2010-01-14

STING – Still the greatest one night dancehall event. Sting held on Boxing night December 26, 2009 at Jam World (Portmore Jamaica) Saw many artiste. Passing through was Shaggy & Sean Paul. Noticeable missing from the line up, Queen Ifrica, Spice, Ninja Man & Benie Man. Ninja Man who has always been a fixture for the annual event was incommunicado as a result of legal woes. Anthony Malvo and Tiger made good representation of a little nostalgia. Toronto had representation via Grizzly Cat of 9 Life Records but failed to leave a mark as he worked right after Chuck Fender who made a distinct impression on the crowd. He (CF) apologised for working so early as he had a flight to catch; nevertheless this put Grizzly in an awkward position. Major P had an entourage and was not able to effectively move the patrons who were at this time wanting to see L.A. Lewis & Goofy clash; Never materialised this was not forthcoming & the crowd started to get restless. Merciless was his usual self but also could not get anybody to clash so even after he got some forwards the crowd wanted blood.  Anthony B, I Octane blazed the fire. Kip Rich & General B clashed with Kip Rich emerging the victor. Speculation led to the hype. Lisa Hype of course and with all the controversy surrounding her, she did her thing. Pamputae came on in style & delivered had the whole Jam World up in arms especially when she delivered: Pat U _ ____Y & call U man name: Also Backshot & hungry Belly no gree: Bounty Killer used intelligence during his delivery by pointing out he was responsible for Gully & Gazza and when you see him say Plaza. The morning went on with Movado doing his segment & the Teacher (VK) closing, the whole event was not incident free as in the dawn the running started and at least four shots were fired. The vibes camera got hit in the stampede but the chip survived, so did the photographer so see the picture section. Sting without clashing is just not the same.

BLACK & WHITE – BW held annually at the National Arena was as normal extremely well attended. The event held on New Year’s Eve 31-12-09 saw a majority of the patrons coming later, maybe they went to church. Stone Love made an early mark on the event as Wee Pow turned on the heat setting things up for Claude who made a very good representation this year. Crazy Chris is always the one to ignite the crowd. Love was definitely in the air as couples danced the night away. Whether it was their own or borrowed.  The event would not go incident free as the Vibes Entertainment crew exited the National Arena a couple of gunshots rang out. Only to later discover that someone was hit and later died.

BUJU BANTON – Facing legal woes in the U. S. of A; has received the support of fellow dee jay Anthony B with his voicing of the song Free Up The General. The song was recorded early January on Truckback Records on *Crank* rhythm. The rhythm will feature other artistes Gyptian, G Whizz, and I Octane.

LISA HYPE – Making headlines by twice disrespecting Spice in two songs (1) Death Sentence (2) The Truth. Accusations have been made that Spice is a lesbian and a thief.  Spice answered by recording (1) Draw Me Out.

MICHELLE BLESS’ Boat Ride – More like a dock party so the trend in Jamaica for the boat rides, if you have too much people; you party beside the boat (sell off). Well attended I guess as the boat never weighed anchor everybody was partying on the dock to various selectors many a persons stuck to the dress code. Lots of red and white. Down to the picture man change to him Maple Leaf costume.   

ALL WHITE – Held at the ever popular Water Falls Club located at Liguanea (Jamaica) saw Senor Daley & Crazy Chris doing their thing. Large Canadian contingent full white in attendance. The fans who attended AWA last year at Curphey Place said they preferred the outdoor atmosphere of note All White always has an immaculate touch especially with the decor.

MACKA DIAMOND – Birthday Bash held at the spacious Little Copa Lawn (Bull Bay Jamaica) was well a diamond occasion as the Macka was looking oh so diamond music was right the cake was bright. Many a celeb was in attendance as Marvia from House of Beauty Crew, Jay from the Vibes Ent, Beenie Man, Fantan Mojah, D Angel,Vegas, Ritchie Stepens, Capt. Barkey just to name a few. The drink of the night was Rum Bar chased with Red Bull-Hennessey & Guinness. The Guinness ladies made their way from the clash in Kingston held at Mas Camp (Oxford Road)to the diamond bash. Also present were the Rum Bar ladies marketing their product. They influenced us so we bought two bottles man the rum bad sah.    

CHANGING OF THE GUARD – 2010 by all indications seems as if it will be a busy year. The music is changing so are the players, what may have been hot last year might not necessarily be hot this year. Adjustments will have to be made. Flossing is who has got it and who does not.  

Ps. Flipa Maffia is still the Flossing King. Steven is making good his career. Bounty Killer is still the War Lord & Vybz Kartel is still in charge of the Portmore Empire (Gaza him say). Lisa Hyper has been evicted from the Empire. Movado nah leff the Gully side. Skip to mi Lou hot like bird pepper. Nuffy will train Lisa Hyper to kill Spice (Lyrically).

If you have any concerns or comments or just feedback I can be contacted at (416) 410-5636 email me at interimbgroup@aol.com and all inquiries will be addressed. Until then party safe.

Through sheer force of its personality reggae music has conquered the world & rocked successive generations – all on its own terms.

