Tuesday, November 30, 2010

A Singing "Mercedes" Blazin' DJ and others: Its JARIA Reasoning @ Stone Love

Its more noted for its Weddy Weddy mid-week sessions, at which dancers put down the latest moves and the sizable roster of selectors keep patrons bouncing to the latest (even more so now that Passa Passa's not in the picture; not they were actually competing, of course);

But things heated up a day (or night) early as the Reggae Industry Association (JARIA) held its periodic "Reasonings" session Tuesday night last - in actual fact a showcase for new and upcoming talent, though a few stalwarts "passed through".

A motley crew of  hopefuls and risers took the Stone Love platform, led by the useful and versatile crooner Ricardo Suave, who tossed in a couple of smart covers (Al Green, Gregory Isaacs) in his short stint. Clinton Black held his own  with his brand of message music.

The gospel-touting Mercedes was the other pick of the night vocally, bringing a joyful energy to her delivery.

DJ Blaze brought some toasting energy late, and he had an "extra". After 'big-ups' to his "team' he brought up hot film star of the moment Nina 'Sky' Grey (above) co-star of the movie "Better Mus' Come".

Selector Geefus ensured levity with his Speedy Gonzalez impressions and razor-sharp selections in between the "live" acts .

Amid the City Towers....The Roktowa

New Kingston's towers of concrete and steel now have a bit more creative flair. the Roktowa Art movement, which has justifiably attracted attention for its artistic and social activism in the downtown area has moved "uptown" so to speak.

On the ground floor of the gleaming white Pan-Caribbean tower now houses a small collection of Roktowa works, with more to come form another location, The Glyph at red Bones. The works in PanCaribbean share space with the latest from Laura Facey.

Monday, November 22, 2010

The Art of the Burger, Eye-Popping paintings and Showing the Biz

The weekend proved a feast for the eyes and the palate, with some mental stimulation thrown in (via the Business Expo) that took us from Deli Works in Liguanea to Manor Park and to the wyndham in new Kingston.
At Deli Works, a somewhat confusing buffet greeted us, but we were soon distracted by the burger menu and decided "Why Not?"
service a little iffy at first, but our quick-thinking attendant ate some humble pie and apologized, leaving us in a better frae of mind to enjoy the meal

And boy, did we enjoy. The onion rings were just the curtain-raiser; not great, but good enough to feed our anticipation. The flan - made fresh in store - took things up a notch, buttery smooth, well-balanced (just the right amount of egg to sugar) and very delicious.

But then, came the piece (or pieces in this case) de resistance. For me, the blue cheese  for her, the Mushroom Swiss The taste?? heaven on earth.

Later that night even more gastronomic delights, buttressed by a cool art show, the debut solo exhibition of teen sensation (18) Laura anne Fung at the salubrious Grosvenor Galleries at the top of Manor Park.

Former Digicel CEO David Hall (shown here with the artist) spoke to the need to celebrate the excellence of Jamaicans in all spheres, recalling the early exploits of one Usain Bolt, and declaring that Fung's energy and talent   would take her to international renown on a similar level.
And, to go with the colour riot, there was absolutely mouthwatering fare on two fronts: first, cheese poppers, veggie spring rolls and jerk chicken from caterer extraordinaire Lorraine Fung(the artist's aunt, how fortunate for us), and then some sweet treats, including some positively habit-forming brownies from Polly Ho.

