Scores excited about Midnite in Kingston show and Reasoning
Vaughn Benjamin former lead vocalist of revered St Croix-based reggae band Midnite, will perform for the first time in Kingston alongside several African-conscious local artistes.
Now rebranded Akae Beka, Benjamin is set to put on an exceptional show at the Hope Gardens Shell Bandstand on Saturday, March 26, (5-12 PM). This special Midnite In Kingston initiative was produced by Away to Africa founder Tiffanie Anderson in collaboration with Lauren Watkis. The event is rather timely with Kingston being on the cusp of a cultural reawakening mostly led by a new wave of budding reggae acts.
Militant voices like Jah9, who is known for her thought-provoking poetry/jazz/dub fusion and has not performed in Jamaica for quite some, will take the stage ahead of a highly anticipated new album; Jesse Royal, who has made serious waves in Europe, Japan and the Americas and longstanding reggae favourite Lutan Fyah. Fellow budding greats Dre Island and Xana Romeo (daughter of veteran artiste Max Romeo) and ZincFence Records producer/recording artiste Silkki Wonda will also deliver solid tunes at the show. Add to that the musical styling of Dubwise conceptualiser and chief disc jock, Rory ‘Yaadcore’ Cha, alongside I Grade Dub (St Croix) —accomplished producer, audio engineer and dub mixer, Laurent ‘Tippy I’ Alfred— for clear promises of a sensational night. The Akae Beka in Kingston promotional mixtape is also an excellent preview of what’s to come.
Since the release, it is steadily gaining traction in Jamaica and parts of Europe, with potential patrons vowing online to fly in for the show. Ms. Anderson is excited about the upcoming events and believes the synergy is perfect. Away to Africa, which is set to launch early next month, is designed to promote and foster safe, accessible, reciprocal travel between Africa and the Diaspora and offers affordable trips to Ghana, Ethiopia, South Africa and Mozambique. The company’s aim is to portray an honest, accurate representation of the African continent to people who want to experience its beauty and history, so with the artistes on the show all representing roots and culture, the lineup was an easy “Akae Beka’s music and energy has a very strong Motherland focus, much like the other artistes on the show, so we thought it would be a good partnership as they all make music that embodies this outlook. Reggae music is about African awareness and intelligence. It heavily promotes the necessity of having a direct connection with our roots and a continuous need to make the voyage to the Motherland,” she explained. Current ticket demands indicate Akae Beka/Midnite enthusiasts will be out in droves to enjoy Benjamin’s unique blend of highly spiritual chanting, singing and poetry, as many have eagerly anticipated a performance here since the 90s. For those who are not yet familiar with his music and style, Vaughn Benjamin’s recent transition to Akae Beka presents the perfect opportunity to introduce him to a new, younger audience, now well primed by the Reggae Revival-type lyrics of the accompanying artistes on the lineup and their peers, to receive the more hard- Also in keeping with the motive is a Reasoning Session the next day (March 27, 2:00 PM) led by Vaughn Benjamin & Jah9 at Kingston Dub Club, followed by the customary weekly session led by pioneer dub selector Gabre Selassie. The discussion will focus on how the region can align with Africa for mutual advancement, examining health, social, political, musical, economic and cultural matters, and seeks to ascertain why more members of the Caribbean and African diaspora are not travelling to the Motherland to connect with their roots. As the buzz continues, Midnite In Kingston is sure to amass an even bigger crowd, ready for a slew of hits like Holy Mountain, Mama Africa, Set It And Done and Beauty For shes.
Visit www.midniteinkingston.com; e-mail
mi***************@gm***.com
, follow @midnightinkingston on Twitter/Instagram, or dial (876) 447-9289 for more details. Tickets are now on sale at Touch The Road, Mount Edge Guest House, Nanook, and Mi Hungry, New Leaf, Uncle D’s and Natural Touch restaurants.
Contact: Tameka Coley, Media/Marketing.
Photos: Yo-El.com
About Author
