The “Groovin’ In The Park” Festival in Queens, NY | June 30th, 2013

Steel Pulse will be filling in for Toots & The Maytals, who unfortunately had to withdraw from the line-up due to the lead singer Toots Hibbert’s continuing medical issues. Mr. Hibbert was reportedly hit in the head with a vodka bottle on May 19 at his show in Richmond, Virginia. The injury has led Toots to cancel all remaining summer tour dates. “This unavoidable decision was made by Toots’ medical team as it has been determined that any performances at this time could seriously compromise his health and well-being,” according to a statement from Toots Hibbert’s  management team. Despite these circumstances, Steel Pulse has come on board to spread their iconic music to the masses.

STEEL PULSE
Forming in 1975 in Birmingham, England, Steel Pulse was an adjunct member of Britain’s punk scene — opening for the likes The Clash, XTC and the Police — before carving out a major position on the international reggae scene. Over the years, the band has enjoyed its share of success with a string of hit records including “Rally Round,” “Taxi Driver,” “Roller Skates,” “Bodyguard” and “I Can’t Stand It,” made for Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing movie soundtrack. Steel Pulse were the first non-Jamaican group to win a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 1986 for Babylon The Bandit, and they were nominated five more times in the same category. Household names including Jay Leno, Branford Marsalis, Rev. Al Sharpton, C Thomas Howell and Robert Townsend have all made cameo appearances in Steel Pulse videos, and artists as diverse as Stevie Wonder to the Stranglers have joined them on stage. In 1993, at the request of the Clinton Administration, they became the first reggae band ever to perform during the inaugural festivities at The White House. In addition to this worldwide recognition, Steel Pulse has appeared on national television shows including Arsenio Hall, ‘The Tonight Show’ with Jay Leno, The Montel Williams Show  and ‘Late Night’ with Conan O’Brien. The band is currently working on a new album and full length feature length documentary set to be released later in the year.
 
www.steelpulse.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Steel-Pulse/20173929089 / www.twitter.com/MsPattiPatti / www.twitter.com/TGTLife / “>www.facebook.com/sanchezmusic


QUEEN IFRICA
Swooping in from Montego Bay, Jamaica, Queen Ifrica has taken the reggae scene by storm with hits like “Randy”, “Boxers and Stockings,”  “Jus my Brethren,” “Below the Waist” and “Daddy.” From her humble beginnings of winning talent contests to joining the Tony Rebel’s Flames crew in 1998, she has blossomed into one of the genre’s top cultural artists with her roots firmly secured in the Rastafarian faith. As an active community leader, Ifrica is involved in several outreach programs and charities for Jamaica’s inner-city children. She released her debut album Montego Bay on VP Records in 2009 and is working on her second album to be released later this year. Groovin In The Park is Queen Ifrica’s first major festival performance in the tri-state area. However, she is no stranger to the stage. Queen Ifrica has shined at annual reggae concerts around the world ­– including her country’s own Reggae Sumfest, Holland’s Reggae Sundance Festival, Germany’s Summer Jam and California shows like Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, Bob Marley Festival and Reggae on the River.
 
www.facebook.com/QueenIfrica / www.barringtonlevy.com / twitter.com/LevyBarrington / www.groovininthepark.com