Quick tour update

Posted on April 25, 2008

Two quick tour updates:

Sun. April 27 – Knotty Pine Bar – Victor, ID
Wed. April 30 – Owsley’s – Denver, CO

As always, the full schedule can be seen in the tour section.

Reggae Rhythms interviews Half Pint

Posted on April 24, 2008

Be sure to check out episode 47 of the Reggae Rhythm Update podcast hosted by Joshua B for a great show dedicated to Pint. Joshua interviews Pint and runs down a great series of tracks. All fans will definitely want to check it out. Here’s what Joshua has to say about the episode:

One of the great things about doing this show is that I get to speak to some of my musical heroes. Half Pint is one of those artists that I discovered while doing my radio show at Emerson College in Boston. Starting one night, young ladies would call and request his new song at the time, “Substitute Lover.” That song turned out to be one of my all-time favorites, along with “Level the Vibes,” with which I’d open my show week after week. With last night’s performance in Los Angeles, Half Pint began his U.S. tour. Visit his web site for the latest tour updates. I spoke to him over the phone from his hotel room. I think you’re going to love what he says about his musical mission to uplift people.

The track list is as follows: Level the Vibes, Days I Can’t Forget, Sally, Sally Dub, Winsome, Greetings, Substitute Lover, Hold On, Unity, Blessing Darling, Just Be Good, and Children of His Majesty.

Tour video

Posted on April 22, 2008

Here’s some fan-shot footage of Pint singing “Greetings” and “Hold On” at the Malibu Inn last Friday night:

Half Pint recalls “One Big Family”

Posted on April 20, 2008

Half Pint recalls ‘One Big Family’
Mel Cooke; Jamaica Gleaner

When Half Pint wrote and sang One Big Family, which eventually was the title of the 1990 album of the same name, Jamaica was in some ways returning to older times while at the same time adjusting to the inevitable changes of an increasingly globalised world.

The People’s National Party was back in power with Michael Manley at the helm, ending the Jamaica Labour Party’s stint after their 1980 landslide general election victory, which came after the near civil war of the late 1970s. The Sleng Teng rhythm of 1985 had changed the Jamaican music industry, ushering in an increased production of deejays, among other changes.

Song of unity

Into the political and social changes came Half Pint with a song of unity, looking back a few decades. As he put it, “The rivalry of the politics did start to die down, but the stigma was there.

“Overall, me grow with a more family background. Then the general way of how Jamaica was different from the Jamaica that I know from the 1960s, where every parent would grow a child, even neighbour. The balance we had, we had more confidence as children,” Half Pint said.

“In the 1970s and ’80s, when the political violence come up, we could remember the ’60s.

“The song come up like if I can turn back the hands of the times and we come together as a family,” Half Pint said.

So he sang, on a remake of the ‘Death in The Arena’ by Sly and Robbie with a ‘wicked mix’ by engineer David Rowe, that:

“We are one big family, inna dis ya country
We are one big family, living inna harmony.”

And he rejoices “joy, joy to the word, joy to every boy and girl,” and prescribes friendship among human beings “like roses need water”.

Unification favourite

It is natural, then, that One Big Family has become a unification favourite, sometimes given the close-of-show treatment that has been accorded One Love. There was, however, a little concern from some of Half Pint’s colleagues, as he called some names, but naturally, many had to be left out.

In the verse where he specifies members of the ‘family’, Half Pint speaks about George Phang, Bunny Wizzy, Peter Metro, Admiral Bailey, Josey Wales and Michael Palmer, ending “Junior Reid flashing it said speed”.

“Me couldn’t call everybody name,’ Half Pint said, laughing, as he remembers that there were those who asked why they were not mentioned. He said those who made the list were among “the people who formulate in the music business around us”.

Single did well

He said that as a single, distributed by Sonic Sounds, One Big Family did well. “I guess overall people just pick up on a Half Pint song in the 1980s,” he said. And he says that the cover of the album was him in performance at Sting, with Derrick Barnett of Sagitarius Band and Isaiah Laing of Supreme Promotions in the background. “When yu look at it yu no see dem dat clear, but me know is dem,” Half Pint said.

