VP Records’ 17 North Parade music label, dedicated to vintage reggae from the ’60s and ’70s, is living up to its goals with the release of music from producer George Phang - a pioneer in the evolution of dancehall.
“Selector’s Choice - Powerhouse Productions Volumes 1 - 4” is a sampling [160 tracks] of Phang’s works. The music producer is known for melding top-flight roots musicians, such as Sly and Robbie, with dancehall vocals greats, such as Half Pint and Barrington Levy. Among the other recent 17 North Parade releases is reissued music from Half Pint, and Tenor Saw and Nitty Gritty.
The 17 North Parade version of “Tenor Saw Meet Nitty Gritty,” originally on the Power House label, features eight original album tracks and four top songs from each artist.
Highlights of Half Pint’s “Greetings [Special Edition]” are seven cuts that were previously available only as single releases.
Art and politics
The art show “Born-again Again,” an exhibition of political commentaries, will be on display through next Sunday at the Five Myles Gallery, 558 St. Johns Place, Brooklyn.
Engles, Rodney Leon, Edouard Pierre Louis, and Mahyad Tousi are four featured artists. Gallery hours are Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m. or by appointment. Call 347-534-6776 for information and appointments. And visit www.fivemyles.org.
Excelsior alumni feted
The celebration of the Excelsior Alumni Association’s annual dinner dance traditionally shines a special light on graduates of the Jamaica school.
This year’s black-tie affair - scheduled to be held Saturday, October 11 from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Ramada Plaza Hotel at JFK International Airport - will recognize the achievements of three distinguished alumni.
This year’s honorees are Ivor Livingston, a professor of the medical sociology and social epidemiology in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Howard University; writer Vinette Pryce; and architect Orville Hayles, a long-time member of the association.
The Ramada Plaza is offering a number of rooms at a special rate of $149 per night available until the first week of October. For availability, call the Ramada Plaza at 718-995-9000 and mention the October 11 Excelsior Alumni Association’s dinner dance.
Tickets are $80 per person. For information and tickets, call 718-771-7028, 718-251-9243, 718-781-6049 or 917-863-5061.
Infamous anniversary
“Slave Routes: Resistance, Abolition and Creative Progress,” an international symposium at New York University in Manhattan and Harlem’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture Thursday, October 9 through Saturday, October 11 will mark the 200th anniversary of America’s abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.
The symposium will examine the deep and long-lasting impact of slavery and discuss the practice of modern-day slavery.
An international array of scholars, musicians, visual artists and writers will take part in the event’s panels, readings, performances and plenary session.
Get a full schedule of events and register online at: www.slaveroutes.org or https://africanastudies.as.nyu.edu/object/slaveroutes08.
Soca celebrated on St. Kitts
With the blessing of public opinion, the best of the best in soca music will be honored on St. Kitts at the International Soca Awards on October 18 at the St. Kitts Marriott Event Center in Frigate Bay.
An online public survey to help pick last year’s finest soca performers ends Friday. Cast your vote by visiting www.socaawards.com, entering the site and clicking the “Vote” link.
Scheduled performers for the sixth annual event, which is endorsed by the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, include Gypsy, Patrice Roberts, Rickey T., Crazy, Short Shirt, Zoelah, Kerwin Dubois and Shal Marshall, Juliette Mills, Jadine, the Respeck Band, Kamu, Tizzy and El-A-kru, Nu Vybes International and Small Axe Band.
“We are pleased to host this prestigious event,” Sen Ricky Skerritt, minister of state in the St. Kitts Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Culture, said of the events, which also features special honors for industry greats. Among the awards are Lifetime/Achievement Award for McLean (King Short Shirt) Emmanuel, Hall of Fame for Elston (King Ellie Matt) Nero, Legend Award to Winston (Gypsy) Peters, Technical Award to Eddy Grant and Leston Paul, and the Trustees Award for Ignatius (De Invader) Tisson.
The Brooklyn-based Soca Awards Organization, founded by Colin Jackman of Trinidad and Tobago, is presenting the music awards event.
For more information, to vote for the winners or purchase tickets, visit www.socaawards.com.
Haiti art in Manhattan
A number of underexposed veteran artists are displaying their works in “Haitian Painting, 1945-1985,” an exhibit at the Edward Thorpe Gallery, 210 11th Avenue [between West 24th and West 25th Streets] in Manhattan.
Participating artists include Prefete Duffaut, Edger Jean-Baptiste, Seneque Obin, Wilson Bigaud, Hector Hyppolite, and Fernand Pierre.
The much-anticipated show ends on Saturday, October 18. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Call 212-691-6565 and visit www.edwardthorpegallery.com.
This column is reprinted from the October 5 Sunday editions of The New York Daily News. If you have any items suitable for this column please e-mail them to jmccallister@nydailynews.com.
