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ICYMI: ‘Tiney Winey’ Music Video Released

K.F. Cumberbatch
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ICYMI: ‘Tiney Winey’ Music Video Released

Soca artiste Joaquin Brewster dropped the music video for his Crop Over 2018 release “Tiney Winey” to YouTube two Sundays ago. The video – directed by Jamar Harding of Jahket Productions and local CariPop band Cover Drive – sees Joaquin in pursuit of a blue-eyed beauty at the pool, on the beach, on the road and on a golf course. Brewster produced the video along with Harding, Lee-Ann Lashley and Kerrie Thomas-Armstrong.

Penned by Shontelle Layne and Camille ‘Adaeze’ Evelyn and produced by Bass In Productions, the track was nigh inescapable this past summer and won Brewster a spot as a reserve in this year’s Sweet Soca Competition. As of the publishing of this article, the video sits at over 20,000 views.

Watch the “Tiney Winey” music video below.

MEDIA RELEASE: Honey Jam Delivers Dynamic Performances!

K.F. Cumberbatch
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MEDIA RELEASE: Honey Jam Delivers Dynamic Performances!

15 powerful live performances wowed the crowd at the annual Honey Jam Fundraising Concert Saturday, November 17 at Frank Collymore Hall!  The concert raises money for a non-profit artist development program.

Photo provided by Honey Jam Barbados. Shane Eastmond, Ebonnie Rowe, Mahalia, Vivian Barclay.

Everything kicked off at 6:30 with a red carpet mixer featuring live art by Shane Eastmond of 6PMSplash, music by DJ Josh, delicious sample treats by Cravings desserts, giveaways by Diamonds International, Suga Apple Swim and Cave Shepherd, three $500 cash vouchers from BPWCCU as well as vouchers from Dome Mall, Kensington Mall and Paradise Cafe and a pop up by Eye Q Stylist Opticians’ luxury eyewear brand Peoples From Barbados.

At 8:00, the audience was treated to an eclectic mix of dynamic live performances in a variety of musical genres including jazz, hip hop, soul, alternative, rnb, pop, gospel, reggae and soca.

There were nine acts plus five special features including:

Man Jam! – For the first time in the history of the Honey Jam brand – 23 years in Canada and 8 years in Barbados, three male artists – Jabari Browne, Chad Montplasir and Kareem Agard took to the stage and blew away the audience.  Show producer Ebonnie Rowe explained that for all the years that Honey Jam has been existed, she has been repeatedly asked about including men.  What inspired her to do it this year was when audition judge and local hip hip artist Island Levvy said that he wished there had been a Honey Jam for him when he was younger so she tapped Jabari Browne, brother of Honey Jam Barbados’ best known alumna, Nikita, to organize the performance which featured an eclectic mashup that showed their versatility.

Photo provided by Honey Jam Barbados. Jabari Browne, Kareem Agard and Chad Montplasir, the first male artists to take to the Honey Jam Stage!

Therez Lambert– the teenage alum has been generating a lot of buzz recently with her participation at NIFCA as well as her performance during the open mic of Mahalia’s Corner.  She performed 2 original songs at Honey Jam while accompanying herself on keys and then again in the 2nd half in an energetic gospel performance with her band Focus.

Honey Jazz Promo for the January Jazz Gala featured Leigh Phillips doing a sentimental sweet duet with Kweku Jelani on the Nat King Cole song “Unforgettable”.  The jazz world has been honouring Cole during the 100th anniversary of his birth.  Dannyele Leslie will also appear in the January 26 Honey Jazz gala and did alively version of  “I’ve got Rhythm”.

Finale Act Faith Callender featured the Riddim Tribe Dancers and live painting on stage by Shane Eastmond. Her mashup of genres was a hit with the audience and also featured a sneak peak of her upcoming release “All Night Long”.

Photo provided by Honey Jam Barbados. Photography by Bajan Paparazzi. Adaeze during House of Dae Feature

House of Dae showcased tracks produced by Vibes by Dae and featured Adaeze, Rhea Layne, Shanta Prince and Kweku Jelani.  She had a makeshift studio on stage and was “producing” while the artists were performing.

All of the artists came on stage at the end for a powerful a capell version of “SuperWoman’ after which patrons headed to the terrace for an after-party featuring the lively NJ30+ band that had patrons dancing on the terrace of the Hall into the night.

 

Photo provided by Honey Jam Barbados. Photography by A3KD. Audience.

