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Archive for March, 2010

Air Jamaica Offers Great Savings For The Big Apple

MIAMI - New Yorkers can get their ticket to great savings with Air Jamaica’s one-way fares for travel between New York and Kingston, Jamaica. For just $129 each way, you can enjoy sun and lots of excitement in Jamaica’s capital city. The special fare is available for travel between April 13 and April 28, 2010 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Tickets must be purchased at least 14 days in advance.

The $129 fare is one-way and subject to government taxes and fees. Government taxes and fees are additional. Conditions regarding cancellations and other charges apply (see Fare Rules).

Fare Rules

Fares are per person, one-way and valid for travel in Lovebird Economy Class on Tuesday or Wednesday from April 13-28, 2010. U.S. and foreign government imposed taxes and fees of up to $105 per person are additional and due with final payment. A September 11th security fee of $2.50 per person per U.S. enplanement is additional and... (more details at South Florida Caribbean News.

Breezes Resorts Takes a Load off Your Wallet With New "Baggage Fee Included" Promotion

Posted : Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:39:36 GMT

Author : SuperClubs

HOLLYWOOD, FL -- 03/29/10 -- Though checked-baggage fees may be soaring, Breezes Resorts guests can have an overweight or second bag and check it in too -- without breaking the bank. The innovators of the Super-Inclusive concept just elevated their encompassing offerings with the announcement of the "Baggage Fee Included" promotion. With every seven-night minimum stay May 1 through October 31, travelers can trade-in their checked-baggage fee receipt for up to $100 spa credit per room. Available at eight Breezes Resorts, all inclusive vacation rates start at $120 per person, per night, based on double-occupancy.

Upon arrival at the all inclusive hotels, the burden of the airline surcharge to take an overweight or second bag is converted into bliss. The spa credit ensures a rejuvenating vacation where each Blue Mahoe Spa at Breezes Resorts, as well as the Miraflores Spa (only available at Breezes Panama), uses an exotic combination of island ingredients to relax and pamper... (continue reading at EarthTimes.org.

Wicked new tunes tonight. Nothin' like a good love story... yah mon! Definite niceness here from some of my favorites - Beres Hammond, Chuck Fender, Lutan Fyah & Pressure Puuuuuuuuulllllllllllll up!

HYPE 2K10 Will Be A Memorable Event

Flava Squad Entertainment the promoters of HYPE 2K10 promise to make this year’s staging of their annual stage show a most memorable event; despite the pressures of the current economic recession the chief organizer of the event, Ewan McRae, is adamant that his company will be staging a great event come April 3rd at Independence Park in Black River, St. Elizabeth. Therefore he and his team have put together a very exciting package for Hype 2K10 because they want to give patrons good value for their money.

“We know how tight things are for everybody right now with the recession and all that’s going on economically, therefore we are trying our very best to give our patrons a very good event for their money. We have always tried our best to deliver a very good entertainment package to our supporters; since we began HYPE 2K four years ago we have always maintained this approach. This year will be no different as we have put together another very exciting package again,” said Mr. McRae.

HYPE 2K10 will be a day and night event, with a family fun day and stage show. The fun day will feature a host of activities for the children such as Bounce About, Go Carts, Ferris wheel, Donkey rides and the electronic bull. There will also be other attractions such as car sound clashes, a dance competition, singing and deejaying competitions. Entertainment will be provided by the Diamond Squad Dancers and Black Roze sound-system.

The stage show will feature a very exciting lineup of artists which is headlined by some of dancehall and reggae music’s hottest names such as Vybz Kartel, Sizzla, Lady Saw, Jah Cure and Assasin aka Agent Sasco. In addition to those acts patrons can also expect exciting performances from the likes of Peter Metro, Nitty Kutchie, I Octane, Lady G, Konshens, Lisa Hyper, Delly Ranx... (continue reading at HYPE 2K10 Will Be A Memorable Event | EntertainmentVybz.)

I'm lovin' this new riddim and several of the tunes on it, particularly these three by Alaine ("Bring It Back"), Etana ("True Love") and Jah Cure ("Love You Anyway") - WICKED singers all!! Mad sweet vibes! Have a listen

Interview:Chezidek - United Reggae

* By Angus Taylor
* On Mar 28th 2010

"A thousand years is just an evening gone in the sight of The Almighty."

