David Kirton

International superstar Rihanna and Bajan reggae artiste David Kirton were among the big winners at the Barbados Music Awards, which took place on Sunday, January 27.

Though absent from this year's show, Rihanna, Barbados's biggest musical export, was given awards for Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, Best Pop/R&B single, Pop/R&B Artiste of the Year, and Best Music Video (Female). Evan Rogers and Karl Sturken, the producers who discovered her, accepted the awards on her behalf.

Kirton, who is enjoying extensive airplay for his song Green Camouflage, took home thre awards for Reggae Artiste of the Year, Best Reggae Single and Best Music Video (Male).

Other multiple winners included Red Boyz (Best Soca Compilation, Producer of the Year); Arturo Tappin (Best Jazz Artiste, Best Jazz Album, Instrumentalist of the Year); Lil Rick, the Hyper Dawg (Best Soca Single for Caan Wait, Entertainer of the Year); and Mr Dale (Best Ragga-Soca Single (Male), Songwriter of the Year).

The third instalment of the BMAs were held at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium and attracted the who's who of Bajan entertainment. Among the guests were Sir Cliff Richards, Jazzy B of the black British group Soul II Soul, members of the new David Thompson government, Phillips Saunders, the CEO of Caribbean Airlines, one of the sponsors of the event, and Mary Martin Ourisman, United States ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.

The awards were really a celebration of Barbados talent, and the fact that since Rihanna, more artistes have been signed to international labels such as singer/songwriter Shontelle layne (SRP/Universal) and Livvie Franc (Jive Records). Layne, who will be featured in the March/April issue of Caribbean Beat performed some of the song off of her soon to be release debut album, as did Franc, whose stage presence and voice had everyone talking long after the show was over.

There were also performances by gospel group The Promise, 16-year-old J Co,Hal Linton, Phillip 7,Beenie Man, who performed with Layne, Sizzla, Patrice Roberts, the Trinidadian soca artiste who placed third in the 2007 Crop Over Road March competition, and Soca star Machel Montano. Montano, fresh off his mega-concert AC3+3 in Trinidad, was given the International Lifetime Achievement Award.

The event was staged by Timeless Barbados. See below for a complete list of winners.

* Best Ragga-Soca Single (Male): Mr Dale
* Best Ragga-Soca Single (Female) - Kimberley Inniss & Keann: Sweat
* Best Soca Single: L'il Rick Caan Wait
* Best Social Commentary - Blood - Calypso Owes You Nothing and Red Plastic Bag: Bajans Can't See
* Best Soca Album (Solo, Duo or Group): Krosfyah, Fire Proof
* Best Reggae Single: David Kirton - Green Camouflage
* Best Soca Compilation: Red Boyz - Soca Bonfire
* Best Non-Soca Compilation: Hit Island Vol 1
* Reggae Artiste of the Year: David Kirton
* Best Rock/Alternative Artiste: Phillip 7
* Best Jazz Album: Arturo Tappin
* Best Jazz Artiste: Arturo Tappin
* Gospel Artiste: KDB
* Rap/Hip Hop Artiste: Ruby Tech
* Best Rap/Hip Hop Single: Ruby Tech & Damian Marvay - Reasons
* Pop/R&B Artiste of the Year: Rihanna
* Best Pop/R&B Single: Rihanna
* Best Soca Collaboration: Kimberley Inniss & Keann - Sweat
* Best Non-Soca Collaboration: Ruby Tech & Damian Marvay - Reasons
* Band of the Year: Krosfyah
* Producer of the Year: Red Boyz
* Instrumentalist of the Year: Arturo Tappin
* BMA Media Award- Print/Internet: Andrea King - Nation Newspaper
* BMA Media Award - Radio/Television: Hurricane
* Best New Artiste: Nard
* Best Music Video (Male): David Kirton - Green Camouflage
* Best Music Video (Female): Rihanna - Shut Up & Drive
* Songwriter of the Year: Mr Dale
* Engineer: Deepu Panjwani
* Song of the Year: Rihanna - Umbrella
* Album of the Year: Rihanna - Good Girl Gone Bad
* Entertainer of the Year (Female): Rihanna
* Entertainer of the Year (Male) - L'il Rick
* Living Legend Awards: Vic Brewster and Vic Fernandez
* Lifetime Achievement Awards: Darcy Boyce and Norman Barrow
* Award of Merit: Sheryll Hackett
* Cornerstone Awards: Tamara Marshall, Mark Lorde, Troubadors, Tony "Poser Grazettes", Derrick Wilkie, Sach Moore, David Burnett, Andre Woodvine, Andy Williams, John Roett, Mike Grosvenor, Doris Provencal
* International Lifetime Achievement Award: Machel Montano (Trinidad and Tobago) - http://caribbean-beat.blogspot.com

Kirton mines roots of reggae
SANDY CAETANO, METRO
July 25, 2008 01:24

Internationally acclaimed reggae artist David Kirton craves change, while still holding on to his roots.