More important than the popularity in terms of units sold and chart placing, though, is the sentiment of unity which it fosters. “When One Big Family play it mean come forth an’ dance to the tune,” Half Pint said.

Nearly 20 years after it was first made, One Big Family will get a renewed lease on life, as it has been remade along with a rapper and another singer, who actually does a verse in Spanish. It will appear on Half Pint’s next album, which will come hard on the heels of the recently released No Stress Express.

And Half Pint has just started a tour of the US West Coast and Hawaii, bringing the ‘family’ together once again.

Opening night tour photos

Posted on April 17, 2008

Reggae’s raggamuffin veteran singing star, Half Pint, kicked off his No Stress Express US tour to a packed house last night in Los Angeles at the Dub Club. From the opening notes of Pint’s clessic “Greetings” to the well-deserved
encore of “Unity” from the new No Stress Express CD release, Pint had the appreciative crowd electrified with his charismatic performance. Other member of the Reggae fraternity came out to support Pint such as the duo Michigan &
Smiley, producer/engineer Scientist, and others. Backed by the Bay Area based Yellow Wall Dub Squad and opening artists Itawe and Stevie Culture continue the tour tomorrow night at the Malibu Inn in Malibu, CA. This tour is not to be missed!

Here are some shots from the opening night of Pint’s No Stress Express tour, courtesy of Russell Gerlach / Foundation Media/PR.

Tour updates

Posted on April 16, 2008

Below are the tour updates as of today (there are a number of changes/additions):

Half Pint “No Stress Express Tour”

w/ The Yellow Wall Dub Squad, Itawe, and Stevie Culture

Wed. April 16 – The Dub Club (@ The Ex-Plex) – Los Angeles, CA
Fri. April 18 – The Malibu Inn – Malibu, CA
Sat. April 19 – World Beat Center – San Diego, CA
Sun. April 20 – Fox Theater – Salinas, CA (Afternoon Show)
Sun. April 20 – Moe’s Alley – Santa Cruz, CA
Mon. April 21 – Pier 23 – San Francisco, CA
Tues. April 22 – Lola’s Room – Portland, OR
Thurs. April 24 – Nectar Lounge – Seattle, WA (More info)
Fri. April 25 – The Top Hat – Missoula, MT
Sat. April 26 – Zebra Lounge – Bozeman, MT
Sun. April 27 – The Star Bar – Park City, UT
Mon. April 28 – Monk’s House Of Jazz – Salt Lake City, UT
Wed. April 30 – Quixote’s – Denver, CO
Thurs. May 1 – Wild Hare – Chicago, IL
Fri. May 2 – Caribbean Village – Indianapolis, IN
Sat. May 3 – TBA – St. Louis, MO
Sun. May 4 – Blue Nile – Minneapolis, MN
Mon. May 5 – Shank Hall – Milwaukee, WI
Wed. May 7 – G’s Jamaican Quisine – Kansas City, MO

Also, two Hawaii dates for later in May, where Pint will be with Daville, Freddie McGregor and the Millennium Band:

Sat. May 17 – The Shell – Honolulu, HI
Sun. May 18 – Veterans Memorial Hall – Maui, HI

And one other new summer date…

Sat. June 21 – TBA – Boonville, CA

Tour update

Posted on April 7, 2008

Tour updates for you:

Half Pint “No Stress Express Tour”

w/ The Yellow Wall Dub Squad

Wed. April 16 – The Dub Club (@ The Ex-Plex) – Los Angeles, CA
Thurs. April 17 – The Coach House – San Juan Capistrano, CA
Fri. April 18 – The Malibu Inn – Malibu, CA
Sat. April 19 – World Beat Center – San Diego, CA
Sun. April 20 – Fox Theater – Salinas, CA (Afternoon Show)
Sun. April 20 – Moe’s Alley – Santa Cruz, CA
Mon. April 21 – TBA – San Francisco, CA
Wed. April 23 – TBA – Eugene, OR (More info)
Thurs. April 24 – Nectar Lounge – Seattle, WA (More info)
Fri. April 25 – The Top Hat – Missoula, MT
Sat. April 26 – Zebra Lounge – Bozeman, MT
Sun. April 27 – The Star Bar – Park City, UT
Mon. April 28 – Monk’s House Of Jazz – Salt Lake City, UT
Wed. April 30 – The Summit – Durango, CO
Thurs. May 1 – Belly Up Aspen – Aspen, CO
Fri. May 2 – Cervantes – Denver, CO
Sat. May 3 – Wild Hare – Chicago, IL
Sun. May 4 – Blue Nile – Minneapolis, MN