MEDIA RELEASE: 2019 Barbados Independent Film Festival Promises Exciting Line-Up Over 10-day Festival

K.F. Cumberbatch
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MEDIA RELEASE: 2019 Barbados Independent Film Festival Promises Exciting Line-Up Over 10-day Festival

Wednesday, 14 November 2018, Bridgetown, Barbados – The 2019 Barbados Independent Film Festival (BIFF) promises to be bigger and better than ever with an exciting line-up of local and international filmmakers and stars.  The ten-day Festival, 11 – 20 January 2019, will showcase over 40 thought-provoking films from around the world, many of them making their Caribbean premiere. Alongside multiple screening events, BIFF also features Master Classes and film discussions led by industry veterans and filmmakers, broadening its appeal and helping to inspire new generations of filmmakers.

BIFF Co-Founder Sir Trevor Carmichael shared his thoughts on the third annual Festival: “The extended days will permit film lovers and filmmakers the opportunity to attend a variety of film premieres, master classes, and free activities without having to miss any of these exciting events.

“Of course, without the help of our dedicated sponsors such as First Citizens, the McNeel Foundation, Fairmont Royal Pavilion, Blueprint Creative, Capital Media HD, Diamonds International, the US Embassy, the Canadian High Commission and so many others, this simply wouldn’t be possible,” he added.

From its Walled Garden Theatre hub and beyond, the Festival takes advantage of Barbados’ rich cultural heritage and tropical climate to host locally-inspired receptions that combine live entertainment, local cuisine and films geared to appeal to a broad range of tastes. Compelling stories about extraordinary musicians will be a featured strand of the 2019 Festival.

“Music is food for the soul and the theme for this coming Festival,” Sir Trevor added. “With specially invited guests to perform, we look forward to showcasing some of Barbados’ top musical talent over the ten-day period.”

2017 recipient Machel Montano presents award to 2018 awardee Alison Hinds. Photo provided by BIFF.

At the Opening Night Gala (Friday, 11 January), the Walled Garden Theatre rolls out the red carpet for the Caribbean premiere of V. Scott Balcerek’s SATAN AND ADAM, which chronicles the unlikely pairing of one of the world’s greatest blues duos: legendary one-man-band Sterling “Mr. Satan” Magee and harmonica master Adam Gussow.

The Festival’s musical theme continues throughout the week, featuring:

  • UNBANNED: THE LEGEND OF AJ1 – Highlighting icons from across the cultural spectrum – including Spike Lee, Anthony Anderson, Michael B. Jordan, DJ Khaled, Lena Waithe, Kenya Barris, Jason Sudeikis, NBA stars Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook, hip-hop legend Chuck D, as well as rising stars Gizzle, Christian Combs, and Kid Ink, and many more.
  • HUGO – Featuring the master film composer Howard Shore who worked on 98 blockbuster films and nearly all of Martin Scorsese’s, including this family-friendly film classics
  • RUMBLE: INDIANS WHO ROCKED THE WORLD – chronicles the fascinating revelation that some of rock’n’roll’s greatest talents were Native Americans. The film will be introduced by well-known rock guitarist Stevie Silas.
  • SING YOUR SONG – a tribute to legendary musician and civil rights champion Harry Belafonte, followed by live music from the master calypsonian’s repertoire.

Additionally, BIFF’s signature Cine Cuisine Night backed by Slow Food Barbados returns to its popular Copacabana Beach Club location. This year’s Cine Cuisine Night will present WASTED: THE STORY OF FOOD WASTE, which was executive produced by the late Anthony Bourdain and features many celebrity chefs. The film’s two filmmakers will hold a post-screening discussion on delicious, yet sustainable food.

Other Festival highlights include Barbadian films PANAMA DREAMS (Alison Saunders) and THE LAND WE CALL HOME (Stockton Miller); the modern Western LITTLE WOODS from filmmaker Nia DaCosta and starring Lily James and Tessa Thompson;  the Barbadian premiere of the Bahamian film CARGO, and a “Behind the Lens” double presentation featuring the dramas JINN (Nijla Mu’min) and MOKO JUMBIE (Vashti Anderson) with by a panel discussion on storytelling led by award-winning, female filmmakers including Lone Scherfig, Nia DaCosta, Nijla Mu’min and Vashti Anderson.

BIFF seeks to showcase the finest work of accomplished and emerging filmmakers and inspire future generations to tell their stories through film. BIFF’s Collaboration Grant has resulted in two original short films that celebrate Barbados’s rich stories: the first, SEASIDE STABLES: A GALLOP TO THE OCEAN explores the cultural relationship between racehorses and the beautiful, tranquil Caribbean Ocean along the shorelines of Pebbles Beach, Barbados.  The second, LIQUID GOLD: THE STORY OF RUM IN BARBADOS, produced by Bajan filmmaker Rommel Hall and American Dan Mirvish, will premiere at the opening night of BIFF 2019.  Another important element of BIFF are the masterclass series on independent filmmaking, screenwriting and directing – many of which are open to the general public.