Come Sunday, the future and present mavens of the Young Entrepreneurs Association united to stage the Entrepreneurs Expo at the Wyndham Kingston. Though service providers dominated, there were manufacturers, such as wrought iron masters Bellindo, makers of the chair and table shown. The Expo is the opening salvo in a week of activities, culminating in a Tribute Ball on Friday evening.

the Wyndham was the scene of the kick-off of Entrepreneurs Week, hosted by the Young Entrepreneurs Association

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Weekend Wrap tomorrow

Hop on the Donkeycart tomorrow.......we review Jamaica's best burger, sample soe eye-popping colours at a new solo art show, and dissect the Entrepreneurs Expo

Monday, November 15, 2010

More Wining and Dining - in pictures

Night one of Restaurant week 2K10, Day one of the Jamaica Pegasus Wine Spirit and food Fest, and the Bin 26 wine tasting......all in pics

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Wines, Rind [Pork} and other goodies

spent a refreshing Saturday evening at Bin 26 Wine Bar on the grounds of Devon House, sampling the Rex Goliath line of wines (particularly the Merlot) and enjoying whole roasted pig courtesy of Garry Ferguson. Check back here on Monday for my full report and pics. You can also go to www.flavourdujour.info

also coming up, my report on the Jamaica Pegasus Wine 7 Spirits Festival, starting today and into tomorrow. Yum

Friday, November 5, 2010

Teens & Media and "Hair & Now" - the swingin' 60s: Two new Books

had the pleasure over the last 7 days of witnessing two new Jamaican books, both by women, and both looking at important social issues.

First up, the more recent: This past Tuesday, as  we watched for a wily Tomas dipping, ebbing (and ultimately strengthening), well-wishers and media gathered in the Pegasus ballroom for the presentation of media maven Marcia Forbes' treatise (see cover photo right). The book examines the effect of sexual content in music videos on teens and the formation of adolescent values and behaviour. Amid a high-tech, light filed backdrop, the audience heard from Education Minister Andrew Holness and the author herself, while Aggrey Irons presided over the proceedings, and twitterati left their impressions in real time, to be viewed on the Twitter Board next door.

A more cozy atmosphere prevailed a few days earlier at the 56 Hope Road site of the Bob Marley Legend cafe, where Barbara Blake-Hannah, a media maven in her own right  (and the first Black journalist on British TV) launched Growing Out, her literary reflection on her sojourn in London during the famed swingin' 60s. The combination of open-air and covered space helped the launch go over very enjoyably, and the analog atmosphere was perfect. after reading excerpts, Blake-Hannah, accompanied by Beverly Anderson Manley, presented copies to the National Library and to journalists (yours truly included) and fielded questions. Thereafter, it was time to enjoy some hearty Legend cafe hors douevres and  - better late than never - some contemporary African music on CD.

  And the books themselves? Well, I'm yet to read MMAS, but the advance word is good, and my perusals have yielded an interesting expose. Growing Out is very good indeed. Its only in the last ten years or so that memoirs have come into vogue in Jamaica, and in that still-growing field, this tome stands out. Fluid, witty and heart-felt, Growing Out is important for the present generation of Jamaicans (adolescents included) who have little or no clue of the travails endured by Jamaicans who went to the UK in the 50s and 60s, nor of the breadth of their impact on that society. Memoirs are also distinguished by inside info, and whether its on the BBC, London High Society or the interantional marketing and promotion of The Harder They Come, Growing Out succeeds in this regard. Poignant too, are the scars of racism that over toe the book, as well as the "backstory" of Mr Jones that runs concurrently.

Growing Out and MAS are two welcome additions to the still blossoming Jamaican literary landscape. Insight and inspiration, served fresh.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

A Welcome 'Revolution' in Art: the work of Gerard Hanson

Look out also for my comments (right off the bat, this is a must-see show if you're in Kingston!!) on the new exhibition by Anglo-Jamaican (actually Jamaican-Irish) painter Gerard Hanson at the Revolution Gallery.

Black Hair, Green trees: 2 book events

Check back over the weekend for my review of the new Natural History Society of Jamaica project, Endemic Trees of Jamaica,as well as noted journalist/commentator Barbara Blake-Hannah's memoirs, "Growing Out:Black Hair & Black Pride in the Swinging 60s.

Great Cities: London Alive

With October being britian's Black history month, there's even more reasons to brave the famous rainy weather.
For starters, there's the exhibition form Benin artist Julien Sinzogan, entitled Spirit Worlds, that explore what the artist describes as the "spiritual dimension" of the Atlantic slave trade. That show runs through November 6 at the aptly named October Gallery on Old Gloucester Street.

