MIAMI _ A feud has erupted within the first family of reggae, with the widow and nine children of Bob Marley suing his half brother to stop use of the Marley name to promote an annual Miami music festival and profit from other businesses in his native Jamaica.

The lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court contends the half brother, businessman Richard Booker, and several affiliated companies are violating copyright and trademark laws by using Marley’s name, photographs, lyrics, symbols and other intellectual property without authorization.

The lawsuit says people could be deceived into thinking those uses are officially endorsed by Marley’s widow, Rita Marley, and their children. Booker and Bob Marley shared the same mother.

The entities include the Bob Marley Movement of Jah People Inc., which promotes the music festival, a restaurant in Jamaica called Mama Marley’s and several businesses with the name Nine Mile _ the part of Jamaica where Marley grew up and is now buried. One Nine Mile business offers a tour of the area, and the music event is known as the Nine Mile Music Festival.

In addition, a recent press release about the music festival included this headline: “All For The Love Of Bob Marley.” The 19th annual festival is scheduled for March of next year on Virginia Key, near Miami. Three of Marley’s kids _ Stephen, Damien and Julian Marley _ are scheduled to perform.

Marley, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, died in 1981 at age 36. Some of his best-known songs are “I Shot The Sheriff,” “Jamming,” “No Woman, No Cry,” “Get Up, Stand Up” and “Exodus.”

The lawsuit, filed by Fort Lauderdale attorney Bruce Hemerlee, seeks unspecified damages and also asks a judge to stop Booker and the companies from using any Marley-related references in the various ventures. Hemerlee represents Rita Marley and the children through a Bahamas-based entity called Fifty-Six Hope Road Music Ltd.

Booker, whose home and businesses are in Miami, did not immediately return a telephone call Friday seeking comment. A spokeswoman at his business said a statement may be issued later.

According to the festival’s website, the event’s roots date to a Bob Marley fan club begun in 1981. That gradually grew into the music festival and related food drive that has collected more than 2 million canned goods for shelters in Miami and Jamaica.

The lawsuit says that Rita Marley and her children have long opposed Booker’s attempts to trademark Marley-related business names and that at one point they reached a licensing deal, but Booker reneged on the deal.

_

One of Los Angeles top promoter Barbara Barbino

CaribPress: You have been at this endeavor, reggae festival promotions, for 30 years. What aside from the financial gain, kept you going?

Barbara Barabino: The journey has been a good one for 30 years.  It has been an experience putting together this event.  And this event affords me the opportunity to meet different people.  I can look back and say, we have done a lot for reggae.  We have kept reggae on this side of the world on the west coast.  Our production employed hundreds of Jamaican reggae musicians, as well as musicians from Canada and England.  We applied for work permits, got visas for them and other people who did not sing but were part of their entourage.  Post 911 in the United States made it difficult to get visas, so we had to be very selective with the musicians.

March is Women’s history month.  As a promoter and a woman in reggae, can you elaborate on this for our readers?

BB: I know that promoting reggae music was not something that a lot of women did.  Many of the artistes never had a female promoter speak with them before.  They thought I was one of their fan-base and I wanted to get into their room and that was not the case at all.  Cool vibes to all of those musicians and it was an education experience for them as well.

What was the energy like for the first festival and how did it compare to the current festival?

BB: The energy of the first festival was community more or less.  People wanted to be together.  They felt reggae music was about who they were.  During that era reggae music, I would say, was freedom fighter music.  A music where people were welcoming to one another regardless of race, economic status, age, and it did not matter who liked reggae.  Everybody and all welcomed that energy.

When you did the first festival, did you believe that you would continue to promote this event for decades?

BB: Of course. I spoke at a school in Los Angeles for career day and told the students, never start something to stop it.  You should always start something to continue with it.  And that’s why when you make a commitment to do anything, you should always carefully think about it.  Having a vision and some insights as to years from now is important, while asking yourself, Is this something that you want to do for a long time?

Did you know Bob Marley personally and did you get a chance to see him perform live during his time?

BB: I did not have the opportunity to meet Bob Marley.  He touched my life through his death.  I knew his music and the familiar songs.  I began to learn more about Bob at a gathering in MacArthur Park, Los Angeles in 1981.  People were celebrating his music in a beautiful way.  It was amazing the magnitude of people that connected with his music.  At that moment, I was inspired and wanted to learn more about this icon.

