MetaFilter posts tagged with jamaica

Jamaican mixtapes from Brazil

Tom-B — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 11:41:08 -0800

DJ Magrão from São Paulo is usually into Jamaican sounds, but he also has his Brazilian favorites. Over 10 hours of downloadable mixtapes, 100% vinyl.

The Shuls with Sandy Floors

zarq — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:48:04 -0800

There are only five functioning Jewish synagogues with sand floors in the world, and four of them are in the Caribbean. How has the tradition been maintained for hundreds of years? The Five Shaare Shalom Synagogue (Kingston, Jamaica) - Wikipedia. - Article: Becoming Jewish in Jamaica. "The first ordained rabbi in 40 years to serve the Shaare Shalom Synagogue of Kingston, Jamaica, has attracted to his conversion classes candidates who include descendants of its once much larger and thriving population." - Article: Jamaica's New Tourism Spiel: Beaches and Reggae and Jews Beracha Veshalom Vegmiluth Hasidim Synagogue (St. Thomas, Virgin Islands) - Panoramic Photos. - Photo of the sand floor Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue (Curacao, Netherlands Antilles) - Photos. (Also known as the Snoa, it is the oldest synagogue in continuous use in the Western Hemisphere, founded in 1651.) Neve Shalom (Paramaribo, Republic of Suriname) - Photos. - Wikipedia. Portuguese Synagogue Also known as the Esnoga. (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) - Wikipedia. - Panoramic Photos. - Video embedded here. Why Sand? A synagogue drawn in the sand: The custom may have originated in Amsterdam, where sand was used to dry mud on people's shoes. The Esnoga synagogue was near the edge of town, where most of the streets were unpaved and, thanks to the weather, often muddy. It was, therefore, practical to line the floor in the synagogue with sand to keep it tidy. There are a number of churches and taverns in the Netherlands dating to the 17th century that likewise have sand floors.
Synagogues in the Sand: There are two theories about the origins of the synagogue’s sand floor. One is that it symbolizes the desert through which Moses and the children of Israel wandered for 40 years. The other theory, considered by experts the more likely explanation, is that the floor harkens back to when Spanish Jews had to practice their religion in secret, meeting in cellars to pray.
More: A Journey to Jewish Curaçao. And a pdf article from Frommer's: Sanctuaries in the Sand

Is this Volkswagen ad racist?

Cosine — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:48:25 -0800

Jamaican's seem to have no issue with Volkswagen's new Super Bowl ad, others however are of a different opinion, going so far as to deem the content racist.

Not so much theater as outdoor village, complete with night sky.

Mothlight — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:50:14 -0800

A lot of once great [New York movie] theaters have been gutted and repurposed, most often into churches, pharmacies and gyms," writes The NYC Scout in today's installment of Scouting New York. "I’ve stopped in quite a few hoping to find the rare gem that’s survived, but have only been disappointed time and again." Scouting New York has been featured in the blue many times ( 1 2 3 4 5 6 ), but this entry is (literally, at least in my case) jaw-dropping. Just keep scrolling down. More on this theater at Cinema Treasures, the Queens Tribune, and (of course) the New York City Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

Rub-a-Dub Style

Dim Siawns — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 09:31:26 -0800

Beth Lesser, perhaps best known for her photography of the Jamaican music scene, has made her book "Rub-a-Dub Style: The Roots of Modern Dancehall" (pdf) free to download on her website. The author summarises the book as:

Some of the subjects that are covered include the development of sound systems in post independence Jamaica, “slackness” v “culture”, political war and its effect on sound system activity, the “digital” breakthrough in 1985, women entertainers’ struggles to make it in a male dominated field, the ‘sing-jay’ style and how deejay lyrics changed throughout the years, how dance cassettes spread the rub-a-dub style, the reggae business model and the problems it created, the fight against the dance hall style and its ultimate triumph as the premier sound of Jamaica today.

Due to poor documentation (or more frequently complete lack) of legal contracts, many performers of this era see no compensation for the use of their music, so Lesser suggests that people who have enjoyed the book can send any money they might have spent on its purchase to the Jamaican Association of Vintage Artists and Affiliates.