 Foodies should still be licking their lips and rubbing their tummies with the completion of London Choclate Week, a time of pure indulgence involving the country's best chocolatiers and chocolate shops holding events all over the UK. Chocolate Week was one of several major food events (there was also a Wine festival) that lured the hungry and curious to London in October.


For film buffs, the links below should prove interesting, whether you're looking for a Halloween fright or want get the "shorter side" of the story.

http://www.supershorts.org/

http://www.britishhorrorfilmfestival.com/


There are a host of other upcoming and ongoing eventsas follows:


International Ballroom Dancing
 Diwali on the Square 2010

November Events in London
 Spirit of Christmas Fair 2010
 Natural History Museum Ice Rink
 Country Living Magazine Christmas Fair
 The Lord Mayor's Show 2010

http://www.londonjazzfestival.org.uk/

And, for those interested in high-end watches, November brings the Salon Q show, with all the leading horologers showing their designs and innovations


Monday, October 25, 2010

Looking Beyond goes to London

As Black History month (UK) draws to a close, the city on Londinium (original Roman name) is buzzing with festivals and events of all kinds. we check the scene out - virtually of course. look out for it

grafikblog

Look out for TD comics - soon. That "Roaming Jackass" may not know it, but he's about to eat some crow (or what crows eat)

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Tale of two highways: One actual; One virtual

An interesting 48-hour period began with a quick chute along the main highway, dubbed Highway 2000 (as the then Government had initially intended to unveil it in that year; I think it actually opened about four or five years later) outside of Kingston and into the central countryside. After about 20 minutes, we exited the tollway and came upon - what else - a road side tavern, named noble's Bar &  Restaurant, complete with international wine selection and Grey Goose vodka ( who says country folk have no taste for the finer things?) I opted for Boom! a local energy drink variant (gosh, we have sooo many).
Then it was off to the Longville Park farms, for a tasty and informative interlude, courtesy of agro-entrepreneur - and bon vivant - Donnie Bunting. Herb-stuffed tilapia on banana leaf, fried tilapia and - the piece de resistance!: Oven-roasted leg of lamb. Let's just say I was feeling no pain. 
The following evening, it was goodbye farmland, hello pristine hotel lobby. I bounded into Kingston's design-forward  Spanish Court hotel for some musings and ideas for writers, publishers and book lovers in terms of digitized content and social media. The most engaging prsentation came from David Mullings, of random Media (the "Creative Genius" in the photo) whose Florida-based company recently signed a tie-up with You Tube to become their official Caribbean partner. other interesting contributions came from the floor afterwards and it looks like interesting times ahead for the book business (at the moment still mired in textbook hell). Maybe even TD will be further digitized. We'll see (and hear) 

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Looking Beyond: the new Berlin

This is the first of a new series (don't worry, Museum crawl is still on) where we look at some of the world's great cities and their cultural offerings. With Unification just about coming of age, Germany's capital is hotter than ever - and that's saying a lot.


Berlin's young generation has chosen to transform the past into something liberating. Everywhere, particularly in the fashionable Mitte district, former fortresses to fascism now shelter art galleries, museums and bars.
Laurent Burst for The Wall Street Journal
Uhren Bischoff in West Berin near Kurfuerstendamm. See photos of other places around Berlin.
There are more than 500 galleries in the city—including cool new "pop-up" art spaces—and plenty of chic new boutique hotels, including the Amano, the Casa Camper and the party-friendly Soho House that has decamped in the former East German Communist headquarters. In the past month alone, a half-dozen notable fashion boutiques opened in Berlin, among them Pastpresent, an arty concept store selling vintage finds and Berlin buzz brands like Sleep is Commercial and 24/7 Suits.
Berlin's creative boom rivals even the smoky jazz club and flirty-flapper cabaret heyday of the early 1920s Weimar Republic. But while the city that embraced the rule-breaking Bauhaus movement may have found a new role as the unofficial art capital of Europe, it's nothing like Paris or New York: No one teeters around its cobblestone streets in high heels, no one asks what anyone else does for a living or how much they make doing it.
Art collector or starving artist, you spend your days navigating Berlin by bicycle and your nights gliding in and out of parties without lines and insider-y night spots (like the unmarked Tausend, hidden under an overpass). The Berlin party scene is not for the faint of heart, often wrapping up at 5 a.m.
A laid-back feeling hangs over weekends in Berlin, which consist of sleeping late and poking around the flea markets. The weekday social calendar, a shuffle of gallery openings and late-night DJ sessions, makes a visitor wonder if anyone in Berlin ever works. In fact, Berliners are on double duty: Their devotion to sustaining the city's creative life is matched by a determination to live it too.
-Wall Street Journal

