International tenor soloist Steve Higgins is conducting his Jamaican Folk Music workshop at the University College of the Cayman Islands on Wednesday, April 13. This event is free and open to the public.

Jamaican Folk Song Workshop

Background

Having performed under the leadership of Dr. Olive Lewin, noted and acclaimed ethnomusicologist, anthropologist and public figure for over 20 years, we continue to share our Jamaican Folk songs in their historical context, whether in slavery or post slavery, bringing out our peoples’ culture.

We have taken our workshop to Europe, The UK and all over the USA, and will begin our Caribbean in the Cayman Islands.

The workshop explores the all-inclusive spirit of community which influenced daily lives, where our songs were about our Children, Love & Romance – some of the most beautiful authentic songs, Labrish (gossip), Social commentary, Revolts, the dignity of Work and Religion, where the songs reflected biblical heroes such as Daniel, Noah and of course Jesus.

Embedded in some songs are the truths surrounding the ingenuity or the ancestors, who for example, when the slave masters thought slaves were singing because they were happy, were soon to find out that they were instead communicating through song, the next revolt.

The songs and their stories give the young audience a strong sense of self, gives them the historical standards of the ancestors to which their (audience) compass needs to align; a tremendous sense of responsibility and identity.

We also urge them to pass on these truths to their generation and beyond, with a mission to preserve, educate and present aspects of our powerful Jamaican culture to the second and third generation Jamaicans in the Diaspora.

Again, we are trying to build in the minds of children in the Diaspora, a keen and positive sense of self and plugging them into the ‘Jamaican identity’, giving them a high bar for their personal goals and achievement in life.

Profile:

Tenor Soloist, Musician, Public Speaker, Actor, Director, Producer

Steve Higgins has toured Europe, the Americas and the Caribbean, presenting a wide variety of musical genres – from Folk to Classical. He has sung for the New York Mets Games in the USA, and throughout   his career he had leading roles in theatrical/musical productions such as Sweeny Todd, Pepper, A Little Night Music, My Fair Lady, Arawak Gold, Beyond the Horizon, The Rhythm of Life and romantic musical The Best Time of Your Life, which he produced. He is certified by the Associate Boards of the Royal School of Music (Voice).

Steve played the role of a barrister in Lorimar’s television series “GOING TO EXTREMES” and was nominated best supporting actor in “Beyond the Horizon.” A recording artiste, he has two albums to his credit- “SACRED” an assortment of religious classics and “Dis Long Time” – a collection of authentic Jamaican Folk Songs. He also collaborated on another CD (“Dem 3 Jamaican Tenors”) featuring ballads, R&B and standards with David Reid, Cecil Cooper & Dahlia Wynter.

He tours with the “Steve Higgins & Friends” shows as well as the “Dem 3 Jamaican Tenors” romantic series in major US cities. In 2012 he received the Honor Roll Certificate as a Change Maker in the South Florida community & in 2013, the certificate of appreciation from the Jamaican Government’s Ministry of Culture.

He is the Director of The South Florida Caribbean Chorale, which leads the annual Jamaican Independence service – a signature Ecumenical event hosted by the Jamaican Consulate in South Florida. He is a Director of the Olive Lewin Heritage Foundation whose mission is to pass on Jamaica’s culture to the Jamaican Diaspora, and is creative expressions director for the Miss Jamaica Florida Pageant. He was also musical director for the Television series, “The Methodist Connection”. Steve appears locally and internationally as a Tenor soloist of choice and an accomplished and respected EMCEE

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