For a complete schedule and more information about BIFF films, masterclasses, judges and events, please visit www.barbadosfilmfest.org.  All free and paid tickets can be found at Ticketpal.com under “BIFF”.  Tickets go on sale Monday, 26 November.

MEDIA RELEASE: Don’t Miss the Honey Jam Concert Saturday, November 17 at Frank Collymore Hall!

K.F. Cumberbatch
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MEDIA RELEASE: Don’t Miss the Honey Jam Concert Saturday, November 17 at Frank Collymore Hall!
16 powerful live performances are expected to wow the crowd at the annual Honey Jam fundraising concert coming up Saturday, November 17 at Frank Collymore Hall!  Tickets are only $50 and can be purchased online at ticketpal.com or at one of their many outlets listed on their website. The concert raises money for non-profit artist development program.
Everything kicks off at 6:30 with a red carpet mixer featuring live art by Shane Eastmond of 6PMSplash,  music by DJ Josh, delicious sample treats by Cravings desserts, giveaways by Diamonds International, Suga Apple Swim and Cave Shepherd, three $500 cash vouchers from BPWCCU as well as vouchers from Dome Mall, Kensington Mall and Paradise Cafe and a pop up by Eye Q Stylist Opticians’ luxury eyewear brand Peoples From Barbados.
At 8:00, the audience will then be treated to an eclectic mix of dynamic live performances in a variety of musical genres including jazz, hip hop, soul, rnb, pop, reggae and soca.  For the first time male artists will take to the stage for a highly anticipated performance!
Following the concert will be a lively after-party featuring the NJ30+ band!
See a link to the lineup here:
Don’t miss the show!

MEDIA RELEASE: The Honey Jam Concert Lineup is Revealed at Launch

K.F. Cumberbatch
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MEDIA RELEASE: The Honey Jam Concert Lineup is Revealed at Launch

The Honey Jam Concert Launch saw the unveiling of the 2018 lineup featuring 16 acts including new faces and some returning alums doing special segments within the show.

Media, sponsors, artists, audition judges, workshop panellists, music industry representatives and supporters were invited to hear about their upcoming plans and to congratulate and cheer on the artists who will grace the Honey Jam stage and take part in the developmental programme.

Photo provided by Ebonnie Rowe. Photography be A3KD. Honey Jam Barbados producer, Ebonnie Rowe.

Producer Ebonnie Rowe welcomed new sponsor Brydens Insurance and longtime sponsors Ian Donovan of Massy Properties, Larix from Blueprint Creative and also a Honey Jam alum, and DJ Simmons of Gine On Magazine spoke about the value of the programme that has kept them on board to support for many years.

New artist Sapphire spoke about her experiences so far in the programme, Alums Adaeze, Faith and Leigh Phillips reminisced about their journey, how much they learned, the contacts they made, how much they benefitted, the impact on their careers and that they all are still involved and participate as audition judges, workshop panellists, mentors and supporters. All three are returning to the stage on November 17 at Frank Collymore Hall doing special features within the show.

Attendees were surprised to hear that for the first time ever there will be 3 male acts featured in a special segment during the normally all female concert. Jabari Browne, brother of the most high profile Honey Jam alum, Nikita, was tapped to put together a small segment featuring himself, Kareem Agard and Chad Montplasir. Rowe said that for all the years she had been doing the programme in both Canada and Barbados, every year she would be asked about the inclusion of men. This year, after a comment by Audition Judge artist Island Levy who remarked that he wish there had been something like this for him, inspired her to find a way to include male vocalists without a huge change to the brand. Jabari indicated “I was honoured to be asked and we’re all excited to take part and be the first ones invited. We’ve already started rehearsing and can’t wait for the night of the concert to show you what we’ve put together.”

They’ve got lots of giveaways for the Red Carpet Mix & Mingle, live painting by fine artist Shane Eastmond of 6PMSPLASH, a pop up with Eye Q Stylist Opticians where patrons can try on their fashionable eyewear, of course a great show and lively after party featuring the NJ30+ band. It promises to be a great night of entertainment!

Miss Universe Barbados Meghan Theobalds was on hand to give some encouraging and uplifting words, ending the evening with these words:

Photo provided by Ebonnie Rowe. Photography be A3KD. Miss Universe Barbados Meghan Theobalds flanked by Honey Jam Producer Ebonnie Rowe (left) and Honey Jam Barbados alum and artist Faith Callender (right).

