Marsha Thomason

Despite being one of the most stunning and talented young women in Hollywood, Thomason lacks the name recognition of less accomplished peers. But for the actress who studied theater at the Oldham Theatre Workshop in the U.K., the fact that she has eluded fame is no big deal.

“At the level I am,” she says, “people know who I am, but they are not necessarily intrigued by my personal life, so luckily, I am able to do what I do and go about my business. There are actors who are very successful and open box offices, and the press is interested in them, but because they don’t give them anything, they can go about their lives,” continues Thomason who started acting at a very young age.  “This is all I ever wanted to do, and if I’m put in a position where I am opening movies, which will create an intrigue into more of my life, then I just have to deal with it and suck it up for it’s what I asked for. People are very gracious for the most part. They tell me they appreciate my work, and I am pretty much able to get about with it.”

In ”Lost”, the television series created by J.J. Abrams, Thomason played the mysterious Naomi Dorrit, and was a huge fan of the show prior to joining the cast.

“I started watching it from the first episode because my friend Dominic Monaghan (Charlie Pace) was in it, so I became a fan from the very beginning. I auditioned a few times for a few different roles and they kept bringing me back and eventually I got the role of Naomi.  Being on the show and arriving on the island of Hawaii to shoot was a very cool moment and I enjoyed it very much.”

Born in Manchester, England to a Jamaican mother and a British father, Thomason
was first introduced to U.S. audiences when she starred opposite Martin Lawrence in the movie “Black Knight.”

“I was cast out of England for that movie and came to the States by invitation. It was a big budget movie and was my first American movie, and I had never done anything like that before. Martin’s a real character and he made me laugh a lot. It was a really wonderful experience.”

The success of the movie ensured more roles for the actress who has been honing her acting chops professionally since she was 14 years old.

“Acting is difficult. It’s very competitive and you have to be in it to win. It’s not for the faint hearted. When I started doing it, I didn’t think of anything else other than acting,” she says. “There were a lot of people around me from theater workshops, who were succeeding in theater and film, and I just couldn’t think of anything I wanted to do more as I really enjoy performing and acting was a burning desire.”

In the television series “White Collar,” about a white-collar criminal-turned-FBI consultant, Thomason plays a tough-talking lesbian FBI agent called Diana Barrigan.

“I play this ball-breaking agent who doesn’t take any shit. She’s really great at her job, and each week there’s a different crime which I help solve,” says the actress who is fiercely protective about her acting choices, preferring quality over quantity. “I am definitely sensitive to the exploitation of women, I play a Lesbian on the show. If a piece of great material came in front of me, and it happened to involve some kind of nudity it won’t be a no for me. I look for good writing, great character and an engaging story. If there’s a talent attached that I admire then that’s always an incentive,” says Thomason, who was in the pilot episode of the show.  She returned for the first season finale in December last year and will appear on the series full time in the second season.

“It’s [White Collar] got heart. It’s funny and intelligent and is not your average procedural series for there is a bit more to it. It just arrived in England, and everybody there thinks it’s really good. My family is really enjoying it.”

Now based in Los Angeles with husband Craig Sykes, Thomason who got hitched last April still travels to Manchester faithfully each year to visit family and cites traveling as one of her favorite hobbies. “I traveled for a month around Europe and we recently went to Thailand for a month and it was incredible,” she says.  “It’s one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to and I loved it.”

For “White Collar,” Thomason who initially perfected an American accent for her role opposite Eddie Murphy in “Haunted Mansion,” had very little physical and mental preparation for her return to the television show.

“It all turned around very quickly so I didn’t have time to prepare. The other day I had to shoot a gun and I felt like Angelina Jolie, so I guess my preparation has been watching other movies,” jokes the actress. “I want to be able to play all kinds of roles and previously worked with Jessica Drake, the dialect coach, which was fantastic as I was able to keep the tools that she gave me on that job and use them from that point on.”

“White Collar” Season 2 premieres July 13 at 9 p.m. on USA Network.

While the first decade of this century revisited nearly every retro look from the 1930s on, this recent return to classic is not without updates.  Designers are turning to classics for inspiration, but perfecting cuts, redesigning familiar patterns, and focusing on the textiles used to create these distinctive designs.  With an updated classic look, the elegant styles from which these new designs draw upon are no longer exclusively for the high-browed, for bold patterns and colors translate well to the modern, individualistic, everyday man. Brooklyn-based couturiers, Ryan Sovereign and Will Beck anticipated this resurgence of elegance, and well ahead of the curve.  Since 2005, Sovereign Beck has produced a variety of hand-sewn men’s accessories ranging from neckties, bow ties and pocket squares in 100% silk, wool and cotton.

Upon their meeting at the Rhode Island School of Design, where Sovereign studied industrial design and Beck studied sculpture, the two collaborated quite naturally in music.  The complimentary makeup of the their creativity, combined with their mutual interest in pattern design and collecting vintage ties eventually gave birth to a neckwear line appropriately known as Sovereign Beck.  In aim of making contemporary what was once mundane; Sovereign Beck began their line with subtle alterations to otherwise seemingly familiar prints on a timelessly cut necktie—not too skinny, not too thick.