After the success of his two previous albums — Stranger and Modern Roots — Kirton feels it’s time to try and make a difference. So he has strayed ever so slightly from his usual reggae beats with latest record, Time for Change, which was released this week.

“This album for me was like an inspiration to get to another level … I had reached a point where I had been doing a lot of touring on the reggae circuit and I realized now I need to get back to me,” Kirton tells Metro.

The Barbados native wanted to explore different sounds and themes within the genre. Time for Change goes back to the roots of original reggae and blends modern dance rhythms with touching heartfelt lyrics, making for a refreshing sound.

“I’m heavily reggae influenced and all of that … but it was time for me to continue doing something that would still cement me as a musician from Barbados and not just following on anybody’s heels,” he says. “So it was time for change, and that was the lyric that hit me first … so that was where the song and (rest of the album) started to take off from.”

For Kirton, making music is never difficult. Whenever he’s working on new material, he surround himself with friends and seeks inspiration from the beauty of his home in Barbados.

“There’s a place on our east coast I go to called Bathsheba and when I get there I’m overwhelmed in nature, and that allows me to sing and put my thoughts together,” says Kirton. “Just writing songs, I love that, I like to express what I’m feeling inside and what I see, you know, and that’s a part of my life.” - SANDY CAETANO

David Kirton’s sound is as fresh as the Caribbean breeze he enjoyed as a teen, surfing the waves off the South Coast of Barbados. His new, aptly titled album, ‘Time For Change’ ushers in a whole ‘nother vibe in reggae music. Instead of cranking up the soca and dancehall energy like most emerging reggae artists, Kirton draws on his keen sense of pop, soul and rock to modernize the roots vibe without shifting it into overdrive. His guitar keeps the grooves organic while his lyrics cleverly veil deep messages in the finest tradition of conscious reggae. As if this new sonic attitude weren’t enough, he’s also raising the bar for reggae videos, which haven’t always enjoyed the best production values. The title track from Time For Change is beautifully shot in Barbados by two time Pulitzer Prize and Sundance Award winning director, Tom Krueger. Another clip, Free To Fly features painter, David Attaway and a cameo appearance by former CSI actor, Gary Dourdan. Kirton began the year on a high note as one of the big winners at the Barbados Music Awards … along with Bajan pop princess, Rihannah. He took home the trophies for Reggae Artist of the Year, Best Reggae Single and Best Music Video.

Key Tracks: Time For Change, Free To Fly - http://calcopyrite.com/?p=332

http://www.circuitmagazine.com/content/view/62/36/

A quick glance at Barbadian reggae artist David Kirton seems to paint him outside the mold of a typical reggae artist. First off, there’s his music. Instead of a lock, stock and barrel approach of replicating Jamaica’s reggae artform, Kirton has merged varying degrees of rock, pop and other genres into his music. The result is a musical discourse with a solid foundation in conventional reggae music and sprinklings of reggae innovation.

Kirton’s third and most recent album Time for Change contains a number of tracks which effectively showcase Kirton’s blending style. Miss the Water, Time for Change and Free to Fly are three of the songs on the11-track album which fully embody the style which Kirton describes as ‘Modern Alternative Roots Reggae’. Other tracks like Green Camouflage, a ‘down with Babylon’-styled number, provide a more unadulterated version of reggae that purists would appreciate, and reinforce the fact that despite musical nuances, Kirton is still very much a true reggae artist at heart.

Then there’s Kirton’s image. The cover of Time for Change features the dreadlocked artist in fitted jeans and matching jacket, carefully framing a bright green shirt with flowered pink collar and striped tie. Other Kirton PR shots show him in a rock-star inspired black jeans, black jacket getup, complete with superstar shades, pointytipped shoes and beaded necklace accessories — not exactly par for the course when it comes to reggae artists. It’s obvious that Kirton isn’t pitching himself as a clone of Jamaican reggae artistes. But why should he? While Jamaica is undoubtedly the home of the genre, other non-Jamaican reggae artists have gained credibility for themselves by the very nuances which make their versions of reggae music unique. These include Matishayu, a Jewish reggae unit, Rude Boy Face out of Japan (yes, you read correctly), and Ziggy Rankin out of Trinidad & Tobago. So maybe, with the somewhat hybridized reggae and the non-conventional attire, Kirton may be on to something…

That ‘something’ seems to be working in his favour. He’s managed to catch the attention of Tempo, the Caribbean music video channel. The videos for Time for Change (the title track off Kirton’s album) and Free to Fly have both received regular rotation on that channel in an environment already crowded with Caribbean videos vying for attention. Kirton has seemingly pulled out all the stops for his two videos. The video for Time for Change was shot by award winning cinematographer/ director Tom Krueger, who has also directed videos for U2, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and R.E.M., while the Free to Fly video features live painting sessions from renowned artist William Attaway. It also features a cameo from Gary Dourdan of television’s CSI: Crime Scene Investigation fame.