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Next In Your Cup - Wine?



Marks & Spencer
Mars & Spencer wine in a cup
Old-world oenophiles have raised an eyebrow or two over China’s wine-drinking habits, which includes mixing red wine with Sprite. What will they have to say about what British retailer Marks & Spencer is doing?
Enter the “Le Froglet,” individual wine glasses in a cup that are now available in Hong Kong at the M&S food shop in Wanchai. (The cups had their United Kingdom debut at Marks & Spencer stores in June.) At 38 Hong Kong dollars (US$5) for a 187-milliliter glass, the cup of wine comes in three flavors: Shiraz, RosĂ© and Chardonnay.
The idea seems a gamble, especially with the stigma that “wines in a box” have carried in the past. In fact, when the wine-in-a-cup creator James Nash initially presented his idea on “Dragon’s Den,” the popular BBC television show in which entrepreneurs pitch their business concepts to five venture capitalists, he got a resolute no from everyone. Afterward, Mr. Nash, a managing director of Wine Innovations Ltd., made a cold-call to M&S’s packing manager in the U.K. and the rest, as they say, is history. Today, M&S reports that more than one glass is sold every minute.
With M&S sales of mini-size and light-weight bottles on the rise world-wide — a more than 25% jump since March of this year alone – the retailer’s winemaker Belinda Kleinig said it was logical to take things “one step further” with ready-to-drink wines from a glass.
Originally conceived for customers going on “impromptu picnics,” in Hong Kong, it could be well-positioned for locals who are known to consume just a glass or two of wine with their meals.
The plastic wine glass itself took 18 months to develop, with all things considered including an “inert filling technology” — in which the oxygen is removed and replaced with an inert, heavier gas — to ensure that the wine in any given cup is not exposed to oxygen and guarantee a longer shelf life. M&S even conducted pressure tests on the cup’s paper seal to make sure it would not leak.
-Wall Street Journal

Putting "NINE INCH NAILS" into the Facebook movie

For the movie "The Social Network," composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross were challenged to score a film with a complex emotional range but little action, only a whiff of violence and no traditional love story: It's about starting a business that manufactures nothing. No major character, including Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, is fully formed in the film, because "The Social Network" is populated by narcissistic youths who lack empathy, honor and an adult worldview.


Despite these obstacles, the movie pulses with skittish tension, dry wit and bipolar energy, all of which is intensified by the music of Mr. Reznor, who's best known as the founder of Nine Inch Nails, and Mr. Ross, who's worked behind the scenes on several NIN albums. At times, the score seems to provide commentary and, ultimately, a moral judgment about the characters' activities and missing values. (It's available as a digital download for $5 at Mr. Reznor's www.nullco.com.)

Mr. Reznor originally declined director David Fincher's invitation to score "The Social Network." He'd just gotten married and was coming off a long, grueling NIN tour. "My life has two modes. One is sitting around writing and contemplating or building things. The other is execution mode. It takes a while to switch from one to the other," the 45-year-old Mr. Reznor said by phone last week. "I read the script, but what was nagging me was the idea of committing the next year of my life to it. I told David, 'I don't think I can give you my best work.'"

