Category: Jazz

  • Clive Hunt Pays Tribute to Bobby Ellis

    Clive Hunt Pays Tribute to Bobby Ellis

    Legendary Producer Remembers Jamaica’s Late Great Hornsman

    One of Jamaica’s most accomplished musicians, trumpet master Bobby Ellis, died on Tuesday at the University Hospital of the West Indies. The Jamaica Observer reports that he was admitted in late September suffering from pneumonia. During his 84 years on earth, Bobby Ellis and his trusty horn made a mighty legacy. A graduate of the famed Alpha Boys School, he often played alongside fellow alumni Tommy McCook, “Deadly” Headley Bennett, and the immortal tromphonist Don Drummond, and was awarded the Order of Distinction in 2014 for his outstanding contributions to Jamaican culture. His session works are too numerous to mention, from Boby Andy’s “I’ve Got To Go Back Home”  to Burning Spear’s classic Marcus Garvey album. Mr. Ellis arranged the horns for Jack Ruby’s stellar Black Disciples band and toured extensively with Spear over the years. He also collaborated with the noted jazz artist Herbie Mann. As news of Ellis’s passing has spread, numerous tributes have appeared on social media, but few more moving than that of legendary producer Clive “Uglyman” Hunt. Story Continues After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Shanique Marie ft. Cali P “Coconut Jelly Man” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Shanique Marie ft. Cali P “Coconut Jelly Man” Official Music Video

    An Ode to the Coconut Jelly Man

    Shanique Marie is preparing for relaunch of her debut EP Uno in a deluxe edition this summer and is excited about the possibilities. Her incendiary single, “Coconut Jelly Man” featuring Cali P, first released in November 2015, is seeing another steep rise in popularity as the warm weather approaches and coconut cravings run amok. Video After The Jump

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  • The Sweetest Taboo

    The Sweetest Taboo

    Tuning Into The Sweetest Taboo by Sade Adu

    Sade Adu continues to leave listeners in awe of her music. From the release of her debut single in 1985, a jazzy song about a player aptly titled, “Smooth Operator” to “The Moon and the Sky” 2011 remix featuring Jay-Z, who insinuates that he is the father, Sade’s interesting songs with poignant lyrics puts this artist at the top of many all-time favorite lists. In this article, we focus on fan favorite-“The Sweetest Taboo” and covers of this song in various genres.

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  • Healthy Heart Playlist: Popcaan, Jesse Royal, Gaza Slim and More!

    Healthy Heart Playlist: Popcaan, Jesse Royal, Gaza Slim and More!

    The Lyrics We Listen To Affect The Beat of Our Hearts

    The music of the body is the heart beat. A healthy heart depends on good nutrition and exercise. However, in terms of overall homeostasis, emotional and spiritual factors also affect the heart. If one is scared, the sympathetic nervous system reacts in a “flight or fight” reaction to increase cardiac output by increasing the heart rate. Research shows that prayer and meditation can synchronize the vital signs (breathing rate, heart rate, blood pressure and temperature) of the body. Based on these observations, one can hypothesize that the music we listen to affects the heart rate. Even more so than the loudness of the bassline, the lyrics evoke feelings and thoughts. This is a positive playlist of songs that refer to God and Love for a peaceful mediation.

    Healthy Heart Playlist After The Jump (more…)

  • The Love Chocolate Playlist

    The Love Chocolate Playlist

    Boomshots Presents A Multi-Genre Playlist for Valentine’s 2016

    It’s that time again, lovers. This article features 14 decadent tunes in Reggae, Jazz, Contemporary, and Rhythm and Blues, for your listening pleasure. The songs were selected based on the artist/talent, lyrical content and overall sound. More After The Jump (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Samory-I “African Daughter” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Samory-I “African Daughter” Official Music Video

    A Song With An Afrikan Standard of Beauty

    A Rasta Man was one of the first persons to question why  I  “relax the kinks” in my hair. I was at a lost for words and then I said ” Well to make it look smooth and groomed.” He broke into unbridled laughter and while I was happy to bring someone so much joy, the question lingered on my mind.  Then I realized I had no idea what my natural hair even looked like because I received my first “perm” at 9, and from there it was a six week ritual of “touching up” the roots. I was told that my hair was “too much, ” “too thick” and “difficult to manage.” Throughout the years, I added “color processing” and then “weaves’” became normal for me. More After The Jump (more…)

  • Kelissa:  Best Kept Secret

    Kelissa: Best Kept Secret

    In a beautiful vocal tone, songstress, Kelissa delivers a tune that every woman can relate to. The versatile artist shows a soft, feminine vulnerability with cherubic vocals in this love ballad.

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  • Dada Playlist: 10 Songs Dedicated to Fathers

    Dada Playlist: 10 Songs Dedicated to Fathers

    Boomshots Magazine Presents Multi-genre Playlist for Father’s Day 2015

    In honor of the wonderful fathers who present themselves as role models for their children, Boomshots Magazine brings you the finest selection of tunes dedicated to Dada. This 10 song playlist covers several genres including reggae, hip hop, gospel, dub,  rhythm & blues and jazz. Countdown After The Jump… (more…)

  • Royalty In NYC: Jesse Royal and The King Suns at SOBs

    Royalty In NYC: Jesse Royal and The King Suns at SOBs

    The Palace Pickney Delivers An Emancipation Message During Bob Marley EarthStrong Weekend

    Not many artists can fill SOBs on a snowy winter night with temperatures in the twenties. But Jesse Royal is not just any artist. So this past Monday night, his first time performing at the legendary night club he had a toe-to-toe, overflowing crowd out early. The crowd got warm and cozy with some blazing hits by Lionface (Lion King), Max Glazer & Kenny Meez (Federation Sound), DJ Gravy & Micro Don (Rice N’ Peas), Rob Kenner, SeeBorn, and Charlie Brown (BBC Hi-Fi). The temperature kept rising throughout Jah Bami and Knight Blade’s live session—heightened by a rousing performance of their viral hit “I Got That Weed”—before the special surprise guest was announced by the Host, Rob Kenner.  More After The Jump…

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  • Reasoning with Monty Alexander: “The Party Don’t Stop”

    Reasoning with Monty Alexander: “The Party Don’t Stop”

    The Jamaican-Born World-Renowned Jazz Pianist Celebrates His Reggae Roots

    In the jazz world, Monty Alexander is recognized as a master pianist. In the reggae world, he is respected as a pioneer of Jamaican music, having played keys on countless crucial selections alongside such masters as Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso, and Ernest Ranglin. Whenever he takes the stage, Monty loves to blend the best of all his musical traditions into a sublime blend of sounds and styles—and always staying open to working with new upcoming talents and what’s happening now. Just before opening “Jazz Around the West Indies,” his five-night stand at Dizzy’s Place inside Jazz at Lincoln Center NYC, Monty Alexander took time out to reason with the Reggae Grl About Town, reminiscing about his formative years as a session musician for the pioneers of Jamaican music, and explains why he considers Bob Marley to be a jazz man. Videos After The Jump… (more…)