The Board of Directors of Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music (CPR) has announced that Reggae Culture Salute 2019 (RCS) will be a “Tribute to The Wailers,” in recognition of the trio’s contribution to the development and spread of the genre. According to Carlyle McKetty, president of CPR, this year’s event will take place at the Kumble Theater at One University Plaza, downtown Brooklyn, on Saturday, November 2nd.
The family friendly event which marks the anniversary of the coronation of Emperor Haile Selassie I and Empress Menen of Ethiopia highlights the unique relationship between, Reggae, Rasta, Emperor Selassie and Jamaica. This year’s event comes in the wake of UNESCO’s inscription of reggae to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Reggae Culture Salute routinely draws on diverse artistic disciplines and for 2019, it will present nyabinghi drumming, spoken-word, dance and song to commemorate the coronation and pay tributes to The Wailers in celebration of the UNESCO inscription. The highlight of the tribute to The Wailers will be the first ever New York performance of the official Wailers Trio Tribute Group and the presentation of the CPR Pinnacle Award for Excellence to The Wailers, with Hon. Neville (Bunny Wailer) Livingston, O.M. on hand to participate in a pre-event VIP reception and accept the award during the event. The tribute trio, comprised of contemporary artists, Asadenaki Livingston, (son of Bunny Wailer), Jason Wright (pka Written) and Hervin Bailey (pka Blvk M3ro) will perform music of The Wailers that date back to the 1960s and 70s, introducing to some and remind others what the foundation of the music was like. To round out the evening, The CPR Allstars with vocalist Shango Trex and contributions from various guests, including dub poet Ras Takura will pay further tribute to The Wailers [Hon. Robert “Bob” Marley, OM; Hon. Hubert “Peter Tosh” McIntosh, OM and Bunny Wailer] with classics from their solo careers. Also performing will be dancers from the Asoso International Ensemble.
The event also marks the lunch of The Legacy Project, a new CPR initiative to curate and digitally present information about reggae pioneers. “Arguably, the combination of the decade and a half of The Wailers added to the solo careers of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer make the trio the premier contributor to the development and spread of reggae music, and we are honored to pay this tribute to The Wailers as we launch our Legacy Project initiative ” said Carlyle McKetty, co-founder and president of CPR.
Each year, Reggae Culture Salute attracts a diverse inter-generation audience of reggae lovers who welcome the opportunity to celebrate roots reggae music in an atmosphere of authenticity. Adults are encouraged to bring children to experience this special moment in New York reggae history. Doors open at 7PM for networking, and a VIP reception where VIP ticket holders have the opportunity to meet and greet the honoree and other artists. The performances start at 8PM.
Reggae Culture Salute 2019 is made possible by sponsorship support from Brooklyn Arts Council, Dennis Shipping, and VP Records while the Culture Jam Program and CPRLive are media partners.
Early bird general admission tickets to Reggae Culture Salute 2019 are $30 and available through October 31. Regular pricing of $40 takes effect on November 1. VIP tickets for reserved orchestra seating and the VIP reception with the honoree are $100. For tickets, visit the Kumble Theater box office http://kumbletheater.org/ or call (718) 421-6927. Refreshments will be available.
About CPR: The Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music, Inc. (CPR) is a 501 (c) (3) organization that works to preserve the reggae art form and its traditional message of healing and unity. The mission of the Coalition is to raise the bar in the creation, development, promotion and presentation of reggae music; to elevate the profile of its purveyors; and to research, codify, curate and disseminate information about the genre so as to increase understanding of its development, its significance, and its influence around the world. CPR conducts forums, presents events and broadcasts via CPRLive about reggae music and more, recognizing that ‘it ain’t just music, it’s life’.