town Brooklyn, on Saturday,
Nov. 2.
“The family friendly event
which marks the anniversary
of the coronation of Emperor
Haile Selassie I and Empress
Menen of Ethiopia highlights
the unique relationship
between, reggae, Rasta, Emperor
Selassie and Jamaica,” he
said.
“This year’s event comes in
the wake of UNESCO’s inscription
of reggae to its Representative
List of the Intangible Cultural
Heritage of Humanity,”
he added, referring to the United
Nations Educational, Social
and Cultural Organization.
McKetty said Reggae Culture
Salute routinely draws
on diverse artistic disciplines,
adding that, for 2019, it will
present nyabinghi drumming,
spoken-word, dance and song
“to commemorate the coronation
and pay tributes to The
Wailers in celebration of the
UNESCO inscription.”
He said the highlight of the
tribute to The Wailers will be
the first ever New York performance
of the official Wailers
Trio Tribute Group and the
presentation of the CPR Pinnacle
Award for Excellence to The
Wailers, with Neville “Bunny
Wailer” Livingston, O.M. on
hand to participate in a preevent
VIP reception and accept
the award during the event.
McKetty said the tribute trio
comprises contemporary artists,
Asadenaki Livingston, son
of Bunny Wailer; Jason Wright
and Hervin Bailey.
They will perform The Wailers’s
music that dates back to
the 1960s and 70s, “introducing
to some and remind others
what the foundation of the
music was like,” McKetty said.
To round out the evening,
he said the CPR Allstars with
vocalist Shango Trex and contributions
from various guests,
including dub poet Ras Takura,
will pay further tribute to The
Wailers – Robert “Bob” Marley,
O.M.; Hubert “Peter Tosh”
McIntosh, O.M.; and Bunny
Wailer, with classics from their
solo careers.
McKetty said dancers from
the Asoso International Ensemble
will also perform.
He said the event also marks
the lunch of The Legacy Project,
a new CPR initiative to curate
and digitally present information
about reggae pioneers.
“Arguably, the combination
of the decade and a half of
Caribbean L 50 ife, OCTOBER 25-31, 2019 BQ
The Wailers added to the solo
careers of Bob Marley, Peter
Tosh, and Bunny Wailer make
the trio the premier contributor
to the development and
spread of reggae music, and we
are honored to pay this tribute
to The Wailers as we launch
our Legacy Project initiative ”
said McKetty, who is also CPR’s
co-founder.
“Each year, Reggae Culture
Salute attracts a diverse intergeneration
audience of reggae
lovers who welcome the opportunity
to celebrate roots reggae
music in an atmosphere of
authenticity,” he said. “Adults
are encouraged to bring children
to experience this special
moment in New York reggae
history.”
He said doors open at 7:00
pm for networking and a VIP
reception, where VIP ticket
holders have the opportunity
to meet and greet the honoree
and other artists. The performances
start at 8:00 pm.
For tickets, visit the Kumble
Theater box office http://
kumbletheater.org/ or call (718)
421-6927.
times. His other national titles
are Tune of the Crop and Sweet
Soca, having won both two
times each.
Reflecting on where life has
taken him RPB said, “by 1994,
the strange name Red Plastic
Bag had become well known in
the world of calypso as the song
Ragga Ragga became popular
across the globe.
“I was performing in places
I thought I would never see
and saw smiling faces I did not
know”.
He also revealed to a sobering
moment of reflection that
gripped him just before a
scheduled performance in the
Big Apple.
“One Mother’s Day I sat in
my dressing room at Radio City
Music Hall in New York, one of
the most famous performing
centres of the world. I was waiting
to go on stage and I couldn’t
stop the tears from flowing …
Time suddenly stood still as
my mind went right back to
Bayfield.
“I saw myself as a little boy
with no shoes walking the
uneven terrain by the pond. I
heard my mother’s voice saying,
‘Son, believe, believe there
is a God’.”
Now this humble entertainer
can be called Dr. Bag.
Continued from Page 49
Members of the Jamaica’s musical group The Wailers pose for pictures with students during
a visit to a school as part of a World Food Programme event in of Bogota, Friday, Sept
11, 2009. Associated Press / Fernando Vergara
Continued from Page 49
him a profiteer. The ire surfaced
after the President Donald
Trump supporter staged
an unprecedented, successful
pop-up gospel concert at
Emancipation Park in Kingston
recently.
Politics aside, Jamaicans
turned out in droves to see
and hear the controversial
rapper who allegedly said that
slavery was a choice and at
times caused consternation by
making impulsive comments.
That it was his very first
Sunday Service to be held
outside of the USA found
the island trending on social
media portals.
He allegedly doled out one
million American dollars to
ensure success. According to
Olivia Grange, the island’s
minister of culture, West paid
all expenses, air fare and hotel
accommodations, transported
a 120-member choir and hired
local technicians and production
assistants.
Prior to the concert,
Grange issued a press statement
saying: “It is at no cost
to the Jamaican government
or the Ministry and Jamaica
is benefitting. Kanye West is
paying for absolutely everything.”
She added that “Jamaica
is trending at this time
across the world because of
Kanye West Sunday Service
being held in Kingston.”
However, soon after the
two-hour hit, Friday session,
it seems the nicknamed Yeezy
became enemy number one.
“It has come to my attention
that items of clothing
printed with national symbols
and emblems are being offered
for sale online. I noticed Kanye
West and members of his choir
wearing similarly emblazoned
items during their special
performance in Kingston last
night, but I was not aware at
the time that the costumes
were being sold online,”
Grange said.
“We neither received a
request for nor did we give
permission for our national
symbols and emblems to be
used for a commercial manner
or otherwise. I have since
requested that the items be
withdrawn and the vendor has
agreed to do so.”
Continued from Page 49
Stedson Wiltshire also known as Red Plastic Bag with his
doctorate certifi cate. Photo by George Alleyne
JA rebukes Kanye West
Reggae Culture Salute
The UWI honors Bajan singer
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/kumbletheater.org