Reggae evolved out of Ska & Rock Steady precluded by Calypso originating in Trinidad around the beginning of the 20th Century. Calypso peaked in the mid 1950s. Of note Harry Belafonte whose rendition of the Banana Boat Song could have been connected with the confusion of Calypso originating in Jamaica.

Rock Steady was a successor to Ska very similar in style. The early Rock Steady pioneers include Toots & the Maytals, The Kingstonians & Alton Ellis whose song Rock Steady is said to be the originator of the term. The steady Bass line and slower tempo created by rock steady bands evolved into the style Reggae in the late 1960s.

There are several beliefs as to the origination of the actual term, one of which is from Toots & the Maytals 1968 single Do the Reggay spelt REGGAY another such theory is Regga spelt REGGA a tribe from Central Africa.

The following shows the evolution of the acceptance of a cultural iconic movement of a people with the revolutionized sounds of what some may differ to debate as to Dancehall vs Reggae whichever way it is chosen, The Grammys are a testament of the acceptance of the culture and the music. With various recipients from as early as 1984 **Black Uhuru **

**1991 & 1992 Shaba Ranks ** Raw as Ever & X-Tra Naked

**2000 Beenie Man** Art & Life

** 2002 Lee Scratch Perry* Jamaican E.T.

1951 – First Jamaican Recording Studio which recorded Mento music.

1954 -- Ken Khouri started Jamaica’s first record label: Federal Records: who inspired Clement Dodd aka the Down Beat & Duke Reid aka the Trojan.

1959 – First ska record Easy Snapping recorded by Theophilus Beckford.

1961 – Prince Buster (Cecil Campbell) defined skas somatic traits.

1964 – Millie Smalls had the first world wide ska hit “My Boy Lollipop”

1985 – Prince Jammy (Lloyd James) concocted all digital reggae Under Me Sleng Teng

2008-01-08

THE FIRST DANCE of 2008

The first dance of 2008 Girls Rush 7 saw the usual high patron turn out despite the bitterly cold night. The venue, Sound Academy formerly The Docks Night Club. This event starring Tony Matterhorn with co-stars Steelie Bashment and Twitch followed by Spex – members of KOS hosted by the dynamic Mr. Presto. The scene was mesmerizing as is to be expected, Laser Lights and all; Tony the girls and very little is left to the imagination as scantily clad and elegantly dressed females were abundantly scattered in the club.

The music was high tempo from the beginning as Spex did his thing and started the wave followed by Soca which had everybody bumping and wining and grinding to what now seemed to develop into a tidal wave. The party is now culminating into if you can, imagine Steelie Bashment doing it NY style and following up to Super Twitch teasing the girls for the anchor leg of the party when the Mentally iLL one took the stage and said, Mek mi address mi ladies them first.

The tsunami had arrived. Well as one can imagine, the rest is history as fans partied the morning away. All in all the party lived up to its name and every dee jay played well. Without bias or prejudice I cannot recall the last time I went to a party and heard every dj live up to their expectations by not popping down. Congrats on a party well kept. Please visit the photo gallery to see yourself, (caught on film).

Laza Force played with enthusiasm; with the exception of one or two questionable tunes, the squad had a slew of solid tunes. Magnum Force the third sound of the night, who commenced by disputing the equipment which was used by Capleton (lines man) to warm things up prior to the start of the event and two other sounds who played prior. (MF) was using both CD machine and turntables simultaneously. Determined to please, MF played all big tunes and had a pretty decent round; a sure sign of things to come. I have always maintained the importance of a solid first round. Sound should strive to win over their audience in these the initial stages as gaining their support from early on can make all the difference in later, more crucial rounds. This is further evidenced by World Clash Canada year 1. The international sounds garnered the crowd’s attention early on, gaining them an advantage over the Canadian sounds obviously unaware of how imperative it is to win this round. A lesson learnt hard.

S.N.J Fire Squad put his mark down early, much improved from previous years of clashing. Their approach focused on Lexus Supreme, highlighting the fact they (LS) had been demoted as a previous Canada World Clash contender. Rest assured (LS) will answer. This direct attack spawned a turning point in the clash.

Lexus Supreme fought back hard, punching in, in an extremely powerful manner with Sanchez’s dub, while MC Mark emphasized that they (LS), was not taking this clash for granted and were certainly not taking any sounds lightly. Personally, I felt this was a most apposite approach for any formidable opponent.

Megga Watts countered with a powerful Luciano dub however the tune was audible only through one column of speakers sending inadequate sounds to patrons. This insufficiency continued throughout his round cementing (MW) as headed for an inevitable disaster. Remember the clash fans will only tolerate so much and at best can be very unforgiving. (MW) struggled through round number one.

King Chaplin at best failed miserably to excite the crowd in the first round. His lack of preparedness was most evident proving him a great disappointment for the night.

Supa Bass wasted no time in their first round. The MC however, needed to be much more commanding, but by the end of the round the sound system foreshadowed the vibes of things to come, with direct challenges to Magnum Force and Lexus Supreme’s name.

Round 2
Fire Exclusive’s MC was extremely energetic, commanding the crowd’s attention from the get-go. The tunes at best were questionable for this caliber of clash; however the gimmicks entertained the crowd.
I must say that the showmanship lacked the backing of the tunes. However it made for great entertainment.