Chezidek (born Desbert Johnson, St Ann’s Bay, Jamaica, 1973) is something of a throwback to the deeply spiritual and reflective Rastamen of reggae’s so called golden age. Yet like many other Jamaican artists he actually started as a deejay, going by the name Chilla Rinch before switching handles and concentrating on singing in his unique delicate style.

Since then he has cut five albums and numerous singles. He hooked up with Xterminator records’ Phillip Fatis Burrell for his long-playing debut, 2002’s "Harvest Time", and 2005’s "Rising Sun" (both on VP). These were followed by "Mash Dem Down"; in 2006 (Altafaan), 2007’s "Firm Up Yourself"; (Cousins), and his masterpiece, the Bobby Konders produced "Inna Di Road"; (Greensleeves) which utilised retreads of time honoured rhythms made famous by Yabby You, Bob Andy, Al Campbell and the Abyssinians. This record was a godsend during a comparatively dry patch for roots reggae fans and established this soft-spoken, environmentally conscious singer as a formidable creative force... (continue reading at Interview: Chezidek - United Reggae.)

Rocksteady - The Roots of Reggae

Last updated 13:50 29/03/2010

Following on from the earlier post today (about the documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil) I also watched new documentary feature, Rocksteady - The Roots of Reggae this weekend.

It has just screened in Auckland as part of the World Cinema Showcase (actually there is one more screening, tomorrow night, March 30, 8.45pm) and will go on to Wellington this weekend - and then to Christchurch (click here for the timetable for all three cities).

Rocksteady is the bridging genre between ska and reggae. Essentially Rocksteady is a slowed-down version of ska, named after the dance in this song.

Ska was the popular Jamaican musical genre in the late 1950s and through to the 1960s. Rocksteady slowed things down, taking away the reliance on the walking bassline, removing the obvious connections that ska had with jazz, rock&roll and calypso music. Those sounds were still found, but Rocksteady dipped further in to the new pop and rock music styles and back to the folk vocal groups.

This happened around 1966. Then, by 1968 reggae was happening... (continue reading at Rocksteady - The Roots of Reggae | Stuff.co.nz.)

If you’re driving via A1 between Ocho Rios and the south side of the island, you could take a quick detour and pass through the town of Linstead, in the parish of Saint Catherine, which was made famous by its bustling fresh produce market and popularized in the Jamaican folk song, Linstead Market.

Jamaica’s most famous and largest produce market is Coronation Market in downtown Kingston. But Linstead developed as a market back in the 19^th Century when coffee and pimento wholesalers conducted business here. Farmers from the surrounding rural communities would come to this central spot to sell their produce. It was once one of the most popular markets in the whole island and the town of Linstead grew up around it.

This area is very rural and the farmers’ hardships gave birth to the folk song Linstead Market. “Carry mi ackee go a Linstead Market, not a quattie wut sell, lawd wat a night, not a bite, wat a Satiday night." Today we sing it in an up-tempo manner without really understanding that this was a sad lament by a mother who couldn't sell enough at the market to feed her children. This market lady made no money because not even a quattie’s worth of her produce had sold (a quattie was the British penny ha’penny, a small copper coin of very small value) and she was going home empty-handed after selling all Saturday night. This Jamaican folk song would be in the category of the up-tempo Dinki which are designed to cheer someone up and make the best of a bad situation (such as following a death).

While Linstead Market has declined in importance because many Jamaican towns and villages have their own markets today, it still has a reputation as one of the best spots to get fresh farm produce. You can find vendors hawking every type of produce that grows in Jamaica, but nowadays there is a wide variety of other items like herbs, spices, clothing, shoes, soap, etc.

So, go ‘a market in Linstead and, while you’re there, check out the town’s lovely churches. Most have been ravaged over time by several hurricanes and an earthquake but have been repaired or rebuilt. The original Anglican Church was built in the 1600s. The Jericho Baptist Church dates from 1835.

I must be hungry today - my posts all seem to have a FOOD theme! Before I leave the topic of supporting Jamaica's farmers, I wanted to draw your attention to Local Spice. I just added them to the Groceries Online page.

Local Spice Ltd, established in 2009, is a growing manufacturing company in Jamaica. In 2009 the company established the “Local Spice – “Complete Seasoning” brand to provide  consumers with authentic, indigenous Jamaican seasoning supported by local farmers.