What was the initial inspiration behind the Bob Marley tribute concerts?

BB: Well, when I was at the MacArthur Park gathering, a mutual friend came up with the idea to have a Bob Marley tribute.  We went to KJLH with his idea and they passed on it, so my boyfriend and I were asked to become involved with launching this project.  At the time I was not thinking about being a concert promoter. My background in putting together large events coupled with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Recreation Administration from California State University, Los Angeles qualified me and I said yes to become a part of the team.  I made a commitment to this event as a woman and as an interested individual and not for personal reasons.

What hard lessons have you learned as a promoter?

BB: Well, there were obstacles along the way from a small minority of people.  They said that I was not a Jamaican and that I was a woman.  My entrepreneurial spirits from my father who was a businessman and sound upbringings brought me through.  I prayed about it and moved on.

The festival went through a name change and there were speculations as to why.  Can you clarify the information for us?

BB: It was the Bob Marley foundation who wanted to pull the name back.   We had a lease agreement in place with the Marley family.  The family decided to take back the name.  They were going to do festivals and their own Bob Marley days.  And that was fine.  My production company was called Ragga Muffins Productions.  I had to leave reggae for Cultural Awareness because of personal reasons.  I changed the name of the festival to Ragga Muffins Productions thanks to Half-Pint inspiring me on one of his songs when I was in Jamaica.  This was a crossroads for me and I did not know what to do at that time.  I felt I made the commitment some years ago, so I stuck with it.

What is the feedback that you have received from the Marley family in regards to the event, been that it is one of, if not, the largest and longest living concert in Bob Marley’s honor?

BB: We stopped using the Marley name around the late 1990’s and shifted to the Ragga Muffins festival.  This was one of our biggest years ever. The Marley family still works with us.  They have not had a Bob Marley day for the last couple of years.  Two years ago, the Marley’s were on our show and all the guys came except Ky-mani.  Even though Ziggy was not a scheduled performer, he was there to show support.  Lauryn Hill has been there, because the Marley’s were there.  The year was 2010, Bob Marley received a Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame. This was the highlight of my reggae journey.

On the lighter side, this years’ concert, can you tell me the kind of feedback you received, on the 30th anniversary lineup?

BB: We were criticized as usual about the dancehall.  And some people felt that we had too many old school performers.  People that know me know that I love old school which is the foundation of the music.  I am always way ahead of myself, for example, years ago I did the Old School jam.  When you listen to the radio now, vintage music is dominant, as are foundation music, oldies, and music from the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s.  You have to do what is in your heart.  I am a firm believer of producing good entertainment, I do not care how old you are, how long you have been around.  If your music is still good and it can be felt today, I am going to put you on my show.

How do you decide on the artiste each year?

BB: I have a partner, Moss Jacobs and we put together a hit list.   The hit list includes artistes who are on tour and those available to perform.  I am in direct contact with other artistes and receive calls from managers looking to put their artistes on a show.  Besides, February is winter time for a lot of acts and this is not a summer show.  So, you have to find out about getting good acts that will not cost a lot. Travel is very expensive and takes up a lot of the budget dollars.  This is of primary concern, so you have to be conservative when you put together the budget.

There are many reggae artistes living in Los Angeles.  Do you select local artistes for the shows?

BB: We look at local artistes for the show.  Edee was on our show last year.  I brought back some of the artistes that have been with us before including Wailing Souls and Shinehead.  I received calls from many artistes wanting to be on the show and do not forget artistes who started with us years ago.  I do feel that the artistes that you help along the way, at a certain point they have to help themselves.  I am putting them on the show, I am helping you; therefore, I am looking for you to come out with a song, a movie or something that your name is known for.  This will make my job easier when promoting the show.

It must be stressful to negotiate and navigate an event of this magnitude year after year.  What does Barbara Barabino do to unwind?

BB: I pray a lot and I walk.  You can only do one thing at a time.  You can only do one thing effectively at one time, that’s my philosophy.

You have been active in the community for years, MC for shows, a reggae radio program, “Get Up Stand Up” with Dread Scott.  Will you be back on the airwaves anytime soon?

BB: We definitely want to be back on the airwaves.  This is something that we are working towards.  And I know one day it’s going to happen.

What message do you have for concert goers?

