Reggae Rising draws artists and fans from throughout the world People traveled far and wide this weekend to come to Reggae Rising at the Dimmick Ranch on the Mendocino-Humboldt County line. The festival is commonly referred to simply as “Reggae” for those who have attended the various incarnations of the festival in this location for [...]
Lost in translation? German radio disc jock Andreas Müller has criticised European and North American gay and lesbian rights groups for what he calls a coordinated campaign to tarnish reggae and dancehall music. The 44-year-old, who doubles as an entertainment writer and has a vast library of some 15,000-20,000 reggae works – mainly on vinyl [...]
‘Legend,’ Bob Marley’s best-of album, lands on a milestone Released in 1984, Legend: The Best of Bob Marley and the Wailers didn’t stir it up on the charts. It entered Billboard at No. 168 and peaked at No. 54. But the reggae icon’s posthumous collection has lived up to its name by becoming only the [...]
Tarrus Riley is the real deal On Friday, I had the great honour and pleasure of speaking at the launch of Tarrus Riley’s latest album, Contagious. Tarrus is the real deal. Clearly, he has talent and possesses a distinctive voice. He is also curious and persistent. Too often we place undue emphasis on talent. Certainly [...]
Luciano brings old-school vibe to Mystic It’s probably not the ideal scenario for an interview — a reporter on the phone in the Bay Area, a reggae singer eating tofu in tamarind sauce in a Kingston, Jamaica, cafe — but at some point we stumble on the very essence of the Reggae Rising festival: “It’s [...]
Rocksteady drills down to the roots of reggae In the style of Buena Vista Social Club, Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae reunites old-timers behind great records to revisit their hits in the studio and, ultimately, to perform a live show There are at least a couple of versions of how rocksteady came to be. A [...]
Sisters doing it for themselves You know those artists who release a ridiculously catchy song, you end up hearing it constantly on the radio and you learn the lyrics off by heart, yet you never know who the song is by? Chances are one of those songs belong to singing siblings Brick & Lace, whose [...]
Reggae legend Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry brings the bottom end to ByWard Asked the origin of his enduring nickname, Lee Perry is inclined to say, “All things start from Scratch.” It is a characteristically blustery if uncharacteristically coherent pronouncement from the certifiably loopy septuagenarian. And it is a boast not without merit. The influential producer honed [...]
Sumfest feeling economic pinch – But top American acts boost profile Even though he has almost 20 years experience as a show promoter under his belt, Johnny Gourzong believes this month’s production of Reggae Sumfest will be the most challenging to date. Jamaica has not escaped the rigours of the worldwide recession that started in [...]
Elephant Man’s swagger rocked stadium Elephant Man, dancehall’s self-styled “Energy God,” commanded a multitude to the Providence National Stadium, where he swept up fans with his “swagger” into the early hours of the morning. He lived up to the top billing he received at the Digicel’s D’ Summer Flex concert on June 27. The trifecta [...]