“This journey is very much like the one I just finished at Miss Universe Barbados and continue on my way to Thailand. This is a developmental programme that provides educational, mentoring and networking and performance opportunities for young artists. Miss Universe Barbados is a 3 month process of training 3 times a week, teaching all delegates how to become your very best selves, networking, educating ourselves on national and global issues that we care about and learning to walk the walk of altruism. That process encourages us to strive for our dreams and to work hard to support each other follow our dreams.

Just like Honey Jam – for a Miss Universe delegate it’s about more than just the external. And for you more than just a voice. You have to learn the business side as well. Many of the Miss Universe Delegates have degrees or are in University in their final year. It is about the total package. What I wanted to share is that when women support each other we all thrive. They are our support. Other women are not our competition. Other women are our village!

What the public do not see are the hours and hours of hard work that go along with the process – the rehearsals, mentoring, practice. The journey is not for the audience it is for the artist. I spend 36 hours a week. I is our way to prove to ourselves that we have what it takes. that we are ready to face obstacles. That we learn tools to overcome the inevitable moments of self doubt, frustration, breakdown when it may not go your way that day. And yes I had all of that. What came from my breakdown was a breakthrough – that I wanted this and I had worked hard for it and I was going to do my best no matter what the result was. The result was not in my hands but how I performed and listened and absorbed what I was being taught, that was in my hands.

To the ladies about to embark on this incredible journey, I encourage you to learn as much as you can. Be your best self. Your task is to step up. Long after this process has ended, these lessons and memories and friendships for the rest of your lives. I wish you a journey of discovery and Joy.”

Honey Jam Barbados 2018 Line Up: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1915536968528064&type=1&l=aa9db712e

MEDIA RELEASE: mMoney Sandbox Kicks Off in Barbados

K.F. Cumberbatch
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MEDIA RELEASE: mMoney Sandbox Kicks Off in Barbados
Photo provided by iSolutions Caribbean. Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados is flanked by Rawdon Adams, CEO of Bitt Digital Inc (r) and Avinash Persaud, Special Advisor to the Government of Barbados on the Economy.

Bridgetown, BARBADOS; October 31, 2018 : The Central Bank of Barbados and the Financial Services Commission have jointly launched their first regulatory sandbox with Bitt Digital Inc. The move follows an announcement made by Prime Minister Mia Mottley last month, during Bitt’s second annual ‘Central Banks Meet Blockchain’ Conference at the Barbados Hilton, that there would be a national mMoney pilot.

mMoney is a mobile application, available from both Apple and Android app stores, that is designed to allow users to send and receive Barbados digital dollars from mobile devices to make payments with ease. Since its debut earlier this year, mMoney has been utilised by over 200 merchants and thousands of consumers across Barbados, with increasing demand and uptake.

“Professionals from the Financial Services Commission, the Central Bank of Barbados and the Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment, had an inaugural meeting with the mMoney team. It was a productive meeting to establish a sandbox as a necessary first step,” reported Rawdon Adams, CEO.

The intent of the mMoney pilot would be to explore the benefits and work through the challenges of using a digital version of the Barbadian dollar within the framework of the sandbox scheme, thus providing adequate mechanisms for consumer protection and the ability to monitor systemic risk to the local financial system.

“The central focus of the sandbox, would be to satisfy the regulators that any and all possible regulatory concerns such as consumer or systemic risks have been identified and addressed,” Adams explained.

Among the areas examined will be the company’s operational strength, the scalability and soundness of its technology and the impact, if any, it would have on the incumbent financial system.

“As we progress collectively, updates would be communicated,” Adams assured.

Featurette with Stockton Miller

K.F. Cumberbatch
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Featurette with Stockton Miller

Stockton Miller is a Barbadian filmmaker whose name may be familiar if you’ve seen his numerous VFX videos on YouTube – which normally involve monsters and creatures from horror and fantasy; he was the creator of those viral videos of a supposed werewolf in Barbados and a monster under a boat – or follow the Barbados Visual Media Festival, at which he has won several awards.

His latest project is a sci-fi film entitled The Land We Call Home, which will be screened at the Accra Beach Resort this evening as part of the aforementioned Barbados Visual Media Festival. We spoke to Miller about his path and career thus far as a filmmaker and about his upcoming film.

