Jamrock Magazine Presents Bere Hammonds" One Moment in Time" Tour
Beres sophisticated musical taste is well suited to translate easily across cultural divides, yet the international reggae massive has remained his most loyal fan base. He did collaborate on Maxi Priest's first American hit, "How Can we Ease The Pain," in 1990. A brief encounter with Elektra Records in 1994 yielded the excellent but under-appreciated album 'In Control' with its R&B-flavored single "No Disturb Sign." But for the rest of the decade, Beres has focused his attention on his own label and production company, Harmony House, distributed by VP Records. (A sampling of some of the label's finest recordings to date can be found on the VP Compilation Harmony House; verse one.) In the last few years, Harmony House and VP have released memorable albums like 'Love From A Distance' and 'A Day In The Life', which have in turn yielded chart-topping hits like "Can You Play Some More" and "Can't Stop A Man." Indeed, Beres appears to be unstoppable. And with the release of 'Music Is Life', he is poised to share his considerable gifts with an ever-larger audience.
The new album ranges widely over styles and themes: from the rock-solid reggae of "Ain't It Good to Know" a plea for peace and unity amongst his brethren to the quiet-storm consciousness of "African People" and the tasty Spanish accents of "Honey, Wine and Love Songs" (produced by Philip "fatis" Burr and featuring a tasteful guitar solo by the great Earl "Chinna" Smith). Guest appearances on the new album range from late '80s dancehall stalwart Flourgon (making a joyful noise on the sound system blast "I Love Jah") to internationally acclaimed multiplatinum rap artist Wyclef Jean. "Clef is a good youth," say Beres. The two legends joined forces at new York's Hit Factory last summer to record the sizzling Latin-flavored jam "Dance 4 Me," a song that combines Beres' sultry vocals with Clef's raps and flamenco guitar. Imagine Santana's "Maria Maria" in a Jamaican style and you'll get an idea of this song's potential to blow up on an international level. "All you fake singers," Clef's raps as the tunes fades, "bow down to the legend.
When:
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Door 7pm
Showtime 9pm
Where: Westchester County Center
198 Central Avenue
White Plains, NY 10606
