Jamaica

Jonathan Escoffery grew up in Miami, the son of Jamaican immigrants. In a world where identity was linked to race, he says it was often confusing to figure out where he fit in.

Blackwell grew up in Jamaica, and, as the head of Island Records, helped launch the careers of reggae stars like Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff, as well as rock bands like U2. His memoir is The Islander.

Filmmaker Rodney Evans is still making movies, despite having lost much of his vision. His new documentary is about how he and three other blind or visually impaired artists continue to do their work.

Smith's latest book, Swing Time, tells the story of two girls who dream of being dancers, but only one has the talent to do so

Rock historian Ed Ward remembers Jamaican singer Desmond Dekker, who died last week at the age of 64. His 1969 hit "Israelites" was for many Americans the first reggae they'd ever heard.

Critic Milo Miles reviews reissues of ska albums.

Breedlove plays with the Jamaican group, The Skatalites. They're credited with creating the music known as ska, a precursor to reggae, which is often mistaken for reggae. The group got their start in the 1960s. Breedlove is an American musician who worked with Lionel Hampton, and began playing with The Skatalites about seven years ago. The Skatalites have a new album, "Greetings from Skamania."

Novelist Terry McMillan. The film adaptation of her 1992 novel, "Waiting to Exhale" was last year's box office hit.The book sold nearly 4 million copies. McMillan has recently completed her fourth novel, "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" (Viking) which is available in bookstores this week. It tells the story of a 42-year old career woman on vacation in Jamaica who falls in love with a 20-year old unemployed resort worker. According to McMillan, "it's as close to autobiography as I've written in a long time".

Milo Miles reviews "Heart of the Congos" by The Congos. (Blood and Fire, USA--in L.A.)

Rock Historian Ed Ward continues his five part series on what impact several small record companies have had on the music world. Today he discusses Island Records, founded in England by Jamaican-born musician Chris Blackwell.

World music commentator Milo Miles reviews the newly released boxed CD set "Tougher Than Tough: The Story of Jamaican Music" (available on the Mango label).

A live concert with The Jolly Boys. They're a Jamaican band that plays a style of music called mento (It's the Jamaican analogue to calypso, and it paved the way for reggae and ska). The Jolly Boys have a new album on Rykodisc, called "Sunshine 'N' Water." The Jolly Boys include: Moses Deans on banjo, drummer and singer Allan Swymmer, Noel Howard on guitar, and Joseph Bennett on thumb piano.

Rock historian Ed Ward looks at the history of Jamaican reggae music, which he says began as a reinterpretation of 1950s American rock and roll before becoming a style uniquely its own.

Guest commentator Randall Grass pays tribute to reggae superstar Peter Tosh, who was killed in a robbery last weekend in Jamaica.

Film critic Bill Van Wert joins the show with a review of the film "Rockers."