In Sovereign Beck’s first collection, the typical striped or plaid tie was given an updated color palate, some adorned with flying birds or a slight splatter of a complimentary color; while others have been printed with natural inspired, fizz-like and reptilian-esque patterns.  Continuing on with three more seasons of 100% silk ties, Sovereign Beck’s modern take on a familiar classic has increasingly grown in sophistication.  Exhibiting what is now signature Sovereign and Beck design, their four collections of silk ties offer hints of bricolage, as bits and pieces of common patterns show themselves in a new light, creating truly unique prints that depart from the ordinary, while still maintaining a sense of timelessness.

A few years after the launch of Sovereign Beck, the two realized another simple accessory: the pocket square, which is now available as a companion to nine ties within the silk collections.  Coinciding with these nine pocket squares, a well-cut bowtie was added to the line (with a little help from hopeful clients), completing the three simple offerings from the Sovereign Beck collection.  In addition to exploring various suit-related accessories, Sovereign Beck also began investigating the use of other materials and techniques in their work.  Suited for the colder seasons, the 2009 F/W line yielded 100% wool ties in muted colors printed in hounds tooth, stripes and speckles; providing the modern gentleman with more seasonal variety.

Proceeding with their inquiry into the various types of materials, Sovereign Beck has more recently ventured to use men’s shirting cotton for a lighter, more casual spring and summer tie.  Collaborating with New York based Polluted Eyeball, Sovereign Beck’s first cotton line featured hand screen-printed patterns, and has since progressed to include plaid and stripe printed cotton ties.  The two designers are currently working on a new fall collection which will expand both the cotton and wool collections, including new color palates and fabrics.

All Sovereign Beck ties are printed in limited quantities, bias cut and hand sewn in New York City.   Whether actualized in silk, wool or cotton, Sovereign Beck provides enduring designs that are bold, yet understated; modern, yet timeless.

Sovereign Beck can be found in Los Angeles at the Standard Hotel in Downtown or online at www.sovereignbeck.com

The famed intersection of 43rd Street and Degnan Boulevard of Leimert Park Village in Southwest Los Angeles was buzzing with activities on Saturday, June 26th, as the 4th annual Leimert Park Book Fair once again kicked off the summer season in the center of the African-American community arts scene in Los Angeles.

This annual event was free of charge to visitors who turned out in numbers.  More than 150 authors, poets, spoken word performers, artists, local newspapers, panel discussions and celebrities participated in the day’s activities.

“People are looking for the best kind of events that are FREE,” said Los Angeles 8th District Councilmember Bernard C. Parks.  “We are pleased to see everyone here.”  “The purpose of bringing these events is for you to walk into the stores, restaurants and the vendors that are on the parking lot, to ensure that they get an opportunity to stay in business.”

Author Walter Gordon said he wanted to be at the book fair.  “I grew up in this community and I wanted to bring my book out and expose it while meeting other Writers, as well as the people interaction,” he said.  Gordon is the author of “Nat Turner”, a non-fiction book about Nat Turner insurrection.

Another author Roland Jefferson whose most recent novel is “White Coat Fever” said, “I thought I would come out today and just relax and interface with the other authors and people who like to read good books.”  “I heard about the book fair through Facebook and My Space and articles from the local newspapers.

Jefferson further stated, “Having a book fair in Leimert Park is excellent for the community.”  “If you are going to have a fair that takes into account the cultural area, then you have to be in this neighborhood.”

Meanwhile another vendor, who requested anonymity said, “The organizers have done very well with creating a family-friendly event in Leimert Park.”

In addition to the festivities, US Postal Service Post Master of Los Angeles, Mark Anderson, unveiled a 44-cent stamp with Councilmember Bernard Parks, honoring Oscar Micheaux, who made over 40 films in the early 1900’s when it was difficult for people of color to make films.

The book fair was founded in 2007 by Cynthia E. Exum and Associates in partnership with Los Angeles Councilmember Bernard C. Parks, whose district includes the southwest Los Angeles neighborhood and in association with the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and Eso Won books.

Leimert Village is home to Eso Won Bookstore – Eso Won is African for “water over rocks”. The bookstore provides a reservoir of knowledge for both the African and African American experience, as well as any other topic you may wish to find.  It is also the location of Ackee Bamboo Jamaican Cuisine – A quaint establishment, friendly environment with authentic Jamaican food; As well as the famous Lucy Florence Coffee and Cultural Center hosting an array of talent, art and music.

The National Ballet of Cuba said Friday that U.S. authorities have approved a visa for the grande dame of Cuban dance and she will visit the American Ballet Theater on June 3 for a celebratory version of Don Quixote featuring three principal casts. The show is part of the company’s season-long commemoration of its 70th anniversary.

Word of Alonso’s visit arrived a day after the office of legendary Cuban folk singer Silvio Rodriguez announced plans to perform June 4 at Carnegie Hall, though Washington had yet to approve his visa.

