Jamaican Reggae Star, DUANE STEPHENSON Performs FREE

Jamaican Reggae Star, DUANE STEPHENSON Performs FREE Auckland Concert THIS Saturday!

In New Zealand for the very first time Duane Stephenson, featuring local backing from Ruia & the Ngapuhi Riddims, will perform the Ngapuhi Festival at 2.15pm this Saturday 5th March at Barry Curtis Park.

Over ten national and international acts including J Boog and Sweet & Irie will also be performing and admission is FREE. For a full programme, directions and more information see www.ngapuhifestivalkitamaki.maori.nz.

Duane Stephenson has composed songs for reggae artists such as Jah Cure, Luciano, Tarrus Riley and Jah Cure's smash song True Reflections was written by Duane as a result of his work with the Jamaican prison system, during the period when Jah Cure was incarcerated.

Growing up in Kingston Jamaica, Duane's uncle Michael Rutherford was the lead singer of Sunny Bradshaw and the Big Band. Inspired by this, Duane attended a performing arts school and as a result, travelled extensively throughout The Caribbean and the United States - where he performed for US President Bill Clinton.

For many years Duane was a singer and songwriter with popular Jamaican group To-Isis

His debut album, FROM AUGUST TOWN, was released by Cannon/VP Records 2007 and is produced by reggae maestro Dean Fraser. It was heralded by Billboard magazine as "Collectively galvanizing a roots reggae revival" and Pitchfork.com cited the album as "undoubtedly a highlight of not just 2008, but perhaps the past few years."

Duane's second and most recent album BLACK GOLD was released in 2010 and has been nominated for best album in this year's Jamaican Music Awards. It is currently #2 after ten weeks on the Jamaica Music Countdown Charts and its single Rescue Me reached #1!

Praised by The New York Amsterdam News for its "Jamaican Dialect" and "distinctive reggae rhythm", BLACK GOLD features collaborations with some of reggae's finest including dub poet Mutabaruka, Gramps Morgan and Queen Ifrica (recording the cover of Dennis Brown's Stay at Home) and was produced by Jamaican sax legend Dean Fraser, who also plays on the album.

In 2010, Duane Stephenson teamed up with reggae's legends The Wailers, led by Aston 'Family Man' Barrett and performed as a special guest on their North and South American tours. While in Brazil he shared equal billing with Ky-mani Marley, Big Mountain, Pato Banton and The Wailers.

Duane was introduced to The Wailers through their work with the United Nations World Food Programme and was invited to honour Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as part of his work to raise awareness to the issue of world hunger. About his contribution as a reggae artist and humanitarian Duane said "What I am doing is part of a larger mandate. The more you can do to make the world a better place, the better it is for everybody. It's a pleasure to do the little bit that I am and the feeling is great."

Duane Stephenson's new single BETTER TOMORROW (for release March 2011) was produced by Jamaican Handel Tucker (Maxi Priest, Diana King and The Fugees) and is an anthem-like ballad with world music influences and an optimistic message. This song is a follow-up to A STEP FOR MANKIND the first track Duane wrote with The Wailers to benefit the United Nations World Food Programme.

Duane Stephenson creates music that uplifts and enlightens with a greater mission for the betterment of humanity. His work exhibits the versatility of many of music's greatest artists in the pop realm; mixing poetic lyrics that address social ills, romance and global issues with excellent phrasing, potent hooks and melodic changes - all delivered in an extremely nimble tenor that wakes the soul.

Watch out for his music and message, in the latest album release - BLACK GOLD - and new single - BETTER TOMORROW - available now from iTunes.
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