Bio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_RhVV_duXc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVqLeX0caxQ&feature=player_embedded http://www.rainforestaid09.com/costa-rica-music-festival-ticotimes.htm Recent Article in Tico Times CHARMAINE BLACKMAN ALBUM LAUNCHED Charmaine Blackman launched her new CD Kover Girl last Friday at the CCWU. This album is her 6th and has 11 tracks all of which are covers of songs done by renown artistes namely Tina Turner, Mary J, Beyonce and Leona Lewis. The names of the tracks are 1. Better in time, 2 The Best 3. Bleeding love 4. We don’t need another hero 5. If I were a boy 6. What’s love got to do with it 7. At last 8. Private Dancer 9. Family Affair 10. Proud Mary and 11. River Deep Mountain High Asked why a cover album instead of her normal original songs, Blackman responded “Covers have always been an integral part of the industry, there are some artistes who live only by covers like Johnny Matis, the Jamaicans have been covering almost everything and veteran singers like Luther Vandross who is considered by many the master of covers has done it. Quite recently some of the hottest young singers in Beyonce, Leona Lewis and Rihanna have done covers. So there comes a time in an artiste’s life where you want to take on new challenges and step outside the box, this is what sometimes defines an artiste. I must be honest though and say that some people would have preferred me doing my original songs and I am happy to know that my original songs are enjoyed by people, but again I reiterate, if you don’t take up new challenges or try new things nothing happens; we probably would still be using flambos and driving horse driven carriages if chances were not taken, besides we have some big plans for this album internationally and another reason for doing this album is to fast track and maximize our efforts of success. There is also early indication that the album can do well internationally because of the response we have received by some early listeners” Blackman who has made charts in 4 countries and performed in 23 countries and whose music have been played on Rogers Cable in Canada, CMC, Radio and Television Africana, Asian TV and many other places on all 5 continents is up beat by her new album and 4 new Videos that brings her tally of videos to 38. BEST MUSIC VIDEO PRODUCER - BONNY ALVES As a music video producer, Bonny Alves has produced for the period January 2007-June 2009, 32 Music Videos, Released his second Movie ‘[b]RIGHT CHOICES’ [/b] 1.‘Is Mash’ – Charmaine Blackman (07) 2.‘By the Will of Jah’ – Charmaine Blackman (07) 3.‘Earth Tremor’ – Charmaine Blackman (08) 4.‘Everything U see U want’ – Charmaine Blackman (08) 5.‘My Baby King’ – Czerina Ali, Candace Field, Pamela Gittens, Charmaine Blackman, Ashley John, Devon Denny, Bonny Alves, Winston Caesar, Tiny Duggan, Eze Rockcliffe (08) 6. ‘Save the Earth’ – Charmaine Blackman, Lois Moseley, Sharmaine Gift, Devon Denny, Ashley John and Bonny Alves (07) 7. 'Carifesta Medley' – Various Artistes - Charmaine Blackman, Czerina Ali, D’Ivan, Beverley Williams, Pamela Gittens, Bonny Alves, Lassell Duke, Tiny Duggan, Eze Rockcliffe, Edward Nebelitt, Miriam Williams, Cyd Hooper, Lois Moseley, Ancel Boston, Joann Goodluck and 2 male members of the Yoruba Singers (08) 8. ‘Carifesta Theme Song’ – Lisa Punch (08) 9. ‘I will arise’ – Gospel Thunder (08) 10.’Chosen Generation’ – Gospel Thunder (08) 11. ‘I Will lift up mine eyes’ – Gospel Thunder (08) 12. ‘Keep death off the road’ – Onikha Joseph (08) 13. ‘Mosquito’ – Ivelaw Campbell (07) 14. ‘Give me it’ – Amanda Evans (08) 15. ‘You touched me’ – DJ Madonna (07) 16 ‘Dream Lover” Winston Caesar (Zar 07) 17 ‘Garden City” – Sharmaine Gift (07) 18 ‘Suzie Don’t lie down so’ - Lois Moseley (07) 19 ‘Wuk up’ – Leon Moseley (08) 20 ‘Its party time – Ronella Woseley (07) 21 ‘Give me” – Sharmaine Gift & Devon Denny (07) 22 ‘Boogie Man – D’Ivan (07) 23 ‘Mashramani Time’ – D’Ivan (08) 24 ‘Power of Religion’ – Wicket Pertab (08) 25 ‘Lost, Lonely & Helpless – Pamela Maynard(08) 26 ‘Documentary on Bonny Alves 100 Music Videos. (08) 27 'We coming down de road' - Charmaine Blackman 09 28 'The Best' - Charmaine Blackman 09 29 'At Last' - Charmaine Blackman 09 30 'Better in time' - Charmaine Blackman 09 31 'Bleeding love' - Charmaine