Music of the Ghetto

Jibuzaemon — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 13:16:53 -0800

"The early death of I-Roy and dozens of other great reggae personalities is first and foremost – directly as well as indirectly – a legacy of the colonial power structures which still dominate the third world and cripple its inhabitants...We who survive due to the same structures must honour those who did not – and incidentally also whose who are still out there – by listening carefully to their music." An entreaty from a Norwegian gal on a an epic journey learn about early reggae music.

Portia Nuh Play

Kattullus — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:04:25 -0800

"Portia Simpson Miller, the former and newly re-elected Prime Minister of Jamaica and representative of the People's National Party, recently took an historically significant position by openly supporting GLBT legal protection in Jamaica, a country internationally notorious for a "culture of homophobia." Miller's statements come at a time of great cultural change in both Jamaica and dancehall music. This is for her." This is a mixtape of dancehall music and some of it is NSFW.

78 78s

carter — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:00:29 -0800

78 78s - In Search Of Lost Time - is a streaming mix of beautiful 78s from around the world, collected and curated by Ian Nagoski. "I started sifting through boxes of junky old 78s that no one else wanted about 15 years ago, and almost right away, I made a rule: Anything that wasn't in English, buy it." Ian's projects have been discussed here before.

The Jolly Boys

sgt.serenity — Thu, 26 May 2011 07:47:02 -0800

The most serious crisis facing the world today is the lack of Jamaican Reggae/Mento covers - The Jolly Boys try to redress the balance. I know its not strictly, strictly reggae - but if anyone can help me fill in the gaps re trojan ska covers ( a bit like the trojan beatles set) of various songs, i'd be grateful.

A Compendium of Obscure Things

Kattullus — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 00:43:14 -0800

Res Obscura is a blog by Ben Breen, a graduate student of early modern history, which styles itself "a compendium of obscure things." Indeed, even the asides are full of wonder, such as the one about Boy, the famous Royalist war poodle of the English Civil War, which is but a short addendum to a post about witches' familiars. Here are some of my favorite posts, Pirate Surgeon in Panama (and a related post about 18th Century Jamaica), vanished civilizations, asemic pseudo-Arabic and -Hebrew writing in Renaissance art, and a series of posts about the way the Chinese and Japanese understood the world outside Asia in the early modern period (Europeans as 'Other', Europeans as 'Other,' Redux and Early Chinese World Maps).

Born In The Sky

puny human — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 20:38:55 -0800

Born In the Sky: Upsetter at the Controls With Susan Cadogan - Do It Baby (Nice 'n Easy) and The Upsetters - All Combine.

The Hidden World of Girls

zarq — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 09:36:20 -0800

Hidden World of Girls: Girls and the Women they Become is NPR's collaborative year-long, ongoing series between The Kitchen Sisters, NPR and listener submissions. The series explores "stories of coming of age, rituals and rites of passage, secet identities—of women who crossed a line, blazed a trail, changed the tide." NPR and The Kitchen Sisters are looking for stories from around the world — from the middle of the city to the middle of nowhere. ... We're looking for the women who are leading the meetings and the girls who are breaking new ground: the famous, the infamous, the unknown and the unsung. We also want to document rituals girls undergo across the world. What rites of passage do they face? What trails have they blazed? What kinds of secrets do they keep?
The series to date: * Open Diary: Chronicling The Hidden World Of Girls. "As part of the Hidden World of Girls project, we're looking to create a database of intimate diary entries. With enough of them, they could form a comprehensive tapestry — from elation to depression — of life experiences. We already have a small collection on Flickr." * A Woman's Mission: To Teach Birth Control In Nigeria. "When Chris Abani was a boy, he toured the Nigerian countryside as an interpreter for his mother, Daphne Mae Hunt, who wanted to teach women about their menstrual cycles as a form of birth control." * Deborah Luster: The Power of a Picture After her mother's murder in 1988, Deborah Luster found herself coping in an unusual way: by photographing inmates. (Previously on MeFi.) Bonus: Deborah Luster's Hidden Kitchens * Taking Surprising Risks For The Ideal Body. "Every culture has its idealized woman — a standard of beauty that is sought and valorized. And everywhere around the world, women are altering themselves to achieve the look that is celebrated, from cosmetics to liposuction. The Jamaican vision of beauty keeps evolving." * For Traveller Women In Ireland, Life Is Changing. "Travellers, "the people of walking," are often referred to as the Gypsies of Ireland. Mistrusted for the most part, their traditions and lifestyle are not well understood within the larger culture. Historically, they were nomads who moved in caravans and lived in encampments on the side of the road. Their tradition as "tinkers" or tinsmiths, and as the breeders and traders of some of Ireland's best horses, goes back hundreds of years." * In Secret World, Girls Of The '60s Advised The Beatles: 'Science-fiction writer Pat Cadigan and her friend Rosemarie DeCaria imagined a world where they maintained a "secret exclusive contact with The Beatles'" "Sonic Tidbits" from listeners. On Facebook.

