Mr. Vegas Celebrates Jamaica’s 50th with Sweet Jamaica release
By Sharon Gordon
It was jammed packed inside New York City’s Miss Lilly’s Variety on Thursday night, February 2nd. Just one day after celebrating the birthday of reggae icon, Dennis Brown, Mr. Vegas accompanied by guitarist, Tony Bone and two back up singers did not disappoint those who gathered on a cold night inside the cozy room at Miss Lilly’s to see and hear him in an acoustic performance of some of the tracks from his soon to be released album. The full length glass windows on the Manhattan location was sweating from the heat that was generated by Mr. Vegas and those in attendance for his exclusive Listening Party. In anticipation of the release of his double album SWEET JAMAICA, on his own independently owned MV Music imprint. Mr. Vegas and his team invited the media to experience an upclose and personal vibe as he took the time to explain his thoughts behind the project as well his thoughts about his homeland, sweet Jamaica as the island celebrates fifty years of independence from Britain. The album SWEET JAMAICA is set for release on February 21st right in time for Reggae Month and Black History Month and is already receiving “love” at radio with several of the singles including the title track Sweet Jamaica which features Josey Wales and Shaggy already in heavy rotation on radio stations in the Caribbean, North America and Europe.
Reggae aficionado and long time editor for VIBE Magazine, Rob Kenner was the M.C. for the evening and did a stellar job of not only introducing Mr. Vegas but in also providing historical context for a several of the songs that were presented. For example, he was able to share the date and the name of the original artists of festival songs Sweet and Dandy and Take It Easy both of which Mr. Vegas performed. He also l informed Mr. Vegas and the audience that Jimmy Cliff performed on the very stage that Mr. Vegas was about to perform on, to which Mr. Vegas, responded, “I only hope I am able to stand in his shoe heel!” A very engaged Mr. Vegas told the audience this album was his way of paying tribute to his homeland and those pioneers who came before him. He was quite at home relating stories about his youth andwhat drives him to make the music that he has become so popularly known for as an international dancehall/reggae artist.
Says Mr. Vegas passionately, “I remember how sweet Jamaica used to be,” and wants listeners of the album to get a taste of that feeling musically. “I remember these songs and how they made me feel as a little boy growing up when we would go to the National Arena for festival,” says Mr. Vegas, “we used to have fun.” Recognizing the need for balance in the music, Mr. Vegas emphasized the need to embrace the foundation music and pay respect to those pioneers who paved the way so that artists like himself can now be touring all over the world. He lamented that fact that many a times, “Jamaican artists like Toots and the Maytals, Jimmy Cliff and others are not celebrated in Jamaica, it’s when they go overseas to places like Spain and Germany that they are celebrated.” That he says is a disappointment. Mr. Vegas also stressed the need to embrace the youth and their music and opined that this album, “which is a double album, has a foundation reggae side and a dancehall side.” “We need balance,” he said, “I have hope that reggae lovers will embrace this album as well as my core Dancehall fans.”
Mr. Vegas hopes that 50 years from now, his music will still be playing very much the way, Alton Ellis, Dennis Brown, Bob Marley and so many others are still being embraced. He encouraged selectors to “play some of these foundation tunes in the dance, think outside the box.” SWEET JAMAICA is certainly poised to do just that with its fusion of Ska, Rocksteady and foundation reggae rhythms. Producers on the album include Sly and Robbie, Cleveland “Clevie” Brown, Wycliff “Steely” Johnson, Mikey Bennet and Rohan Dwyer all adding their touch to the 30 solid tracks that appear on both cd’s. There are no fillers on the album and Mr. Vegas reveals his versatility not only as a “singjay” but also as a bona fide singer. There is something for everyone on SWEET JAMAICA and music lovers will be pleasantly surprised at his treatment in his remake of Toot’s Hibberts, Sweet and Dandy, Hopeton Lewis’s Take It Easy and Alton Ellis’s classics You’ve Made Me So Very Happy and A Little Love That’s All I Want From You. His energetic delivery comes across in dancehall tracks like Bruk It Down and the street anthem, Certain Law. SWEET JAMAICA also includes a live version of his international hit, I Am Blessed.
SWEET JAMAICA features a range of music from the early 1960’s through to today’s contemporary Dancehall sound. The album which was released on March 6th is a must have and will certainly become a collectors item. Clifford “Mr. Vegas” Smith has revealed his independence on SWEET JAMAICA. The album will be available in digital and retail outlets.