BB: My message is that anyone who loves reggae music need to support these performers.  It is irrelevant who you like.  We have to keep reggae music out there by supporting it.   I say to my Jamaican friends, anytime reggae artistes get on that flight and travels to the United States to perform, you should support them.  It’s not about who you like.  If you support your country and culture, you should be there to embrace th0se artistes and show them respect.  We cannot just always rock to their music in a dancehall, we need to be there and show our support.

What is your feedback on distinguishing dancehall from reggae music?

BB: Many people do not know what dancehall is.  The original dancehall masters are people like Bunny Wailer and even Marcia Griffiths.   At her recent show, Marcia gave a big educational lesson to so many fans.  She talked about some of the original lyrics and the dances that went along with them, as well as the evolution of the music.  I love dancehall acts and dancehall music.  As a promoter, I have to look at the dancehall acts differently now.  Many of the dancehall acts cannot travel and they cost too much money for the promoters to spend to get the type of show they want. Some of the dancehall acts have violated acts of gays and lesbians.  Others have had visas taken away, while a few are not paying taxes to the Jamaican government.  I put total responsibility on the artistes to honor their commitments.

With a delicate balance between reggae legends and new comers, performers included Israel Vibration, Bunny Wailer and Gyptian, whose energetic performance had the crowd swaying and singing in unison as he made his way through his best-known repertoire, offering “Beautiful Lady,” and “I Can Feel Your Pain.”

Gentleman and Richie Spice backstage at the Arena

A concert event, which included performances by the equally energetic and amiable Richie Spice, German reggae sensation Gentleman, Don Carlos, Cornel Campbell, Tosh 1 and the prolific record-maker Freddie McGregor, the energy peaked at the end of I-Octane’s set with lighters blazing in the crowd, although the concert’s best moments came when the queen of reggae, Marcia Griffiths, invited some audience members onstage to join her for a performance of “Electric Boogie.”

Her voice still strong and enthusiastic, Griffiths, one of the leading female artists on the reggae scene, paid tribute during her set to deceased reggae legends Gregory Isaacs, Dennis Brown, Garnet Silk and Sugar Minot as she sang a generous set of her well known hits which included “I Shall Sing” whilst playfully interacting with the audience.

A Bob Marley celebratory concert, the Ragga Muffins Festival has showcased reggae music’s best and brightest stars.

“It’s a school in a sense, for when we have this festival you come and learn something about reggae,” says Barbara Barabino, the promoter behind this annual event, which celebrates 30 years since its inception. “First we make a hit list of all the artists that we really would like to see, and after we make the hit list then we start tweaking the list,” adds Barabino on the selection process used in picking performers each year. “Cornel Campbell has one of the sweetest voices in reggae music and Gentleman, for example, is one artist we have kept bringing back to perform. He is fabulous, he is good and he has great stage presence. It’s always a pleasure to have him on our show.”

With over 25,000 attendees, the Ragga Muffins Festival is recognized as the premiere Reggae Festival in the US.

Abraham Selassie Robert Nesta Marley was born on January 26 at a Los Angeles hospital to Ziggy and his wife Orly Agai Marley.

The couple also have two other children, daughter Judah Victoria, five, and son Gideon Robert Nesta, four, while Ziggy has two children from a previous relationship.

The 42-year-old musician and Orly have been married for six years and live in Miami with their children.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Griffiths will take the stage at the 30th Ragga Muffins Festival

With a stellar list up of top international artists and reggae legends slated to perform, the festival will take place at the Long Beach Arena on Saturday, February 19th and Sunday, February 20th, 2011.

A two-day Music and Arts Festival, which honors Bob Marley by spreading his vision of One World, One Love through music, performers include phenomenal legends such as Bunny Wailer, Marcia Griffiths and Freddie McGregor.

Also performing are artists Gyptian, Half Pint, Richie Spice, Etana and Romain Virgo.

With over 25,000 attendees annually, it’s a two-day party-fest, which features the best the genre has to offer.

The Festival is produced by Moss Jacobs Presents and Ragga Muffins Productions.

For more information visit www.ticketmaster.com.

An entertainment industry veteran, she began her career with Motown Records discovering Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5, Lionel Richie and the Commodores, and is the Co-Chair of de Passe Jones Entertainment.

At the 14th Annual Legacy Awards Gala to be held on Wednesday, January 26, in New York City, she will receive the American Foundation for the University of the West Indies (AFUWI) highest honor — the Bob Marley Award, an accolade presented to individuals who have achieved high levels of achievement within their respective fields of industry.