While icy U.S.-Cuba political relations have changed little under President Barack Obama, important cultural and artistic exchanges between the two countries are fast becoming commonplace.

Born in Havana on Dec. 20, 1920, Alonso began dancing professionally in the United States, joining the American Ballet Caravan in 1937. She became part of the American Ballet Theater four years later, the theater said.

Alonso briefly returned to Cuba, then rejoined the company in 1943. She was promoted to the role of principal dancer three years after that, becoming especially acclaimed for her interpretation of Giselle.

American Ballet Theater spokeswoman Kelly Ryan said there will be a special on-stage reception for Alonso and other invited guests.

“It’s very exciting. She is one of our very early members … a charter member almost,” Ryan said by phone from New York. “She means so much to the history of this company.”

Still spry, Alonso will travel to New York as part of a tour that should also take her to England and France, the National Ballet of Cuba said. Details of her itinerary are still being worked out.

“The American public has always been precious for me,” she told The Associated Press in a 2007 interview. “We grew up at the same time. Back then, American ballet wasn’t developed and we were among the first.”

Alonso founded the Alicia Alonso Ballet Company in Cuba in 1948, but had to close it frequently because of money problems. The company took off again after Fidel Castro took power on New Year’s Day 1959 and began to lend both personal and financial support. Her company became the National Ballet of Cuba, and Alonso later founded a national ballet school.

The ballerina appears frequently at dance events in Havana despite her failing eyesight. She has been an outspoken critic of the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba for decades, but has also traveled to America relatively regularly over the years.

Ryan said Alonso last visited the American Ballet Theater in January 1990, when the company was marking its 50th anniversary.

U.S. economic sanctions took their current form in 1962 and prohibit American tourists from coming to Cuba while choking off nearly all trade between both countries.

U.S. performers, artists and academics have been granted official permission to travel to the island for years, though many of those cultural exchanges stalled under President George W. Bush.

Cuban artists also have been allowed to travel to the United States for performances, award shows and other events, though some complained of lengthy delays in getting visas or being denied American permission with little explanation while Bush was in office.

Under the Obama administration, cultural exchanges have happened more often.

The Puerto Rican rock and reggaeton group Calle 13 gave a concert in Havana in March and American funk and R&B pioneers Kool & the Gang came to Cuba in December. Calle 13’s members openly criticized U.S. policy during their visit. A number of top Cuban musical favorites have played Miami and other U.S. locales in recent months, including Los Van Van, Buena Fe and Carlos Varela.

Cinco de Mayo celebration / Photos by Courtney Cady

Despite all of the festivities, a grim picture loomed under the over hangs of the shops on Olvera Street’s brick lined passageway.  Signs reading SOS, or Save Olvera Street, littered the walls as petitioners passing out fliers and gathering signatures could be seen every few vending kiosks.  The posters, fliers and petitions are being made in attempt to thwart the city’s efforts to privatize the historical monument, which would result in an increase in rent as high as 200-900 percent.  The soon to be 80 year old monument preserved in 1930, is being threatened by amendments on Proposition H, an initiative passed in 1992 that assured merchants of Olvera Street negotiated long-term leases in an effort to preserve the area.  Though many shoppers support these vendors daily, petitioners warned that such an increase in rent would put a strain on businesses that could result in the eviction of generations of merchant families from Olvera Street, which may eventually lead to the unfortunate demise of the monument and all of its celebrations, including the Cinco de Mayo festival at El Pueblo de Los Angeles.

Cinco de Mayo is a holiday honoring the improbable defeat of the French by Mexican forces on May 5, 1862 in the Mexican city of Puebla.  In the United States Cinco de Mayo is widely celebrated in recognition of Mexican American heritage, despite the general lack of observance outside of Puebla within Mexico. Some celebrators at this year’s festivities on Olvera Street carried Mexican flags, held signs for freedom, liberty, and immigration reform, using the holiday as a means to express ethnic pride.

Back in the 1930’s Colombia was infused with a music that was born on its shores, which hug the tropical Caribbean island hotbed.  That music, which quickly became popular all over the Caribbean and Latin America, was called CUMBIA.  Like much of the Caribbean’s culture, Cumbia is a blend of African-Indigenous-European sounds that coalesce into a rhythm which the body can not resist.  This music is the background to a comedic love story called “Cumbia de Mi Corazon.”
Long ago on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, in the town of Barranquilla, Don Heriberto and Maruca met when they were at the prime of their youth, and through the dance of the cumbia became one; only to be separated in the flesh by Heriberto’s untimely death.  Some fifty years now between heaven and hell, Don Heriberto, refuses to enter his final resting place without the love of his life, Maruca.  Now an elderly woman, Maruca transitions into the afterlife, but is a bit lost.  Along with two Angels who are trying to earn their wings, Don Heriberto helps Maruca find her way with the sounds that led them to one another long ago in the carnal world. Share in their journey to rejoin with one another and become one body enveloped in the sound of their coastal Caribbean rhythm.
This theatre production features a script written by Toby Campion and produced by C. Raul Espinoza; and features an American trained, Spanish speaking cast form a variety of Spanish speaking countries.  This play also marks the directorial debut in Los Angeles of German Jaramillo. German Jaramillo was one of the original founders, and actors, of the Teatro Libre de Bogata (Free Theatre of Bogata) back in 1973.  Teatro Libre de Bogata was the first theatre company-owned playhouse that served as a training center and performance venue in Colombia.  In 2001 Jaramillo moved to New York where he founded the celebrated ID Studio Theater and Research Center.  Jaramillo finds that “This storyline takes place in the origins of the music called Cumbia, in a time when Cumbia is most popular and an integral part of these two people’s lives.” As a native Colombian who is well versed in the music and dance of the Cumbia, Jaramillo was a shoe in to direct this production.
Although this play is in Spanish it does feature English supertitles, so do not miss out, join the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts, in Los Angeles, April 30-May 23, 2010 as they present “Cumbia de mi Corazon.”  For information on times, dates and address please refer to our Calendar of events!

