We Speak Reggae
Musician and Recording Artist Olaide Banks Set For Moonsplash 2023
Musician and Recording Artist Olaide Banks Set To Share the Stage Alongside Maxi Priest and more at Moonsplash 2023
On Sunday, March 12, 2023, Olaide Banks will perform in Anguilla at Moonsplash, the longest running independent music festival in the Eastern Caribbean. Making his third appearance backed by the Olaide Banks Band (featuring acclaimed 3 X Grammy-nominated guitarist Corey Stoot and esteemed 2 X Grammy-nominated drummer Savar Martin), the prolific guitarist and crooner will entertain the crowd with both his classic hits, and music from his recently released “All The Colors” debut album.
“I view my performances as experiences. None of them being exactly the same, because I feel like I’m led by The Spirit to do what is needed in the moment, every time. Moonsplash goers can expect to experience a journey to heart, and when we are through, they’ll be refreshed and renewed. We will play some new music from the ‘All The Colors’ album, along with the ones that people already know and love like Story of My Life and House on Fire. Most of all it will be a refreshing and uplifting experience.” related Olaide of his anticipated performance.
He further added “My favorite memory as a performer at Moonsplash is from 2022, in particular delivering ‘Story of My Life’ with my father lending his vocals and my brother Omari playing guitar. I won’t try to recreate that moment this year, but I’m certain that we’ll have a new magical moment for 2023.”
Taking place yearly under a full moon, Moonsplash is the brainchild of Bankie Banx and his friend Sheriff Bob Saidenberg, and started as a way to consistently bring new and established artists to Anguilla and the Eastern Caribbean. Since then, recording stars the likes of Buju Banton, Gramps Morgan, Bunny Wailer, ,Tarrus Riley, Chronnix, Sean Paul among other impressive acts have graced the Moonsplash Stage, while special international artists who came for the show and performed include John Mayer, Peter Cetera, The Bacon Brothers amid others.
“My favorite memory from attending Moonsplash was from 2006, where we had the 30th Anniversary Reunion of Bankie Banx Roots & Herbs and Buju Banton on the same night. The energy was unlike anything I’d every experienced before. People could not get enough of either act, and I remember Buju Banton performing for almost three hours because the energy was so amazing.”
Moonsplash 2023 will be hosting International Night on Friday, March 10, featuring FAB 5 Band, Pluto Shervington, Gem Myers, Boris Gardiner and Dennis Warrington. Followed Saturday the 11th by Reggae Night with Maxi Priest, Mortimer, Bankie Banx, Groove Galore Muzik and Omari Banks. And will close out the festival Sunday, March 12th with the Beach Party with Pluto Shervington, All Star Band, Mishka, Olaide Banks Band, Sheriff Bob & The Deputy, Overdrive String Band, ILISMO and Roots Nyabinghi.
Producer Jermaine ‘Crawba Genius’ Henry of Crawba Production is set to release his EP called “Border PO” featuring a slew of prominent artists. The riddim project is set for release on March 3, 2023 via ONErpm https://onerpm.link/borderpo
The producer who previously worked with Busy Signal on “Wha Gwan Mad Head” will be releasing a new track called “Party Nice” which is on Border PO and is sure to put fans in a good mood ahead of the summer. Crawba Genius shared that the name Border PO is inspired by the name of the community that he originates from.
The six-track riddim also features artists Iwaata on the song “Yea Me Love”, It’s Dia from the Bahamas on “Tik Tok Damages”, and two songs featured on Charly Black’s latest album ‘No Excuses’- “More and More” featuring Bounty Killer and “Short up Shorts”.
The producer shared that the EP is a solid dancehall project that incorporates authentic dancehall beats but also incorporates soca elements perfect for the party and events scene.
Henry has extensive experience producing cross-genre music including reggaeton and has songwriting and co-production credits on Maluma’s “Agua Jamaica” and previously worked on the Afrobeats-reggae track “African Love” by Miss V and Warrior King.
The producer said he is passionate about creating music fans enjoy and promoting Jamaican culture.
“I’m working with artists from other genres but dancehall flavour and dancehall element are important. No matter what genre or artists, we always keep the dancehall sound to identify because we are promoting Jamaica everywhere in the world,” he said.
The producer also shared that there is an opportunity for other producers and artists to create cross-over music but marketing is important to any music success.
“There is success in dancehall also but there is huge potential for crossing over. In dancehall, we don’t have a big machinery like when you’re working with international artists with a major label. They have the ‘engine’ and support that dancehall doesn’t but our sound is still large in the world, reggae and dancehall music is international and needs proper marketing to ensure Jamaican music continues to grow and thrive,” Crawba said.
He continued, “You have to focus a lot on marketing because the consumers are there and you have to make happy and feel good music because people want to dance. You have to invest in marketing to ensure that the song is put out and people know what you are doing. You have to have good production and good marketing to have people know what you are doing to get it to the right ears.”
Crawba previously worked with artists Julian Marley, Busy Signal, Renee 6:30, Capleton, Maluma, Osmani Garcia, Future and Lil Durk and others.
Henry has also produced many songs for diamond-selling artist, Charly Black and others.
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