“We are thrilled to celebrate Ms. de Passe for her trailblazing and groundbreaking achievements in entertainment. She embodies the spirit in which the award was created, and is an example of the positive contribution the arts can make to our world”, said Gala Chair, Janet Rollé of BET Networks and AFUWI Board Chair Michael Flanigan.

The Bob Marley Award is a recognition granted to individuals whose contribution to arts and culture transcends boundaries of race, and unites people throughout in a manner which embodies the essence, lyrics and music of the Hon. Robert Nesta Marley.

An Emmy Award winner, her productions have earned numerous award nominations. Suzanne’s illustrious career include an Oscar Nomination for co-writing “Lady Sings the Blues.” Currently, Suzanne along with her business partner, Madison Jones, are producing with Steven Spielberg, a film on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The AFUWI Legacy Awards Gala is a prestigious annual event which seeks to raise funds to support scholarship programs at the University of the West Indies (UWI).

Ky-Mani Marley

Bob Marley would have been proud of what his son Ky-Mani has become.

A Grammy-nominated reggae artist, who has carved his own place in history with a successful career, Ky-Mani is a singer, actor, author and humanitarian with four successful studio albums to his credit.

The second youngest child of reggae icon Bob Marley, who died of cancer in 1981, Ky-Mani’s mother, Anita Belnavis, was a leading table-tennis player in the Caribbean in the 70s’, and is one of several women with whom Bob had children with outside of his marriage to Rita.

Fusing a musical talent with an athletic one, it’s no surprise this selfless and humble artist, who considers himself as “the black sheep of the family,” was destined for greatness.

“I do consider myself the black sheep, but for me, it’s not a bad thing. It’s just a feeling I went through growing up. I felt as though I was left on the outside to fend for myself,” claims Ky-Mani, who documented his childhood in a book titled ‘Dear Dad,’ released earlier this year on what would have been his father’s 65th birthday.

The book, which focuses on his close relationship with his mother, Anita, also details a complicated relationship with his half-brothers and sisters, some of whom, he documented, enjoyed lavish lifestyles in contrast to the one he had while growing up.   In addition, he writes that after he turned 18, he was forced to decide between taking a lump sum payment from the Marley estate, and risk not being “part of the estate,” or reinvest the payment. He took the lump sum and embarked on his own musical career, much to the disapproval of some of his family members, which prompted some to stop talking to him for a while.

“I have been thinking about writing a book for a couple of years,” adds Ky-Mani, about his decision to pen his childhood memoirs. “I was bitter about a lot of things that were bottled up inside of me, and I just needed to get it out of my system and put it out on paper,” continues the artist, who fondly recounts in the book, an occasion when his father took him on a family outing and also touches on his father’s premature death.

[The makings of Ky-Mani Marley]

Born on February 26, 1976 in Trelawny, Jamaica, Ky-Mani (which means adventurous traveler), according to the book, had a relatively happy childhood growing up. At age seven, he moved with his mother to Florida to seek a more fruitful future, and it was there, in Liberty City, a violent inner city neighborhood of Miami that he later became involved in crime, serving tenure as a small-time drug dealer.

“I had to explain all the trials and tribulations I went through growing up, but my outlook is a little bit different now,” continues Ky-Mani, who started having kids at a young age. “Those are the things that I went through as a child, and I’m just explaining why I rebelled so much in the book. I started having children early because I wanted to have that relationship, which I didn’t have with my father, so I actually went out and had a child early,” he continues. “If I could do it over again, I wouldn’t do it the same way, because at that time, I didn’t really understand parenting. Fortunately for me, I am a fast learner.”

‘Dear Dad,’ which is distributed in five languages, was written with the assistance of Dr. Farrah Gray, the influential African-American empowerment guru, and it caused a slight firestorm between Ky-Mani and Gray when it was initially released, but it’s a disagreement Ky-Mani says was overblown.

“The drama wasn’t really the drama the media and blogs made it out to be,” he clarifies. “There was some discrepancy, but it’s all good right now. It wasn’t me trying to bash or say anything bad. It’s my story basically,” adds the artist who admits a closer relationship with brother Rohan.

”I am close to all my brothers and sisters, but I think I’m just closer to Rohan, because we were raised in Miami together, so I spent more time with him growing up, but I have a very close relationship with all of my siblings and love and respect all of them,” he adds.

