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Caribbean Life, April 7-13, 2022
‘Reggae Tribute’ to Nina Simone Kes drops ‘Liki Tiki’
“This new EP has seven tracks
as an ode to some of Nina’s greatest
hits,” added Tomlinson, a
Brooklyn resident. “Stephen has
been building anticipation for this
release for some time.”
Riding on the high of single
releases like Queen Ifrica’s “Four
Women” in April of 2021, and
Etana’s “Young Gifted And Black”
in February of this year, Stephen
has described the EP as a “tribute
to the legendary American
jazz singer, composer, pianist and
arranger Nina Simone.”
“These tracks have given the
audience a mere taste of what the
EP has to offer but now it’s finally
here,” Tomlinson said.
Nina Simone, legally known
as Eunice Kathleen Waymon is
one of America’s most legendary
singer, songwriter, and musical
arranger.
“Outside of her music, she is
most known for her role as a civil
rights activist during the separatist
and racist 60’s and 70’s,”
Tomlinson said. “Stephen Marley
has never shied away from
his musical appreciation for Nina,
producing songs for himself such
as “Father of The Man”, featuring
Wyclef Jean and a classic Nina
sample from her iconic “Keeper Of
The Flame” hit.
“I’m such a huge fan of her
work”, said Stephen Marley during
a Musicme interview in 2017.
“Now, many years later, this
appreciation has blossomed into
an entire EP, paying tribute to
Nina’s musical genius,” Tomlinson
said.
“This project is about preserving
Nina Simone’s legacy, passing
it on to younger generations,
including my children, because
you don’t often find music this
substantial,” Stephen Marley said.
“When we started this project,
we reached out to Nina’s daughter
(Lisa Simone Kelly) and to
the Nina Simone Foundation to
establish a connection,” he added.
“We want to donate a portion of
proceeds to the things that she
was all about.”
Tomlinson said: “As we celebrate
International Women’s
month, ‘Celebrating Nina: Reggae
Tribute to Nina Simone’ highlights
the strength, power and
resilience of women, with tracks
from artists like Terri Walker, who
does a beautiful rendition of Nina’s
1961s ‘No Good Man’”.
masters, as well as the collective
memory of ancient African masquerade
traditions like Gelede and
Egungun (Nigeria),” Ford told Caribbean
Life.
“Traditionally, men portrayed the
Dame Lorraine; nowadays, mostly
women portray the character,” she
added. “The players were always
masked and appeared at the annual
Dimanche Gras (Fat Sunday) celebrations.”
Kay Mason, of Sesame Flyers
International, Inc., sponsored and
portrayed Mythical Birds of Peace,
Love and Prosperity. The costume
was designed by the late Foulette
Eustace.
Ford said ancient Egypt stood as
one of the world’s most advance civilizations
for nearly 3,000 years and
“created a culture so rich that it has
spawned its own field of study.
“This mythical sacred firebird
can be found in the mythologies of
the Egyptians, Arabian, Persians,
Greeks, Romans, Chinese, Hindu,
Phoenicians, Mesoamericans,
Native Americans, and more,” she
said. “There is a good reason to
believe that the earliest Gods were
nature Gods – birds, mammals,
fish, etc.,” she added. “And so worshipped
because they appeared to
represent peace, love and prosperity.
“This portrayal depicts the birds’
aspect of these factors and is represented
by two radiant birds of different
colors, red and blue,” Ford continued.
“The front of the costume
shows the head and wings of the
birds expanded in full flight. The
back shows the long and short tails
extended outwards to give more
form when in motion.”
There were also exhibits by
Giselle Fritz & Associates — Caribbean
in Bloom, sponsored by Giselle
Fritz; Jamaica, Lignum Vitae; Haiti,
Choeblack; Trinidad and Tobago,
Chaconia; Samba Dancers depicted
by Kenneth Antoine of Antoine
International; and 1199 SEIU’s
Summer Section, sponsored by
Curtis Dyer and Regine Thurin.
Lignum Vitae is Jamaica’s
national flower. Lignum Vitae is a
Latin word that means “Wood of
Life.”
Mythical Birds of Peace, Love And Prosperity depicted by Kay
Mason of Sesame Flyers International, Inc. WIADCA
According to Ford, it’s known for
its medicinal qualities and is said to
be one of the most useful trees in
the world.
“The body, gum, bark fruit, leaves,
and blossoms, all serve some useful
purpose,” she said. “The tree is short
and compact, and it grows best in
the dry woodland, along the north
and south coasts of the island.
“The vibrant colors of Lignum
Vitae which are purple, yellow, and
white make it an outstanding flower,”
she added.
Continued from Page 31
Cover of “Celebrating Nina” A
Reggae tribute to Nina Simone
by Stephen Marley.
Continued from Page 31
It’s smooth, sexy and makes you
feel good.”
In recent years, both Kes and
Michaël Brun have emerged as
leaders in championing Caribbean
music globally — Kes with
soca and calypso, the homegrown
sounds of Trinidad & Tobago,
and Brun with Haitian music
genres such as kompa and rara.
It was only natural for the
two to join forces to merge their
islands’ sounds, along with influences
from the broader African
Diaspora.
“From the moment I was able
to link up with Kees, it was clear
he cared so much about Trinidadian
and Caribbean culture, unifying
the Caribbean, and creating
a strong bond between us artists
and what we’re doing,” Michaël
Brun said. “Kes has the same
mission as JPerry and myself.
Kes is an artist bringing soca to
the world and JPerry is bringing
Haitian music to the world. The
balance feels fresh and rooted.”
“Liki Tiki” is the second single
of 2022 from Kes, following
January’s “Jolene.”
Both tracks are set to appear
on the band’s upcoming album,
coming this Summer on Ineffable
Records.
To celebrate the release of
“Liki Tiki” — and Caribbean
music culture at large — Kes
said it will launch a series of IG
Live conversations with friends
and collaborators, starting with
Michaël Brun.
Continued from Page 31
WIADCA’S MAS EXHIBITION
Samba Dancer depicted by
Kenneth Antoine of Antoine International.
WIADCA
WIADCA Board Member and
Mas Committee Chair, Cecille
Ford. WIADCA
Kes frontman, Kees Dieffenthaller.
Suicidal Shotz