To mark Reggae Month (February), the Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music, Inc. (CPR), will host the State of Reggae Music Reception in which a critique of reggae music is presented. The reception takes place on Thursday, Feb. 28 at the studio of CPRLive located at 1199 Ocean Ave., Suite 407 in Brooklyn, New York and will broadcast live on CPRLive www.cprreggae.org/player/htm from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
This year’s reception will celebrate past accomplishments with a tribute to Clement “Sir Coxsone” Dodd who established Studio One 50 years ago, making it the first Black-owned recording studio in Jamaica. The tribute will be presented by his niece, Maxine Stowe, a reggae officiando and cultural strategist in her own right.
The critique of the present state of the industry will take the form of a discussion between Donovan Germain, ace producer and founder of Penthouse Records; Clive Chin, reggae historian, selector and producer of Chin Randy’s fame; Mike Allyene PhD, a professor in the Department of Recording Industry at Middle Tennessee State University and author of “The Encyclopedia of Reggae; and Maxine Stowe. The discussion will be moderated by Carlyle McKetty, president of CPR and host of Real Talk on CPRLive.
The discussion will examine the present state of reggae music against a backdrop of the establishment of Studio One in 1963 and the tremendous hope for international exposure triggered with the release of The Wailers’ Catch A Fire album on Island Records forty years ago. “While much has materialized, there is still a lot more to be done,” says Sharon Gordon, chairperson of CPR. Coxsone Dodd nurtured the Wailers which started in 1963 as “The Teenagers”, later changing their name to “The Wailing Rudeboys,” then to “The Wailing Wailers” before eventually adopting the name “The Wailers” and began their assent to their place in reggae history.
The reception kicks off CPR’s fifth season of free community forums, which have become known for their enlightening and oftentimes contentious discussions. Come celebrate 50 years of Studio One and so much more.
The event is free and open to the public but due to limited space, reservations are required. To make a reservation, send an email to info@cprreggae.org
About CPR
The Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music, Inc. (CPR) is a 501 (c) (3) organization that works to preserve the reggae art form and its traditional message of healing and unity. The mission of the Coalition is to raise the bar in the creation, development, promotion and presentation of reggae music; to elevate the profile of its purveyors; and to research, codify, curate and disseminate information about the genre so as to increase understanding of its development, its significance, and its influence around the world. CPR conducts forums, presents events and broadcasts radio programs via CPRLive about reggae music and is open to all reggae lovers.