Blackman 09 32 'What more do you want from me' - Pamela Maynard 09 VOTE FOR MR BONNY ALVES AT THE ACCOLADE AWARD WEBSITE! GUYANESE MOVIES BY BONNY ALVES - THE WILL TO LIVE This movie stars Ivelaw Campbell as Michael Monroe and Denise Lyttle as Ashley Johnson "THE WILL TO LIVE" is about a young man (Michael Monroe), who unknowingly became infected with the HIV virus from a new relationship he had started. His girlfriend on discovering her HIV status withdrew herself from the relationship and was determine to expose the guy who had purposely infected her and many other young women like herself. She then became suicidal. Michael Monroe subsequently understood the strange behavior of his girlfriend but instead of becoming angry, he diligently searched for her found her and rededicated his love, convincing her that they could still have a meaningful life, living with HIV. RIGHT CHOICES Staring Joanne Goodluck, Paul Blackman, Anistasia Richards, Lois Moseley, Amanda Evans, Michelle Trim, Grace Daniels, The story is about an Advertising Executive caught in a dilemma of hiring a young lady that is HIV positive, against the strong wishes of the majority of his staff. He manages to appease his disgruntled employees, by coming up with an innovative compromise, but he too becomes stigmatized because of his decision to hire this woman and his association with her, but in the end was vindicated as his new staff member turns out to be the most efficient and committed worker he has ever had; then the story takes an interesting twist that produced a surprising end. [u]REGGAE ARTISTE & ARTISTE OF THE YEAR – CHARMAINE BLACKMAN[/u] CHARMAINE BLACKMAN, Accolade nominated Artiste of the Year has been a model of consistency ever since she burst on the scene in 1989. Her versatility, superb range and exceptional talent have helped to establish her as a leading voice in the field of music in Guyana. For the period in review by Accolade January 2007 to June 2009 Charmaine has recorded over 20 songs, this includes the nominated Reggae song “By the Will of Jah” and 12 Music Videos, which include hits like ‘We coming down de road’, ‘Earth Tremor, ‘By the Will of Jah’, ‘Is Mash’, ‘The Best’ and ‘Better in time’ and numerous Radio & Television Commercials. Charmaine also appears in the movies ‘The Will to live and Right Choices’. Charmaine Blackman is a fine cultural ambassador touring 20 countries, has performed at Toronto's Caribbean Festival “Caribana” and “Labor Day” in New York, Reggae Festivals in Ottawa and Toronto Suriname, and Rainforest Aid 09 in Costa Rica but her biggest musical experience has been the RINGBANG MILLENNIUM CONCERT in Tobago that was broadcasted to 2.5Billion people around the world [u]LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - BONNY ALVES[/u] The mid 70's and 80's were considered the darkest period in Guyana's musical history, little or no recordings were done and there was a man who grew tired, tired of waiting, tried of hoping, he therefore took a quantum leap in faith and things begun to happen and a new era begun. BONNY ALVES must be considered the Pioneer in the rebirth of our local Music Industry in a period that has been described as Guyana's most productive ever. As our music begins to reach new boundaries Bonny Alves has been the major contributor being involved in Audio and Video productions as a singer, musician, writer, producer, arranger and director. To date he has directed over 100 music videos, composed, co-composed, arranged and recorded over 500 songs and his productions have been on every continent. “CONSCIOUSNESS” & “CONSCIOUSNESS 2” made the charts in Guam KPRG 89.3FM, with the 1st one reach No 8 and the 2nd achieved No 1. As a Composer and Arranger he has created history by becoming the only home-based Guyanese to have won an international song competition. The Song Contest of the Guiana's 1985 in which his two songs “Lets talk it over” and “I feel good” sung by Ms Toni Barry placed 1st. He has also written and arranged the Winning Calypsos of the 2002 and 2003 and 3rd place in the 2004 National Calypso Competition sung by Mr. Vivian Jordan (VJ), co-wrote and arranged the winning Road March Song of 1997 “Soca Music” sung by Charmaine Blackman, arranged the Winning Road March songs of 1987, 88 and 1996 “Steel