Embassy of Spain’s Rae Town Tribute

Excerpt from Jamaica Observer column

by Jean Lowrie-Chin

Generous Carmen Rives, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Spain in Jamaica

Classique Sound System's Sister Norma and Dr Joshua Chamberlain

Downtown came uptown last Thursday with a pulsating dance party Tribute to Rae Town, hosted by Carmen Rives, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Spain in Jamaica.  The Kingston seaside community’s famous weekly event has become a fixture on many visitors’ calendars, and Ms Rives invited the mellow Classique Sound System and Sister Norma to delight guests of various walks of life.  It was a memorable evening – such a generous gesture to mark Jamaica’s ‘Emanci-pendence’ celebrations.

My friend Joshua Chamberlain, an instructor at Alpha Boys School organised a live stream of the Rae Town Tribute on the fast-growing Alpha Boys Radio Station. Joshua has made us proud, earning a doctoral degree from the UWI with his extensive research and thesis on our sound system culture.

Roman Catholic Archbishop Ken Richards (2nd left) with Dr Joshua Chamberlain and Margaret Little of Alpha Institute, and Enith Williams, dynamic volunteer for the Redevelopment of Holy Trinity Cathedral 

Yours truly with inspiring author and dancehall researcher Dr Sonjah Stanley Niaah 

At PROComm, we can attest to the power of Jamaica’s sound system network. The late President of the Sound Systems Association Louise Fraser-Bennett assisted us in promoting peaceful elections in the late 90s when she distributed an Electoral Office-sponsored song by Tony Rebel, “Peace, Love and Unity”.  Louise reported that many a heated moment was cooled by observant selectors who would ‘big-up’ the song and play it in the various communities where political fervor ran high.