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KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica’s musical fraternity is lending its support to the recovery efforts of its Caribbean neighbors in Haiti. This has resulted in the creation of “Listen 2 the Call,” a collaborative song which will have its global premiere on Tuesday, February 23 at 4:53 pm EST. Written by Raymond Azan, co-founder of For Jamaica Inc., and produced by Handel Tucker, “Listen 2 the Call” is a special musical gift made possible through the contribution of more than 30 of the island’s top artistes and musicians.

This version of “Listen 2 the Call,” which will premiere on February 23, is a special mix of the song, which runs for four minutes and fifty three seconds to commemorate the time the quake hit the Haitian capital. The lyrics offer encouragement and support for the people of Haiti.

According to the producers, “The goal of this project is to inspire people around the world to “Listen 2 the Call” not only of the poor, the suffering and displaced in Haiti, but rather to listen to their conscience and extend a helping hand.”

“Music is an important part of our culture and it is heartening to see the collaboration of a number of our top entertainers as part of a global effort to help our Haitian neighbors,” says John Lynch, Director of Tourism, Jamaica Tourist Board. “We hope everyone will “Listen 2 the Call” and act.”

Following the global simulcast premiere on February 23, the full version of the song will be available online for purchase. Proceeds from the sale of this song, including videos will be used to assist Haiti’s recovery and rehabilitation.

KINGSTON, Jamaica—This island nation boasts miles of pristine beaches, reggae music and the Western hemisphere’s largest butterfly.

Now, it’s promoting a new asset to tourists: its Jews.

From the tourism minister on down, Jamaican officialdom has embraced a plan to market the nation’s Jewish history as a way of wooing a new segment of travelers.

No matter that Jamaica has just one synagogue and no rabbi, or that its Jewish community is down to around 200 people. It was once home to a Jewish pirate named Moses, according to one account.

A global economic downturn and “ferocious” competition from Mexico, says Jamaican tourism director John Lynch, mean that every traveler counts these days. Jamaica’s Jewish history, he concedes, has “been a well-kept secret.”

Mr. Lynch wants to put together a tourism package that includes stops at historic Jewish cemeteries, a visit to the island’s synagogue and a traditional post-worship repast with Jewish families—with some beach time thrown in.

Since most of the island’s Jewish history is centered around Kingston, the strategy fits the government’s desire to boost tourism in the scruffy capital city most vacationers skip.

In January, Kingston hosted a five-day conference on Jewish-Caribbean history that drew 200 academics, genealogists and history buffs from Israel to Oregon.

But Jamaica is still finding its way in this new market. Two conference attendees negotiated a kosher meal with a waitress at a Kingston restaurant, insisting that a fish not touch a cooking surface that might have been used to cook meat. “You’ll wrap the fish in two pieces of foil?” a diner shouted as reggae music crackled in the background. “Yeah, mon,” she said.

Ainsley Henriques, an energetic 70-year-old who organized the conference, says Jamaica’s Jewish community does have a rich history. Mr. Henriques, with blue eyes and a lilting Jamaican accent, catches many off guard.

“When I travel, people say to me, ‘What, you’re Jamaican?’ And then, ‘What, you’re Jewish? There are Jews in Jamaica?’ They have no idea we’ve been here for 350 years.”

REGGAE crooner Gramps Morgan, fresh from copping the prestigious Album of the Year Award for his debut solo disc 2 Sides of My Heart Vol.1 at this year’s Excellence in Music and Entertainment Awards (EME), has now secured a whopping 5 nominations for the 2010 International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWA) that will be staged on Sunday, May 2 at the York College Performing Arts Center in Queens, New York.

Gramps’ nominations include: Best Song – Wash the Tears; Best Male Vocalist; Best Crossover Song – Therapy ft India.Arie; Best New Entertainer and Songwriter of the Year.

“I’m so excited and overwhelmed to have five nominations,” said Gramps. “Since I launched my solo career I have had a number of pleasant surprises and this is certainly one of them. It is a tremendous feeling of accomplishment. I thank the fans and the media for the support and my management team for the hard work that they have put into my project so far.”

Gramps’ current success comes on the heels of a whirlwind year in 2009 that included a major US tour with Arie and John Legend. In August 2009, he performed back to back, sold out events at the World famous Madison Square Gardens in New York and topped off the summer with a strong performance at Irie Jamboree, North America’s premier reggae festival. His debut album Two Side of My Heart Vol 1 had one of the strongest reggae debuts ever, racking up impressive sales in its first week. Then in October at Citi Field Stadium in New York City, home to the legendary New York Mets baseball team, he delivered a sizzling pre-game performance of his hit single Don’t Cry for Jamaica, which warmed the hearts of thousands of baseball fans at the Mets vs Houston Astros game.