His other brothers; Stephen, Julian, Ziggy and Damian have all followed in their father’s footsteps with successful careers in music, and if there’s any competition amongst them, Ky-Mani is quick to refute that.

“We are all here on a mission, so for me to be competing with my brothers would be stupid. We are here to continue the message and the same legacy of our father. The only person I have ever competed with is myself,” he adds.

[Living the Life of Marley]

An artist with no limits, Ky-Mani is currently recording his next album, which will be a double disc CD titled ‘Evolution of a Revolution’ at Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston, Jamaica, the world-renowned studio founded by his father in 1965. An album, which is expected to continue his musical exploration, it will feature collaborations with artists from different music genres.

“The evolution side of it will be more live music,” Ky-Mani adds. “Music that speaks to the soul and if it’s put in a genre, it will be world music. The revolution side of it will be the follow up to Radio, which is more hip-hop, inner city, dancehall soul,” he explains.

Despite his father’s musical legacy, it wasn’t until the late 1990s that Ky-Mani started recording music, teaming up with hip-hop artist Pras from The Fugees for a rendition of Eddy Grant’s “Electric Avenue”. Still remaining true to his Jamaican culture, Ky-Mani combines all genres of music, incorporating hip-hop, blues, rock, reggae and a grass roots sound into an end product that transcends the cultural line.

“I am a very free spirited person. I deal with love first and I am not one to be disrespectful or bash any person,” says Ky-Mani. “I enjoy making people happy and want to continue my musical career and writing good music, which will inspire and uplift the soul,”  adds the entertainer, who has also collaborated with the rapper Young Buck, and dancehall giants Beenie Man and Mr. Vegas.

Ky-Mani also runs the association Love Over All Foundation (L.O.A.F.), and he has starred in several films, including “Haven” with Orlando Bloom, and the romantic movie “One Love” with singer Cherine Anderson.

“One Love was the first movie I did, and what made it a lot easier was the storyline itself. When I read the script, I was in love with it for it was relatable,” says Ky-Mani, a Rastafarian, whose ideal woman is someone equally as humble as he is. “I don’t consider myself a perfect person,” he adds, “I like the simple things in life, and would like someone who can appreciate and enjoy those simple things.”

Ky-Mani is best known with movie fans for his role in the crime film “Shottas,” where he starred opposite Wyclef Jean, the musician, who recently lost his presidential bid to govern Haiti.  Not one to weigh in on politics, Ky-Mani, who has little to say on Wyclef’s presidential bid, certainly has more to say on Proposition 19 – the recent California ballot to legalize marijuana, which was rejected by voters.

“I think it’s crazy that you put a ban on a plant that grows naturally,” he says. “Like my dad once said, marijuana is a plant that gives you free will. As a grown man, I understand what he was saying. There is no process to this plant. It grows, you dry it, you pick leaves out of it and you smoke it. A cigarette has so many different chemicals and it’s not illegal, and alcohol is far more dangerous. Whenever it goes legal, and it will eventually happen, the big cigarette industry will jump in and take over because they have the capital and connections to make it happen.”

An amiable and talented artist, Ky-Mani has performed all over the world and is already planning a world tour next year to promote the upcoming album, which is scheduled to be released in January 2011. In addition, he has several concert dates scheduled for February, 2011 in California, and he will be performing at the Roxy Theater on February 10th.

“I am here to carry on my father’s legacy, and just hope that within that, I will be able to, with my music, make my own identification. It’s not to say that I am coming back to try to be another Bob Marley, but I would like it to be that when you hear Ky-Mani Marley, you can differentiate the two, but know that it is the same legacy.”

A cave in the hills of the Echo Park district on the edge of Downtown Los Angeles holds an unlikely treasure: A collection that is likely the world’s most comprehensive archive of reggae music, photographs, memorabilia and ephemera.

The reggae cave is actually the home of Roger Steffens, an eccentric, wiry-haired white man who has dedicated a career to recording and preserving reggae’s history in the U.S. A lot of that history — thousands, upon thousands of reggae- and Rasta-related items — are nestled with care in Steffens hillside home, which offers a panoramic view that takes in the city’s center, the Hollywood sign, and even the Pacific Ocean on a clear day.

The archive takes up the entire second floor of the house, where all things reggae — posters, tapestries, buttons, drawings and photographs flashing red, gold, black and green amongst walls of records, tapes and CDs — can be found. Steffens acquired, photographed, collected and archived every show, tape, film, CD, flier, drawing, poster, you name it, that he came across for the past 37 years. He’s received a trove of memorabilia from friends and colleagues around the world as well. His cache includes to what he describes as the largest Bob Marley archive in the world.

