News
210 news in 2009
All reggae / dancehall news
December 2009
- Jimmy Cliff in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Jimmy Cliff is part of the next class to be welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Intended to honour the great figures of music who have marked its…
- Live from the Don Corleon studio
Always at the cutting edge of technology, the producer Donovan "Don Corleon" Bennett now allows the whole world to follow his studio work via the internet…
- The Bonner brothers, reggae's other family
Among the most famous clans in reggae, we already knew the Morgan family (the largest) and the McGregor family (Freddie, the father, Stephen and Chino, the…
- Tarrus Riley in concert in Paris
After the success of Reggaefrance's 10th anniversary at the Cabaret Sauvage with Capleton, the Reggaefrance & Co2 activity teams are doing it again in early…
- New album from Pierpoljak
Pierpoljak, French reggae's biggest seller, is back with a new album. "Légendaire sérénade" will be in the shops on 8 February 2010 (still on Barclay /…
- Buju Banton accused of drug trafficking
Nothing is going right for Buju Banton. Used to run-ins with the police, Gargamel is this time experiencing American prisons. The Jamaican was reportedly…
- Chuck Fender changes his name
Don't call him Chuck Fender any more. The former member of Fifth Element, which he left with a bang in 2005, now wants to be called The Living Fire. The…
- The Bombing, by The Bombist
The success of Bost & Bim's Yankees a Yard series already justifies the release of a best-of. The Bombing, as it is called, brings together on one LP the best…
- Born fi dead finally translated
Born fi dead by Laurie Gunst, a reference work, is now available in French. This translation is the second project published by Jamaica Insula, the publishing…
- Mavado and Kartel make peace on stage
It happened in the early hours of Monday morning, with the West Kingston Jamboree festival in full swing at Tivoli Gardens: Bounty Killer, who was performing…
- Toots on stage with "Playing for change"
Toots Hibbert performed on 13 November in Los Angeles at a concert organised by the charitable foundation "Playing for change". He thus joins Ziggy Marley in…
- Capleton on Arte
After Trace TV, it is now Arte's turn to broadcast its feature on Capleton, filmed while he was taking part in Reggaefrance's anniversary at the Cabaret…
- Grammy Awards: the reggae nominees
The Grammy Awards have never quite reflected the year's Jamaican output. This 52nd edition of the famous ceremony will be no exception. You can't change a…
- Reggae Champion Arena 2010
Nothing beats the eve of a public holiday for enjoying a clash night. Conveniently, that is the case for the Reggae Champion Arena 2010, a sound clash that…
- A reggae night for Sidaction
Today is World AIDS Day, but it is on 11 December that the Music & Dons night will take place, with part of the funds raised (11% of the takings) going to the…
- Khalifa and symphonic reggae
Beware, UFO. After working with Sly & Robbie on his first solo album, Khalifa, an artist from the Caen area, has set his mind to revisiting it with a…
November 2009
- Reggae Vibes #9 on newsstands
The new issue of Reggae Vibes, the ninth, looks back at length on the life and work of Peter Tosh, the most outspoken of the Wailers, in a 22-page feature…
- A reggae song for newborns
We have known since Bob Marley that modern medicine and Rastafari sometimes do not mix well. A little story from England proves otherwise. Jamaican reggae…
- No visa for Vybz Kartel, ''A Gaza mi stay''
The news has just broken! Vybz Kartel's mini European tour, originally planned for December in Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, has been postponed. The most…
- Bounty and Kartel clashing at Sting?
