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Biography
Reggae Sunsplash is a reggae music festival first staged in 1978 in the northern part of Jamaica . In 1985 it expanded with the addition of an international touring festival. The festival ran annually until 1996, with a final event in 1998, before it was revived in 2006.
History
The Reggae Sunsplash festival was the brainchild of four Jamaicans - Tony Johnson, Don Green, Ronnie Burke and John Wakeling.Thompson, Dave (2002) Reggae & Caribbean Music , Backbeat Books, ISBN 0-87930-655-6, p. 227-236 The four founding directors created a company called Synergy Productions Ltd, which was responsible for promoting and producing the Reggae Sunsplash festival.
The first Reggae Sunsplash festival was staged at Jarrett Park, Montego Bay, Jamaica in June 1978 and began at dusk and continued until dawn for seven days. It was billed as the "biggest Reggae festival in the history of the world". The festival introduced the concept of music and travel as a boost to tourism in Jamaica. Prior to the staging of Reggae Sunsplash, the hotels in Jamaica were traditionally closed during the summer period. The four founding partners staged the festival each year for a number of years and successfully created an annual summer tourist season in Jamaica. The success of Reggae Sunsplash led to a wave of annual music festivals in Jamaica and the Caribbean islands. The festivals popularity led to a shortage of hotel rooms and a tradition of camping out on local beaches.Walters, Basil (2010) " http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Book-on-Reggae-Sunsplash--to-be-launched_7679065 Book on Reggae Sunsplash to be launched", Jamaica Observer , 7 June 2010, retrieved 2010-08-28
From 1981 the festivals were filmed and recorded, with several videos and albums released, the first being ''Reggae Sunsplash '81: Tribute to Bob Marley'', released by Elektra Records . From 1987 the festival included a sound clash event, with finalists from a national Sound system (Jamaican)|sound system competition competing as a precursor to the rest of the festival. The festival also expanded to include an 'oldies night' featuring stars from past eras of Jamaican music. For many years the festival was emcee's by Tommy Cowan .Moskowitz, David V. (2006) Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall , Greenwood Press, ISBN 0-313-33158-8, p. 254
In 1984 the Reggae Sunsplash festival also expanded into international events with a one day festival staged at the Crystal Palace, London|Crystal Palace in London, England. In 1985 the Reggae Sunsplash World tour was launched in the USA and Japan and subsequent years saw the Reggae Sunsplash festival touring extensively throughout North America, Europe, South America and the Far East. 1991 saw the introduction of a 'Caribbean Night' featuring other Caribbean music such as Soca music|soca , and the following year the festival's scope increased further with the addition of a 'World Beat Night'.
While the festival had become hugely popular, opening new global tourist niche markets to Jamaica and attracting millions of dollars of foreign exchange into the country, it had not been a financial success, largely due to the lack of sponsorship or government support. In 1995 the Chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board operating through a company called Radobar Holdings Ltd offered financial assistance in exchange for equity in Synergy Productions, the founders of Reggae Sunsplash. This initial offer was never consummated and in a disputed claim Radobar Holdings announced the formation of a company called Reggae Sunsplash International in Jamaica and proceeded with the hostile take over of the Reggae Sunsplash festival. The first attempt at staging Reggae Sunsplash without the original owners Synergy Productions in 1996 was a financial disaster for the new claimants. In 1997 the Reggae Sunsplash festival was postponed until 1998 when it was timed to coincide with celebrations of the birth of Bob Marley but more losses were incurred. More futile attempts at recapturing the original spirit of the Reggae Sunsplash festival were never replicated by the Radobar group. http://books.google.co.uk/books? id=el4EAAAAMBAJ& pg=PA170& dq=reggae+sunsplash& hl=en& ei=OLl4TNLDGcKGswbYsdyyDQ& sa=X& oi=book_result& ct=result& resnum=1& ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage& q=reggae%20sunsplash& f=false New Tune For Reggae Sunsplash", Black Enterprise , November 1997, p.& nbsp;170, retrieved 2010-08-28 The festival was re-established by the Johnson family in 2006, but it was not successful.Campbell, Howard (2010) " http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100613/arts/arts4.html Remembering Good-Old Reggae Sunsplash Days", Jamaica Gleaner , 13 June 2010, retrieved 2010-08-28Cooke, Mel (2006) " http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20060522/ent/ent1.html St Ann welcomes Reggae Sunsplash", Jamaica Gleaner , 22 May 2006, retrieved 2010-08-28 The international touring festival, however, has continued.
Two of the founding directors, John Wakeling and Tony Johnson died and with the passing of Tony Johnson a number of individuals have tried to claim the rights to the festival unsuccessfully and all have failed to recapture the spirit of the legendary Reggae Sunsplash. Don Green and Ronnie Burke are the two remaining Reggae Sunsplash founders alive.
Dates and venues
1978: June 23–30, Jarrett Park, Montego Bay
1979: July 3–7, Jarrett Park, Montego Bay
1980: July 2–5, Ranny Williams Entertainment Center, Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston
1981: August 4–8, Jarrett Park, Montego Bay
1982: August 3–7, Jarrett Park, Montego Bay
1983: June 28-July 2, Bob Marley Center, Montego Bay
1984: August 7–11, Jarrett Park, Montego Bay
1985: August 6–10, Jarrett Park, Montego Bay
1986: August 26–30: Jarrett Park, Montego Bay
1987: August 18–22, Bob Marley Center, Montego Bay
1988: August 15–22, Bob Marley Center, Montego Bay
1989: August 14–19, Bob Marley Center, Montego Bay
1990: July 16–21, Bob Marley Center, Montego Bay
1991: July 26–31, Bob Marley Center, Montego Bay
1992: August 3–8, Bob Marley Center, Montego Bay
1993: August 3–7, Jamworld, Portmore
1994: August 1–6: Jamworld, Portmore
1995: July 12–14, Dover, Saint Ann Parish|St. Ann
1996: August 1–4, Chukka Cove, St. Ann
1998: February 5–8, Reggae Park, St. Ann
2006: August 3–6, Richmond Estate, Priory, St. Ann
Albums
Big Youth - Live At Reggae Sunsplash (1983), Sunsplash/ Trojan Records|Trojan
Chalice (band)|Chalice - Live At Reggae Sunsplash (1982), Pipe Music
Yellowman - Live At Reggae Sunsplash (1982), Sunsplash
Eek-A-Mouse & Michigan & Smiley - Live at Reggae Sunsplash (1983), Sunsplash
The Gladiators (band)|The Gladiators & Israel Vibration - Live at Reggae Sunsplash (1983), Sunsplash
Toots & The Maytals - Live At Reggae Sunsplash (1983), Sunsplash
The Twinkle Brothers - Live At Reggae Sunsplash 82 (Since I Throw The Comb Away) , (1983), Sunsplash
The Mighty Diamonds & Mutabaruka - Live At Reggae Sunsplash , Genes
;Various Artists:
''Reggae Sunsplash '81: Tribute to Bob Marley (1981), Elektra Records|Elektra
Best of the Festival - Day One Live at Reggae Sunsplash 1982 (1982), Sunsplash
Reggae Sunsplash Live (1982), RCA Records|RCA
Sunsplash Live (1983), 56 Hope Rd
''Reggae Sunsplash '86 (1986), Bellaphon
Best of Reggae Sunsplash (1994), Genes
Video
Reggae Sunsplash Dancehall 88 , Charly (VHS)
Reggae Sunsplash - 10th Anniversary Of Reggae Sunsplash - Dancehall X , Charly (VHS)