His Modern Alternative Roots Reggae has also carried him outside of Barbados, to stage performances in France, Canada, Switzerland, St. Croix, Grenada, and just about every state in US.

While the frontier of reggae innovation is undoubtedly not yet fully explored, David Kirton seems determined to put his own spin on the genre… - Circuit Magazine

Barbadian singer David Kirton and producer Mikey Bennett make reggae accessible to every musical taste with this viable set recorded at two Jamaican studios. The style is busy but smooth, melodic, and warm as the tropical island that sprung this talented singer/writer. Up-tempo jams that make you gyrate are as compelling as the touching love songs that make the heart cry. Kirton uses his voice like an instrument, and his relaxed expressive tenor is addicting. The first two tracks, a sweet up-tempo number and a floater, dresses you for two essential pieces of social commentary: the hard hitting "Ride on Natty" and "To Know Jah," with its classic ska cadence. He touches all with "Woman So Special," an affectionate love song that'll bounce into your heart and stay forever, like good songs do. Sure bets include "Stepping Stone," the sensual "Slow Down," the jazzy "No Time," and "Homesick for Paradise," where he longs for them island breezes. The excellent musicians and backing vocals are outstanding throughout. You'll let this mellow disc repeat over and over without tiring of the buttery creations or getting any complaints from the peanut gallery.
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Posted by Andrew Hamilton Jun 18, 2004
- Andrew Hamilton

Kirton a hit in Cannes
The Barbados Advocate, Friday March 19, 1999
Contributed by John Swenson, AP Writer, Rolling Stone Write and Reviewer.

There was so much frenzied music industry activity surrounding digital downloading and the attendant licensing and publishing complications at this years MIDEM convention that the music its self was somewhat overlooked,
Nether less, scores of musicians from all over the planet traveled to Cannes in hopes of being discovered.
The most impressive new act at Midem was unquestionably the Barbados-based vocalist and songwriter, David Kirton, who gave a well-received performance in support of his album Stranger. Kirton represents a wide cross-section of musical influences in the songs from this album, but the key reference he continually returns to is Bob Marley. Marley’s influence is of course, fairly Universal in contemporary West Indian music, but Kirton has an almost other world ability to channel Marley’s vibe.
When Kirton holds and caresses the notes as he sings the phrase “that lie within the very hearts of man,” from the title track it sounds just like Marley himself, just as it does when he breaks the word “power” into two syllables, accenting the first half, then sliding down a tone to finish the word. His exchange with the backing vocals on “Farmer” is pure bliss.
Rasta Meditation is a brilliant piece of writing evoking the naturalist joys of Rastafarianism. On Stand Up, Kirton comes closest to paying open tribute to his greatest inspiration. Reggae City is a harder bass driven anthem that really moves under the beat. By the time of Bridgetown Burning’, Kirton is mixing his reggae with Cat Coore’s lead guitar work and a more contemporary dance feel. As the record goes on Kirton’s writing becomes more adventurous. Cool Breezin’ hovers somewhere between ska and drum n’ bass. Home for the Holiday is a smooth crooning R&B ballad. Culture Fusion mixes reggae with swaying jazz rhythm, and Show me your Lovin’ is the kind of fully realized pop gem Michael Jackson wishes he could still write.
- Associated Press

David Kirton
The Colorado Independent
Contributed by: Kristen Sherwood
There’s a lot of the old natural mystic flowing through David Kirton’s music, but the music created by the Baja artist is a new kind of Reggae. Based in the roots style of Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff, Kirton has drawn from Spanish influences and world beats for his concoctions of reggae, island and pop.
Born and raised on the tiny eastern Caribbean island of Barbados, Kirton went to England in the mid 80’s to train as an audio engineer. That time spent in the urban wilds of London, at a time when dance hall, dub and reggae were taking over the club scene helped to shape Kirton’s modern view of old school music. With a respect for the old masters that is inherent in Rastafarian Culture, Kirton began to develop a new brand of roots-rock. His first album 1999’s Stranger, reflects Kirton’s musical history through the traditional reggae bounce and hopeful, spiritual lyrics. Lover’s rock, a major influence, also grooves heavily through out Stranger and Kirton’s subsequent albums.
All of these tropical inspirations and northern instrumentations give birth to a fresh up to date roots melody that with out someone like Kirton at the helm, might crash on the reef all ready inhabited by UB40. But Kirton keeps in the forefront the realistic, honest and bare breasted humanity of true reggae music, and his reverent rhythms, lyrics and inflections pay homage to those in the past while providing a floor plan for those to come. It’s new, and it’s different, but it will still make you groove and praise.
- Kirstin Sherewood