Laza Force started this round slowly, three quarters way through the round they (LF) finally got the crowd going when they dropped a most anticipated Movado dub followed by a Vybz Kartel dub.

Magnum Force’s Hammer started off with a most audacious speech garnering him forwards from the patrons. They were unable to hold the crowds attention however despite some solid tunes and good mixing.
S.N.J. Firesquad lacked the fire in their squad and had an extremely weak round as the mc failed to ignite the crowd. This sound needs a little more maturity to perform at a higher level. Not to be deterred, the guys on the sound are humble and will do well with practice.

Lexxus Supreme - punched in very solid tunes, playing consistently throughout the round with an energetic MC who was able to mobilize the crowd. This is expected of (LS) as they are now showing signs of a seasoned sound of a high maturity level and great exposure.

Megga Watts – had at best what can be described as another disappointing round. The fact that he (MW) was booed by the fans, one may say was the beginning of the end for (MW). Booing is something not condoned.

King Chaplin – had a weak showing; this did not help matters. Surprisingly this round for (KC) was better than the previous one. King Chaplin now was certainly destined for failure as he proved irrevocably that he could not rise to the occasion. The fans resembled that of a military platoon standing at full attention for their drill sergeant while they played.

Supa Bass – Did little to appease patrons with their soporific style of play , until they played Bounty Killer’s, “Lodge,” with 3minutes and 42 seconds remaining on the time clock of their round. This proved to be their saving grace as they were able to make it into the vocal round only with the help of the Warlord himself.

Voting - It was clear when it came time for voting; I made mention that at least four of the sounds should go instead of the anticipated two and the fans unanimously agreed. This would not be the case and the clear eliminates were Megga Watts and S.N.J. Fire Squad.

Round 3 – Vocal
Fire Exclusive’s vocal round was rather animated with an extremely energetic MC causing some to question his recent intake of Vitamin pills. (Fans were saying this)

Laza Force – Had a commendable vocal round with some exclusive singing tunes. With this round they seemed to win over the hearts of the fans. The vocal round secured a spot in the fourth and final round for (LF).

Magnum Force kicked off with a George Nooks’ special, giving them (MF) a big forward. This was followed by another George Nooks then a Freddy McGregor all within the first minute of their vocal round. I was impressed and so were the fans raising the bar for the ever-consistent Lexxus Supreme.

The next song was Glen Washington’s hit (Massive Rise & Shine) followed by Sanchez and by this time the nerves of the remaining sound men were starting to shatter as Dino and Hammer had the fans at their disposal; [Memoirs of the church choir flashed.] After all everyone was singing. It seemed they could do no wrong. Another tsunami of a forward greeted (MF) when they dropped the Luciano (Ways of the Dancehall).

They changed into even higher gear when the Beresford Hammond dub was launched gaining great altitude. The fans erupted; this was no more bullet, bullet, bullet it was now rocket, rocket and missile. Dhino played a Tony Rebel (dee jay) tune in the vocal round. This seemed to put them in a nose dive to disaster. A crash landing ought to have been in order.

As customary I left the decision for the crowd to make while placing emphasis on the error being made.( The crowd is the judge). This time the fate of (MF) was no longer in my hands but their destiny would be determined by the fans. Low and behold they (MF) got a reprieve. This was controversial but the people rule.

Lexxus Supreme- came in to stamp their mark of authority dropping a Junior Mervin dub making them unstoppable. This set was followed by a slew of hits including Jack Radicks, Luciano, Hopeton James, Sanchez and a Singing Melody proving they were up for the challenge and would not be erased by any of the other sounds. With 3 minutes and 27 seconds remaining on the clock Lexxus Supreme had sort of leveled off.

With only 1 minute and 27 seconds remaining Lexus Supreme played the big Luciano (Cedar Board Casket) and Leroy Gibbons’ (4 Season Sound).
King Chaplin – Played a couple of decent tunes in this round but was a little too late, furthermore he faced the tumultuous task of out performing (LS) and (MF); a feat impossible as the fans were already won over by the two previous sounds.

Supa Bass was unable to impress the fans and as fate would have it round 4 would not be a destination they (SB) would be bound for. The vocal round began to separate the men from the boys.
Clashing like hosting or being the master of ceremonies, like I said you can not send a boy to do a mans job.

ROUND 4 Final Round –
Voting concluded from round 3 Vocal Round narrowing the field to Fire Exclusive, Laza Force, Magnum Force and Lexus Supreme.

Fire Exclusive failed miserably as this time, clash weariness started to take effect on this sound. They resorted to calling Ron Nelson names (now an expectation in any clash); but their lack of authentic tunes for this section of the clash pretty much decided the true outcome of their ability to be placed in the top two sounds of the night as this is what would matter.

Laza Force – Though performing admirably, LF exposed their inexperience. They opted for new tunes that were good but were lacking in depth and severity to do any noticeable damage. I must note however that Laza Force with some consistency will do well on their next outing (Good Job).

Magnum Force – Played another terrific round securing themselves a spot on night three with Hammer and Dino playing consistently in round four or so we thought.

Lexus Supreme got the job done igniting the clash with none other than the mighty Bounty Killer turning the place upside down and sending fans into disarray and a decent enough job in this round.