Add to our COE
Cumbia de mi corazón
04/30-05/23 Fri-Sun
Times: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 3 p.m.
Location: Bilingual Foundation of the Arts, 421 N. Avenue 19th, Los Angeles, CA 90031
Tickets: Cumbiademicorazon.tix.com or (323) 786-6281
$25 General Admission; $40 Opening Night Performance and Gala Saturday May 1st; $15

A proud Petion-Ville native, he spent most of his early childhood in the suburbs of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. A country recently devastated by tragedy. Growing up, Jean-Louis, who has lived and worked in various countries such as Italy, England, Spain and South Africa as a model and dancer, recalls his childhood in Haiti as an extremely idyllic one.

“It was a great and a very happy experience. Even though we were restricted as far as water and electricity was concerned, it didn’t stop us from having fun and being kids. I think my childhood helped me in staying in touch with nature — staying in touch with basic needs and the simple things people take for granted,” he says.

[Humble Beginnings]

As a child, Jean-Louis dabbled in sports; particularly soccer. An immensely popular sport in most Caribbean Islands, Haiti has produced many talented star players over the years.

“I didn’t know what an actor was or that such a profession as a model existed and Haiti is a place that loved soccer, so back then I wanted to be a professional soccer player because that is one thing I can relate to. We did have a couple of good Haitian soccer players who went to the world cup,” says the actor. “My parents wanted me to finish my studies and be an engineer or a doctor. Those professions were important to them at the time so being a model and anything that had to do with arts was completely out of my league so I didn’t think about them.”

In 1991, Jean-Louis landed his first job in a Coca Cola commercial when he was spotted dancing in a club. A lucrative career in modeling followed. With international assignments for designers Gianfranco Ferre and Valentino, he traveled extensively to Greece, Brazil, Turkey, Europe, South Africa and India, absorbing the culture around him, but after several frustrated years in France, he moved to Spain to join a musical theatre before finally ending up in the United States.

A role in Jean Claude Van Damme’s “Derailed” in 2000, set the stage for subsequent roles with other Hollywood A-listers and he went on to shoot “Tears of the Sun” with Bruce Willis, “Hollywood Homicide” with Harrison Ford and “Monster-in-Law” with Jane Fonda. Jean-Louis also stared opposite comedian and actress Monique playing a Nigerian doctor in the movie “Phat Girlz,” before becoming a household name as the aloof and mysterious ‘Haitian,’ who has the ability to erase the memories of anyone he wishes.”

“From the beginning, I didn’t have too much to say. It was a lot about the body movement and the look of the character. I used my background as a dancer to create a presence and character out of the very little I was given. I didn’t speak at all for the first few episodes and it’s pretty difficult to play a character who doesn’t say a word.”

Relying on his magnetic presence and poise, Jean-Louis, a talented and creative performer mesmerized audiences in the show which became a phenomenon and dramatically changed the course of his career.

“The success of the show allowed me to go to different markets in different parts of the world and be able to work easily as a result of the recognition. I did movies in France and Indonesia and a few projects in London. Playing a Haitian hero on television put some pressure on me as far as stepping up to the plate. Especially knowing the situation in Haiti, I had to speak up,” he says. “Haiti is an absolutely beautiful country with a lot of mountains, beautiful white sand and blue water, but very, very poor with not too much infrastructure.”

[Helping Haiti]

In 2008, Jean-Louis started up a non profit organization called Hollywood Unites for Haiti in an effort to help the citizens of his native country.

“Haiti was the first black republic to fight and win their independence and it’s something that changed the course of the world.  I initially started Hollywood Unites for Haiti (http://www.hufh.org) to help the underprivileged kids in Haiti.  A lot of what I do is towards the kids because obviously they are the future. So if you can’t take care of them, you know the future won’t be great. So that’s why I try to focus as much as I can on the kids.” Jean-Louis’ organization has been very instrumental in providing full sets of sports equipment to the national soccer team  in addition to much needed supplies for several Haitian communities.