Modern Roots is the title of the latest album by Barbadian reggae artist David Kirton. It’s his second release, and although he’s not yet a household name, his music is gradually taking hold.
A few years ago, after working with Kirton on his debut album, veteran musician, producer/songwriter Mikey Bennett remarked, “Every now and then as a writer you hear a song that you wish you had written or as a producer you hear a voice that you wish you had discovered. Such was the case when I first heard David Kirton. He’s exactly what the doctor ordered.” That’s a significant endorsement, considering it’s coming from one of the most respected figures in reggae. And fans agree. A few months ago a couple tracks from Modern Roots were unveiled on The Reggae Ride- the weekly reggae show heard on Saturdays, noon to 3 pm on Miami’s WDNA radio- and fans began inquiring about Kirton. Today on the basis of listener requests, the mellow, introspective I found me and the ska driven To Know Jah, are selections often rotated on the Reggae Ride.
Kirton has struck the right chord. He brings to the marketplace a refreshingly unique aura that’s garnering respect from his peers and admiration from his fans. His appeal is broad, easily satisfying the mainstream audience, and especially those who crave something new.
With Modern Roots a different pace is being set. As it’s title suggests, it’s roots music, but with a 21st Century feel. It is positive messages with an original foundation. Except for Slow Down- a Gregory Issacs adaptation- this collection is essentially new, devoid of thee rehashed rhythms that would dull its luster.
The songs are primarily penned by Kirton himself, with collaboration from Mikey Bennett on a couple, and this afford listeners the opportunity to experience Kirton’s true expression. Ride on Natty is another winner that thumps with consciousness.
Commanding attention instantly, this track promotes unity for all the peoples of the world. A couple variations offer another glimpse of Kirton’s range. With your love is the sharpest deviation from the theme. It's a mellow piece with a guitar lead that's beautifully accentuated by female harmony- Roslyn Williams and Revleta Fraser. Then there’s Woman so Special, which pays tribute to the strength of a man's companion.
Kirton is quite a storm, a gentle yet steady force whose winds of change is blowing away some of the rubble that's polluting the reggae market. Other veterans, such as Cat Coore, Dean Fraser, Wayne Armond, Desi Jones and Robbie Lynn are added to his punch, and it’s evident that David Kirton will be a force to be recorded with.
flaggadupe@aol.com
- Howard Duperly, Music Editor, May 2002

David Kirton’s latest album, Time for Change will embrace a new generation ready for new reggae anthems.

He has busted out of the box with this, his third album, by blending elements of reggae, soul, rock and pop into a contemporary yet natural sound, which he then delivers with his exotically smooth, soul dipped voice.

Each song on the album can stand on its own merit. Kirton has written songs with intelligent and grabbing lyrics that listeners can relate to on many levels. He then wraps them in some serious booty-shakin’ rhythms, and a shimmy of urban flavor that would be at home in any dance club. Throughout, David still stays true to the deep roots of reggae. He pays respect to tradition, giving the music stability, but he is not tethered by it, allowing him to be visionary in the direction he takes his music.

The tracks are driven by messages that are universal and relevant. “Sugar” is a sticky song that will have you singing along on the first chorus and continue long after it finishes. While at the same time he shines a light on the history of the sugar trade and the backs that bore it. It may very well break you of your sugar habit.

“Camouflage” is a jewel of a song. Not so much anti-war as it is pro-peace, it delves into the changing landscape of war and people’s perceptions of it. This song could become an anthem of a new generation. It’ll have you dancing in your cammie’s and digging for your peace emblems.

The song “Free to Fly” is sung with such sincerity that it truly resonates within you. Freedom, no matter what kind, is precious.

David Kirton has shared his soul with us on Time For Change - he could not have done it any other way. Listen to the music. Remember the name. There is something legendary brewing here.

By Shelley Gummeson
Oct 21, 2008 - www.earshot-online.com/reviews/DisplayReview.cfm?DiscID=75985

ALREADY a triple award-winner in the Caribbean, the new album from Barbadian balladeer Kirton has the crossover appeal to break him big in the mainstream pop charts. Songs such as Miss The Water and Sugar are R&B flavoured – imagine Craig David swaying to a sunshine beat – while Money boasts an old school disco beat, and the title track is UB40 style soca-pop. Things get more interesting, however, on peace anthem Green Camouflage, an irresistibly old-fashioned reggae song that could have been a Trojan track. Listen, too, for radio-friendly Michael Jackson-like ballad Free To Fly, a hit in the making. PC - http://www.sundaymercury.net/entertainment-news/pop-music-news/cd-reviews/