JAH CURE AND ALISON HINDS TEAM UP

Jah Cure and Alison Hinds have decided to conquer the soca world for 2010.

Jah Cure and Soca Queen Alison Hinds have teamed up to remix Cure’s reggae smash Call On Me. The soca refix was released last week and comes just in time for the carnival season.

The original for Call On Me featuring Phyllisia, was released earlier this year and dominated the local and international radio charts. The video for song was also number one on several cable and free to air charts. Now Jah Cure and Alison Hinds have decided to conquer the soca world for 2010.

The remix was produced by Shawn Ma$tamind Noel for Ma$tamind Productions. Ma$tamind Productions is one of the foremost production houses for Soca and Calypso music. The outfit has produced for the who’s who in the genres from Bunji Garlin to Benjai.

Alison Hinds believes that the Call on Me remix is a hit: “I feel very happy and blessed to be able to work with Cure. His spirit is so nice; he is so humble, down to earth and easy going. His voice is totally unique and I am really looking forward to doing a song from scratch with him. When he came to Barbados it was the first time I met him and from there everything just clicked. We decided to do the remix and I know my soca fans will love it.”

The remix is already a favourite on Trinidadian and Barbadian radio stations and is set to be another chart topper for Jah Cure. Jah Cure is excited about the remix and the chance to work with a musical great like Alison Hinds. “It was magic, I met Alison at Hennessy Artistry in Barbados and we decided to do some music together. The remix is wonderful and is a good start to 2010 and the carnival season.

Jah Cure also has several new tracks on the airwaves, notably his collaboration with Christopher Ellis and Stephen Marley dubbed End of Time. The Cure is also set to release a highly anticipated collaboration with Grammy nominated R&B superstar Keri Hilson called World Cry.

SHAGGY FOUNDATION WINS ON DIGICEL DEAL OR NO DEAL

Digicel Deal or no Deal has become not only a source of entertainment but a catalyst for change and a beacon of hope.

Since the launch of Digicel Deal or No Deal in September of this year, the show has received rave reviews across the island with viewers tuning in each week to catch a glimpse of the suspense, the action and a piece of The Illusive Banker. Last week’s episode saw Digicel Deal or No Deal partnering with major local charity group The Shaggy Make a Difference Foundation and welcomed Big Yard recording artiste Christopher Martin as a contestant on the show.

Martin, a fan of the TV series was selected to represent the foundation and was able to walk away with over $400,000, the largest prize to date. In a brief interview he noted that it was his first time appearing on a show of this nature, but was thrilled at the opportunity to be able to be a part of such a life changing venture.

He continued: "The foundation is driven by the fact that we are changing lives and making a positive contribution to society. There is no greater satisfaction than seeing the joy on the faces of those whose lives we have impacted, and this is the fire that drives the foundation to continue doing the volume and quality of work that we have been doing and continue to do!"

When asked about the motivation behind her selection of The Shaggy Make a Difference Foundation Digicel Deal or No Deal producer/director Tanya Talyor shared: "The Shaggy Foundation has taken up a charge in which I believe strongly. The health of Jamaica's children is paramount and the Shaggy Make a Difference Foundation has managed to get corporate Jamaica to see the urgency, dig deep and give back." She believes that Deal or no Deal's involvement was a small yet powerful way to assist the charity and with the Shaggy and Friends show only a few days away it was the perfect way to raise awareness of an overwhelmingly good cause.

Digicel Deal or no Deal has become not only a source of entertainment but a catalyst for change and a beacon of hope as weekly contestant are given an opportunity to win a life changing $3 million dollars. So if you think you have begun to experience the excitement of Digicel's Deal or No Deal just wait until 2010.

Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall Samples May Pen

Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall Samples May Pen

Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall rolled into May Pen last Saturday under cloudy skies, but the weather was not a signal of the talent that would shine out from the Parish. Almost four hundred princes and princesses came out to the Leiba’s Esso Service Station and the promise of rain did not dampen their Spirits. Contestants came from all over the south coast; from St Elizabeth in the west to St Catherine in the east, all for a chance at stardom.

