VP Records will host a meet and greet with members of the Alpha School of Music Band on Saturday, October 11, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
The free event takes place at the VP Records Retail Store, located at 170-21 Jamaica Avenue in Queens, NY.
Alpha School of Music offers Jamaica’s only tertiary programme focused on ensemble performance. Its Associate Degree in Music Performance combines practical training in accompaniment, solo work, and audio technology to prepare students for work in live and studio settings.
Visitors to the VP Records event will have the opportunity to meet band members Zuri Aiko Gordon (violin, vocals), Jesse Kerr (drums), Joel Wallace (bass), Leon Channer (drums), and Adrian Robinson (piano), along with members of Alpha’s teaching staff.
The group represents the next generation of Jamaican musicians emerging from the school that produced The Skatalites, Johnny Osbourne, Yellowman, and Cedric Brooks. Their visit continues Alpha’s mission to connect classroom training with real-world performance and community engagement.
A 7-inch vinyl of the band’s release The Single Sections will be available for purchase at the event. The record features two Jamaican instrumentals, Eastern Standard Time and Rukumbine, performed by the Alpha ensemble, and has been repressed in a run of 25 copies with new sleeves.
The group is in New York to perform at the American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) Hummingbird Gala, held Friday, October 10, at The Plaza Hotel. The event honours individuals advancing Jamaican culture and development, with this year’s honorees including Jason Henzell and Joseph “Joe” Bogdanovich.