But as he began to cool down from the tour, Mr. Reznor had second thoughts. "I realized I'd screwed up. I'd let him down," he said. When he called the director to apologize, Mr. Fincher told him he was still eager to have him. Mr. Reznor contacted Mr. Ross, who had recently scored the Hughes Brothers' "The Book of Eli," starring Denzel Washington. The duo already had several projects they planned to work on, including How to Destroy Angels—featuring Mr. Reznor's wife, Mariqueen Maandig—and some new NIN music. But a film score presented Mr. Reznor with the kind of challenge he relishes.

"Here was my strategy," he explained. "I really try to put myself in uncomfortable situations. Complacency is my enemy.

"My music, I hope, takes 100% of your concentration," he added. "I know how to do that. But here this music we were creating wasn't intended to be in the forefront." Mr. Reznor found precedent for the right approach in how he and Mr. Ross had created the long-form instrumental piece "Ghosts I-IV," a NIN album he called "soundtracks for daydreams" that has no narrative pull-through.

For "The Social Network," Mr. Reznor said, "We wanted something a bit more Tangerine Dream than Debussy," mentioning the influential German electronic group. "I started thinking about something synthetic for Zuckerberg, his choices, his path."

The music that emerged created an ambience, he said, one that was "sometimes chilly, sometimes warm, but always spoiling around the edges." The duo decided to place an acoustic piano amid a sea of synthetic sounds. In the film's first Reznor-Ross piece, individual notes on piano ring against what might be a rattling wire. Foreboding bass notes enter, as does a sound that could be the wind or a cry. But the tender piano prevails, and we've entered a complicated environment fraught with danger and human folly. Or, as Mr. Reznor describes it, "The piece communicates tension, vulnerability, sadness and something unpleasant."

Even before the Reznor-Ross score begins, Mr. Fincher subtly signals the role of the film's music as judge and commentator, rather than supporting and intensifying on-screen action with minimal opinion. When we first meet Mark, he's in a bar with a poised and witty date he insults repeatedly, both willfully and through his lack of social grace. His date soon ditches him, but not before defining Mark with a biting, one-word insult. As Mark retreats to his blog to seek revenge, in the background pounds the White Stripes' "Ball & Biscuit," with its lyric, "And right now you could care less about me, but soon enough you will care by the time I'm done."

At the film's end, we hear the Beatles' "Baby, You're a Rich Man," with the lines, "How does it feel to be one of the beautiful people?" and "You keep all your money in a big brown bag behind a zoo." As he sings, John Lennon seems to mock Mark and his blithe, unsavory partner Sean Parker. The soundtrack also contains Bob Marley's "Crazy Baldheads," with its lyric, "Here comes the con man, coming with this con plan," and the Dead Kennedys "California Uber Alles," with the line "Zen fascists will control you."

Though Mr. Reznor didn't discuss the other tunes on the film's soundtrack with Mr. Fincher, he said he wasn't surprised the director found that level of detail in them. "Nothing David does is accidental."

For the composer, "The Social Network" assignment wasn't without its complications: Mr. Reznor said it took him and Mr. Ross "three seven-day weeks of 12-hour days" to get the right tone for their just-short-of-silly adaptation of Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King," which accompanies a frantic sequence at a Henley Royal Regatta on the Thames. "That was David's idea," Mr. Reznor said. "Never in my normal life would I think of covering that track."

Still, for all the score's icy abrasiveness and reflected aggression, the repeated piano motif suggests a trace of sympathy for Mark.

"I don't know the real Mark Zuckerberg," Mr. Reznor said, "but I understand that character. The act of creation at any cost, I can relate to. The pursuit of my vision of Nine Inch Nails caused betrayals and cost me friendships. But the goal was No. 1. Now as an adult I think I would've done those things differently."