With supporters who include actors Josh Brolin, Diane Lane and director Paul Haggis, it’s a mission which has now clearly taken on a different direction due to the recent catastrophe. Just a few days after the devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake, Jean-Louis flew to Haiti via Santo Domingo to reconnect with his family and at press time, the actor who lost numerous friends and relatives is still on the island working to raise awareness and much needed funds to help stabilize his native country.

Recently, Jean-Louis, who is also the Goodwill Ambassador for the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) received an honor for his many humanitarian accomplishments by the city of Miami. He was presented with a golden key to the city, during the Fifth Annual Haitian Independence Month Celebration.

“It’s a great honor and it’s not an easy thing to get,” he continues. “Because Miami has a lot of Haitians, from time to time they recognize some of the faces out there and that’s why they invited me, especially with the work that I do and the non profit organization.”

A huge accolade, it’s another accomplishment the selfless actor can add to already colorful and enriching resume. A warm hearted family man with a wife and two kids, Jean-Louis, despite his early struggles in the industry, especially in Europe, has no qualms in letting his kids pursue a similar career in entertainment.

“They are eight and seven and at the age where they could have done a few things and I have no problem with them entering the industry. They just have to discover it by themselves and really want to do it. I wouldn’t want to push them to do it but if they want to do it then why not? I am already in it so I can guide them,” he says.

Extremely athlete and extensively traveled, Jean-Louis plays soccer several times a week, abhors junk food and has a rudimental workout regime.

“Because I travel quite a bit, I always do something wherever I am. Either I will have a football game or do pushups and pulls up, but most of all I also eat very well,” says the actor who has artists Bello, Fela Kuti, James Brown, Sade and of course Bob Marley on heavy rotation on his Ipod. And unlike his character Rene on the NBC show, if he were to possess an extraordinary ability in real life, Jean-Louis would rather have the power to fly than the ability to erase memories.

“I think flying is a good one because of the sense of freedom that you must have when you fly, if you can fly, and also the power to help take care of the current situation in Haiti. Really becoming a hero by using those powers would be great.”

And his greatest fear?

“Ignorance. Because I have been lucky enough to have traveled, it would have been petrifying if I had to be in one room or city and not have the freedom to see what is going on in the world and learn and experience,” he says.

Traveling is certainly an experience and opportunity, which has allowed the actor innumerable ways to help others. Something he intends to continue doing as his native country suffers its worst in tragedy in years, a devastation he agrees will require a long term relief effort and rebuilding process.

“Haiti has suffered many set backs in its rich history and yet the Haitian people have never lost the character to face adversity with creativity, resilience, and community. Sometimes just sending the message and doing a little bit could inspire a lot of other people to continue doing or to start doing as well,” says Jean-Louis. “I have a connection to my home country and whatever I can do for it to be better, I will do it, for I would love to see Haiti doing well so will try to do whatever I can to see that happen.”

To help Haiti visit http://www.hufh.org

Saturday’s artists featured were Shaggy, The Dirty Heads, Don Carlos, Frankie Paul, Yellow Man, Big Youth, Gramps Morgan, Mikey Spice, Lloyd Brown, Bajah & Dry Eye Crew, Mystic Roots Band, Yellow, and Wall Dub Squad.

Sundays line up of stars consist Detour Posse, The Lions, David Kirton, The Aggrolites, Edi Fitzroy, The Mighty Diamonds, Alborosie, Tarrus Riley, Gregory Isaacs, Barrington, Levy.  The MCs: of this two day festival was Amlak Tafari and Richie B. They did a fantastic job in keeping spirits alive as they announced each artist.

International Jamaican Reggae superstar Capleton has once again become the target of the gay community and the organization GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) in response to his concert and festival bookings in California and Florida this month.

Capleton replied was this “For as long as I live, I will give and forgive and do good as long as I can…” a quote from one of his recent album, “Head Above Water.”

A morning news conference was held at the LB Hyatt Hotel. The media interviewed many artists that was scheduled to perform, which included Yellow Man who performed in a Lakers jersey and shorts with Kobe Bryant’s name on the back. Gramps Morgan and The Dry Eye Crew made their appearance at the news conference. Ragga Muffins promoter, Barbara Barabino, directed questions from the press to the performing artists and introduced to the media some of the performers making their first appearance at the festival.

Ms Barbino informed the media that she and her staff started work on forming the two day event during the summer months. “It takes a lot of hard work to get the scheduling done.” said Barbara. She thanked everyone for their tremendous support in making the festival one of the major reggae music festivals worldwide.

CaribPress obtained an exclusive interview with the West African singing trio from Sierra Leone called Bajha & The Dry Eye Crew.

CaribPess: How did you get started?

Dry Eye Crew: With the war in my country going on, many of our people were being killed.  Someone had to spread the message that these killings must stop. The people needed someone to speak up. We are the voice of the voiceless that stood up with no fear.

CP: We notice your music is deeply rooted in reggae music.

DE: Back home we not only listen to reggie music, there is a lot of diverse music played over the radio stations. We listen to them all.

We are so happy to meet Yellow Man; many of his records are sold there. The man is like a mentor to me.

