THE ENTERTAINMENT ZONE WITH COURTNEY MAC

Jazz and Blues Festival

The 18th staging of the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival is set to sizzle with six time Grammy Award winning star Toni Braxton. The event takes place on Thursday, January 30, 2014 – Saturday, February 1, 2014. Also adding their brand of musical fireworks to the stage at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium will be Grammy Award winning song bird Chrissette Michelle whose hits include Epiphany and A couple of Forevers and Aaron Neville whose mega hit Don’t Know much ignited Jamaica in 1989.Patrons of the Festival will be treated to exceptional performances in addition to great fun, food and networking.

A festival spokes person notes that several additional announcements will be made but believes the artistes listed are phenomenal singers and performers and have a repertoire of music Jamaicans enjoy. Leading lady, Toni Braxton captured six Grammy awards with hits such as Un-break my heart, Spanish Guitar and Breath Again and claimed a prominent spot in the hearts of Jamaican with her swag and huge vocals.

Busy Signal

Platinum selling reggae-dancehall artiste Busy Signal was recently welcomed to Uganda in fine style as show promoters and the Ugandan government arranged a welcoming parade for the Bumaye singer. “It was a lot of people males, females, government officials and children. Persons where riding bikes and others where in vehicles and I just got a chance to say hi to the people and kept it lively. The motorcade was arranged by the government in collaboration with the promoters and people just joined along it was my fifth time going to Africa and my first time going to that area and it was overwhelming to see the love that I received, I can’t explain. I performed for three hours, during which I even changed my clothes and returned… big people type of vibe. The stadium is made to carry 42,000 persons and they managed to squeeze in 50,000 and I did two shows and they were sold out,” Busy Signal said in an interview with E Zone. “The reception for dancehall is good, but for reggae music its bigger… songs like Reggae Music again and my rendition of The Gambler reggae style are very big songs in Uganda. The world is a very big place and reggae music gave birth to dancehall, hip hop, reggaeton and such. But outside of Jamaica reggae music is the biggest thing, no disrespect to dancehall. But we were always told this by the elders and based on what I have seen from being all over the world, reggae music is known worldwide. I am just thanking the people who believe in me, my versatility, my lyrics and melodies. You are never going to have Busy Signal just doing one kind of music,” he said.

Tessanne Chin

The Voice winner Tessanne Chin performed her debut single and coronation song, “Tumbling Down,” and alongside her fellow finalists Jacquie Lee and Will Champlin during Pasadena’s Rose Parade. This is a great way for all three to simultaneously bring in the New Year and launch themselves into stardom.

Tessanne Chin, recently crowned winner of NBC’s The Voice, has two more songs on the Billboard Top 100, just a week after making her first appearance on the revered music chart.

Chin’s brilliant take of Whitney Houston’s classic ‘I Have Nothing’ sits just outside the top half of the chart at number 51 while another song, her duet of The Beatles’ ‘Let It Be’, with coach Adam Levine, is at number 76.

Rebel Salute

The annual staging of Rebel salute, the two day festival will once again be held at its new home at Richmond estate priory St Ann on the 17 and 18 of January Among the artist performing this year are Rodney Price, Damian Marley, Luciano, Queen Ifrica, Chuck Fender, I wayne. A new element of the show, introduce last year is the provision of camping facility for patrons.

Sizzla

Promoters of Sting have decided to impose a ban on international Reggae superstar Sizzla Kalonji. The Grammy nominated artiste is accused of going against an agreed protocol not to lambaste homosexuality, which he reportedly did. Sting Promoter Isaiah Laing says the deejay was cautioned about performing hate lyrics, however, he reportedly ignored the warning.

E ZONE Updates

Vybz Kartel

Embattled dancehall kingpin Vybz Kartel will resume his battle for his freedom when he returns to court on January 6th. Will the World Boss be freed this month? It appears that he is destined to spend yet another birthday, January 7th behind bars. We wish him all the best in 2014.

Usain Bolt

Usain Bolt has been criticized for his role in an international commercial where the athlete plays the role of a female. Usain is seen playing multiple roles in a ‘Virgin Media household’ as a baby, mother, grandfather and teenage boy, all of whom could be seen using the advertised product. However, Usain’s role as the mother however, has received some harsh reviews, while others find it entertaining. Telecommunications company, Virgin Media, created the commercial to advertise their new broadband Internet service.

EZONE International

Rick Ross is suing LMFAO for copyright infringement. The rapper has filed a lawsuit against the duo over a lyric used in their 2011 track ‘Party Rock Anthem’. According to reports, Ross claims that the phrase “Every day I’m shufflin” from LMFAO’s hit single is imitative of his own 2006 track ‘Hustlin”, in which he repeatedly uses the lyric “Everyday I’m hustlin'”. Ross and the song’s composer Jermaine Jackson have filed the case against the group made up of uncle and nephew Redfoo and Sky Blu , at a Florida federal court over the unauthorised use of the line.The lawsuit states: “The use of ‘Hustlin” in ‘Party Rock Anthem’ is readily apparent, despite the slight change from “Everyday I’m hustlin'”…’ to “Everyday I’m shufflin…'” the creation of an unauthorised derivative work.”

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