* En anglais uniquement
A progressive reggae group whose members combine their Jamaican heritage with the urban sounds of their New York home,
New Kingston are a family band consisting of brothers
Tahir, Courtney Jr., and
Stephen along with their father, Courtney Panton, Sr. A first-generation Jamaican-American, Courtney the elder was active in New York's reggae scene before turning his sons on to the music of their island heritage. Born out of jam sessions in the family's Brooklyn basement, the brothers began their career playing
Bob Marley and
Earth, Wind & Fire covers at parties and gatherings around the neighborhood. By 2010, they'd become focused on their own writing, which fused R&B, hip-hop, and dancehall with traditional reggae sounds. With each brother writing and offering vocals, Courtney Sr. filled in on bass. Following their self-released debut, In the Streets,
New Kingston went on a European tour with rising reggae star
Collie Buddz, playing a number of prominent festivals. Their sophomore LP, 2013's
Kingston University, earned them a deal with New York label Easy Star Records, which issued their third LP,
Kingston City, in early 2015. Boasting an increased production value and guest spots by
the Tribal Seeds,
the Wailing Souls,
Sister Carol, and
Sugar Minott,
Kingston City raised the band's visibility considerably, topping Billboard's reggae chart upon its release. An EP,
Kingston Fyah, arrived in the summer of 2016. ~ Timothy Monger