Roger Steffen Steffens says that his love of reggae began when he read an article in Rolling Stone magazine back in 1973. The piece, written by Michael Thomas, delved into reggae, a musical form that remained practically unknown in the U.S. at the time. Steffens says the article intrigued and inspired him. He became determined to find this “new” sound, and soon purchased a used copy of Bob Marley’s Catch a Fire, which is now autographed by the band and stored in the archive.

Steffens lived in Berkeley, California, at the time. That’s where he became one of the first non-Jamaican music buffs to make the reggae scene in the U.S. He met fellow reggae enthusiast Hank Holmes a year later in Los Angeles, and the two created a radio show. It took four years and a few failed attempts to broadcast on various Los Angeles-based radio stations before the pair landed a permanent slot on Los Angeles’ KCRW in 1979. Their Reggae Beat became known as “the most popular non-commercial radio program in Los Angeles,” according to the LA Weekly, eventually expanding to reach the airwaves in Santa Barbara, Palm Springs and San Diego.

Reggae Beat started off with a bang, hosting Bob Marley as its first musical guest. Steffens provided hand-drawn sleeves for archival tapes of every show for Reggae Beat’s eight-year run, including guest appearances. A musician named Chili Charles began filming live performances on Reggae Beat, starting in 1980 — and those sessions are also part of Steffens’ archive in Echo Park.

The audio tapes and films were later meshed together to form a television show called LA Reggae, a compilation of live performances on Reggae Beat. Steffens says that he attended “virtually every reggae show in L.A. during the 1980s.” He adds that he captured the music at most of them by plugging into the mixing boards to make live recordings for his archives.

CC Smith joined the Reggae Beat team in 1982, creating a newsletter with a concert calendar as a resource for reggae shows that were still few and far between. The newsletter immediately drew 300 subscription requests, and the high demand led to the birth of what was initially known as Reggae Beat Magazine. The publication later evolved into African and Reggae Beat Magazine — and became known simply as Beat Magazine in the late 80s. The magazine published for more than 20 years before ceasing in December of 2009.

All of Steffens’ work and his wide connection in the reggae world have brought high-level recognition in the music industry. The Recording Academy has acknowledged his efforts, and in 1984 the directors of the organization asked him to play a key role in creating a reggae category for their annual Grammy wards. He remains the chairman of the Academy’s Grammy Committee.

In the same year Reggae Beat began its broadcast in 1979, Marley invited Steffens to the singer’s Survival tour. Also along was Bruce Talamon, who was the first photographer to capture what would become a cover photo of Marley for a U.S. magazine. Talamon and Steffens would later go on to work together on Spirit Dancer, a photographic and textual book of Bob Marley, as they knew him.

Steffens has written and edited many other books on reggae, and continues to give lectures on the subject. He is currently working on an autobiography of Bunny Wailer, a reggae legend — and the Wailer in the Bob Marley and the Wailers.

Meanwhile, Steffens says that he will not part with his archives without the confidence that his collection will remain in tact, although some transfers of portions of the archives to Jamaica has been discussed in the past. Currently partnered with the University of Southern California, Steffens has chosen to digitize his archives, and he says copies will eventually be sent to Jamaica.

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.

Bob Marley live in concert in Zurich, Switzerland, on May 30, 1980

KINGSTON, Jamaica  _ An annual concert that draws hundreds of tourists to celebrate Bob Marley’s birthday has been canceled for the first time since its inception in 1992 over noise complaints.

Police denied promoter Clive Pringle an event permit because of several run-ins with police and residents in Negril, superintendent Dezeita Taylor said Thursday.

The Bob Marley Birthday Bash that Pringle organized every Feb. 6 regularly exceeded the 2 a.m. curfew established under the Noise Abatement Act, she said.

Last year Pringle was fined $560, police said.

Pringle said he appealed, but doubts the concert will be held.

The show was launched in 1992 in Negril _ a seaside town west of Kingston _ and has attracted up to 3,500 people, Pringle said.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett recently called for a revision of the Noise Abatement Act to extend time for events popular with tourists.

Bob Marley birthday bashes are held worldwide in places including London, Hawaii and Miami.

Photo from Wikimedia Commons.