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KADS MIIDA. VISUAL ARTIST FOR ERNEST RANGLIN & THE ALPHARIANS "JUST WHAT IT IS" FEATURING TAN TAN

5/20/2018

Kads Miida, a Tokyo-based visual artist created the throwback visual for the cover of the upcoming release, Just What It Is by Ernest Ranglin And The Alpharians Featuring Edward 'Tan Tan' Thornton. Click here to get your copy!

Visual Artist Kads Miida was born in Kyoto, and is now a Tokyo resident. Mr Miida fuses art and music. Since his first opportunity to paint a mural for a reggae club, Mr Miida says he was inspired by the energy of reggae music. As told to designer Maria Papaefstathiou, Miida says since the first time “I touched the riddim of Reggae [it] fit well with me, and I thought that I would like to paint simply the energy. I want to show the people what I see in the dancehall culture and reggae riddims.”

Facebook| facebook.com/kadsmiida Instagram| @kadsmiida

HAVE YOU HEARD? GIVE A GIFT AND GET A GIFT!

5/14/2018

In celebration of Alpha’s 138th anniversary on May 1, 2018, Alpha is pleased to give back to the school’s supporters a special musical gift–a pre-release copy of the song “Just What It Is” (Pop Up Music JA) recorded by the acclaimed guitarist Ernest Ranglin accompanied by Alpha past students. Indeed all the musicians donated their services with Alpha, and you, our friends and family, in mind. We are grateful to them for their generosity and their music and we look forward to sharing it with you.

LEGENDS OF JAMAICAN JAZZ REUNITE TO BENEFIT ALPHA

5/1/2018

From his role in Jamaica’s first smash hit, Millie Small’s “My Boy Lollipop”, to his eclectic contributions to Jamaican jazz and reggae, 85-year old Jamaican guitarist Ernest Ranglin is the elder statesman of Jamaican music. Challenging him for the position might be 86-year old Edward ‘Tan Tan’ Thornton, a graduate of the Alpha Boys School whose training at Alpha launched an amazingly varied work experiences--from performing with Eric Deans Orchestra as a teenager to a Beatles recording session as a young man and now touring with Rockabilly Punk outfit Kitty, Daisy & Lewis. Pop Up Music JA is pleased to partner with some of Jamaica's most influential musicians on this, its debut, Friday, June 1 release.

Until June 1 "Just What It Is" will be available exclusively on the Alpha Boys School website > alphaboysschool.org.

BIG UP THE GAYLE BROTHERS

7/10/2017

"The foundation of this dub album was created by some of the finest sessions musicians ever to grace the studios of 1960’s & 70’s Jamaica. Their instruments were the cornerstone to countless Dub LP’s that began to surface in the early 70’s and continued on into the 80’s creating a whole new genre of music."

This is how Kompakt Records starts its dsecription of the new dub album by the Kingston All Stars-- "the musicians and session men who recorded at a variety of Jamaica’s legendary studios, and created so many of the classic rhythms from the 1960’s and ‘70’s".

Grab the LP here!

Included in the group are two Alpha past boys and brothers Everton (ABS '68-'73) and Everald (ABS '70-74) Gayle, woodwind and brass specialists, respectively.

MARCIA GRIFFITHS AND ALPHA TO GIVE AWAY CUSTOM SONG!

4/29/2017

The Alpha Institute (formerly Alpha Boys School, Alpha Industrial School and Alpha Cottage) turns 137 years young May 1st 2017. Reggae icon Marcia Griffiths has a special song for everybody who donates to Alpha or purchases a product from Alpha during the month of May 2017. Click here to visit the Shop on Alpha Boys School Radio.

Marcia Griffiths has a special birthday message for friends and family of Alpha...

VINYL 101. BIG YOUTH "NICO'S WALK" (2017 MOUNT GROVE MUSIC)

4/21/2017

The song was recorded in Small World Studios in Kingston on the legendary Orange Street. Once inside the booth, Big Youth recorded the track in only one take! "Good over evil, right over wrong... teach the youth the righteous song".

Nico's Walk vinyl and digital is available only on the Mount Grove Music website. Click here for shipping info.

WATCH KINGSTON ALL STARS FEATURING RZEE JACKSON

3/19/2017

Taken from Presenting the Kingston All Stars LP.

Behind the Scenes. Mount Grove Recording Sessions

3/11/2017

Watch Nicholas Laraque (Stephen Marley's sax player and past Alpha student) help rehearse Alpha students for the track 'Alpha on the Top' at Alpha and then go with them to Tuff Gong Studio.

Ken Boothe working hard in his home studio.

Kingston All Stars- Tribute to Kebra Hi-Fi

NEW MUSIC! INTRODUCING THE KINGSTON ALL STARS VINYL LP AVAILABLE MARCH 17.

2/25/2017

Release date March 17, 2017
Limited edition vinyl copies are available. Click here for more information.

From the liner notes of the Kingston All Stars debut LP ”Presenting Kingston All Stars”

Composed of some of the most gifted musicians to ever walk the streets of the Jamaican capital,the Kingston All Stars project is a celebration of the heyday of vintage reggae, taking the form of a contemporary music project that pays homage to the glory days of the music’s past. Spearheaded by Canadian producer, engineer & musician Moss Raxlen, who was also the driving force behind the great Rocksteady: The Roots Of Reggae feature documentary, and who produced Lynn Taitt’s last-ever works, the Kingston All Stars revolves around a robust core of legendary session players who have been respectively responsible for the lion’s share of the greatest Jamaican music ever committed to tape.

NEW MUSIC! PRESENTING NEW MUSIC FROM KEN BOOTHE, BIG YOUTH AND INTRODUCING NICHOLAS LARAQUE

2/7/2017

AVAILABLE ONLY ON MOUNTGROVEMUSIC.COM

Mount Grove Music is a new record label in love with Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae that releases music with soul. We work with the best artists from the foundation of Jamaican music including Ken Boothe, Big Youth and Alpha Boys School alumni. We are especially pleased to share the new Ken Boothe single, "Memories From Last Night" and the instrumental track, "Alpha On The Top". Media personnel are invited to request the mp3 or wav file and a copy will be sent by email. Visit Mount Grove Music online at mountgrovemusic.com.

Watch the Ken Boothe recording session here...