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EZEJET West Indian Music Awards for Guyana Sept 22

Some of the Awards
Some of the Awards

Some have dubbed Guyana’s entertainment industry as a sleeping giant on the cusps of awakening even as the issue the introduction of copyrights legislation remains the main call form stakeholders. However that does not mean that those that make it happen should not be recognized and duly rewarded. In that light a line up of Guyanese are set to be awarded and celebrated for their contribution to the industry. EzJet in collaboration Dheeraj Cultural Foundation, Cultural Centre Ghungaroos Dance Academy out of the USA will take time out to honour some of the movers and shakers at an invitation only awards ceremony on September 22 at the Pegasus poolside. The events CEO says the company is spending just about US$30,000 to make the event a success. The event dubbed the 6th annual West Indian Music Awards (WIMA)is an all expenses paid presentation followed by a dinner and Dance. The event will honour stake holders in 16 categories across the wide spectrum of what Guyana dubs entertainment. The West Indian Music Awards categories including: best radio personality with names such as Merrano Isaacs and DJ Casual being the nominees. Mahendra Ramkillerwan stands alone for best male Chutney singer of the but clashes with Adrin Dutchin for Best song of the year with ‘I am Guyanese’ and ‘dem ah watch me’. The women will not be out done as Big Red’s ‘Guyanese wine’ will clash with Vanilla’s ‘Rage’ in the best females soca category while Mystic will do battle with Solid Youths,’ ‘you are gonna make it’ for the best reggae song of the year.

The best entertainment television personality category will be one to watch as Caribbean Music Box host Mondale Smith of Btv ch2 is pitted against Entertainer Rawle Ferguson’s Hitsville on HJtv72 and WR Reaz on channel 69. The Trio will again do battle for the best entertainment television personality crystal. Did Adrian Dutchin out perform his X2 duo mate Jumo for the best stage performer of the year? That question will be answered on the night of this prestigious event while APSARA is pitted against Classique Dance Company to see which is the best dance group/ troupe out of Guyana. in teh ebst Entertainment Print Journalist category Kaieteur News’ Rabindraroop Lall will come up against, Guyana Times’ Bhisham Mohommed and the Guyana Chronicle’s Alex Wayne to see who has the edge.

The event’s excitement continues with the singling out of Guyana’s best music video of the year. Best promotion group of the year will be awarded also and the nominees are Pulse, Hits and Jams and Fire Fest productions. One person will get the life time achievement in music award and a humanitarian awardee will not be left out. Apparently of all the bands that have come and gone the Shakti strings have remained true and stead fast and for that… who knows, maybe they too will get an award. And special special awards will be handed out to two Guyanese queens who have done the land of many waters proud on the international pageant circuit. Did Anthony Abrams of wine attack fame out weight GTT Jingle and Song competition winner Brandon Harding for the best new comer prize? One of the two will be performing. But its not only about awards as the night’s event will also feature entertainment from the likes of Mahendra Ramkillerwan, reigning Banks Groovy and Carib titles soca king Jumo Primo. Gospel sensation Solid youth as well as Mystic and Big Red while some new talent will be making their début as a warning to the veterans through presentations from Guyana’s little known Andre Duesbury and a kid who is now ready to break out with his acid raspy voice alongside a rhythm guitarist. They are Alex and Christian. The night under the stars will be one of the more memorable one for music stakeholders as they socialize and network in an environment. The ultimate aim is to let the artistes know for sure that their work, time, investments and energies are not wasted but celebrated. Nominees are asked to contact 6796111 or 6125540 for more details. Invitations have been issued to most major corporate citizens and among the guest that have confirmed their attendance is the United States Ambassador to Guyana Brent Hardt and wife Sakia as well as Tourism Minister Irfan Ali.

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Back Down Memory Lane: Jamaican Invasion

Jamaican Artist
Jamaican Artist

While the focus is often on the more youth oriented entertainment those looking for the sounds of yester year sung by the original artistes are advised to mark their calendar. Through a private initiative on the part of Business man Solomon and his wife Jamaican acts Ernie Smith, Winsome Benjamin, Ken Lazarus and Pluto Shervington are coming to Guyana to take some back down memory lane and some will fall in love all over again while some will fall in love for the first time.

Some lucky persons will win free tickets to the first concert billed for the 27th at the National Cultural Center by tuning into the Mondale Smith hosted Caribbean Music Box programme aired on BTV ch2 between the hrs of 4 and 6pm (16:00- 18:00hrs).

While a dinner and dance is planned for September 29 at the Plaza Roof Garden where Jamaican the acts of yesteryear will offer live entertainment in a more cozy setting compliments of the Solomon’s. The tickets for that event is going at a valued of cost $5000 each and can be bought at the Plaza Hotel.
Born Glenroy Anthony Michael Archangelo Smith, Ernie Smith is popular for songs such as ‘Pitta Patta’, a Bend Down, ‘Ride on Sammy,’ ‘One Dream,’ ‘Life Is Just For Living,’ Help Me Make It Through The Night,’ ‘Everything I Own’ and a repertoire that includes just over 21 albums.
Ken Lazarus is a Jamaican ska and reggae singer who is probably best known for his work as a lead singer in Byron Lee’s Dragonaires band. In the early 60s the band toured extensively in the Caribbean which made Ken Lazarus a popular singer on the island. He also became famous as a highly commercial cover artist. Later on he changed his style, recording roots and culture sides.

Pluto Shervington began his career in the early 1970s as a member of the show-band Tomorrow’s Children his hits include ‘Ram Goat Liver,’ ‘Dat’- about a Rastafarian with a secret liking for pork and ‘Your Honor’ which tells the story of a guilty man pleading his innocence even as he had his shirt in list left and his pants in his right’. In addition to his work as a singer, Shervington has a notable reputation as a talented bass guitarist, and as a recording engineer. He has a repertoire of 13 albums to his name done mostly in Jamaican patois (Creole). The Jamaican Gleaner reports that Pluto Shervington, also known as Pluto (born Leighton Shervington, 13 August 1950, Kingston, Jamaica), is a reggae musician, vocalist, engineer and producer. His output is mostly representative of soca -styled reggae, and over the years Shervington gained a reputation as a talented bass guitarist, as well as for his fine vocal interpretations. His output was briefly popular in the UK, despite the fact that his ‘Patois’ was largely unintelligible to most of the British population.

He is best known for his single Dat – about a Rastafarian with a secret liking for pork, contrary to his faith – which achieved considerable chart success internationally in 1976. He got into the Top 20 in the UK Singles Chart again six years later, with another best selling cut, entitled Your Honour. This song dealt with a prisoner’s courtroom pleas of innocence, in the face of insurmountable evidence to the contrary. The song’s somewhat racy nature and comical styling is in the best traditions of calypso, and many elements of reggae.
In 1974, Shervington engineered Little Roy’s album, Tafari Earth Uprising. Pluto Shervington moved from his West Indian homeland in the 1980s, to Miami, Florida. Nevertheless he returns to his roots periodically to perform.

By Mondale Smith