Voting now was easy to eliminate the two sounds Fire Exclusive and Laza Force. The fans gave Laza Force a big round of applause for their courageous performance.

Magnum Force had gotten more hands shown to place them runners up and Lexus Supreme the winners. This was interrupted by the sound men who as is customary wanted to see dub for dub. Ron Nelson intervened entertaining a dub for dub round which I personally felt was unnecessary. My rational was Lexus Supreme had been the more consistent of the two sounds. The clash boiled down to seven tunes and I continued my job of officiating. The first three dubs played went to Magnum Force without a doubt.

The fourth song would prove irrevocably to his detriment however when he played over a Luciano. (People Dead Lawd a Mercy). I saw tears and fears as I addressed the crowd and pointed out the clash had to be over. To preserve the integrity of what was left of the clash which as I will still maintain should not have gotten to this stage. (Karma). We could not in good conscience continue under the circumstances. This also proved to be Magnum Force’s third offence and as the rule goes, three strikes and you’re out; eliminating the sound.

Conclusion: Dear readers; Has this set a precedence for the weeks to come? Will a sound be able to play a dee jay tune in the vocal round and be able to continue? I know one sound who will try it. It is disgraceful for this to happen at this level of clashing. You be the judge. Rules are rules and how far you bend them is reliant upon you the clash fans.

I will close by saying for the record I will not be able to participate in nights two and three of the clash. Congratulations to all the sounds who participated thus far, especially Magnum Force, Laza Force and Lexus Supreme from night one. Good Luck to all on night two and three; remember night two will be @ Zone1, while night three will be a change of venue, Allianz Den @ 501 Alliance Avenue (Toronto).

Also for the record as reported in one so called magazine and web site I did not solicit employment for World Clash Canada 2K6 not true Fabo never begged any work, and was turned down by the promoters (Chin & Ron Nelson). For the record Ron Nelson did not fire me. Personal and Health issues are my reason for not continuing. If you are going to do responsible journalism state the facts and report the truth. Neither did I make any remarks about the current clash. I received an email which I did not even open to read or reply to. I received a phone call from the editor of same magazine I did not make any comments; my only response was I will get back to you. I have not returned that call to date. Putting my name to secure readership and boost your rating is a malicious attack on me personally and defamation of my character which is unwarranted. Wha that fa?

2006-07-11

WEDDI WEDDI (JAMAICA)
On Wednesday July 12, 2006 Weddi Weddi will be celebrating its 2nd year anniversary to held at Stone Love Head Quarters. This event will feature a whole slew of entertainers. Main Attraction is the Crowning of Miss Weddi Weddi, Featured artists, Elephant Man, Lady Saw, Macka Diamond, Voice Mail and others. Dancers - Sample 6 , Kieva, Stacey, Boysie, Ding Dong The event will be hosted by the Cool Niky Z from ZIP FM & Tony Matterhorn. Music will be provided by Stone Love & Friends.

ARTIST WATCH
Our artist watch segment from time to time will make reference to entertainers on the rise or involvement in projects. Out of Jamaica we are keeping our eyes on Ricky Ticky & Tarue, as time progress we will give an update stay tuned .

SHORT SHORT SKIRT
Was presented by Nikki Hype who is Toronto’s own little (Paris Hylton) of sorts. This was held inside Club Paradise (Toronto) on Friday July 07, 2006. The party was in the later stages very energetic. Musical compliments was supplied by Military featuring Allan Ladd and Nitro da CD sound with Jeff and the crew who have been very busy lately. This event was hosted by yours truly.

ROSA'S BIRTHDAY PARTY
Was held on Saturday July 08, 06 inside the spacious Steel Workers Banquet Hall (Mississauga) The party started at 10:00pm and the early arrivers were entertained by the man of the hour himself Grand Master Rosa. Until it was time for the now infamous Dynamic Duo ( Father Pow & Senor Daley) who have locked every event they have been billed for, to take over the reigns. First seeing Father Pow mellowing out the crowd setting the tone for Senor Daley to take off then joined by Father Pow who brought things to a cruising altitude. The overall consensus is, this was a great party. You can tell; nobody wanted to go home. When asked are you ready to go home? The answer was No. Visit photo gallery to see pictures.

STAGE SHOW
Is Dave Kelly's invention so the next time you hear this beat, you now know who is its creator. Some of the featured artist on this ridim is Pinchers with a track called The Enemies, Assassin with Good Over Evil, Spice & Pinchers with Rudeboy love and Baby Cham with Rudeboy Pledge. Have a listen and give us your feedback.

If you have questions and or comments I can be contacted at 1 (416) 410-5636 Canada
email interimbgroup@aol.com facsimile 1 (416) 961-1405.

Remember we are only limited by the limitations we place on ourselves.

2006-06-29

Return -- Well readers I had suspended the reports to the Dance Hall Diary segment of the web site, due to the fact it was a spin off from the Splash Newspaper. The reason being the paper is no longer published and I had been focusing on out of province ventures in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec. Let me start by saying welcome back; to my diary audience. This year has been very active for sound men disc jockeys and entertainers locally and internationally; entering the Canadian market. Before I go any further let me set the record straight the diary is a vehicle which will make reports, assessments and commentary as I see fit. The views I express are my own.