"(Jamaica) is... by no means self-sufficient in agricultural products, importing 80% of its cereal and cereal product needs, 12% of meat and fish needs, and a rising proportion of fruits and vegetables." (excerpt from their website)

As we know, when we stop growing and producing our own food, life gets more and more expensive. With more and more land being taken up by housing and roads, Jamaica's total area of cultivated land for farming dropped about 25% between 1968 and 1996 alone. It seems that the focus of the  "powers that be" has been on getting more tourists than on what those tourists (and Jamaicans themselves) are going to eat!

With the current global health obsession, you would think we would be more interested in knowing what exactly is in our food! And the way it's grown and produced is equally important. Our small farmers produce fresh, nutritious, high-quality foods without a bunch of chemicals and pesticides which also damage the land and environment. Our farmers preserve the “green space” in our communities, provide jobs to local people, and support other small community businesses by buying their products and services. If we lose our small farmers, what we eat will be dictated to us by a few large corporations – no more choice and variety. Small farmers are a valuable resource worth supporting!!

"Complete Seasoning" is a blend of natural spices which was born in the hills of Jamaica. I would have to compare it to something like Mrs. Dash or Magic Chef Paul Prudhomme's seasoning blends, but it comes in packets that can be easily added to your favorite Jamaican dishes. Local Spice distributes its product in Jamaica and you will find it in markets throughout the island (except, currently, in Portland). Their website has an interactive map to point you to your nearest stores.  They have some delicious-sounding recipes posted there as well.

And if you're just visiting Jamaica, consider picking some up so you can whip up some wonderful Jamaican dishes when you get back home. You will definitely miss the food!

Here I go again trying to support Jamaican farmers! Well, I have a personal interest in Jamaican farmers but we'll leave that for a later conversation!

Canco Ltd. (a.k.a. Linstead Market Jamaica; see article below) handpicks their farmers and suppliers based on the best harvesting practices so that only the best fruits and vegetables are used for the brand. And their processing activities are carried out in an environmentally sound manner. They meet the HACCP certification requirements for the highest food safety standard internationally for food processing. To top it off, the dedicated staff also comes mainly from the surrounding areas. This is a great thing; Seaforth and the surrounding communities in this easternmost part of Jamaica are very rural and the employment situation here is rough.

I bought some of their calaloo in the shop at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston a few months ago when leaving Jamaica. Let me tell you, the calaloo was delicious! You can recognize Linstead from the colorful label consisting of a design of a woman carrying fruit on her head and the words "Linstead Market Jamaica". They sell a good variety of products, including ackee, calaloo, sliced breadfruit, soup (Pepper Pot and Red Peas (my favorite! )), and yummy mango, sorrel, guava pineapple, banana grapefruit and coconut gourmet jams. Pick up the Red Peas in Coconut Milk, add rice and water and...voilá...instant Rice and Peas!

Besides the airports, I found Linstead's ackee, calaloo, breadfruit, pepper pot soup and red peas in coconut milk online at JamaicanFlavours.com, while ReggaeTreats.com carries the jams. Check them out!

And now I'm inspired to write a little item about the real Linstead Market in St. Catherine parish; I may post that one tomorrow. In any event - eat Jamaican, support the farmers!!

Let Linstead Market Jamaica ‘Bring Out The Chef in You!’

02/15/2010
by Delroy A. Whyte-Hall

Nestled in a valley surrounded by the cools hills of St. Thomas is the small community of Seaforth where Canco Limited is located. They are producers of the Linstead Market Jamaica brand, formerly Country Choice. Most of our staff and suppliers of fruits and vegetables are from the surrounding areas and are familiar with the nearby farmlands. Fortunately this gives the company access to the “Pick of the crop” for its products which it prepares and processes in the most traditional Jamaican way… ‘Naturally!’

Canco, which has experienced steady growth over the years, has made and continue to make significant improvements to the infrastructure of the factory to facilitate product diversification and to meet international and environmental standards. As of March 2007, the factory was certified under the requirements of the management system standards, ISO 14001: 2004 (Environmental Management System). All that was done in preparation for planned expansion of business into new markets.

Canco has been a producer of quality canned and bottled products for over twenty years (1986)....(continue reading at Let Linstead Market Jamaica ‘Bring Out The Chef in You!’ « The EXPOSURE!.