As the highpoint of Music Month In Belize approaches, we want to share some very exciting news that was just released.
We also feel it’s only fair to say a few words about this other aspect of Belize that not everyone is aware of…
Belize got rhythm!
And Blues, and Roots and Soul and Punta and Brukdown and Calypso and Paranda and Punta Rock and traditional Maya and Belize City Hip Hop and… Even the scofflaw songbird king of Texas, Jerry Jeff Walker, has for years been Ambergris Caye’s resident singer/songwriter, Cyndi Lauper has been seen at Chaa Creek, and did Madonna really write “Isla Bonita” as a paean to Ambergris Caye?
And readers who are familiar with the World Music scene would be well acquainted with Belizean music. The late, great Andy Palacio and Paul Nabor, along with the Garifuna All Stars, blew crowds away at WOMEX in Holland and Germany, and were selected – out of an impressive collection of bands from all around the world, for the honour of closing the prestigious Rainforest World Music Festival in Malaysia.
This year, the equally wonderful Garifuna Collective is joining Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant, Cardi B, and other luminaries at the 2019 Roskilde Festival in Denmark.
We could go on…and on…but you get the point – in addition to stunning scenery, the world’s second largest barrier reef, the friendliest populace on the planet, pristine rainforests filled with exotic wildlife, a wealth of ancient Maya temples and other cool stuff, Belize has a glorious musical tradition. Words like lively, vibrant, electrifying and eclectic don’t come close to describing it.
So when it was announced that Belize Music Week had evolved into Belize Music Month this year, we were…ahem…all ears.
Which is how we just found out via a May 14th media release that the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) is stepping up to help make this the most impressive Music Month ever by sponsoring three days of concerts featuring performances by 70 of Belize’s most revered musicians and 30 DJs.
Wow!
If you you’re not in Belize, try to get here for the May 23, 24 and 25th musical extravaganza at the Marion Jones Stadium.
Three days of a hundred Belizean musical luminaries doing their thing is not to be missed, and, given the love Belizeans have for music and dancing, we can guarantee there will be a whole lotta shakin’ going on.
PS – If you can’t make it to Belize City, do the next best thing and visit http://www.stonetreerecords.com/ and prepare to be amazed by the variety, quality and vitality of Belizean music.