-Wall Street Journal

Friday, October 8, 2010

@ the Facebook "movie LIME"

Amid Nicole's lingering and unwelcome presence (more rain), TD ventured to the Palace Cineplex for the LIME-sponsored premier of the much-hyped Facebook movie, The Social Network. Passing through the slightly-less-than-receptive receiving crew, we made the usual rounds, the sweltering heat of the packed Cineplex balcony a sharp counterpoint to the cool drizzle on the streets

Outside, the cocktail bar kept a steady flow of social media-themed drinks. Inside,the rectangular glow of BlackBerry screens was near overwhelming. Next to me in the row, newly minted adman (actually seasoned marketing veteran) Zachary Harding discussed his Twitter and corporate social media learning curve while wife Tamara secured the snacks.

Oh, and the movie itself? Definitely one to add (see my extended review at www.mikethemovies.blogspot.com

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Go East, new writer!

Independent VoYces Literary Fair was created to provide a forum through which new, self-published and largely unknown Caribbean authors, poets and other writers and speakers of the word can share their work with a captive audience, potential publishers and booksellers.

These goals will be achieved by targeting our audiences, involving other stakeholders in the litereary and wider community with an interest in the continued preservation and promotion of the arts.

with that, the organizers are inviting writers to the salubrious shoreline of Robin's Bay, St Mary on November 7 or an eastern - and sanitized (no sexually explicit work; no profanity; no exception says the website) - version of Calabash.

go to www.independentvoyces.com for more info

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Museum Crawl III: The Big Guns




Ok, so let's get the cheesy phallic reference stuff out of the way - there's a lot more than big guns to recommend the Jamaica Military Museum on the grounds of the JDF headquarters at Up Park Camp. Housed largely in two unassuming half-domes (though our pics were mostly taken outside), the compendium of the country's military history encompasses the Taino era, as well as the Spanish and British colonial period. On display are uniforms, weaponry and historical documents, including one that tells the inspiring story of the former 6th Regiment, a group of freedmen who were enlisted - much to the chagrin of the local planter class - to help shore the then burgeoning British Empire's interests in Central America.

The Museum opens Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10:00 am. Appointments are recommended.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Negril Nice



the Negril "Pavillion" was the gem of the entire Experience Jamaica expo on the lawns of Devon House (the part facing Hope Road). Great people, nice food samples (especially the sweet potato pudding from PushCart)look out for my detailed review as of tomorrow

Thursday, September 2, 2010

What's Next in Biz tech


CARIBIZTECH set to unfold this October
The renamed and rebranded, 2010 Caribbean SME Business Technology Exposition and Media Conference, “Where SME Business Technology, Social Media and the Realities of the Business World Collide” is now set to get underway starting October 26th to 28th 2010 at The Courtleigh Auditorium, New Kingston Jamaica.
According to AMK Communications, the organizers and promoters of the regional event, CARIBIZTECH is positioned as the premier business to business exhibition and media conference exclusively for SME business owners, executives and entrepreneurs, marketing, media and advertising executives interested in staying at the forefront of business technology and looking to innovate or source the right solutions to transform and streamline their business and brands.
CARIBIZTECH will also be a spectacular showcase of leading SME business technology brands and industry experts dedicated to keeping SME’s one step ahead of the competition.
CARIBIZTECH will also include an unrivalled range of networking opportunities, industry integration and new business lead generation.
Commenting on the strategy behind the rebranding, the organizers said that
“Following extensive consultations, listening to the comments and feedback from prospective and confirmed sponsors, presenters, participants, potential
exhibitors, industry insiders we have taken a strategic decision to expand the reach and scope of the original Caribbean New Media Conference to now embrace and explore the ways technology and new technology paradigms are radically transforming the way SME businesses function and are giving rise to new business models. Media, new or traditional can no longer be viewed in isolation. Technology is rapidly changing and forcing us to review our traditional notion and concept of media. CARIBIZTECH will be exploring the ways technology and new technology paradigms are radically transforming the way SME businesses function and are giving rise to new business models.”
To ensure the widest national level of SME participation, special invitations to attend have been sent to members of organizations such as the Small Business Association of Jamaica, PSOJ, Young Entrepreneurs Association, Jamaica Exporters Association, Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, Media Association of Jamaica, and Advertising Agency Association of Jamaica. This group will be expanded to others around the island in the coming weeks to ensure the widest level of participation.
With a seating capacity for 400 the organizer are projecting conservatively at least 200 attendees each day at the event location. Thousands more are expected to log on daily to the live internet stream as the organizers seek to have the widest level of participation and interaction from the Caribbean and around the world.
More information on this event can be found at