Like in Portmore the majority of contestants were men but there was a notable number of female contestants and while they were in the minority their lyrics were up to par. There was also the return of some contestants who did not get through in the Portmore round. Tanto Blacks who was in the competition last year and also at the Portmore auditions this year, tried again in May Pen. Dre Blunt, who auditioned in Montego Bay as Nauceous and also auditioned in Portmore returned to May Pen to try his luck but there is no word as to whether he got through.

Filled with the usual humour and comedy as well as witty lyrics, the May Pen Auditions were a success; Scatta, Miss Kitty and Professor Nuts have a hard task of choosing the top ten from May Pen.

Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall will now turn to the Garden Parish of St Ann in its quest to find Jamaica’s next king and queen of Dancehall. The St Ann Auditions will take place at the Amnesia Night Club in Ocho Rios on January 9. Auditions begin at 9:30am sharp with contestant vying for a place on the Magnum big stage.

The final audition for the third season of Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall will take place in Kingston at Limelight on Saturday January 16. The competition will then move on to the audition eliminations on TVJ which begin on Saturday January 23.

MAGNUM KINGS AND QUEENS OF DANCEHALL TV AIRING SCHEDULE

Saturday January 23: TVJ 9 PM Montego Bay Auditions

Saturday January 30: TVJ 9 PM Portmore Auditions

Saturday February 6: TVJ 9 PM May Pen Auditions

Saturday February 13: TVJ 9 PM Ocho Rios Auditions

Saturday February 20: TVJ 9 PM Kingston Auditions

Saturday February 27: TVJ 9 PM Kingston Results and Recap Show

Saturday March 6: TVJ 9 PM Live Show Begins

JAH CURE APOLOGIZES TO FANS

Danger Zone/Sobe Entertainment artiste Jah Cure would like to apologize to all his fans who came out expecting him to perform at ‘Night on Tracks’ which was held on Sunday December 20 at the National Indoor Sports Centre.

Jah Cure, who on December 19 performed at on Tempo's fourth anniversary celebrations in Grenada was en-route to Jamaica from the show when eastern Caribbean airline Liat canceled the flight.

Jah Cure flew from Grenada to Barbados on Liat and was to fly from Barbados to Antigua to get a connecting flight to Jamaica. However Liat canceled the connecting flight which resulted in the team deciding to hire a private Jet to reach Asafa Powell’s show. Due to these delays Jah Cure arrived in Jamaica at approximately 2:30 on Monday December 21 when the show was wrapping up. Jah Cure is very disappointed at missing the event: “I am very upset with not making the show and that despite our best efforts it did not happen. I would like to apologize to my fans and to Asafa Powell who is doing great work with an effort like this. Missing the show was beyond our control, however we are still apologetic”

CEO of Danger Zone Music Group Delmar Drummond is also very disappointed at missing the show: “We were looking forward to this show maybe more than any we have done this year. The work that Asafa Powell is doing is commendable and we announce our support for any future endeavor of this kind by him.”

Jah Cure is slated to release several new tracks for the New Year. He recently did collaboration with Stephen Marley and Christopher Ellis dubbed End of Time. The song was recently released overseas and will soon be serviced locally. Jah Cure has had a very successful year; he hit solid with tracks such as You’ll Never Find and Call on Me with Phyllisia. He also went international in a big way, collaborating with Jason Mraz and Lil Wayne on Mraz’s I’m Yours remix. The song has been listened to over 1 million times on YouTube.

Now back in Jamaica, Jah Cure plans to spend some quality time this Christmas with family and friends after what has been a successful year for him in the music.

MAGNUM KINGS AND QUEENS OF DANCEHALL IN FULL SWING

The competition will take May Pen by storm this Saturday...

Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall has gotten off to a tremendous start. The competition, which is in its third season, brought out over 300 potential Kings and Queens last week to Montego Bay.

Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall will have three more audition dates with the next being at Leiba's Esso in May Pen on Saturday December 19 then moving on to Amnesia Night Club in Ocho Rios on Saturday January 9 and Kingston’s Lime Light on Saturday January 16.