We feel that reggae music is a form of original African music.

CP: Is English the major language in your country?

DE: You must remember, we were colonized by the British. Yes we do speak English but we speak in Creio. Some of our words are tribal.

CP: How many albums have you put out?

DE: We have 7 albums that had been released in our country. We will release our first international album in June called Love Somebody. It’s all about love. We say to all reggae fans please watch out for it.

Dry Eye performance is with so much energy that you can’t help to move your feet to the earthy reggae sounds they project.

This year would have been Bob Marley’s 65th birthday. He still continues to be the king of reggae music even to this day. His strongest message to the people is LOVE.

2011 will mark thirty years of this successful music festival. Ms. Barabino said it will be unique and should not be missed.

Artifacts will include a cassette tape in which another reggae great, Peter Tosh, jams a blues song with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, museum curator Herbie Miller said Sunday.

The tape was recorded in June 1977 in New York City, said Miller, who was Tosh’s former manager.

It will be placed alongside the album “Escape from Babylon” by American singer Martha Velez that Marley produced in 1976.

The museum is requesting donations to help preserve Jamaica’s vibrant music history. The island’s music preservation took a major hit two years ago when officials discovered that a massive collection of 1970s music, including original recordings by Marley and Tosh, disappeared from the archives of the former Jamaica Broadcasting Corp.

The collection has not been found.

Miller said a date has not been set for the opening of the Jamaica Music Museum in Kingston. It will be operated by the government through the Institute of Jamaica, which oversees cultural affairs.

Instead of the promised appearance by Dr. Conrad Murray and his lawyers, a crowd of reporters and photographers gathered outside a branch courthouse only got a drenching from a rainstorm.

Murray, working as Jackson’s personal physician during the singer’s preparation for comeback concerts, has been under investigation since the 50-year-old pop star died June 25 after being administered the hospital-strength anesthetic propofol and sedatives at his rented mansion to help him sleep.

It’s not clear what would have happened had the cardiologist shown up without a case being filed.

District attorney’s spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said the events had no bearing on when the case would be filed. She released a terse statement saying prosecutors will be filing a case involving Jackson’s death on Monday, but it did not name Murray or specify the charges.

“The main thing is there’s some paperwork that needs to be done. We’re doing it and (the case) will be filed on Monday,” Gibbons said.

The doctor’s legal team has said Murray will be charged with involuntary manslaughter.

“We’ll make bail, we’ll plead not guilty and we’ll fight like hell,” said lead defense attorney Ed Chernoff.

The strange chain of events _ which at one point saw reporters scramble from the courthouse to nearby recreational grounds called Polliwog Park for a news conference that never happened _ fueled intense speculation about what was going on behind the scenes.

The developments occurred against a background of reports that police wanted to arrest and handcuff Murray, but that his attorneys were negotiating with the prosecution to avoid that.

Chernoff said he spoke with prosecutors Thursday about how Murray should be taken to court on Friday. Discussions broke down after the district attorney’s office insisted Murray turn himself in at a police station, but not post bail and agree to be taken to court by police while in handcuffs.

A defense spokeswoman also earlier had said the prosecution had told Murray and his lawyers to be at court Friday afternoon.

Gibbons said that was “an absolute lie.”

“We made no deal with them,” Gibbons said.

Gibbons also said the district attorney’s office and the Los Angeles Police Department were not at odds.

A law enforcement official close to the case has told The Associated Press that police wanted to arrest Murray at a home where he was staying and take him to a police station for booking. Top brass at the Los Angeles Police Department were unhappy with a surrender because it could appear Murray was being given special treatment, according to the official, who was not authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity.

Various factors weighed in the desire of the LAPD to arrest Murray, including the possibility he might flee before arraignment, the law enforcement official said.

Jackson fans flooded phone lines at the district attorney’s office and at the LAPD’s robbery-homicide unit demanding that Murray be brought to court in handcuffs.

“When Michael Jackson was arrested for a crime he didn’t commit, he was handcuffed and publicly humiliated,” said Samantha DeGossen, a fan who organized the protest via Internet sites. “We’re outraged that Dr. Murray is not being subjected to the same treatment.”

Jackson was tried and acquitted on child molestation charges in Santa Maria, California, in 2005. He flew to Santa Maria on a private plane and surrendered to law enforcement authorities who handcuffed him and drove him to a jail to be fingerprinted and photographed.

DeGossen said a group of fans plans to be on hand Monday to protest outside the courthouse if Murray is allowed to surrender on his own.

“All we want is justice for Michael Jackson,” she said.

Murray became the focus of the probe into Jackson’s death shortly after an emergency call from Jackson’s home last summer reported that the singer wasn’t breathing despite efforts by the doctor to perform CPR. Murray told police he gave Jackson a powerful anesthetic and other sedatives that an autopsy blamed for his death.

The doctor maintains nothing he gave Jackson should have killed him.

New York-based attorney William Moran, who has represented high-profile clients, said it is not unusual for there to be friction between police and prosecutors in cases in the media limelight. Any attorney would push back against the prospect of a client being photographed in police custody.

