KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and the Embassy of Colombia in Jamaica are staging Conversation on Musical Heritage, the second of two events on which Jamaica and Colombia collaborated as Jamaica celebrated National Heritage Month 2020.

The first event was a gastronomic cultural exchange, dubbed, A Conversation with Paula Silva — “Coachef” from Colombia interacting with local culinary maestro, Brian Lumley. It took place at Runaway Bay HEART/NSTA in St Ann on October 21.

The ministry said Conversation on Musical Heritage will see exchanges between Michael Sean Harris and Mbala from Jamaica and Absalon and AfroPacifico music from Colombia. It will be held at the Edna Manley College tomorrow between 11:00 am and 12 midday.

Harris is a multi-talented musician and former Director of Studies for the Edna Manley College. He specialises in performance and procedural design and music technology.

Mbala is a poet, percussionist and visual artist. His poetry has appeared in several anthologies including “Wheel and Come Again: An Anthology of Reggae Poetry”.

The ministry noted that Absalon’s project “revolves around African rhythms and Pacific traditions assembling the sounds of the Marimba and contemporary instruments”.

The ministry said the conversation involving them will focus on African Influence on the rhythms of the Pacific and Caribbean music; musical instruments; the marimba; and lyrics, a reflection of societies and traditions.

The cultural exchange between Jamaica and Colombia was the result of discussions between Olivia Grange, the minister of Culture Gender and Entertainment and Sport, and Her Excellency, Diana Patricia Aguilar Pulido, ambassador of Colombia to Jamaica, who paid a courtesy call on the Minister on July 3.