Int'l Reggae Day 2011 sows seeds, satellites

Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer

Rain wiped out a number of entertainment events over the past week and also caused a few to be relocated, among the latter, a key preparation for International Reggae Day 2011. So on Wednesday evening, Luciano, TOK, Jah 9, Jesse Royal and Chantelle Ernandez were among those onstage inside the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica (PBCJ), their performances being recorded for a special day.

They will be part of a widespread broadcast on International Reggae Day 2011, July 1. And founder and organiser of the worldwide celebration Andrea Davis told The Gleaner that the footage will be available online, including at www.ireggaeday.com.

Unlike previous International Reggae Day celebrations, Davis said "we are not planning a big concert on July 1. We have created a gratis event licence". This means that there will be a number of free events, marking the day, the Kingston venues including Tuff Gong on Marcus Garvey Drive, the Bob Marley Museum at 56 Hope Road and Redbones Blues Café on Argyle Road. There is room for more, as Davis said "we are trying to do it in a way that allows everyone to experience reggae on July 1."

new singles

Outside of Jamaica, International Reggae Day 2011 will be marked by parties in New York and Sao Paulo, Brazil. For the latter, Davis said, two new singles by Sizzla and Jesse Royal from the 'Bambas Dois' project will be released and be available for free download from midnight, June 30, to midnight, July 1. After that window, they will be available for sale on iTunes.

Other tracks by Tarrus Riley and TOK will also be available for free download.

Davis pointed out that "there is a misconception that roots music has faded away in Jamaica". However, she accedes that "it is harder to think of trying to get 40,000 people into a venue to celebrate reggae in Jamaica than in France, Brazil, California or Japan".

And the international reach is key to International Reggae Day over the next five years, as Davis said "we are working to have International Reggae Day festivals around the world in five years." Among them are an event in England around the Olympics and Davis forecasts that "Brazil will be bigger."

Media is, as always, central to the July 1 celebration and Davis points out that it is a media festival that has events. She said "our goal to have 100 million listeners in 24 hours is driven by the idea of pulling in the listeners to all these stations worldwide that play reggae. The idea of reaching this audience, with their individual listenership, is not unattainable."

And that also covers online sources such as Facebook.

Still, Jamaica is key to the celebration and, through the free events, Davis says "we think that by localising the celebration, we can better plug in ... In sewing the seeds across the communities, we are hoping to reach the tipping point with reggae."

However, corporate support of International Reggae Day 2011 has been scant and Davis points out that Wednesday night's filming could have happened "really because of professionals in the industry. Among them are the Higher Intelligence Agency (HIA), Shackworkz, Slingshot, Phase 3, Starlight, Alternative Sounds, Innografix, W Studio, Advico and Black Angel.