Zeitgeist: You are perhaps best known for your monster, VFX videos on YouTube. How did you get into that? What originally sparked your interest in VFX and why monsters specifically?
Stockton Miller: Most of my viewers on YouTube are mostly from America and they also do VFX. So it started when a friend who also [does] VFX sent me a monster CGI model that he made to use to collaborate on a video which went viral on YouTube and in Barbados. I got into VFX because of the types of movies I wanted to make and it’s not really specifically monsters it’s just those types of videos were getting the most views.

Z: Are you professionally trained or self- taught?
SM: Self-taught.

I had [a] 2006 HP laptop when I started doing VFX in 2011, with only 2 GB of ram. So when I bought Adobe After Effects and tried to install it I kept getting errors. I did some research and found [that] the laptop I had was not powerful enough, so I bought more ram and updated the laptop and I was able to use Adobe After Effects with it. It was still running slow, so it was very difficult – and still is even with this new laptop [that] I have now. I started messing around with the program first, then went on YouTube and watched some tutorials.

I watch a lot of movies. So [whenever] I see something I try to recreate it in Adobe After Effects and even sometimes on YouTube they had tutorials on how to do specific effects and I just continued that way until the program was like a second language to me. I [recreated] turning into a Super Saiyan doing the kamehameha, the hand glow like in Iron Fist, gun shots, explosions, blood, flying like Superman, heat vision, fast running like The Flash and much more.

Z: As a child growing up, was filmmaking ever something that you saw yourself doing as an adult? Was there another career path you’d considered taking?
SM: No, it was not. I started out in secondary school playing guitar and up to this day I still can, but I gave that up . I probably would have been a guitarist in a band.

Z: What are some of the films you’ve made? What were they about and what inspired them?
SM: The first film [I] made back in 2016 is called Daybreak. It is an action/drama about a young boy [who] [witnesses] his friend being murdered and is almost killed in the process. He is torn between doing what is right or [living] the rest of his life in fear. I was inspired to do the film because at that time a lot of unsolved shootings were happening in Barbados because people who [witnessed] them were afraid to talk to the police. So this film addresses that.

Z: Some of your films have won awards at the Barbados Visual Media Awards and you’re probably one of the Barbados Visual Media Festival’s most decorated filmmakers. How does it feel to receive that recognition from your peers?
SM: It feels good because we worked really hard on that film so it feels good [to] receive that recognition.

Z: The motion picture that you won Best Web Show for in 2014, was that Daybreak as well? If not, could you also tell us about that film as well as the film you won the 48 Hour Film Challenge with last year?
SM: In 2014 that was not a film; that was a three episode web series called Into the Darkness. Daybreak came after that [and] is a full length film which won [the] People’s Choice Award [in] 2016.

Into the Darkness was [an] experiment [that] me and three of my friends did because at that time, the place where we filmed it burned down and it looked like a scene from [an] apocalypse movie. So that was how we got the idea to do a zombie apocalypse web series for YouTube. It was honestly one of my favorite things [that] I did and one day I am hoping to remake it bigger and better.

The short film that won the 2017 48 Hour Film Challenge is called In Dreams which will also be showing during the festival on Saturday at the Olympus. The short film is about a guy trying to find forgiveness from a deceased friend after he died in a car crash which he caused.

Z: Speaking of the Barbados Visual Media Festival, you’re set to premiere your latest film project, The Land We Call Home, there this evening. What was it that led you to make the film?
SM: That goes back to one of my monster videos that went viral earlier this year. Well, two went viral in Barbados [and] they were shared around Whatsapp and social media at the same time. One was with a werewolf (remember the voice note with the woman claiming to see a creature up Waterford) and another one with a creature under a boat (also connected to Waterford somehow). I remember coming home and seeing a lot of messages and I was even contacted by CBC [and] I did [an] interview just to clear up [that] the videos were fake.

After that I was sent more models by some Brazilian friends to create a video, so me and my friend Krieg Thompson went to film the footage, but he told me: “Let’s make a short film instead.” And I thought that would be a better idea. A few days later I called three actors – Cherah, Brandon and Ishmael –  about starring in a short film and a few weeks later, we filmed it.

Z: How did the decision to premiere the film at the festival come about?
SM: It is not really a “premiere”, it’s just a screening for cast, crew and invited [guests]. The full premiere will be later this year or early next year. I was getting some advice from the BFVA (Barbados Film and Visual Media Association) president, Damien Pinder, about the film and he told me I should submit it and I thought it was a great idea because I wanted to submit to a Barbadian festival before outside festivals.