Also, two Hawaii dates for later in May, where Pint will be with Daville, Freddie McGregor and the Millennium Band:

Sat. May 17 – The Shell – Honolulu, HI
Sun. May 18 – Veterans Memorial Hall – Maui, HI

Half Pint comes with words of healing

Posted on April 4, 2008

Half Pint comes with words of healing
from Jamaica Observer
Basil Walters, Observer staff reporter
Friday, April 04, 2008

“I give thanks to the Most High that bless me with the vision and a brain to sing and guide my pen to write words of healing power with joy and love for the people of the world,” states Half Pint in the linear notes of his latest album, No Stress Express.

Singer, songwriter Half Pint, over the years has established a well-earned reputation as one of reggae’s most conscious lyricists. And with his latest set, No Stress Express, the diminutive vocalist, once again offers a comfortable ride on the wings of his creative imagination.

With inviting lyrical content that reaches for reconciliation among people, instead of divisiveness, the double-entendre title of the album conveys interpretations that could on one hand mean, his music doesn’t contain any stressful energy, or on the other hand, it is a welcome musical escape from all stress and care.

But there is no need for speculation because Half Pint articulating in his inimitable style and fashion states. “This No Stress Express album is an appeal to the people to be more rational, look weh a gwaan, let the music heal and teach you, to look on the real issues and dance to them in a more meaningful way.”

He stresses the importance of uplifting music when he said he finds some of the current crop of music disturbing and expressed pleasure in how Ninja Man recently publicly distanced himself from violent lyrics. “The music deh yah fi teach we,” Half Pint told Splash, “and so me try put out some lyrics that is edifying… I’m pleased with the way Ninja Man pick up pon weh mi use to sing with songs like Political Friction.

The living so rough and the living so tough, but we naw give up…We living so near and yet so far all because of political war. It’s a pity inna di city, such a pity inna di city. Due to political friction man and man gone inna different segregation…”

Having segued into that impromptu illustration in order to underscore his point, Half Pint further explained. “I made that song based upon the political rivalry that was going on in Jamaica at that time in the late ’70s early ’80s. Politics to me brings division and we shouldn’t have to be divided in over 45 years after independence, and is like we country and we people dem nuh better off.”

The singer, born Lindon Roberts at Rose Lane in Western Kingston, added; “It’s kind of disturbing. There can be a better way, so that nobody nuh affi a point dem finger like gun, or instigate and promote wrong doings. Dem kind of mindset mi no really entertain or accommodate, because me did grow up inn a time when we did a live without affi acting hard or sounding tough fi instigate or generate that kind of hard edges way of life, for we have better then to do and live for.

“It come to me like that kind of politics has so engineered itself into our social life that even now our mentality is as such that everybody just waan turn a gangsta. Gangstarism never bring forth any kind of upfullness in any society.”

No Stress Express, Half Pint’s 17th album released in early March, with distribution by Universal Records, has already sold over 30,000 copies. And shortly, he’ll be working on another album with more redemption songs.

“The next album going to be more liberated with lyrics of redemption for the people,” stresses the artiste who goes off on tour shortly. His itinerary, whiach dates from April 16-29, will take him to San Francisco, Arizona, California; he will be joined by Freddie McGregor for two dates in Hawaii, Honolulu.

Of all his albums, Greetings has been the most successful. “Mi know that Greetings was a master blaster album between Europe and America, dem time deh me get a strong reaction from the reggae community throughout world….my songs dem is more appealing to people. Money Man Skank, Landlord, Political Friction, and all a dem tune were like staple on the charts. Because really and truly, sometimes if you nuh try take the problem of the world off your head, relax or try to be comfortable, or make yourself less hype. What mi really a worry about was how the death rate was so high.

That was the main issue that was stressful to me…..it offend me because mi notice sey the people dem was a drop like fly….,” Half Pint lamented.