For 2010, Gramps plans to remain focused on his core mission which is to heal the world with his music. Just last weekend he embarked on yet another first, taking the stage for two historic performances in Las Vegas, at the largest rugby event in North America, the USA Sevens International Rugby Tournament. This weekend he heads to the West Coast to perform at the Ragga Muffins Festival on February 20 with acts like Shaggy, Yellowman, Big Youth, Barrington Levy, Gregory Isaacs, Tarrus Riley, and The Mighty Diamonds.

Freedom from structure. Freedom from form. Freedom from the limits of time. Poet Russell Goings has no problem breaking the mold in his poetry, as was made clear when he spoke at Fairfield University on the evening of Thursday, February 18th in the library multimedia room.

Author of The Children of Children Keep Coming, an epic poem drawing upon the influences of griot songs to creatively express African American history, Russell Goings has led an incredibly full and interesting life. He was the first African American to hold a seat on the New York Stock Exchange, played professional football for the Buffalo Bills, trained pilots for the U.S. Air Force, and foundedEssence Magazine.

John Dankosky of WNPR News Radio facilitated the panel discussion about Goings’ unique style. The panel also included University of North Carolina Professor and folklorist of African American literature Glen Henson, as well as Fairfield English Professor Kim Bridgford who mentored Goings during the writing of The Children of Children Keep Coming.

To introduce the audience to his book, Goings read excerpts in his slow, soothing voice. The words from The Children of Children Keep Coming held a certain lyrical beauty.

After the readings, when WNPR host John Dankosky asked Goings why he chose to write like a griot, Goings explained, “It’s not a sonnet, gospel, poem, or any of that. It’s the music that comes from the soul of who we are as African Americans. It has a spirit to it. I don’t want to be enslaved anymore, freedom! I don’t want to be stuck with the structure after all those years of being enslaved. I don’t want the European form, I want the black form. Does that make sense? I need to be free!”

Like Goings, Henson appreciates the griot, pointing out that times isn’t linear with the griot. For instance, Goings created a world which collapses time to evoke the power of the ancients. In a sense, the griot gives shout-outs to those who came before by making them a part of the present. The idea of the griot can even be seen in modern day hip-hop. Hip-hop often times consists of taking different parts of songs and putting them together, like a musical collage. In the mixing and matching, something new is always being created.

This panel was the first of a 3-part series for Fairfield dedicated to fostering discussion about Goings’ poetry. There’s no doubt that those who attended will be looking forward to more on-campus experiences of the charisma, grandeur, and the epic personality of Russell Goings.

Jimmy Cliff already holds the Order of Merit, the highest honor bestowed by his native Jamaica, where the reggae legend stands alongside Bob Marley and Peter Tosh in the genre’s Mt. Rushmore. Now, he deservedly follows Marley from the reggae world into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, where he will be inducted by longtime admirer and friendWyclef Jean.

The accolade comes at a perfect time for Cliff, who will release a new album, ‘Existence,’ this year and gets set for his first major US tour in five years, including dates at Bonnaroo and the Hollywood Bowl, this summer. On the eve of his induction, the elegant and gracious Cliff spoke with Spinner about his influence on the likes of the Grateful Dead and Keith Richards, the enduring impact of ‘The Harder They Come’ and about finally getting to the next level in the US.

Where were you when you found out you’d been selected?

When I first heard, I was in New York City. I had just finished a tribute to the president of Ghana, and after I came offstage somebody said, “Congratulations.” I said, “Thank you. For what?” I thought he meant for my performance. But he said, “No, you’ve just been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.” I said, “Oh.” I had not heard anything.

You’re only the second reggae artist, after Bob Marley, to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Do you feel like then you’re carrying the torch for the genre with your induction?

The way I look at it, in the genre of reggae music I was there at almost the commencement of it, so I played my role there. Bob Marley came after, so I did a lot of things internationally before anyone else. So I’ve always seen my role as one of like a shepherd, one who opens the gate. So who opens the gate has to close it.

You’re doing an extensive US tour this year, as well. Was that planned to coincide with this or was that just a happy coincidence?

Actually, it was planned ’cause I have not toured the US for five years out of choice. And I just said, “OK, it’s time. I want to go tour the US again.” And then that came about, so it all coincided together.

What made this the right time to tour the US, then?

I wanted to come back to the US on a new footing, and the new footing now is I have a new album, which I’m very excited about. I have a movie planned, which may go into production this year. And with all of those things going on, I just feel like now is the time to go back into the US.

‘Existence,’ your new album, comes out later in the year. Who are you working with on the record?

