Drummer Willie Stewart, and reggae industry business professionals Maxine Stowe and Copeland Forbes to share views.
Plantation, Florida: The heartbeat of reggae is set to echo through Plantation, Florida, as Island SPACE Caribbean Museum orchestrates an insightful panel discussion that promises an exploration of the roots and offshoots of Jamaican music. On Saturday, January 20, 2024, the panel, “The Roots & Fruits of the Reggae Family Tree,” will be held at Island SPACE Caribbean Museum inside the Broward Mall, to examine the captivating path of reggae music’s evolution. The discussion is a prelude to the eagerly awaited Reggae Genealogy outdoor music festival planned for Reggae Month celebrations in February.
From 5-7 p.m., industry experts Willie Stewart, Maxine Stowe and Copeland Forbes will discuss their personal experiences with the music, the greats, and the conditions that prompted phases in the life cycle of Jamaican sounds.
Stewart was a member of the legendary Third World Band, and has a decades-long history in percussion, production and performance. Stowe has played instrumental roles at iconic labels like Island Records, Studio One, Skengdon, VP Records, and Columbia Records, and in collaborations with influential artists like Shabba Ranks, Super Cat, Diana King and Jimmy Cliff. She has also made pivotal contributions to soundtracks including “Cool Runnings” and “Bad Boys.” Stowe offers Jamaican music and cultural heritage consultancy for government organizations and works with Indigenous communities for the recognition of their intellectual property rights. Forbes is a former tour and personal manager and assistant to a roster of artists including Bob Marley and the Wailers, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Jimmy Cliff, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Third World and Black Uhuru. He is the author of the insightful book “Reggae My Life Is.”
The panel will be moderated by Richard Blackford, producer and presenter of Sunday Scoops, a reggae history interview series. Panelists will delve into the rich tapestry of Jamaican popular music, encapsulating its evolution, influences, and unarguable impact on the global music scene. The genealogy of reggae is a story about the ancestors, relatives and offsprings of the music. Like the Reggae Genealogy concert event taking place the following Saturday, February 10, the panel will explore the progression from mento through nyabinghi, ska, rocksteady, reggae, and dancehall, as well as Jamaican music influence on hip hop, reggaeton, EDM and Afrobeats.
Reggae Genealogy promo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgfQHhQTIHQ
Island SPACE president Calibe Thompson said, “I’m always fascinated when I think about all the types of music Jamaica has produced and how genres like ska, reggae and dancehall have been adopted and adapted by many other cultures and made into their own.” The power and influence of reggae music were inspirational to the museum’s decision to explore it in a deeper way.
Jamaican music has been featured on the soundtrack of transformative and revolutionary moments in global history. Panelist Willie Stewart reflects, “Reggae is the heartbeat to the world. It expands and touches countries and nations everywhere in a positive and amazing way. When ANC South Africa went out to defend their rights they played Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, Third World and more reggae music to inspire them.”
Tickets to the panel are available pre-sold at $15 or for $20 at the door and may be purchased at islandspacefl.org/reggaepanel2024. Later in the evening, attendees and media will linger for an evening of music and celebration at the Reggae Genealogy Launch Party which follows from 7-9 p.m.
Reggae Genealogy and its related events are presented in partnership with Broward Mall and made possible in part by the support of the City of Plantation, Broward County Cultural Division, State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Jamaica Tourist Board, VP Records, Grace Foods, Blue Mahoe Capital, Visit Lauderdale, The Beach Channel, Only the Best Printing and the following funds at the Community Foundation of Broward: Judith Cornfeld Fund for the Arts, Helen and Frank Stoykov Charitable Endowment Fund, The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation Broward Community Fund and Samuel F. Morrison Community Impact Fund.