Z: Your past work has almost exclusively been short films. Why the did you decide to make The Land We Call Home feature length?
SM: The short film was supposed to be 6 minutes long, but by the time I [finished] [editing] it, it was over 20 minutes long. Then I told myself I will just make it [into] a full length film and the rest is history. In 2017 we started to film a movie, but because of reasons I couldn’t control, we were unable to finish it and most of the cast from that film are in the film The Land We Call Home, so I felt like I owed them a film. I guess it was my way of saying sorry.

THE LAND WE CALL HOME TRAILER

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLtzbfejtEs

Z: This film is Barbados’ first science fiction, feature length film. How does it feel to be making history?
SM: It feels awesome. From day one I wanted to be the first to do a sci-fi or horror film in Barbados. I was able to do the sci-fi, so the next one will be a horror.

Z: From conception to completion how long did it take to make The Land We Call Home? How long did it take to write, how long did it take to shoot and how long did it take to edit?
SM: It took about two months to film because I kept adding more and more to the script or changing a scene because the ideas were flowing. I was making a sci-fi film with so little [that] I had to make [do] with what I had. It took me about a week to edit because when I start editing, I never stop until I am done.

Z: How was production of the film? Was it fairly easy-going and smooth or were there a lot of bumps and setbacks along the way?
SM: Everything went [smoothly]. So [smoothly] that I was actually surprised. Based on the fact [that] on previous films I had so [many] issues, but everything went so well making this film. I guess working with like-minded people made the job easier.

It was all positive energy. Everyone had a job to do and everyone did their job. We had a lot of laughs on set [and] I would love to add a blooper reel at the end of the film, but…Sorry it’s not that kind of film.

Z: You mentioned in your interview with CBC that you had been in contact with American visual effects company Tippet Studios (whose work includes The Matrix Revolutions, Cloverfield, the latter three Twilight films, Jurassic World and Star Wars: The Force Awakens), how did that come about?
SM: I sent a screenshot of the model I got from a Brazilian friend because I was looking for the original maker to get permission. So they sent me an email basically letting me now that that monster model I [was] using for the film [was] copyrighted to a game and [that] I could be sued by the original owner. Hearing that really made me sad because I was thinking; “Well I guess no movie.” Then, a few seconds later, they emailed me again asking me to send them the 20 minutes of the film because they wanted to see it ([I’m] assuming they wanted to know what I was doing with it), so I sent it to them.

A few hours later [I] received another email from them telling me [that] they really liked it and instead of using a copyrighted model they [would] give me one of theirs to use so [that] I [could] finish the movie and [that they would] help me in anyway. So I accepted and I told them how each scene with the monster [would] look and they animated it to match back the scene. All free. And the rest is history.

Z: How did you feel when they offered to work with you free of charge?
SM: I was very thankful for that because I do not have the equipment (PC) to do that kind of stuff. We spoke through emails and I basically told them what I wanted and they made it happen. The only thing I had to do in return [was] to credit them “animation by Tippet Studios.”

Z: Now that the film is finished how do do you feel and what are your hopes and expectations for it? What would you like audiences to get out of the film?
SM: I feel good because this is the first of its kind and I really do not know what to expect, being [that] it is a sci-fi film. Sci fi is not a popular genre in Barbados, but I hope Barbadians enjoy this film. Right now I am working on getting this film screened outside [of] Barbados, because we need to show the world [that] we to can create great films.

Follow The Land We Call Home on Facebook here: The Land We Call Home Barbados.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This interview has been edited for clarity and the avoidance of redundancies.

PRESS RELEASE: Abed to Teach ‘Blockchain Tech’

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PRESS RELEASE: Abed to Teach ‘Blockchain Tech’
Photo provided by iSolutions Caribbean.

Abed to pass on his knowledge of blockchain technology to UWI and UNH students

Bridgetown, BARBADOS; October 23 ,2018 : Gabriel Abed, co-founder of Bitt Inc and Digital Asset fund is confirmed to pass on his  knowledge of blockchain technology to students at the University of the West Indies (Cave Hill Campus, Barbados) and those at the University of New Hampshire School of Law (USA).

“Blockchain technology is positively disrupting every industry on a global scale in ways neither rivalled nor contemplated since the advent of the internet; students and professionals, no matter their discipline, should at the very least have an appreciation of the fundamentals of the technology – but more importantly, understand its impact,” Abed said.

The UWI give-back

At Barbados UWI Cave Hill Campus, Abed will be complimenting the University’s plans to accelerate the roll-out of more cutting edge programmes on its Smart Campus platform. ‘Blockchain Technology’ will be offered in the newly-minted Masters of Science in Information Technology.