Old Hits -- Having said that on Sunday June 04, 2006 I attended the regular Old Hits, Ray Town session at Aura Lounge (Yonge & Sheppard). The attending disc jockey was dj Funky and let me tell you I was impressed at his delivery and style of playing. Not to say that Funky has not impressed me before however he was the only dj for the night and he held the crowd. Funky not only held the crowd but he entertained by less microphone speaking and more music; mixing it up from time to time through the different eras of music. Congratulations Funky on a job well done. Maybe some of the younger selectors need to take a page from his book and yelling, tracing and airing dirty laundry on the microphone defeats the purpose of entertaining patrons. After all we do not go to a party to hear the selector airing their dirty laundry. Congratulations Funky on a job well done. Two thumbs up.

Too Many Sounds -- I have noticed a new trend in dances these days in Toronto with dance keepers and promoters. The dances are over crowded by sounds. Patrons do not blame the sound men, blame the promoters. The reason the dances are not going well too many sound men on the dance, then the dance gets rushed, meaning every selector wants to say he buss the dance; but let me tell you this from experience, whenever too many sounds play every selector races to play the top ten tunes and this interferes with the momentum of the dance. Timing is ultimate. This is one of the reasons people are leaving the dances dissatisfied. So promoters this is not to be taken personally but more of constructive advice, (for free) I might add.

DJ Cory -- Who plays Vibes Squad sound has been making waves every Wednesday at Triple Star Night Club. He kicks of every week by locking down the joint musically often ably assisted by Journey who is making waves for himself.

Fire Links -- Was slated to appear in Toronto this month but will not be appearing. However I have been informed by Rose of Tuff 2 Promotions Links will be appearing at a future date. Stay tuned for the postponed date.

Stone Love -- Has been billed on the Canada Day weekend to appear on Picture man Lloyd’s dance Sizzling. However Stone Love will not be making that appearance.

Smoking -- Still a major problem at dances and in night clubs. The law dictates that persons in attendance at these venues do not smoke. Please in the interest of good health and obedience of the law; Butt out.

Promoters Who Smoke -- Have a responsibility to lead by example. You ever notice how the promoters who smoke do not do that at their weekly events or annuals. Why do you smoke in plain view of every one at the other persons function? Go figure.

PS -- Sound Men who smoke don’t make it any better for the industry either; I guess they are above the law.

We work hard, play hard, party even harder. Party Safe.

The views expressed are those of my own. For feed back and or comments I can be contacted at fabianhanson@ hotmail.com
Telephone (416) 410-5636
Facsimile (416) 961-1405
F A B O

2008-03-01

VINTAGE DANCE -- Dance Hall Diary for the month of February saw many functions being held. The following events I am about to comment on are views of my own. First of all I would like to say, thank you to all who supported and partied responsible and safe. Let me start by saying I was not present at the Vintage dance put on by Courtney of Big C Promotions held at the Steel Workers Banquet Hall. The trio combining of Grand master Rosa, Senor Daley and Father Pow, proved to be for lack of a better term the perfect combination. I guess news does travel and there has been requests for this package in Connecticut and Switzerland. The patrons who attended, whom I randomly interviewed, all had high praises for the trio, one patron dubbed them the dynamic three. The three performed to a full capacity audience. Congratulations goes out to Big C on a job well done.

ENERGIZED -- This dance was held at the Dawatt Banquet Hall, celebrating the birthday of Energy Kid. Energy is the owner and operator of Fifth Element sound. This party featured sounds from Toronto, such as: SNJ Fire Squad, Military, Nitro, G-Unit, Desert Storm and Fire Kid Steenie. All sounds represented well. The party saw the award winning dancers Timeless out of Kingston Jamaica. Making their first Canadian appearance delivering a high performance show, displaying the latest dance hall moves. They excited the crowd with showmanship from start to finish; starting off by destroying a watch, confirming their position on being timeless, after all, so was their performance to the audience’s satisfaction. Candi (the dancer) represented very well. Candi is from Chicago and she had her own unique style rotating her ass cheeks which aroused the audience, with her cute looks and sexy appeal the crowd was pleased at what they saw. Energy Squad which features Mr. Woa & Lady Ice did represent the icing was put on the cake; when the man of the hour (Energy Kid) featured and he represented well, erotic was what his performance was with Candi. You must see the DVD it is going to have you tuned in from start to finish. This party was hosted by yours truly and the night was quite energetic and high octane all in all every one enjoyed themself.

BABY CHAM -- This show was held at Zone 1 Night Club, no band was used to back the entertainers. The artist worked from tracks. The show featured several Toronto artists: Collinjah, Sample King, Bush Rat and others all did their thing excitingly however, the most intriguing performance came from Sample King who as usual was very commanding of both the stage and the audience, he wasted no time nor minced words during his set when he made known he was there to do a clarification not a counteraction to a song done by Toronto artist Trinity Chris. The audience loved what they heard and rest assured this will only further propel Sample king's career, as always he is a crowd favorite. The man of the hour Baby Cham came on stage after doing his dance hall prayer. Cham performed hit after hit while the ladies sang the chorus and the gents joined in at times. Cham never lost the crowd for one second. The only itch as I saw it was there were no monitors on stage, and as a result was a bit strenuous for the artist, but this proved no hindrance to Cham as he rose to the occasion and delivered. As Baby Cham would say, work wid it fada. This show was put on by Action.