Band Man”, “Lilawatee”, “Way mi lila gone”, all by the Mighty Intruder. In 1987 he arranged the winning piece for the Champion of the Regions Competition “Talking about Education” sung by Singing Lurlene, arranged and produced the winning calypso in 2000 “Pagalee Man” Sung by Lil Joe. Produced and arranged the 2nd placed song in the first ever Soca Competition 1999 sponsored by Mings Products & Services Ltd, “Through it over your shoulder” sung by Tiny Duggan and wrote, arranged and produced the 3rd placed song “Cricket” Sung by Sweet Moniques. Wrote and produced the winning song for the “War on Bad Manners Competition 2003” sung by Sweet Moniques, arranged and produced “Walk de Walk” by the Mighty Voter who placed 2nd at the 2004 Calypso Monarch Competition, wrote, arranged and produced the 2nd and 8th placed Jingle for the Ministry of Health’s “HIV/AIDS Jingle Competition 2006” sung by Dawn Edwards and Devon Denny respectively, because of his continued voluntary work on HIV/AIDS he was awarded a ‘Champions for Change’ worker in St Kitts 2004 by PANCAP (a division of Caricom), and in 2008 his composition for the Carib Soca Monarch sung by Onikha Joseph place 3rd and was given the best new comer prize. Mr. Alves was also contracted to do a number of Television Commercials for the Guyana Lottery Company, Mings Products and Services, Banks DIH Ltd, Wireless Connections, Demerara Distillers Ltd, T Geddes Grant Guyana Ltd, Guyana Post Office Corporation, Caricom, Guyenterprise Advertising and Creative Advertising Agencies, The Mayor & Councillors of the City of Georgetown and the Carifesta Secretariat for Carifesta X just to name a few. He took his act to another level in 2005 by writing, producing and directing his first movie entitled “THE WILL TO LIVE” HIV/AIDS related, received excellent reviews regionally, so much so that the Movie is leased to CMC for one year; he also produced all the music for that Film. The next year he produced 3-10 minute animated movies, something that was never done in Guyana, they are ‘Dinner for who?’, ‘A little help goes a long way’ and ‘The Wooden Cathedral’. The following year he made his second HIV/AIDS related Movie “RIGHT CHOICES” and is in negotiation with CMC for this one. Mr. Bonny Alves and Ms Charmaine Blackman independently funded this movie. Bonny has also performed at the famous Apollo Theater, USA, toured 20 Countries has performed several times at Toronto's Caribbean Festival “Caribana” and “Labor Day” in New York, Reggae Festivals in Ottawa and Toronto and appeared at the RINGBANG MILLENNIUM CONCERT in Tobago that was televised by the BBC to 2.5 Billion viewers around the world. As a result of his sterling contribution in the rebirth and development of the local music industry in this new era, he was honored in 2005 by the Guyana Cultural Association of NY Inc. - Guyana Folk Festival Award - In recognition of his outstanding contribution to Guyana’s Culture and Heritage. ====================================================== CHARMAINE BLACKMAN has been singing for 19 years professionally. Her versatility, superb range and exceptional talent have helped to establish her as a leading voice in the field of music in Guyana. She has sung with many of Guyana’s top bands and her voice and features have been associated on Radio and Television commercials for some of the major companies in Guyana. Touted as Guyana's most recorded voice and the Artiste with the most Music Videos with over 100 Audio recordings featured on 15 CDs Ranging from Ballads to Hip-hop, Disco, Reggae and Soca, 5 of which are Solo Albums. She was crowned Road March Queen in 1997 in Guyana's Mashramani Celebrations, toured to over 15 countries and enjoys airplay in countries like France, Guam, England, Malta, USA, Canada, Brazil and the Caribbean. Charmaine has appeared on Stage with the cream of top Caribbean Artistes that include Eddie Grant, Shabba Ranks, Buju Banton, Alison Hinds and Square one, Krosfayah, Gregory Isaacs, Machael Montano and Xtatic, Shadow, Calypso Rose, Boris Gardiner, Super Blue, Lord Kitchener, Dobby Dobson, just to name a few. Charmaine also has to her credit over 30 music videos, and moved to another level by being the Co-Executive Producer for the locally produced movie “THE WILL TO LIVE” in which she is also featured