Alpha Boys Home to Benefit from Reggae Concert

Alpha Boys Home, in Kingston, which has produced some of Jamaica’s outstanding musicians, will benefit from funds raised at the first staging of the ‘I Love Reggae Foundation’ musical event, held at Zanzibar on the water front, in Washington, on February 19.
Dubbed ‘Reggae Jazz on the Waterfront’, the event featured the Image Band from Washington, D.C., Saxophonist, Water Tates Jr. and ‘Sista Pat’.
The concert was spearheaded by the Foundation, made up of young Jamaicans and lovers of reggae music from other Caribbean islands residing in the Washington metropolitan area, to mark Reggae Month (February).
Chairman of the Foundation, Ms. Moreen Wallace, told the large gathering at the event, that her organisation was dedicated to uplifting lives through music education and entertainment. “We believe that music plays an important role in a child’s development and that is the reason the Foundation is dedicated to helping more young ones. Research shows that music education helps a student’s imagination; it increases their critical thinking skills and academic performance,” she said.

Image Band of Washington, D.C., performing at ‘Reggae Jazz on the waterfront’, held at Zanzibar on the waterfront in Washington, D.C., on February 19. The event was staged by the ‘I Love Reggae Foundation’, to celebrate February as Reggae Month.

“Alpha Boys Home, through its music programme, has made an immeasurable contribution to Jamaica’s popular music and it is only fitting for the institution to be the beneficiary from our first annual fund-raising event. We chose Alpha because this is the institution that produced the musicians that gave us our first musical genre ‘ska’,” she added.
Ms Wallace argued that Alpha has made the greatest contribution to Jamaica’s popular music and has helped shape this invaluable and timeless treasure into what many take for granted today. This institution, through its music programme, has produced some of this country’s most accomplished musicians and vocalists,” she said.
“By giving back, we believe that our financial contribution will help to train more boys to become outstanding musicians and continue the tradition of producing excellent music and uphold the standard of Reggae music,” Ms Wallace added.
Alpha Boys Home, through its music department, nurtured the talents of saxophonist, Mr. Tommy McCook; trombonist, Mr. Don Drummond and trumpeter, Mr. Johnny ‘Dizzy’ Moore.