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What does one get when one combines ivory, silk threads, red sandalwood, dog skin and tortoise shell? No, it is not a part of any ritual or ingredients out of a horror flick. They are the raw materials for the traditional Japanese plucked lute - shamisen. "The word 'shamisen' means three strings," explained Hidesaburo Abe, founder of Abeya folk music group. In the land of the Samurai, the shamisen is an integral part of the country's traditional folk culture. "There are a variety of shamisen in Japan," said Hiromoto Oyama, first secretary, Embassy of Japan in Jamaica. "The instrument has variants, according to the region and the kind of folklore that it is being played with." INDIAN ROOTS Shamisen traces its origins to Okinawa, south Japan, where it is said to have come from India. Musical instruments similar to the shamisen have been excavated in Mongolia. "The shamisen has a variety of sizes, but the shape is almost simi...

Ska Vengers: Raghav 'Diggy' Dang; Stefan Flexi K, Tony Bass, Begum X, 'The Late' Nikhil Vasuedan, and Delhi Sultanate Think music and India - the image of damsels in their ethnic chic finery gyrating to the beat of percussions flashes in mind. But the home of Bollywood and the lip-smacking curry is whipping the tunes of ska. Begum X and Delhi Sultanate, lead singers of Ska Vengers, the new kids on the ska block from the heart of India's capital, breezed through Jamaica recently. "This trip is about absorbing the culture and the vibe from the birthplace of reggae and ska," exuded Begum X. The couple had their share of mystic, divine and serene eastern vibes to share as they sought to create a confluence of music in divergent cultures. "Music has the ability to bring people from different backgrounds together," said Delhi Sultanate. "So what I would really like to see is more alternative venues, more street dances etc." ...

Carl Lauder started working when he was a teenager and has since kept going Carl Lauder gently pulls out a record from its cover, dusts it and places it on the turntable, gently placing the needle on the groove, and lets the player turn out the sounds of music. Lauder is not a fancy disc jockey, in Randy's Record Mart in Parade, downtown Kingston - a melting pot of the city - he is striving to preserve and keep a musical tradition alive. "I have been working here (at Randy's) since I was a teenager," said Lauder, as he meticulously wiped traces of dust from an LP (long play) record. "I love what I am doing and this gives me the motivation to carry on." Lauder is a lone soldier, treading the path to keep the romance of analogue tones alive in the 21st-century digital world. Randy's is testimonial to the crests of the island's musical history. Sounds of silence: A stack of vinyl in the recording studio Established by Vincent 'Randy...

Mathew Williams, Nicholas Lyn (partially hidden) Maya Curtis in the background  Victoria Lyn, 9 plays a tune on the piano. “Music and children are my passion,” says Andrea Curtis, a visionary whose dream is to operate an early childhood institution where children learn through and about music. While that dream is  yet to be realised, Curtis has set the wheels in motion with the establishment in 2003 of Pianoprep. Through this venture, she teaches children how to play the piano, preparing them for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of  Music (ABRSM) examinations and, in the process, instilling within them a deep love and passion for music, country and self.   Maya Curtis (front) and Victoria Lyn dabble with the piano keys. Maya Curtis (right) and Victoria Lyn dabble with the piano keys. From left: Maya Curtis, Anthony Lyn, Nicholas Lyn, Andrea Curtis, Mathew Williams  & Victoria Lyn “At heart, I’m a Jamaican girl,...

Published July 15, 2012,  Sunday Gleaner  Joan Phillips' talent, love for performing arts and zeal for life rise way above her petite frame. A singer, dancer, choreographer, songwriter, businesswoman, academic valedictorian, this 24-year-old is basking under the arc light's glory. The multifaceted artiste says she draws inspiration from Michael Jackson, Prince and Beyoncé - artistes she grew up listening to. "I was inspired by them. I grew up listening to them and I emulate them," Phillips said. "I focus on world music as opposed to only reggae and dancehall, so learning Spanish music, Italian, jazz, is what I do." Phillips says she likes to push the boundaries and do something different. "I had a song where I was on my head," she said. "I like to dance and sing, so I always have a head mike and even if I have my (hand-held) mike … I am still dancing." Though shying away from being called a childhood prodigy, Phillips...