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JaMM stages Grounation 2014

This February the Jamaica Music Museum (JaMM) will stage its 3rd Annual Reggae / Black History Month Grounation series under the theme, Seeing Sound & Hearing Images: African Aesthetics in Popular Jamaican Culture.

This year’s event is expected to be bigger and better with a line-up of stellar presenters including Cabinet Minister, Dr. Omar Davies, Professors Carolyn Cooper and Maureen Warner Lewis, Dr. Verlee Poupeye, Dr. La’Antonette Stines and Rev. Cannon Ernle Gordon.

Grounation will be held every Sunday in February (2nd, 9th, 16th & 23rd) staring at 2:00 p.m. at the Lecture Hall of the Institute of Jamaica (Entrance: Corner of East and Tower Streets). Each week admission will be free but contributions are encouraged.

The sub-theme for the first week’s presentation, “Afro-Jamaican Religious Journey: Praise Songs, Earthly Tribulations and Heavenly Rewards” on February 2, 2014 will feature Dr. Davies, whose topic “Songs of Worship in Life and at Death” analyses and contrasts two songs that reflect on the meaning of life and death: the traditional hymn, ‘Farther Along’ and the song by late reggae icon, Peter Tosh, ‘Jah Say No’.

The other presenter on that day will be Rev. Cannon Ernle Gordon, whose topic explores the theme: “Peter Tosh and Theology”. His paper focuses on Peter Tosh’s song “Creation” and its inclusion in the Jamaican Anglican Hymnal.

Over the following three Sundays the sub-themes to be discussed include: “Ritual: Revivalism, Dance and Dancehall”, “African Sense and Sensibilities: Attitude, Art and Music” and “Sacred & Holy or Secular & Profane: The Height of Slackness in Church and Dancehall.

Grounation’s strong artist line-up includes: Jah9, Pentateuch, Kabaka Pyramid, “Kukudoo”, Blue Glaze (Mento Wake Band), and LaCadco Dancers & Drummers, among others.