“If you are either a patient of the doctor or considering becoming a patient of the doctor, it’s hard to get past the image of your doctor in handcuffs,” Moran said, adding that such an image could impact potential jurors.

Attended by film and television’s leading actors, and held at the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center, Sandra Bullock presented Betty White with Screen Actors Guild’s highest honor, the 46th Annual Life Achievement Award, following a filmed tribute.

Also honored with individual awards were Kevin Bacon, Alec Baldwin, Drew Barrymore, Tina Fey and Julianna Margulies for performances in television. Jeff Bridges, Sandra Bullock, Christoph Waltz and Mo’Nique received individual awards for performances in motion pictures.

Waltz was honored for his role as a ruthless Nazi in “Inglourious Basterds,” whilst Mo’Nique’s trophy came for her searing portrayal of an abusive mother in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ By Sapphire.”

Best motion picture cast performance went this year to “Inglourious Basterds”, while the Actors® for television comedy and drama ensemble performances was presented to “Glee” and “Mad Men.”

“Star Trek” and “24” received the Guild’s honors for outstanding performances by a stunt ensemble in film and television.

The 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards is a presentation of Jeff Margolis Productions in association with Screen Actors Guild Awards®, LLC.

Samantha Ofole-Prince is an entertainment journalist based in Los Angeles and can be reached on sofole@gmail.com

A shocking three out of five respondents said they had lost some of their “loved ones.” Two-thirds felt the situation in their country was so dire they were willing to move back to Haiti for a period of time to help with the reconstruction.

A large majority of those interviewed said that they have been sending remittances back home on a regular basis but are now willing to increase the amount. Seventy-eight percent of Haitian adults in the United States reported having sent a financial contribution to help victims of the earthquake.

Additionally, 62 percent indicated that they were willing to adopt or foster a Haitian orphan from the earthquake. Three-fifths felt that the United States should welcome at least 50,000 new Haitian refugees to alleviate the calamity in the island nation.

Pollster Sergio Bendixen, president of Bendixen and Associates which conducted the poll on behalf of NAM, said that Haitian Americans were also aware of the long-term challenges Haiti faces. “The Haitian community in the United States indicates that for them, the most important long-term need is improving the nation’s health and education systems,” Bendixen said.

“Thirty-seven percent of those polled said the health and education systems needed to be addressed; 24 percent said strengthening the security and safety of the people should be the top priority, while a majority also agreed that Haiti would benefit from the opening of American markets to Haitian agricultural produce and manufactured goods.”

Haitians in the United State are not concerned about the large U.S. military presence in their homeland.

The Haitian Diaspora in the United States also gave high marks to President Obama and his government (96 percent) and to the United Nations (88 percent) for their response to the earthquake. But three-fifth of the respondents also said the Haitian government has become unresponsive, and 63 percent disapproved of the way president Rene Preval and the Haitian government conducted themselves in the aftermath of the earthquake. Moreover, more than three-quarter of Haitian Americans believe that the $100 million pledged by the Untied States to help the country recover was not enough. They would like to see more than $1billion given.

The diaspora in the United States is split on whether the Haitian government is still a viable entity. Forty-six percent agree that Haiti will never be able to govern itself, while 41 percent disagree that Haiti is a failed state.

The NAM poll also found that more than 90 percent of Haitians in the United States follow the events in Haiti “closely,” mostly through English language television. The large majority – 87 percent – characterized coverage of the earthquake by CNN, Fox News, ABC, CBS and NBC as fair and comprehensive, and less than 10 percent felt it has been “unbalanced and sensationalistic.”

According to Risk Management Solutions, a catastrophe modeling firm, the Haitian earthquake caused an estimated 250,000 fatalities. Disease, starvation and lack of medical care could push the death toll higher. “We’re too close to events, but the impact [the earthquake] has among Haitians, as well as among the rest of the world, may be among the worst catastrophes in the last century,” Bendixen said.

“This poll should help the American public, as well as our policymakers, understand the strain and emotional connection between Haitian Americans and their native country,” said Sandy Close, executive director of NAM. “Some of the responses regarding the respondents’ concerns for the recovery effort may also be useful in helping shape U.S. and international policies aimed at rebuilding the nation.”

The NAM poll interviewed 400 respondents between January 22-24, 2010, in English or in Creole, depending on their language of preference. According to the U.S. Census, there are approximately 800,000 Haitians living in the United States.

Pene Preval Haiti's President

Haitian President Rene Preval has used his Independence Day speech to pledge that upcoming legislative elections will be fair.

But the Friday speech did not address the disqualification of 15 political groups that has prompted international criticism and opposition threats to try to disrupt the Feb. 28 vote.

The opposition accuses the presidentially appointed electoral council of favoring Preval’s new Unity party.

Preval’s speech also promises to focus the last of his five-year term on restoring agriculture, electricity and roads in the impoverished Caribbean country.

The annual address in Gonaives marks Haiti’s Jan. 1, 1804, independence from France after a slave revolt.