The traditional clash, the high point of the Sting festival held every year-end in Portmore, should pit Bounty Killer against Vybz Kartel. Although the names…
- Sizzla: concert postponed
Back in Paris after two sold-out dates and a short French tour, Sizzla was due to give a third concert in the capital. For logistical and personal reasons…
- Sound systems in mourning after the death of Squingy
Kevin "Squingy" Bennett, historic MC and selector of the sound system Bass Odyssey, died this Tuesday morning in Florida, at the age of 37. Sound system and…
- Beenie Man banned from festival
Beenie Man will not be on the bill of the Big Day Out festival, which will be held in several cities in Australia and New Zealand in January 2010. After…
- Tony Rebel and Queen Ifrica on tour
Tony Rebel and his protégée Queen Ifrica are coming to France in February 2010 for a tour. Here are the dates planned so far: - 07/02 in Paris…
- Mighty Diamonds celebrate 40 years of career
At the 5th "Reggae culture salute" ceremony held in Brooklyn on 1 November, the group Mighty Diamonds was honoured for 40 years of career. Organised by TSO…
- Capleton and Reggaefrance, as seen on TV
Capleton and Reggaefrance are dropping in on Trace TV: Capleton's concert, recorded for Reggaefrance's 10th anniversary on 23 September, will be broadcast on…
- A new album for the Spear
The spear has been burning for 40 years and it shows no sign of stopping. After "Our Music" in 2005, Burning Spear is back with a new album, "Jah is Real"…
- Alpha Blondy: Live in Peace on DVD
In thirty years of career and some twenty albums, Alpha Blondy had never released a DVD. That is now done, with the "Live in Peace Tour", available since 26…
- Vybz Kartel announced in Paris
After a little over two years' absence from Paris, and at the peak of his popularity in Jamaica, Vybz Kartel is back in Europe and will make a brief stop in…
- Mr Vegas in GTA 4
Mr Vegas's song Mus come a road features in the latest instalment of the Grand Theft Auto 4 series, "Episodes from Liberty City". As usual with Rockstar Games…
- Heartical releases the Tonight Riddim
Good news: French labels are stepping up their activity. Heartical is no exception and announces the release of its new riddim, a cover of the track Tonight…
- Hawkeye back with a one drop album
It has been a long time since we last heard of him: Hawkeye, the sturdy deejay who was part of the Main Street stable in the 90s, is back. After a first album…
- Pablo Moses and Sebastian Sturm on tour
The Jamaican Pablo Moses and the German Sebastian Sturm are currently touring France. They are supporting Groundation on many dates, but are also playing…
October 2009
- The Jamaican nominees at the Soul Train Awards
Back after a year off because of the American writers' strike, the prestigious "Soul train awards" have just revealed the list of 2009 nominees in the reggae…
- Party Time's Birthday Bash
12 years! 12 years that Party Time has been on the Paris-region airwaves, working to spread reggae. To mark the anniversary, the whole Party Time team invites…
- Toulouse Dub Station 3
Dub fans will have plenty to enjoy in early November. The Dub Station will stop for the third time in Toulouse, on Friday 13 November at the Bikini. This…
- Shaggy launches a major charity concert
On Wednesday 28 October, Shaggy kicked off a major charity concert project at a press conference at the Bustamante Children's Hospital in Kingston. Surrounded…
- Soul Vybz party with Luciano
Together, these two had already put Morgan Heritage on a sound system in Vincennes two years ago. Soul Vybz and CO2 Activity are at it again with a Reggae Rub…
- A third date for Sizzla in Paris
After the first two dates, which sold out last week, Sizzla will be back at the Elysée Montmartre on 2 December, for an extra date that will close a long…
- News from Soulbeats
Music Action is well known as the organiser of Reggae Sun Ska and the booker of Groundation and Sebastian Sturm in Europe. Less well known is Soulbeats, its…
- Winston McAnuff live, by Grandcrew
Winston McAnuff is definitely an artist to discover on stage. His enthusiasm earned him the nickname Electric Dread. Proof of this is the excellent video from…
- Lexxus accused of rape
Lexxus, a.k.a. Mr Lex, was arrested and accused of rape on Friday in New York. His manager, who confirms the news, says that a woman has filed a complaint…
- Luciano summoned to court on 2 February
Summoned before the court on 20 October (for a reminder of the facts see the news of 08/10/09), Luciano once again denied the charges against him. He will be…
- Two riddims for Special Delivery
The French label Special Delivery is far from idle. After the Je t'aime and Seven riddims, the label will start by releasing the Sugar Riddim in early…
- Télérama Dub Festival #7
