Beres Hammond woos Toronto fans

Saturday, September 06, 2008

Hammond. currently conducting a North American tour to promote his latest CD, Moment in Time

Legendary reggae and lover's rock singer, Beres Hammond, made a stop in Toronto recently, where he gave a sterling performance in front of a capacity audience at the Kool Haus, one of Toronto's more popular entertainment venues.

Toronto was the second Canadian city visited by Hammond who is currently conducting a North American tour to promote his latest CD, Moment in Time. The previous night he performed in Montreal, also to a sold-out crowd of exuberant fans.

Describing Toronto as his "home away from home" and telling the fans that they are all his family - to which the fans responded with loud cheers - the dapper Hammond who arrived on stage at 1:00 am had the audience literally eating out of his hands from his very first song, Standing In My Way.

What followed was a series of the singer's popular songs from his extensive repertoire. These included Falling In Love, Tempted to Touch, Double Trouble, Putting up Resistance, Full Attention, Can't Stop A Man and Come Down Father, and a host of other songs that had the fans rocking. He was backed up by a tight and versatile Harmony House band.

Hammond is undoubtedly one of the most popular and well-loved entertainers to perform in Toronto. His love affair with audiences here date back to the days when he appeared in concert with Marcia Griffiths, another equally popular Jamaican superstar.

This particular concert had full audience participation. For some of the songs that he performed, he would point his microphone towards the crowd; a signal for them to join in. And the fans loved every minute of it.

The consensus from fans is that this was one of Hammond's finest concerts.

The opening act Melanie Fiona, aka Syren, was well received by the crowd, but it was Courtney John who had the fans in ecstasy, paving the way for Hammond's arrival on stage.

Full credit should definitely go to Browneyes Entertainment for a superb promotion.

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Bolt battles elements to beat Powell

published: Saturday | September 6, 2008


Jamaica's Usain Bolt crosses the finish line to win during the 100-metre event at the Golden League meet in Brussels, Belgium, yesterday. - AP

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP):

USAIN BOLT battled the cold and a headwind, and was forced to come from behind to beat Asafa Powell in 9.77 seconds yesterday in a season farewell 100 metres at the Van Damme Memorial.

Running into 1.3 metre-per-second headwind, the Olympic champion had a bad start and immediately saw Powell shoot ahead of him.

However, in his last race of the season, nothing was going to spoil the world-record holder's farewell party in Europe.

Halfway through, he pulled level with Powell and then his huge strides took over, finishing just .08 of a second off the world record he set at the Beijing Games.

Jamaican sweep

Powell, the only runner to have beaten Bolt this season, finished second in 9.83. Nesta Carter made it a Jamaican sweep in 10.07.

"Asafa is a really fast guy. I'm getting used to chasing him," Bolt said.

Powell, who had beaten Bolt in Stockholm this summer, took the loss well and celebrated with Bolt along the track, cheered by the sell-out 47,000 crowd at the King Baudouin Stadium.

Feared the cold

Bolt had long warned he feared the cold and it was just 15 0C (590F) at the start.

Even his trademark showboating moves could not warm him up and when the starting gun went, he froze, getting dead last out of the blocks.

Such is his superiority, though, that he can com-pensate whatever he loses within a mere five seconds.

Once Powell saw him next to him, he knew he was done.

"I came out to run fast," Powell said. "Usain really put on the pressure."

Bolt won the 100 and 200 and ran in the Jamaican 4x100 sprint relay, winning three gold medals and setting a world record in each of his races in Beijing.

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Duke of Earle stages annual 'Back to Jamaica Homecoming Tour'

Saturday, September 06, 2008

Sunrise, Florida - Bevan Earle, affectionately known as "the Duke", displays his Jamaican pride wherever he goes and he makes it clear that he loves his native land. Annually, the Florida radio host and newspaper publisher demonstrates his love of country by hosting his "Back to Jamaica Homecoming Tour".

Begun in 2002 - with the support of Gordon "Butch" Stewart, chairman of Sandals and back then Air Jamaica - the tour was conceived by the pair as a way to reconnect Jamaicans all around the diaspora, as well as Jamaican descendents who had never been to their homeland.

Too often, opportunity, cost and other factors preclude many Jamaicans from stepping on native soil, so the annual tour has become a memorable way for travellers to see the island nation through the eyes of a proud native son. Each year, Jamaicans from across the Americas, of all ages, come together to participate in the homecoming tour. Many have been there every year since the tour was created, and look forward to this reunion and sojourn "back to the yard". Some travellers had not been "back to the yard" in over twenty years, often youth in the group have never visited this breathtaking island ever before, while others in the group go to Jamaica every opportunity that comes their way.

Each year, Earle selects a different part of the island to explore, and while there, those on the tour are treated to a taste of Jamaica, Sandals style. This year the tour will call Beaches Sandy Bay in Negril home, from September 11-16.
Activities always include fun-filled nights under the Jamaica stars, day trips exploring historical sites around the island, often discovering little-known natural treasures and historical facts, and most importantly, giving back.

While on island, every year Bevan Earle makes it his duty to assist some organisation, in some way, typically a school. This year is no different. Two schools in the western region that need computers will be selected, and will each receive seven keys for a computer lab.

Additionally, Earle will be launching the Jamaican-American Youth Project while on island, a project which is an extension of his decade-old Caribbean American Foundation (CAF).

The CAF offers a wide range of services to Caribbean nationals throughout the United States and the diaspora, particularly focused on the human development needs of Jamaicans. Services and programmes offered by CAF encompass education, human services, health and wellness, youth development, economic development, housing and tourism.

"We are grateful to Sandals and Air Jamaica for being so gracious to us, and we sincerely appreciate the warm hospitality, and this splendid opportunity to come home. We want to express our sincere thanks to Mr Gordon 'Butch' Stewart, the management and staff of Sandals and Beaches Resorts, and all of the staff of Air Jamaica. They all work to make the homecoming a trip to remember," a spokesman for the group said.

Schools interested in obtaining computers should call the Duke of Earle at (876) 630-2020 or (876) 819-5259.

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