

March

• Jimmie Cliff makes Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Making a big mark in the month, musician and actor Jimmy Cliff was one of five inductees into the 25th anniversary class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His fellow inductees are musical giants ABBA, The Stooges, The Hollies and Genesis. In addition to the induction, Cliff also performed at the ceremony that was held in New York.

• 'Maffy' celebrates 40 years

Volier Johnson celebrated 40 years in theatre, having played roles in numerous productions including The Harder They Come, Oliver At Large, Toy Boy and most recently Better Mus' Come to name a few. The Actor Boys Awards was also staged with 32 productions being nominated.

On a more sombre note, Etana cried at Womanbition 2010, which was held at Starapples, Hope Road, St Andrew. Proceeds from the all-female event went to Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) nursing programme and Mary's Child. Even sadder was the fact that saxophonist Cedric 'Im' Brooks was admitted to a New York City hospital. The 67-year-old Brooks has been a patient at the hospital since February 18, 2010. He was admitted there after a relative found him unconscious in his apartment in the Bronx.

• FashionFaces of the Caribbean

After months of searching, more than 60 contestants vied for the prestigious title of Saint International's FashionFace of the Caribbean at the Courtleigh Auditorium. Shavan Fraser and Ornelia Edwards walked away as winners of the competition.

• Fun In The Son pulls in massive numbers

On the gospel side of music, an estimated 100,000 patrons turned out for the exciting staging of Fun In The Son on the grounds of Jamaica College. In addition to the Children's Village, which had face painting, bounce-a-bouts, rides and child evangelism, there were massive performances from gospel acts like Kirk Franklin, Sons of the Prophet, singers J. Lee, Ryan Berry, Kimeika Isaacs, Jabez, Omari, Goddy Goddy, DJ Nicholas, Carlene Davis and Papa San.

• No-Maddz launches 'The Trod'

It was also the month when the poetry quartet No-Maddz did 'The Trod Live' concert and live album recording. This was also the beginning of the many live concerts that they did across the island.

April:

• Bacchanal gets more popular

There were many Bacchanal events in April. Beach J'Ouvert in St Ann was a colourful hit. People revelled in the Bacchanal Road March and others got some more mature fun at Vintage Meets Soca. These events brought the Bacchanal season that started in April to an end.

• NDTC pays tribute to Nettleford

The National Dance Theatre Company paid a moving tribute to its founder, Professor Rex Nettleford. His spirit was in the dances, music, songs, costumes, décor, lighting and, especially, in the emotions and memories of the performers and off-stage crew, and the audience which packed the theatre.

• Black Kat comes of age

Black Kat and its dynamic top man Pink Panther walked into the pages of dancehall history when they copped the Squingy Cup, the symbol of supremacy for the final staging of the Death Before Dishonour sound clash, which was dubbed The Final Warr. At the Pier One Complex in Montego Bay, Black Kat moved past other sound systems like Mighty Crown, Bass Odyssey and Bredda Hype to become the eventual winners.

• McDonald does one-woman play

Sabrena McDonald took on the ambitious role of doing a one-woman play, Slim Actress. The production which, by her description, included monologues, movements, poetry and melodies, was staged at the Dennis Scott Theatre at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts.

• Johnny does RAW

Also in theatre, Christopher 'Johnny' Daley staged his 13-show RAW series at the Village Blues Bar, Liguanea, St Andrew.

• Tessanne teams up with Kes

Tessanne Chin and Kees Dieffenthaller, lead singer of Kes, The Band from Trinidad, teamed up for a track called Loving You. Meanwhile, Jah Cure and Mary J Blige were brought together by producer Dwayne Chin-Quee, aka Supa Dups for a single called Each Tear.

• Graduates land record deals from Solid Agency

Following three months internship, three students of the pioneering class of the Diageo Learning for Life's Project Artiste landed recording deals with Solid Agency. The three students were Renaldo Miller, Kenroy 'Slims' Henriques and Omar 'Assailant' Thompson.

• Pulse joins the Haiti-relief effort

The Haiti Art and Fashion Project, an initiative of the Pulse Foundation, received the formal endorsement of CARICOM. The project was held during Caribbean Fashionweek at the National Indoor Sports Centre. Pulse said it intends to work in tandem with CARICOM, as well as the international body charged with the responsibility of planning the reconstruction of Haiti. The project was lauded as a key tool for the redevelopment of the cultural and creative sector in Haiti.

• Pulse supermodels

Jaunel McKenzie and Gaye McDonald lead the couture charge for 'Summer 2010' in the latest edition of Grazia magazine. McKenzie and McDonald, alongside models Shelby Coleman, Austria Alcantara and Quiana Grant, charmed the lens of photographer David Roemer (H&M, BCBG, Elie Tahari, Dennis Basso) for the United Kingdom international edition of the Italian magazine.

• O'Neil Edwards killed

Voicemail's O'Neil Edwards was shot several times by gunmen as he attempted to enter his home in Duhaney Park, St Andrew. He was admitted to the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) and died two weeks later. This rocked the entertainment fraternity who gathered for two public vigils, one in Half-Way Tree and the other in the parking lot of KPH. One of the main persons involved in the vigils, singjay Mr Vegas, called for those who know better to reach out to other artistes and speak out against the brutal murders plaguing the island.

• Bolt launches sports lounge

Athletics poster boy Usain Bolt launched Usain Bolt's Tracks and Records sports lounge. Usain Bolt's Tracks and Records is a US$1-million investment. It will be located next to Fiction at Market Place and was scheduled to have been opened in the last quarter of last year but has been delayed.

• Easy Street hits New York stages

The cast and crew of Patrick Brown's hilarious musical comedy Easy Street hit the stages in New York. Following its phenomenal run at Centerstage, Easy Street made its New York premiere at York College in Queens, followed by an appearance at the historic Brooklyn College and the Truman High School Auditorium in the Bronx.

• 'Dudus' extradition sparks unrest, events postponed

Events were postponed due to the civil unrest caused by violence in Tivoli Gardens surrounding the extradition of the community's strongman, Christopher 'Dudus' Coke. A state of emergency brought a halt to almost all entertainment.