After criss-crossing the whole of France last year, the Télérama Dub Festival is dropping its touring format for the 2009 edition (the seventh already) and…
- The construction of Jamaican identity
Antony Ceyrat, a graduate of Sciences-Po Strasbourg with a Master 2 in History from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (Paris), is the author of…
- New riddim from Maximum Sound: Praise Jahovia
Announced six months ago, Maximum Sound's Praise Jahovia Riddim is now available in French record shops. Three singles produced and arranged by Frenchie have…
- Southern Dub Convention #6
The sixth edition of the Southern Dub Convention on 30 October will be the occasion to celebrate the first anniversary of the south of France's dub event. For…
- Serani, at last the first album
We finally know a little more about Serani's first album. After announcing in March the signing of a deal with Universal Republic, a sub-label of the major…
- The 78 puts on its show
9 sound systems and 14 artists from the Yvelines will come together on Saturday 17 October at La Scène (Vernouillet) for a special "78 reggae connection"…
- A second Paris date for Sizzla
A single Elysée Montmartre is not enough to hold all of Sizzla's fans. As tickets for the 25 October concert sold quickly (the show is sold out), an extra…
- Boulibaï Vibrations Twinkle Brothers special
You now need to get into the habit of going back to listen on the web to Malik Boulibaï's programme on France Inter, Boulibaï Vibrations, available for 15…
- A Studio 1 in Ghana, thanks to Rita Marley
Rita Marley is getting ready to open a state-of-the-art recording studio in Aburi, Ghana, funded by her foundation. Named Studio 1, in tribute to the…
- Kings of Kings invents the studio-school
The studio of the Kings of Kings label, in Kingston near Half Way Tree, will offer music lessons from November, in addition to its traditional recording…
- Luciano unwelcome in the United States
Luciano was refused entry to US territory last week, probably as a result of the legal proceedings he faces in Jamaica. The singer is due to appear in court…
- Lady Saw: a new album, independently
Lady Saw, the first lady of dancehall, is preparing her next album herself, to be released independently, for lack of a label to sign her. And to prove she…
- Kiddus I on tour with Omar Perry
With his new album "Green Fa Life" out this autumn (only the second of his career, after his opus Inna De Yard), Kiddus I will once again tour France in…
- Broussaï, an album and a tour
Two years after the release of "Avec des mots", their previous album, Broussaï return with a new opus (their third), "Perspectives ". In the shops on 10…
September 2009
- Two 45s from Takana Zion
2 new 45rpm records by Takana Zion appear in the Makasound catalogue. The first brings together Abiri Na Samba Khine and its dub version by Manjul on the…
- The Black Seeds in Paris
The reggae / dub scene in New Zealand is not limited to Fat Freddy's Drop: the Black Seeds, whom we discovered in 2007 with the excellent album "Enter the…
- A busy new season for Zenzile
New album, new tour, new sites: Zenzile is not short of activity this autumn. The new album from the dub band from Angers is called "Pawn Shop", and will be…
- Lord Kossity, ''Fully Loaded''
As announced with the release of his double best-of last April, Lord Kossity's new album, "Fully loaded", will hit the shops at the end of the year. A…
- The best of Morgan Heritage at VP
VP, Morgan Heritage's historic label, announces the release on 27 October of a CD and DVD compilation gathering the group's best tracks. With eight studio…
- Mavado and Alicia Keys in a duet
Mavado and Alicia Keys have just recorded a reggae duet, intended for the R&B diva's next album. Alicia Keys took advantage of Mavado's presence on Bobby…
- Reggae Sun Ska, a lasting success
It is a discreet but lasting success: patiently, for 12 years, Reggae Sun Ska has established itself in the landscape of reggae festivals in France, to the…
- When Chezidek meets Sly & Robbie
St Ann's Bay singer Chezidek will release a new album in early October, the fruit of a collaboration with Sly & Robbie. Titled "I grade", this seventh album…
- Groundation on tour
California band Groundation will tour Europe in October and November to present "Here I am", their new album. Around ten dates are scheduled in France, from…
- Sean Paul, imperial
Not content with having placed his fourth album, "Imperial blaze", at the top of the Billboard reggae album charts, Sean Paul has also taken first place in…
- Steely has left us
Keyboardist and producer Wycliffe "Steely" Johnson died on 1 September in New York, of complications from pneumonia, and was buried this weekend. Aged 47…
- Reggaefrance turns 10!
We promised it last year, when we were celebrating nine years of Reggaefrance on the Web: we would do it again in 2009, pulling out all the stops. And who…