Matters Arising

*** Stone Love's Father Wee Pow has been very busy in the studios and hence the birth of the rhythm which features artists such as Toddler, Hawk Eye, 14K, Mention, Mitch Star, New Kids, Nesbeth, Preditor, Sasha, Ricky Ticky and Turbulance. on this rhythm so far the favorite track is # 5 Song Decision done by Mitch Star. I definitely give this rhythm two thumbs up and my prediction is it will be among the top contending rhythm this summer in Canada..

*** Beenie Man - has a song titled War Crimes, it is exceptional to say the least. Listen to it and give us your comments. Email fabianhanson@hotmail.com

*** Elephant Man - currently remixing and putting the finishing touches on the new song Titled DUTTY WINING. I had the opportunity to listen to it first hand and my word this one is good to go. The melody is of a calypso nature with a dance hall twist to it. It Jiggy bad!!!

*** Look out for Fabo's Birthday Bash Saturday May 06, 2006. Coming to a venue near you. I will be putting out a promotional CD and the All Black DVD will be included with advance ticket purchases, which will include among other things the Okidoki Rhythm and some exclusive tracks from Beenie Man; other artist will be present such as Sample King, Blessed and many others.

*** Sound on the rise - Journey Sound

*** SMOKING -- Still a very Big Concern. Butt out please.

The views expressed are my own; I can be contacted at 1 (416) 410-5636 Email fabianhanson@hotmail.com

As always Fabo says IN and GOOD. BUSHWAKA

E. Fabian Hanson

BOASIE -- The summer seems to be moving along with the regular trends of party goers and revelers. Boasie was the latest to hit the Toronto party scene and once again we saw resemblance of things past, in England that is. With the sacrificial washing of hands with the golden drink. The throwing of money, on the dance floor. A whole $100.00 Canadian sought after by the courageous few. At least the speculators appetite must have been quenched as this was only done by the British Crew in London. So what have we learnt? Promoters are willing to risk it all to say, concept, creativity and originality is there for them to claim. If I must say most of the ingredients were there but lacked the later. All in all the function had a good attendance, nice vibes. Looking forward to MOD party.

SELECTORS-- There is a disease of epidemic proportions amongst a few little hurry-come-up so called sound men. The guilty culprits know themselves. The problem readers is this; if they are given a flyer to read and they are not billed on the event there is a reluctance to read the flyer. There are those selectors who will actually throw away the flyer. This to me is a very big joke. There is even one selector who has taken it to the extreme to go into establishments and rip down posters and discard of promoters flyers in the garbage. Now do you think this is right? The same selector will be playing on a dance and talk about bad mind. Does he even have a mind?

OVER CROWDING – Promoters we need to get back to basics. What I mean by this is not the venue. I am talking about the DJ line up. For example putting six or seven sounds on the bill to appease a dj or a selector I think is ridiculous, or simply because he is your brethren. Treat your dance as a business. The problem arises when the Sprinting starts. Sprinting occurs with the top ten record selectors whose collection is limited and scope of entertaining minimal. They race out the tunes to go back to the promoter and or mention to the audience that they (Bus the dance). This is what causes instability within the dance. Selectors remember playing the most popular tunes does not necessarily mean you have the best part of the dance. I have been around long enough to know it is quite the opposite most times.
JAMAICA DAY PICTURES – For an extensive look at the photographs visit www.vibesent.com and catch a glimpse of the hits and miss of Jamaica Day 2005.

For feedback and or comments email fabianhanson@hotmail.com or
Telephone (416) 410-5636.

Show Dates to watch for.
July 27, Queen Latifah / Jill Scott
July 29. Third World
July 31, Morgan’s Heritage
August 06, Ernie Smith (Ottawa)
August 20, Luciano / Mikey General
Sept. 04, Platinum Show

Dances
July 30, Remember The Good Times
July 30, Firerama
July 30 Lock De City
August 19, All Black Affair
August 20, Reunion ( Old Hits)
August 26, Promoters Sound Clash 2K5
Sept. 04 David Rodigan / Wee Pow
Sept. 05. Disney Party

2005-07-16

WORLD CLASH REVIEW -- Let me start by saying congratulations to Canada and the Canadian Clash Fans (they are a dynamic breed). I must also take time to commend Ron Nelson and Chin for pulling off World Clash 2 K 5 Canada in such manner.

Too often we criticize and point fingers, and fail to recognize the positive derivatives from talent exposed. One thing for sure, is that money can not buy talent. You either have it or you do not. The clash got under way a bit late, due to late arrival at the air port, however the fans did not get restless as Black Mellody did the early warm and there was nothing subtracted from the entertainment value.

All six sounds showed up and all sounds performed to the best of their ability. The clash was very well attended, the sound system was audible. Analysis The six sounds involved were well equipped with tunes, as it would seem the first sound to be eliminated was One Love from Italy who had ok dubs but were lacking in speech. The first round was the no elimination round, but was a round needed to be won which was won by Mighty Crown with Desert Storm showing a very strong performance to their credit winning the hearts of the fans.

