HOMAGE TO THE MESSAGE OF ROOTS REGGAE MUSIC
Reggae Culture Salute is a majestic tribute that commemorates the anniversary of the coronation of His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia and Empress Mennen. This hallmark event of the Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music (CPR) is a multi-media presentation highlighting the organic relationship between reggae, rasta, Emperor Selassie and Jamaica. In 2005, the inaugural staging received rave reviews and New York's stamp of approval when patrons packed the world famous Roxy to celebrate the regal remembrance. Today Reggae Culture Salute is patronized by audiences all around the world.
Each year, Reggae Culture Salute honors a stalwart of the genre with the Pinnacle Award for Excellence and this year, the honor goes to Marcia Griffiths. The veteran singer, who is hailed as the "Queen of Reggae" is celebrating fifty years as an integral part of the reggae music industry. She came to prominence with Bob Andy in the late 1960's with their remake of Nina Simone's "Young, Gifted and Black" and went on to greater fame singing backup harmony for the late "King of Reggae," Bob Marley, along with Judy Mowatt and Rita Marley in the group known as the I-Threes, and has enjoyed a stellar solo career. Notable among her many hits is the "Electric Slide" a perennial favorite written for her by Bunny Wailer. Music lovers are encouraged to come out to support Marcia on this auspicious occasion.
Also performing at this the 10th annual Reggae Culture Salute is reggae crooner, Everton Blender who first graced the Reggae Culture Salute stage in 2009 and returns by popular demand as this year's special guest. The artist is expected to thrill the audience with hits such as "Ghetto People Song" and "Life Up Your Head" among others.
At the core of the salute is the CPR Roots Reggae Revival Showcase, featuring members of the Coalition. Slated to perform are Connecticut’s Don Minott who returns by popular demand; Simone Gordon from New York City; from Maryland comes Da Real Storm while Tasha T makes her way from Toronto, Canada; former lead singer of the Wailers band Gary Pine will make his debut as will Turban X. CPR’s Poet Laureate, Ras Osagyefo will also perform. Backing band will be the CPR All Stars, directed by veteran guitarist Linford Carby. A special dance routine featuring dance moves from throughout the past fifty years will include the likes of noted dancer Alphonso Castro, Shawnee Lee and Sophia Walsh-Newman.
The theme of this years staging is collaboration and collaborating with CPR in presenting it will be Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (UJAA), Jamaicans Abroad Helping Jamaicans At Home (JAHJAH Foundation) and Diaspora African Rastafari Congress (DARC Foundation). With this theme of collaboration, the event will provide the platform for the U.S. launch of SiteMedia's Rastafari TV (RTV).
In his 2010 coverage of the event, Jared McCallister of the NY Daily News pointed out that "It may be news to some, but reggae music owes a great debt of gratitude to the late Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I." In a preview of the 2006 staging, Ben Sesario of the New York Times wrote "The big reggae concert this fall should be relatively free of the controversy that has dogged so many other recent reggae shows: homophobia," and called Reggae Culture Salute "a celebration of reggae's old-fashioned family values."