The soldiers and police were going from house to house in search of Coke

Jawn — Thu, 27 May 2010 15:47:58 -0800

73 dead in Kingston, Jamaica after four days of fighting resulting from the search for alleged drug dealer Christopher 'Dudus' Coke. He remains at large. The United States has been pressing for extradition since August of 2009. Jamaican prime minister Bruce Golding, elected with the help of Coke, stalled for nine months claiming the evidence was obtained illegally before issuing a warrant for his arrest on May 17th. Coke's supporters in the Tivoli Gardens neighborhood of Kingston have been stockpiling weapons and ammunition since the extradition was announced and the raid on May 24th set off four days of violence leaving 3 police and at least 70 civilians dead, 28 (police) wounded, and more than 500 people arrested. It is believed Coke may be hiding in the nearby slum of Denham Town where his supporters are still barricading the streets.

Benny Hill Riddim

escabeche — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:44:24 -0800

We've had posts about Yakety Sax (a.k.a. the Benny Hill music) and we've had posts about the Jamaican backing tracks known as riddims. But we've never had a post about Benny Hill riddim. In roughly decreasing order of how much Yakety Sax you can still hear: Elephant Man, "No Ticcle." Leftside, "Cowboy." Sample, "Kotch." Timberlee feat. Tosh, "Heels."

don't ask/don't tell in a rub-a-dub stylee...

artof.mulata — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:43:04 -0800

"Being gay in Jamaica, it's like, don't tell anybody. Just keep it to yourself..." homophobia in jamaica and the culture it's creating.

We Will Illuminate Dark Places

netbros — Mon, 04 May 2009 11:57:36 -0800

Live Hope Love — Living and Loving with HIV in Jamaica.

I think there is something missing here.

ooklala — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 16:43:42 -0800

An entire beach in Jamaica has been stolen. Although much of the sand has been found, it is estimated that it will take up to 100 years for the beach to be rebuilt. People now think that there is a coverup operation. In Jamaica, sand theft is not uncommon as sand is an ingredient for concrete (which is used for building homes), but theft on such a large scale has never before happened (unless you count the time when an artificial beach in Hungary was stolen)

Dub(step)

phrontist — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:43:21 -0800

Dub step is from the UK. It's typified by skittering, shuffled, syncopated rhythms with lots of triplets, dissonant and minor tonality, and most strikingly... (sub)bass. It uses a lot of effects people associate with dub. Crank your woofer and listen to the likes of Skream (who has done a pretty good introductory mix), Plastician, Digital Mystikz, and El-B. Previously

I&I Space

flapjax at midnite — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:10:53 -0800

