Reggae’s Beres Hammond to take the stage at @Hard_Rock_Live @SHRHollywood, 12/14.
Jamaica’s soulful and rhythmic Beres Hammond will perform at Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Saturday, December 14, 2013 at 8 p.m. Tickets go on sale Saturday, August 10 at 10 a.m.
Over the course of a 40-plus year career, Beres Hammond has poured his smoky-sweet voice over every kind of rhythm track, from the funked-up reggae jams of the ’70s fusion band Zap Pow, to the lush instrumentation of his 1976 album Soul Reggae to the spare digital beat of his 1985 dancehall breakthrough “What One Dance Can Do.” He is considered Jamaica’s greatest practicing singer/songwriter and anyone who has listened to his music or experienced the fervor elicited by his live performances would undoubtedly agree.
The ninth of ten children born in Jamaica’s garden parish St. Mary, Hammond made regular trips to Kingston to mingle with the singers who frequented the downtown record shops. After high school, Hammond entered several local talent shows including the Merritone Amateur Talent Contest, where several reggae stars including vocal trio The Mighty Diamonds, Sugar Minott and the late Jacob “Killer” Miller also got their start. He joined the fusion band Zap Pow as lead singer in 1975 and simultaneously pursued solo projects.
In 1976, Hammond released his first solo album, Soul Reggae (Aquarius Records) produced by his friend Willie Lindo. It sold more than 2,000 copies in Jamaica during the first week of its release. His subsequent single, “One Step Ahead,” held the #1 spot on the Jamaican charts for three-and-a-half months. Despite the popularity of his music, Beres failed to reap any financial rewards. That changed in the early 1980s when he formed Harmony House. His Harmony House debut single, “Groovy Little Thing,” marked the first time he capitalized on his music. A succession of hit singles recorded for various Jamaican producers soon followed.
Tickets are $79, $59 and $39*. A $154.00 per person Hard Rock Live Dinner Package is also available, and includes a ticket to the show, buffet and open bar. Must be 21 & over for dinner package.* All seats are reserved and available at all Ticketmaster outlets online at www.myhrl.com and www.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone: 1-800-745-3000. Doors open one-hour prior to show start time.*Additional fees may apply.