New York music coalition heads for Jamaica

• Reggae-conservation group to unveil plans for expansion

The Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music, Incorporated (CPR), a New York-based charitable organisation now in its seventh year, will tomorrow announce plans for the seventh annual Reggae Culture Salute, scheduled for New York on November 5, as well as programmes and initiatives being undertaken by the organisation.

The press event will also share information about emerging alliances with organisations based in Jamaica.

While in Jamaica, CPR will also make a presentation at the Edna Manley College conference on Thursday at 1:15 p.m. The presentation, 'Philosophising The Arts', will make the case for understanding the importance and significance of the emergence and development of reggae music, its impact around the world and the imperative of preserving and nurturing one of Jamaica's most profound gifts to the world in the 20th century.

Tuesday's press conference will afford the Jamaican press the opportunity to learn first hand about the programmes and activities CPR has championed over its six-year history. Chief among then is Reggae Culture Salute, the annual celebration of the unique relationship between reggae, Rasta and Jamaica, which has secured proclamations from the United States Congress for three roots reggae pioneers, The Mighty Diamonds, Ernie Smith and Manley 'Big Youth' Buchanan. CPR is also the convener of monthly fora examining the state of reggae music, free to the public and are streamed internationally via CPR's Internet broadcast platform, CPRLive, which mixes progressive programming with roots-reggae music streams to provide 24/7 broadcasting around the world via its heavily trafficked website, www.cprreggae.org.

CPR works with several entities in Jamaica and has cultivated strategic partners in pursuing its mission to raise the bar in the creation, development, promotion and presentation of reggae music. The press event will disclose details of one such emerging partnership with the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association.