FABIAN LEDGISTER, Staff Reporter
LEFT: Two of Sizzla's albums have been submitted for consideration for the 2005 Grammy Awards. The albums are 'Life' and 'Soul Deep'. - FILE RIGHT: Turbulence also has two songs on the submissions list for the 2005 Grammy Awards, Best Reggae Album category: 'Songs of Soloman' and 'I Believe'. - CARLINGTON WILMOT
FOLLOWING THE RELEASE of the Best Reggae Album's list of submissions, Chairman of the Grammy Award's Reggae Committee, Robert Steffens, has expressed concern that the category is much too diverse.
Steffens, in an interview with THE STAR yesterday says he wishes to have the category split into two to better judge and differentiate the music. The two categories suggested are Best Reggae Album, and Best Dancehall Album.
"We were planning to pursue this split before, but due to lacking submissions, we held it back. Although we are now getting more than enough submissions currently, we would prefer more entries so if we do split the categories, both would have more than sufficient entries," stated Steffens.
Regardless, the celebrated awards has begun its selection process, already receiving submissions for it's 30 fields of music and 105 award categories. So far, submission figures for Best Reggae Album have surpassed 40 albums, overcoming the 2002 crisis, where the Grammy Committee was considering dropping the category due to a lack of submissions.
Albums like I-Wayne's Lava Ground, Junior Kelly's Tough Life, Damian Marley's Welcome To Jamrock, Sean Paul's Trinity, and the surprise entry of Throw Down Your Arms, from Irish singer Sinead O' Conner, are said to be some of the top contenders.
According to Steffens, though the music would be best judged in separate categories, this year has seen a sizeable and diverse group of submissions, which fully represent the field of Reggae Music.
SUBMISSIONS
"This year's submissions are quite impressive in quality and quanity, and are especially diverse, with entries of Roots, Rock, Dancehall, Pop, and more Dancehall," commented Steffens, "It is difficult though to compare a Beres Hammond with a Lady Saw."
The requirements for album submission include that a release must be in the United States, and that its timeline is between October 1, 2004, and September 30, 2005. It is also required that the person submitting the albums be registered to the National Association of Record Arts and Sciences (N.A.R.A.S.).
It appears that artistes are allowed multiple entries, as both Sizzla and Turbulence have been submitted twice, for two separate albums. These are I Believe and Songs Of Solomon from Turbulence, and Life and Soul Deep from Sizzla.
Other prominent acts submitted include Full Circle by Morgan Heritage, Black Star by Anthony B, Unknown Language by TOK, Our Music by Burning Spear, Clothesdrop by Shaggy, Infiltration by Assassin, Freedom Blues by Jah Cure, and Reign Of Fire by Capleton.
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