ROUND 2

The second round was the round which saw one sound being eliminated and One Love was the first to exit the stage, this round was also won by the Japanese Mighty Crown, Bass Odyssey had a good performance in this round but was hampered by the fact that the other sounds pointed out that Squingy and Mark were absent who also play Bass Odyssey.

ROUND 3

The third round saw two sounds being eliminated; This was the fate Bass Odyssey and Lexus Supreme one of the Canadian representatives of the night. I do not know what happened to Lexus Supreme but they failed to excite all night, which to me was a bit surprising after seeing them come off a fresh win at R.N.P. Last Sound Standing Clash, one would think they would be a bit more enthused or poses fire which they lacked.

In my opinion they have the materials to get the job done but might have been having one of their bad nights. Bass Odyssey on the other hand was in no way shape or form short of enthusiasm as the selector at one point was the first to go on top of the speakers which confirmed to the audience he was still putting up a fight to the end, This round was won by Black Kat (Panther) told the audience that Unzie did not get a visa but being the war tanker he is used a (Replacement Killer) this got the crowd even more energized and the fact that Mighty Crown relied on Hip Hop tunes which were down talked all night saw Mighty crown fall into quick sand and were slowly sinking, this round Desert Storm once again showed the fire and drive and finished a close second behind Black Kat.

ROUND 4

The fourth round was also won by Black Kat as Panther started to get hyped as he now was clearly in the drivers seat and started to dictate how the clash was going. As the old adage goes (age before beauty) and the Mighty Crown erred in judgement by admitting that Panther was killing them with speech this was another very good round for Desert Storm as they proved equal to the task and was at no time lost in the scheme of things. Unfortunately, World Clash is the best of five which meant unfortunately for Desert Storm, Mighty Crown had won rounds one and two with Black Kat winning rounds three and four, this could only mean but one thing. Tune for tune and the fact that Storm had performed admirable but had not won a round could not be put in the final round of (Dub fi Dub). Chin who was one of the host along with myself emphasized the achievements of King Sharpe and Desert Storm which did not let down Canada and showed the world Desert Storm is a force to be reckoned with; with this King Sharpe thanked the people and gracefully exited the stage.

ROUND 5

Round five Mighty Crown and Black Kat were called for the Tune for Tune segment. The crowd was asked how many tunes should be played? The audience had a choice of nine tunes or eleven tunes, and the clash enthusiast they are wanted eleven tunes. Panther used experience down the stretch to show his superior one for one skills against Mighty Crown who have nothing to be ashamed of as Black Kat won six straight sending Mighty Crown to the exit sign for the night.

It was day break and Black Kat had once again emerged victoriously. Congratulations Black Kat on your win. On closing I think the Clash Market is wide open once again and the next big clash to look forward to will be Ron Nelson's Fully Loaded Clash which will take place in Toronto in October of this year. We already know who some of the finalists are. Here is a peek -- Roots Man, Lexus Supreme, Black Reaction, White Bwoy, Desert Storm, Infamous and the defending champions Super Fresh. That's my take on World Clash 2005 Canada.

ORIGINALITY-- Promoting used to be an art form, probably still is but now a days people holding dances just keep repeating the same dances they see in Jamaica and elsewhere. What is lacking is some creativity which has caused the market to be saturated with watered down versions of certain title dances. So if you are going to keep a dance close to some dance copied from Jamaica or else where at least try to contact the promoter and duplicate the event as close as attainable to its original form. As Pinchers once sang (Nobody sings originals songs any more). Promoters get your creative juices flowing and bring back the originality in the business.

Upcoming Dates:
CONCERTS
Jamaica Day - July 23 & 24 (Toronto)
Third World - July 29
Morgan's Heritage - July 31
Jamaica Day - August 06 (Ottawa)
Luciano & Mikey General - August 20
Platinum Show - September 04
Carlene Davis & Papa San - August 01

DANCES
Hollywood Premiere July 22
Remember the Good Times July 30
Lock De City (Stone Love) July 30
Tony Matherhorn July 30 & August 01
All Black Affair August 19
Promoters Sound Clash 2 K 5 August 26

For feedback and or comments email fabianhanson@hotmail.com Tel.(416) 410-5636

2005-05-22

Observation -- Recent events in the City of Toronto has led to a shift in the wind of the sails of dances. There is no ambiguity as to what people are responding to. It is the promoter who has to be decisive. What I mean by this is people need to stop sitting on the fence. The copy cat factor is back and nothing is wrong with that , however party fans want to know what is being held where a who the players are. For the average party person they are out to have a good time and delivery is essential to ensure the fans have not just a good time, but a great time. Ever notice how some people complain about a particular promoter. Wether justified or not, we live in a democratic society and people are entitled to their opinions. My thing is if a particular sound does not play the style of music you appreciate let the promoter know. This way the next event will see less of the undesirable punishment patrons face from time to time. After all going to a party should not be like punishment, but more so enjoyment. Disc Jockeys, sound men and emcees smarten up.