It’s a short drive inland from Miami’s trendy South Beach, and it lacks the glassy newness of the city’s condo canyons downtown. The shabby neighborhood can be tough, populated by “your good, your bad and your don’t-know-no-better,” he says. But Little Haiti has something the rest of Miami is often accused of lacking: authenticity.

“Come here and visit and you’ll feel like you’ve got two vacations in one,” Mashni says as a steady stream of Haitian Creole-speaking customers stroll past the red and blue Haitian flag painted on the outside of his store, Jenin’s.

“You’ve got South Beach, and you’ve got a Caribbean island _ the neighborhood in the Caribbean island, not the tourist area in the Caribbean island,” Mashni says.

There’s no passport required to find Haitian culture in Miami _ just the desire to forego the tourist carnival on the beach and try out the locals’ everyday rhythms.

LITTLE HAITI

The obvious place to start exploring Haitian culture in Miami is the Little Haiti neighborhood, just north of the city’s art districts. While many Haitian-Americans have moved their homes and businesses north of the city, Little Haiti remains the community’s cultural heart.

Red flags proclaim “Welcome to Little Haiti” in both English and Haitian Creole. But those aren’t the only signs to look for.

If South Beach is known for its neon, Little Haiti is known for the colorful storefront murals painted by Serge Toussaint. Look for his signature flourish _ “$erge” _ in the soda cans he paints into murals outside small grocery stores, and in the portraits he does of saints watching over botanicas, Haitian music stars outside clubs, and well-coiffed ladies smiling above beauty supply shops.

Many of these shops and restaurants along Little Haiti’s main crossroads recently got fresh coats of pastel-colored paint. So has the shuttered Caribbean Marketplace, a recreation of the Iron Market in Port-au-Prince; yearslong efforts to revive arts and business activity at the corner attraction remain in progress.

Behind it gleams the newly opened Little Haiti Cultural Center, which linked an exhibit of contemporary art by Caribbean artists to the annual Art Basel Miami Beach art fair. The experimental Dance Now! Ensemble calls the center home, and weekend showings of Haitian movies are scheduled to begin in January.

ART AND CULTURE

Haitian botanicas lure customers with fresh herbs by the door. Inside, rows of colored candles and matching scarves, vaguely labeled bottles of perfumes and oils, and small saintly figurines are ready for Christian and Haitian Voodoo practices.

To take home a sample of Haiti, though, it’s better to stop at an art gallery specializing in Haitian art, such as the Jakmel Gallery or the Haitian Art Factory; both are a little north of Little Haiti. The newest “it” bag in Miami is a VeVe, from a Voodoo-inspired collection of handmade handbags found at a new Little Haiti boutique, Made in Haiti.

The Haitian Heritage Museum, in the Design District, attempts to put Haiti’s mix of cultures and beliefs in historical context. The Church of Notre Dame d’Haiti has a stained glass window illustrating the life of Pierre Toussaint, who was born a slave in Haiti, became a society hairdresser and philanthropist in New York, and has been declared venerable by the Catholic Church, a stage in the process toward sainthood. A mural in the church shows important figures in modern Haitian history: migrants, leaving the Caribbean country by boat and by plane, under the watchful gaze of Haiti’s patroness, Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Haitian news, histories, folk tales and dictionaries to help decipher them all can be found at the bookstore Libreri Mapou. The owner, playwright Jan Mapou, also sells his homemade Kremas Mapou, a syrupy blend of milk, coconut and rum.

Compas _ popular, jazzy Haitian dance music _ often blares through the open doors of shops selling Haitian, Caribbean and African music and movies. Sometimes the sound of tin horns and conga drums comes from musicians jamming at a Little Haiti car wash _ the home of Rara Lakay, a rara band that hosts a Voodoo celebration of the dead around Halloween.

An annual compas festival has drawn thousands to a downtown Miami park in recent springs, while on weekends popular Haitian singers fill clubs and restaurants well beyond the traditional boundaries of Little Haiti.

CARIBBEAN FLAVOR

Maybe the best way to experience Haiti in Miami is to taste it in dishes like savory “griot,” or fried pork. In Haitian cuisine, beef, chicken and fish come fried, grilled or broiled in light sauces and spices, with slices of lime and helpings of rice and beans or plantains on the side.

In Little Haiti, join the locals meeting up for conch, shrimp, crab and oxtail at Chef Creole’s outdoor counter. At Lakay Tropical Ice Cream, sample flavors such as passion fruit, coconut and sour sap, along with breads, pastries and milkshakes _ most for less than $3.

Moca Cafe, in North Miami, serves up Haitian seafood dishes in a more formal restaurant with a sky-blue ceiling. After dinner on many nights, the tables get put away so dancers can groove to live compas, zouk and twoubadou acts.

Tap Tap offers some of the best values on South Beach, especially on mojitos. The minty drinks here are made with Barbancourt, Haiti’s own dark rum. Haitian protest singer and one-time Port-au-Prince mayor Manno Charlemagne and a band provide the casual restaurant’s folk-jazz-with-a-dash-of-politics soundtrack twice a week.