THE historic Liberty Hall (founded by Marcus Garvey) in downtown Kingston, was last Thursday the venue for a panel discussion on the global impact of reggae music—Basil Walters reports for Jamaica’s Observer.

Inspired by Noël Dernesch and Moritz Springer’s feature documentary Journey to Jah, the forum was held under the theme, ‘Cultural Cross-Currents: European and Jamaican Artistes, Escaping Roots or Extending Consciousness.’

Three artistes — two Europeans, one Jamaican — featured in an engaging discussion guided by Professor of Literary and Cultural Studies at the University of West Indies (Mona), Carolyn Cooper.

Alborosie from Italy, Gentleman from Germany and Jamaican Terry Lynn (not to be confused with Terry Linen) were the participants.

The symposium focused on how Alborosie and Gentleman journeyed to Jamaica to experience the country’s culture, and how the Waterhouse-born Terry Lynn, is influenced by European techno music.

Gentleman was born Tilmann Otto in Osnabrück, Germany. His…

Howard Campbell (Jamaica Observer) writes that U.S.-based singer Jasmine V Rowe is not afraid to show her Jamaican heritage whenever she performs. He says that she “expresses her Jamaican as well as American roots” on “Tell Me,” her first song, which will be released in early August by Ve3 Inc.

Her sound is strongly influenced by artistes such as Beres Hammond and Judy Mowatt.

[. . .] “I’m very excited to get Tell Me out there for the people to hear. It really means everything to release the song in Jamaica, because Jamaica is a part of me as far as my heritage and the heavy reggae influence within the song,” she said.

The 24-year-old Rowe was born in Paterson, New Jersey to a Jamaican father and American mother. Tell Me is also the debut release of her father Robert’s Ve3 Inc label. [. . .]

While she…