PROMOTERS CONCEPTS -- PLANNING this is the most crucial part of your event.

March 2005 Volume 2
Hot Mondays
Hot Mondays is sizzling; Ever wonder how it just keeps going after changing several loacations? Hot Mondays is now held nightly at Prestige Palace the Divas who run Hot Mondays themseelves are sizzling and as the term goes they keep it "burnin".

Dance Hall Climate
Hold the reigns as the weather gets better, so has the dancehall climate. The business has upside to it and that is more events are on the rise and the fans are ready to party "O So Badly"

Culture Tip
Fanton Mojah will be making an appearance on March 19th along with Vetran entertainer Everton Blendor new to Torontonians this young man has postive energy to dispense and should deliver.

John Hype
While a bit withdrawn from the circuit there is a new dance creation called [Formila] hope to see it soon and hope every thing can get back to normal.

Shenice's Birthday Party
This event was held at Allianze Den Night Club on Saturday March 5, with a host of local deejays the birthday girl was as usual in all her splendor.

Ottawa Radio
Papa Ritchie has been entertaining peoplee in the Ottawa community via his popular radio show (Rockers) from 1984 to present. The show can be heard on CHUO 89.1 FM at the University of Ottawa each and every Saturday from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. He has had stints with Rithie B while in Jamaica. Keep up the good work. To listen live WWW.CHUO.FM

Did you Know?
That Jamaican female dancer "Mad Michelle" can not only dance but can sing and dj. There is a record tribute for Bogle Mr. Wacky compiled by Mad Michelle, Junko and Bogle's baby mother.

The popular PNP campaign song of the seveties "My Leader Born Ya" was done by Horace Martin? Working under the assumed name Neville Martin, affectionately called Shock Out Martin.

History
In the year 1523 approximately 300 slaves are sent to Jamaica and they brought with them their indigenous music and some instruments including the Gumbe a type of drum and the Abeng a rams horn.

1953 is the reported date of the first recording in Jamaica by Bunny & Skully. The song is called "I Love You".

1963 is when Clement"Coxsone"Dodd sets up Studio One Records at 13 Brentford Road.

1964 Millie Small's "My Boy Lolipop" is the first international hit by a Jamaican Artiste.

2000 Beenie Man wins a Grammy in the Reggae category for his Album "Art And Life"

email fabianhanson@hotmail.com

2005-03-01

What's Happening

Beenie Man Concert --- Beenie Man will be accompanied by Shocking Vibes Crew on Thursday March 10, 2005 @ the Phoenix Concert Theatre. This show promises the audience an explosive performance, as in the past every time the artiste is surrounded by controversy Moses delivers a high-energy performance.

Reunion ---- This dance is for the young at heart Saturday March 12, 2005 to be held @ Dawatt Hall featuring Senor Daley from Jamaica, Hypnotiq from New York alongside Toronto's own Grand Master Rosa. This is an oldies vintage reunion dance. This promises to excite the couples of yester year.

Aries Affair titled Priceless celebrating Charmer's birthday scheduled to be held on Saturday March 26, 2005 @ Forum Banquet Hall. Priceless should be the dance to watch for in March as this event will feature Jaga B and Steelie Bashment out of New York City and Lord Gellys from London England making his first Canadian appearance, there will be a host of local sounds to compliment the event.

Fabo's Birthday Bash Champagne Splash -- Scheduled to be held on Saturday May 07, 2005 promises as usual, non stop partying hosted by Diva Michee Mee and the man himself Fabo, Jamaican dancers Kiefer, Veteran djs Junior Cat, General Trees and T-Tus many more entertainers will assist in celebrating what is dubbed the show stopper.As always lots of surprises in store.

Up Close & Personal --- John Holt, Judy Mowatt, Gem Myers and Fab 5 Band to be held @ The Humming Bird Centre for the performing arts on Saturday May 21, 2005. Once again, Majorem conglomerates have put together world class acts for an intimate affair which promises to surpass average expectations on this genre of music.

Past Events

Clash Disaster - The clash for the Zone 1 Cup recently held at the Zone 1 Night Club that featured Killamanjaro, King Klepto, Studio Mixx and Roots Man was for lack of a better term a disgrace to the clash fans and the dance hall community. The audience was cheated of what could have been a monster performance by Klepto, Killamanjaro and Roots Man. According to the Jaro camp they were at no time prior to coming to Canada told they were here for a clash. Genius emphasized this to the audience on the microphone, the situation compounded when one column of the boxes kept on chipping out because of faulty wiring, apparently due to acts of sabotage, which unfortunately seem to plague these clashes. Ranger from Roots Man kept on begging for the promoters and engineer to correct the problem but was ignored as he thought he was being disrespected he refused to continue playing, thus leading to the premature end of the clash. Ranger is seen as the hero. Conclusion -- Should Sound Clash dances go back to each sound bringing their own systems? You be the judge.

Energy Kid --- There has been a recent shift in the dance hall community that has lead to an increase in high profile celebrity birthday parties so far the highlight for February is on Energy Kid of Fifth Element Sound the well attended event was a complete success as the patrons were entertained by Cash Money from Portmore Jamaica and a host of local dee jays. The theme of the party was you can't keep a good man down.