From each audition 5 princes and 5 princesses will be chosen; totaling 50 for the audition elimination shows on TVJ beginning Saturday January 23. On every Saturday 10 contestants from each audition will vie for four (4) spots on the Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall live shows. The first audition show on January 23 will feature the 5 princes and 5 princesses selected from Montego Bay. The contestants will only go through via the voting choice of Jamaica; with the 2 princes and 2 princesses with the most votes moving forward to the next round.

At the end of the audition shows, 10 princess and 10 princesses will then perform for Jamaica live on TVJ beginning Saturday March 6. Each contestant will compete in front of judges Miss Kitty, Scatta and new judge Professor Nuts, and attempt to win the votes of Jamaica. Every Saturday a prince and princess will be eliminated from the Magnum stage until only one King and Queen emerge, walking away with $1 million dollars each, a professionally produced single and video.

Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall continues to expose new talent to the main stage. The competition will take May Pen by storm this Saturday as competitors from that side of the island seek to break onto the dancehall big stage and make their mark. The quest for dancehall stardom begins at 9:30am sharp at Leiba's Esso and all sinjays and deejays are invited.

MAGNUM KINGS AND QUEENS OF DANCEHALL TV AIRING SCHEDULE

Saturday January 23: TVJ 9 PM Montego Bay Auditions

Saturday January 30: TVJ 9 PM Portmore Auditions

Saturday February 6: TVJ 9 PM May Pen Auditions

Saturday February 13: TVJ 9 PM Ocho Rios Auditions

Saturday February 20: TVJ 9 PM Kingston Auditions

Saturday February 27: TVJ 9 PM Kingston Results and Recap Show

Saturday March 6: TVJ 9 PM Live Show Begins

JAH CURE BRINGS THE AN.TI.DOTE

An.Ti.Dote will be accompanying Jah Cure on his next show in St Kitts tonight.

When Sobe Entertainment/Danger Zone recording artiste Jah Cure takes the stage for the first in a series of shows in the eastern Caribbean on tonight, he will be backed by one of the best bands to have been assembled in recent reggae history; An.Ti.Dote.

Band Manager for An.Ti.Dote Nigel Staff believes the band has complimented the international reggae star perfectly. “Last year CEO of the Danger Zone Music Group Delmar Drummond approached me to form a band to tour with Jah Cure. We had auditions and picked some of the best young musicians I have heard in my over twenty years in the business. Since then it has been a tremendous success and we are pleased with the way the band has been performing”

The band is comprised of violinist Mijane Webster, drummer Ricardo Thomas, keyboardist Gregory Palmer, percussionist and son of L'Antoinette Stines, Rupert Vereen, lead guitarist Neil Prince and bassist Kina Newby; all graduates of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts.

Unlike most reggae bands of today An.Ti.Dote has in its cabinet a violinist and Nigel Staff says that this has brought an exciting component to the band. “We were looking for something special; reggae has not seen a string component in a band since Cat Coore took to the stage with his Cello. Jah Cure specifically requested this element and wherever Jah Cure performs the difference has captivated audiences.

An.Ti.Dote also brings on the road three capable back-up singers: Demetria Griffiths, Keren Brown and daughter of Inga Stewart, Sandy Stewart as well as sound engineer Gary ‘Shanguly’ Samuels. All of whom performed with Jah Cure at the Amsterdam Reggae Festival in the Heineken Music Hall recently.

Jah Cure is excited about his new band: “When I am on stage and I hear the An.Ti.Dote the notes are on point, it’s like magic! I am happy that I am at the stage in my career where I can have my own band and dictate my musical direction and quality more effectively”

An.Ti.Dote will be accompanying Jah Cure on his show in St Kitts tonight. The show is a part of the ‘What’s Up weekend Fiesta’ which is a run-up to St Kitts and Nevis’ National Carnival and will be held at the Carnival Village. Last year Jah Cure brought out over 10,000 residents of the small island and this year will be no different.

The Cure will then move on to Barbados on December 5 and Grenada on December 19 for two more shows.