Etana prepares for Europe

AFTER an outstanding performance at last weekend’s Rebel Salute concert, Etana is now gearing up for a European tour based on the strength of her Billboard chart-topping album, I Rise.

The 31-year-old kicks off her tour on January 29 in Belgium and will go through several countries before climaxing on February 22 in Stuttgart, Germany.

Released in 2014, I Rise marked the first time in 17 years that a Jamaican female reggae artiste has topped Billboard’s Reggae album chart.

“It [the album] was a great showing. It topped the album charts for four weeks, and then when I went on a US tour, it jumped once again and topped the chart for three weeks, so it shows that my brand is very strong in the reggae world,” said Etana.

The Clive Hunt-produced album is Etana’s fourth entry on the album chart. The last time a Jamaican female reggae artiste topped the chart was 1997 with Diana King’s Think like a Girl.

Etana, whose given name is Shauna McKenzie, released her debut album The Strong One in June 2008. Her other sets include Free Expressions (2011) and Better Tomorrow (2013).

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Etana prepares for Europe

Health ministry prepares for possible ebloa outbrreak

As part of ongoing preparations for a possible introduction of the ebola virus into Jamaica, the Ministry of Health is undertaking ongoing activities to ensure that the requisite systems and resources are in place to enable a comprehensive response.

Acting Director, Emergency, Disaster Management and Special Services, Dr Sonia Copeland, points out that although Jamaica has no case of ebola at this time, it continues its preparation against the background of the current outbreak in west Africa.

“Our preparation activities have been heightened in line with World Health Organisation recommendations. We urge members of the public to pay close attention to information about ebola especially if they have to travel to any of the affected countries,” she said.

The overall situation of the ebola outbreak in west and central Africa remains critical. The following countries are now affected: Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Senegal. As of September 25, 2014, the World Health Organisation reports a cumulative total of 6,263 cases including 2,917 deaths from the affected countries.

She said persons are advised to avoid non-essential travel to the affected areas. If persons have to travel to these areas they are advised not to handle dead animals and restrict close and intimate contact with persons who may be infected or could be a contact of an infected person.

Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with blood and other bodily fluids or secretions such as stool, saliva, urine and semen of infected persons. Infection can also occur if broken skin comes in contact with environments that have become contaminated with an ebola patient’s infectious fluids such as soiled clothing, bed linen or used needles.

For more information persons may contact the Ministry of Health Emergency Operations Centre at 1888-663-5683 or 1888-ONE LOVE.

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Health ministry prepares for possible ebloa outbrreak

Volleyball sensation prepares to don Jamaica"s colours

PREPARATION for the Caribbean Volleyball Championships this summer is in high gear as the Jamaica Volleyball Association on Sunday signalled its intention for the team to go farther than ever this year when they announced that collegiate volleyball sensation Jamion Hartley has been called up to the national team.

Hartley, a Jamaican by birth, has been living in Chicago, Illinois, in the United States of America since moving there with his family when he was seven years old.

After being persuaded to play volleyball while in the eighth grade at high school, Hartley’s raw talent and skill exploded, and he was voted most valuable player in his senior year.

He has spent the last four years dominating the collegiate circuit and honing his skills while attending Ball State University (BSU), one of the top-ranked colleges in volleyball in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). While at BSU, he made a name for himself wracking up double-digit kills in matches at a dizzying rate.

His 30 kills in his 10th match under the BSU banner still holds the number two spot for most kills in a match. The six-foot-seven left-handed outside hitter also has impressive stats in aces and digs, which are made all the more impressive by his recent revelation that until that fateful day when his high school volleyball coaches convinced him to give the sport a try, he was determined to become a professional basketball player.

“I was one of those kids that practised in the snow, I really wanted to make it, but I think it burned me out at an early age,” he said in a recent interview.

Having been convinced to give volleyball a try, Hartley said he simply fell in love with the sport, and has not looked back since.

His exploits on the court have not gone unnoticed, and he was recently recruited to play professionally for VCA Amstetten Volleyball Club in Austria. At the end of the professional circuit in May, Hartley, who lived at Brotherton Avenue in Kingston in his childhood years, will be reuniting with his countrymen as they try to best their Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) counterparts to take top honours at Caribbean Volleyball Championships in Trinidad in July of this year.

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Volleyball sensation prepares to don Jamaica"s colours

Tifa rocks Belgium, prepares for Montreal Reggae Festival

DANCEHALL star Tifa made a huge impact at the just-concluded Reggae Geel festival in Belgium leaving patrons in a trance following her impressive performance.

The artiste, whose fanbase extends beyond the boundaries of Jamaica, the Caribbean and North America, was in top form churning out dancehall and reggae delicacies.In a release to the media, Tifa described the experience as a rewarding one.“It was a good experience and a bit overwhelming. Just to be a part of such a legendary line-up of artistes on the two-day festival was very humbling,” Tifa explained.During her 35-minute set, Tifa delivered sizable hits such as Hold On, Dash Out, Spell It Out, and Matie Wine among others. The performance was quite interactive, with a male member of the audience joining her on stage.Marcia Griffiths, Iba Mahr, Dubtonic Kru, Romain Virgo, Busy Signal, Protoje, Bounty Killer, and Cutty Ranks along with the Ruff Kutt band, performed at the festival.Tomorrow Tifa is set to perform at Star Studded Wednesdays at Club V in Portmore. She will then head to Canada to perform at the Montreal Reggae festival, which is arguably the biggest reggae event in Canada. The event will also feature performances from the likes of Tarrus Riley, Alaine, Morgan Heritage, Shaggy, Beenie Man, and Mr Vegas among others.Prior to departing the island for Canada, Tifa will shoot the video for her hot single Got It Like That, which is featured on the Centre Forward rhythm.The hard-working Tifa has promised fans that more videos and singles are on the way.Tifa with Marcia Griffiths at the Reggae Geel Festival in Belgium.

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Tifa rocks Belgium, prepares for Montreal Reggae Festival

Jesse Royal prepares fans

Entertainment

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

REGGAE artiste Jesse Royal is testing the waters with his recently released sophomore mixtape In Comes the Small Axe.“It’s a deliberate attempt to get the people’s taste buds ready for what is to come,” said the dreadlocked artiste.The 11-track tape was released on May 4. The various production houses featured on the track include Overstanding, XTM Nation and Crash Dummy Productions.The set features Modern Day Judas, Hotter the Battle, Light Like A Feather, Feel Your Pain, and Na Na Na.“You have to have an appetiser before the entrée,” he said.

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Jesse Royal prepares fans