All young creative Jamaican musicians; they’re all young, they’re all fresh, and they’re all just roaring to go. I love to do that. Throughout my career, I’ve always liked to touch on who’s new.

How much does working with that young blood inspire you as a musician?

Fantastically. I bring to them my songs and when they heard the songs they became more excited. So that really motivates me, ’cause the encouragement and appreciation is something we all need in everything we do.

You can’t get more appreciation than being into a Hall of Fame. What does it mean to you then?

OK, it’s a stepping stone to another level of success. It’s a journey that I’ve been on, and this stop on the journey is really an exciting one and a great stepping stone to the other level.

What do you hope for the other level to be?

Well, I have established myself, along with the music that I helped create. And I’ve played stadiums in Africa and certain parts of South America, but I’ve not done that in the US. I’ve done it some parts of Europe, so that is something I look forward to doing. I have made, like, four movies. My first love was acting, and that’s another area that I have to explore much more extensively. So, yeah, there’s a lot more to be done.

In a lot of respects, over here for people the music and film started off intertwined when it comes to your career because of ‘The Harder They Come.’ But then you continued making music. So do you feel like in a way film has been overlooked?

In one way, however, I focus myself in the musical area, and, like, two, three, four years after the movie came out, there were still a few roles coming. But not roles I felt I wanted to do, and because I had my music to fall back on I just say, “When the right one comes along.”

There are many great artists on the Bonnaroo lineup. Who are you excited to see and are there any old friends you’re looking forward to catching up with?

I’ve met Stevie Wonder and I’ve always been a big fan. I’m a fan of Jay-Z, I’ve met Dave Matthews, we’ve done one tour together. So it’ll be great to catch up with those people again if at all possible.

You’re a fan of Jay-Z and Dave Matthews. Are there artists you really feel are carrying on the spirit of the music you started in terms of social consciousness and telling stories?

A lot that I’ve seen in different genres of music, from rap to rock to R&B, even in country because somebody like a country legend like Willie Nelson has done a version of ‘The Harder They Come.’ And rock legends like the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards in particular, have covered also songs of mine, and the list goes on. So many of the artists that I’ve seen are influenced and inspired by the music that I have created and it is gratifying to see that and encouraging for me because I do feel like my greater work is yet to be done.

Are there any covers of your songs that stand out as favorites?

Well, I appreciated all of them. There was a song that was done by the Grateful Dead when Jerry Garcia was around, called ‘Struggling Man,’ and I was really amazed when I first saw him perform that song in his own rock way. That one really touched me a lot. I have to say I like a lot the version [of 'Many Rivers To Cross'] of Nilsson, which John Lennon produced because I loved some of the work of Nilsson I heard in the past and I really liked the way they both collaborated on that one.

Now, let’s switch it around to your covers. You’ve done stuff like Cat Stevens’ ‘Wild World.’

As a songwriter what is one song you wish you could have written, and why?

There are a quite a few, but let me just name one: I would have to say Paul Simon andArt Garfunkel, ‘The Boxer.’ Boxing has always been my favorite sport because when I look at boxing it makes me see that this is really what life is. The boxer has in his corner all his trainers, his handlers, his manager, everyone that’s around him. But when the time comes to step into that ring, he’s by himself, he has to defend himself in there, and for me, that’s really how life is.

Wyclef Jean is inducting you into the Hall of Fame. Talk about your friendship.

Well, I’m a great fan of Wyclef, as well; as a creative person, he’s brilliant. And we’ve done some work in the very early stages before Fugees even broke big, in his basement studio. And then my last album, but we’ve seen each other on and off in that time since my last album. And then we did a track off that album. So, yeah, it’s a very artistic and brotherly respect, because we’re also neighbors in terms of coming out in the Caribbean there.

Who are you looking forward to seeing at the ceremony?

Well, I’ve always been a fan of Genesis, from Peter Gabriel, when he was with them, and when they broke away and did separate albums. I understand that Genesis won’t be performing, but I would love to see them perform all together. I love Abba’s music. The Stooges are great, and the Hollies, I knew the Hollies when I lived in England. So either of them will be a great pleasure for me to see.

What three Jimmy Cliff songs would you send people to who are just getting to know your music?

The movie ‘The Harder They Come’ and the title track, along with so many other songs on that soundtrack. But I would think because people are so familiar with that song and the movie, which was such a great inspiration, maybe that song. And then of course there is ‘Many Rivers to Cross,’ which is also one of those songs that touches so many generations. And an inspirational song like ‘You Can Get It If You Really Want.’ [Barack Obama] has used the slogan of “Yes we can” and got elected. And it’s always a song of hope and inspiration: “You can get it if you really want.” So I think those are three Jimmy Cliff songs that people would look forward to.