Each of the following MySpace Music pages features bios and/or photos and/or videos and/or miscellaneous related materials and/or up to six songs by each of the following old school Jamaican Reggae and/or dub artists: Alton Ellis, Toots and the Maytals, Jimmy Cliff, The Wailing Wailers, Big Youth, Dennis Brown, Mikey Dread, The Meditations, Leroy Brown, Mad Professor, Augustus Pablo, Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus, King Tubby, The Abyssinians, Everton Blender, Bunny Wailer, Prince Alla, Israel Vibration, Peter Tosh, Gregory Isaacs, Shinehead, Jah Ruby, Carlton Livingston, King Jammy, Duckie Simpson, I Threes, Judy Mowatt, Sly and Robbie, Barrington Levi, Yellowman, Delroy Williams, Wailing Souls, Earl "Chinna" Smith, Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace, Burning Spear, Max Romeo, Black Uhuru, Leroy Sibbles, Ijahman Levi and Earl Cunningham. Extra bonus: videoclips of classic songs from Jamaica's #1 soul man, Toots Hibberts and the Maytals: Sweet and Dandy (from the movie "The Harder They Come") Pressure Drop (fan-made clip, random images, but the song is there) Reggae Got Soul (really smokin' clip...) And from way back in 1962, this amazing clip from a live show in Jamaica: a very young Toots sings Treat Me Bad & I Will Never Let You Down.

I can't eat, I can't talk - Been drinkin' mean jake, Lord, now can't walk - Ain't got nothin' now to lose - Cause I'm a jake walkin' papa with the 'Jake Walk Blues' - The Allen Brothers

y2karl — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 05:33:51 -0800

mp3s:
Jake Leg Blues - Mississippi Sheiks
Jake Walk Blues - The Allen Brothers
Alcohol and Jake Blues - Tommy Johnson (lyrics)
Articles:
"Jake Leg," about how the blues diagnosed a mysterious 1930 epidemic is a pdf scan of a New Yorker article from September 15, 2003 from here. The Jake Walk Effect is from North Carolina Moonshine, as is The Jake Leg in Song See also Paralysis In A Bottle (html) See also The Jake Walk and Limber Trouble: A Toxicology Epidemic See also Happy Tails, Jake Leg, and the Food and Drug Administration Also, there is Poisons and Prohibitions: The Persistence of Folly And then there is Three Case Studies for the Epimediological Side of Toxicology: 1. Jamaica Ginger... See also Lyrics Spawned from Jake Leg.

322 pages, 1603 label scans, 954 details, 111 sleeves

soundofsuburbia — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 04:10:47 -0800

Jamaican Label Art. J.L.A. is a website for those people who are obsessed with Caribbean music and the artwork and design of the labels on the vinyl reproductions of that music. It doesn't matter if those labels are on recordings of Jamaican music released in the U.S.A., or indeed Trini Calypso released in the U.K. It's all the same to us!

From Jamaica To Toronto

The Card Cheat — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 10:43:14 -0800

Jackie Mittoo. Wayne McGhie and the Sounds Of Joy. Bob and Wisdom. The Mighty Pope. And many others. A free concert back in July and a series of reissues have begun to tell the story of the Toronto reggae, funk and soul scene of the 1950's, '60's and '70's.

Rabbit Jones

Area Control — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 16:40:23 -0800

Who is Rabbit Jones? Some text and images NSFW. A man steals a giant rabbit head. He meets another man who eats flies. He beats up a weirdo, then gets ugly drunk, and impersonates a refugee. Plus lots of other adventures & cool Rabbit Jones photos. But what is the connection to Jamaica? "The weirdness of Kingston is highly entertaining. Is Peter Dean Rickards "The Canadian born, chubby, self-appointed, self publicist, media terrorist of Kingston" or just a hater?

The pirate Captain Morgan never saw this coming

Astro Zombie — Sat, 24 Jun 2006 10:51:41 -0800

Strippers, monkeys, pirates, and fire, a humorously titled account of the 1692 destruction by tsunami of the pirate city Port Royal.

My wife is obsessed with this albino squirrel

scblackman — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 11:43:19 -0800

I finally saw it and captured it on film. The picture got me wondering whether or not anyone else was equally smitten by these freaks of nature. Apparently the good people at The Albino Squirrel Preservation Society are. So are these seemingly nice folks. Leave it to the BBC to be the definitive authority on the topic. Of course there are those who will turn this into a tourist attraction or a way to make a quick buck. There are frauds. There are criminal aspects. There is always a detractor or two, and as always too much hype.