http://caribbeannewmediaconferenceandexposition.wordpress.com/

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Jazz Katz and Manifesto's Art





Thanks to my old friend, saxophonist Kevin Bonfield, for restoring the tradition of the sidewalk performer on Knutsford Boulevard. Kevin's been around the block a few times, and seen the best and (more often) worst of life, but he keeps a bright outlook and an endearing humility which caused me, like others threading the Friday afternoon jam in New Kingston, to stop and give him a listening ear. Fellow saxman Conrad Pinnock was also out there lending moral support.

later, just ahead of the now obligatory late afternoon downpour, we found ourselves at Bookophilia, where preparations were well underway for the "Artical Exposure" event being mounted by activist group Manifesto Jamaica (see them on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ManifestoJA?ref=ts&v=app_4949752878)Despite our best intentions we missed the musical vibes, but we caught sight of some pretty interesting artwork, which we share with you here.

Good thingz are happening around the city - you have to open your eyez.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Museum Crawl II: Much more music







A funny thing happened on the way to the screening.

Having gotten a lift form my friend, musicologist Herbie Miller, our conversation inevitably turned to music matters and to the stuff he's presently doing at the nascent Museum of Jamaican Music(JAMM). It wasn't long before the proverbial "bing!" went off in my head and I took the opportunity to postpone my film screening date (see www.mikethemovies.blogspot.com) and take stock of what the JAMM had to offer.
What a great move. From the casually posed horns of the late Don Drummond and Johnny "Dizzy" Moore (see www.drummondbook.blogspot.com), to uncountable stacks of LPs, 45s and 78s from virtually every musical era and diverse corners of the globe.

there's also a (sadly) damaged Victrola record player (truly beautiful)and an upright bass used during the performance of the Skatalites at the fabled Blue Monk (which Miler owned) the venue which also hosted legends such as Max Roach, Dexter Gordon and many others.

Then to cap off, there's the in-office exhibit of instruments, posters and other documents and memorabilia outlining the story of Jamaican music from the Tainos to the present.

A true national treasure if ever there as one.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Polish, Take II




Finally, after some glitches, we have the next set of photos form Warsaw

DzieƄ dobry (that's good day in Polish)

City to City: Kingston(via Mandeville) "Tech" Warsaw



The recent Digicel Blackberry Symposium provided the opportunity to meet the members of the successful NCU IT team that did so well at the recent Microsoft competition in Warsaw Poland.
But of course, Turbo D was not so much interested in the bits and bytes but in the sights of the Polish capital and thanks to team member Dwayne Samuels, we have a few cultural highlights to share with you as our "Irie Polacks" helped pay tribute to the late Polish President(who died in that awful airline crash) mingled with the locals and otherwise enjoyed the best of Central Europe.

Monday, August 23, 2010

[Mega]Bits & Bites








The weekend was a busy one, what with the culmination of Digicel's 4G campaign and other hi-profile events around town. Still Turbo D found time to take in a little native cooking, thanks to Virginia Burke of Walkerswood fame.

Over at the Wyndham, it was Digicel dominance, as the ballroom opened up for the 2K10 edition of the Consumer electronics show. There was 4G everywhere and also the usual gaming and garden-variety technology peripherals and accessories.

innovation and genuine "wow!" were in short supply, and also the room was unusually hot, which made viewing somewhat uncomfortable, but this, as organizers pointed, was a rebuilding year. So let's see what 2011 brings. our pics tell the weekend's story better