“As a Barbadian, it is particularly satisfying to give back while at home,” Abed noted. He has pledged to donate any personal remuneration from his course delivery to a charity of his choice. “The reward for me is building an army of like-minded and educated individuals to advance the agenda of Barbados’ technology revolution,” Abed stated.

Intimately familiar with speaking on the global stage, Abed is a sought-after expert who delivers based on both his own educational background, but more so, his experience as a serial FinTech entrepreneur.

Dr. Janak Sodha, Head of Department and Senior Lecturer in Physics and Electronics at UWI, explained that Abed will assist with the content creation and initial delivery of the course, and plans to place special focus on real-world experiences on the use of blockchain technology and lessons on entrepreneurship.

“What he is doing for us and our University is a huge deal as the first entrepreneur of blockchain technology in the region,” Sodha has been quoted as saying. He added that universities offering similar programmes attaches high price tags and expressed pleasure at Abed’s willingness to not only partner with the University, but also give back to the community. UWI Principal and Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Cave Hill Campus, Professor V Eudine Barriteau, has welcomed the collaboration and the alignment.

The impact of blockchain across all professions

Abed will also be sharing his knowledge through the University of New Hampshire School of Law’s first-of-its-kind blockchain and cryptocurrency certificate program for professionals from business, emerging technology, finance, banking, and legal industries.

The University of New Hampshire School of Law has been a Top-10 ranked intellectual property (IP) program ever since U.S. News & World Report began ranking IP programs 27 years ago. Now, they are proud to pioneer the study of the next frontier of IP innovation: blockchain.

UNH Law’s Chair of Intellectual Property and Technology Online Programs, Professor Tonya M. Evans, has teamed up with Samson Williams of Axes & Eggs Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Think Tank (AAE) to develop this Certificate that comes with online accessibility.

As part of the course offering, students can get direct access to leading blockchain, cryptocurrency, and legal experts focused on empowering professionals to implement strategies to impact the legal landscapes of government, payment systems, intellectual property, regulation, and civil and criminal liability – Abed is listed as an Adjunct Professor.

He is particularly keen about the listed benefits of the course, which includes , “…in-depth knowledge to better understand both the import and impact of cryptocurrencies on the financial, political, social, and economic sectors of both developed and emerging societies, how to use tokens as a self-funding mechanism for projects within the crypto economy, a means of creating utility for a project, and, more broadly, the economic activity surrounding the issuance of tokens, the intellectual property implications of blockchain technology, and exploring various governmental use cases to address and solve for a host of public sector problems.”

He commends the University for its forward thinking and is grateful for the selection.

“Again, it’s about giving back and drawing the linkages between my own experiences and projects, blockchain tech and the way of the world today and in years to come,” he stated.   

In photo : Gabriel Abed with Dr Janak Sodha and Professor Eudine Barriteau of the UWI.

Mahalia’s Corner 2018

K.F. Cumberbatch
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Mahalia’s Corner 2018

2 Mile Hill have truly created something special with their annual concert series, Mahalia’s Corner. If the long lines outside of the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre – well before the doors open – and the packed venue are anything to go by, it is one of the most anticipated events of the year. Not just in the area of music, but in general.

Don’t let the fancy dresses, high heels and button ups and downs fool you either. This is not a stuffy, bougue, hoity-toity event in the least. The atmosphere is relaxed and audience members know very well how to, as they say, “get on dibby in a fete” and there was plenty of that to be witnessed.

This environment in which the audience could freely let loose and enjoy themselves was cultivated and enthusiastically encouraged by 2 Mile Hill themselves. They opened the show every night and were energetic, funny, charismatic, warm, personable and clearly enjoying themselves.

They frequently interacted with the audience, which made them feel all the more approachable. Aside from the personality they brought to the stage, 2 Mile Hill also demonstrated immense talent. Their performances are always something to behold and continuous proof as to why they are one of Barbados’ preeminent musical acts and why front-woman Mahalia Cummins is one of the most powerful vocalists on the island.

Alternating between contemplative pieces, intimate slow jams, fast paced songs and nostalgic throwbacks, the band never failed to rouse the audience, successfully setting the tone and pace for the night’s proceedings.

Mahalia’s Corner isn’t just about 2 Mile Hill demonstrating their skill and expertise, however. With it’s Open Mic sessions and surprise Spotlight Artists, it’s also a very good showcase for new voices and burgeoning talents in Barbados’s music scene.

Participants in the Open Mic sessions performed everything from Rap to Pop, R&B, spoken word poetry and Calypso. Not everyone who took to the stage was a newcomer; some of them were veterans. Not just to music, but to the Mahalia’s Corner Open Mic. Despite the varying levels of experience between the performers, for the most part they all performed beautifully and displayed incredible ability as artists.

