- Contributed Mr. Glamurus and Richie Wonder
LESTER Rhooms of Palais Royale label recently launched a programme, which he hopes will encourage the local music industry to play a more important role in bringing the seriousness of AIDS to the attention of the public.
Last week the label launched the single, AIDS, The Message, featuring the talented singing duo, Richie Wonder and Mr. Glamurus, at their Ripon Road, Kingston, base.
"You have a family or friend that has caught the disease/Don't you despise them please," is the theme of the message, which also suggests monogamy, restraint and the use of condoms in sexual relationships.
Richie Wonder (Patrick Grant) and Mr. Glamurus (Edward Higgins) both hail from Arnett Gardens, Kingston, which Rhooms thinks should help in the appeal of the record among youth people in the inner-city communities. Both have been performing and recording since the late 1990s.
'NEW DAY' TOUR
Singers Luciano and Junior Kelly returned home this week after their New Day promotional tour aimed at stirring interest in their newly released CDs from VP Records.
The albums - Luciano's New Day, after which the tour was named and Kelly's Love So Nice, named after his huge 1999 single - as well as Beres Hammond's Music Is Life and new albums from the prolific Glen Washington, have been contributing to increased interest in lovers' rock music in North America.
There was no greater evidence than the large crowd which packed Brooklyn College auditorium to watch the final show of the tour last Sunday. The show also featured singing star Sanchez.
"The tour was just great. We went into a number of areas we had not gone before and the venues were always full," a proud Luciano told Showbiz following Sunday's show.
It was his first North American tour since 'Sweep Over My Soul' in 1999 and the first for Kelly. The tour went on to other parts of the United States and also Canada.
Incidentally, while Luciano has been busy promoting the New Day album from VP, London-based Jet Star Records has released another album, Great Controversy.
DOWNSOUND STUDIO
DownSound Records launched its Black Talant studio, Constant Spring Road, Kingston, last Tuesday.
The studio is the latest addition to the DownSound complex, which includes a recording label, as well as distribution and Internet facilities.
DownSound has been pioneering Internet broadcasts of Jamaican dancehall sessions on a regular basis under the theme 'Kingston Signals'.
Joseph 'Pep' Bogdonavich, head of the company, announced Tuesday, plans to take the 'Kingston Signals' programme into major nightclub venues under a new title, 'Chocolate Boogie', which was set to kick-off last night at Carlos' Cafe, Kingston, featuring DJ Karim.
'Chocolate Boogies', like 'Kingston Signals', will be carried live on www.downsoundsre-cords.com.
Buju Banton
MUSIC FESTIVAL
The annual Sierra Nevada World Music Festival (SNWMF)is to take place at Angels Camp, California, from June 22 to 24.
The SNWMF, now in its eighth year, is celebrating the move to a new venue, Frogtown, Angels Camp, California. This year's show will be presented in three stages: reggae, dancehall and world music. The line-up will feature veteran producer/performer Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Eek-A-Mouse, Ex-Centric Sound System from Israel, the Mad Professor (UK), Buju Banton, Gregory Isaacs, Israel Vibrations, Abyssinians, Don Carlos and Sister Carol, Stone Love, Dub Mission and Brazil Beat.