Of note was young performer, Theres Lambert, who sang an original song, and may be familiar to anyone who attended the Honey Jazz Musical Festival back in January. She’ll be performing at Honey Jam on November 17th with her band, Focus. The audience absolutely loved her and for good reason; she has a great voice and is a good performer even just sitting behind a keyboard. Hopefully she will return to Mahalia’s Corner next years as a Spotlight Artist, with her band, and more space and time to truly express her talent.

This year’s Spotlight Artists were Kweku Jelani, Trinity Clarke, Kris Fields, Chad Montplaisir and Rhea Layne. Unfortunately, Zeitgeist was unable to attend the first show for this season of Mahalia’s Corner, so we missed Jelani’s performance. We did however make it to the remaining shows and caught the wonderful performances of these up and coming local artistes.

Rising star Trinity Clarke – who has already become a household name – once again proved that big talent can come in small packages, especially in one so young. Kris Fields’ performance was over too soon; he had effortless swagger, a commanding presence and exuded confidence. Chad Montplasir had a melodious voice and a suave, sophisticated vibe. Rhea Layne gave a spirited performance that was full of sass and attitude, but in a very endearing way.

Of course the highlight to any night of Mahalia’s Corner is the Featured Artist. The audience was treated to appearances by Allison Hinds, the Three Kings (Alix Cage, Raphael Saul and John Yarde), Ch’An, The Mighty Gabby and Kerwin DuBois.

Each of the Featured Artists was a cherry on top of an amazing night of music and entertainment. 2 Mile Hill warmed up the audience, but the Featured Artists really electrified them and turned them up to eleven. None more so than Kerwin DuBois. The Mighty Gabby may have had the biggest turn out  – the lounge section on his night was sold out – but it was DuBois who had the greatest impact on and response from the audience. They were hooting, hollering, cheering, whining, wukking up and dancing. DuBois was a very lively performer.

The Three Kings were an absolute dream. Their voices blended well together and whether they sang as a trio or individually, they gave impassioned performances that were filled with sincere emotion. We got to see Alix Cage again when he performed the single “Fyah” with Mahalia’s Corner fan favourite Ch’An, whose opening number for her set (which featured the Marlon Legall Voice Project) was dramatic, theatrical and ethereal. She was even better than she was the last time she appeared at Mahalia’s Corner; she was strong and bewitching. When it was The Might Gabby’s turn on stage, he showed us all what it looks like when a master is at work; he haf just as much energy as the younger performers and expertly captured the audience’s attention.

As always, this year’s season of Mahalia’s Corner was, in a word, spectacular. It was a great follow-up to the not so long past Crop Over season and a fantastic start to the final quarter of 2018. The Christmas Special edition, which will be held on December 9th, is far too far away.

Head over to our Facebook page for four full albums from Mahalia’s Corner 2018:
Night 2: Three Kings
Night 3: Ch’an
Night 4: The Mighty Gabby
Night 5: Kerwin Dubois

Watch our highlight reel below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpAIQs3AhVr/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1vbedi11i5io2

It’s Time to ‘Wake Up the Neighbourhood’

K.F. Cumberbatch
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It’s Time to ‘Wake Up the Neighbourhood’

Local pop/punk band Sundown Superhero –  which consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Emile Sabga, bass guitarist and vocalist Craig Haniff and drummer Philip Norville – dropped their debut album, Wake Up The Neighbourhood, today. The six track album feautres their lead single “California Dime” and their second single “Midnight Knock.” The album was produced by local musician and producer Simon Pipe of Creek Productions and L.A. based tracking and mixing engineer Jordan Silva (who has worked with Sum 41, Weezer, Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande).

Speaking to Gine On?! Magazine ahead of the album’s release, Haniff said:

“It’s everything that we wanted to get off of our mind as a band. Everything Emile’s been through in life, everything Philip…[has] been through in life and everything I’ve been through in life…we’ve been working on these songs for the last seven years and it’s kind of like “Hey! Listen to us. We got something to say.”… We write songs that we [think] everybody [can] connect with…most of our songs are about heartbreak because when we wrote them that was what we were going through.”

The boys also spoke to Zeitgeist last month when they announced the album’s release.

Wake up the Neighbourhood is available now on YouTube, BandCamp and Soundcloud. Give it a listen over on the band’s website.

Check out our feature with the band here.

Website: https://www.sundownsuperhero.com/
Facebook: Sundown Superhero
Instagram: @sundownsuperhero

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