MUSIC REVIEW: The Wailers

The Wailers have done little recording since some very productive years in the 1970s . But since Marley’s death in 1981, the band has maintained a touring presence in an effort to keep Marley’s music and message in the ears and minds of American listeners.

Anyone who was counting on a “greatest hits of reggae” show probably went home disappointed. The band did include a stirring rendition of “No Woman, No Cry,” as well as “One Love/ People Get Ready.” But to their credit, The Wailers dug pretty deep into their discography with tunes such as “Exodus,” “Forever Loving Jah,” “Bend Down Low” and “Lively Up Yourself.”

Dr. Israel’s Patterns of War by Elena Oumano

One turntable spinning through a crate of vinyl, giant speakers blasting riddims into backbones, and a hypester on the mic—that’s the Jamaican sound system, a cheap fix for music cravers lacking the price of a concert ticket. That same level of need and imagination fueled Brooklyn reggae producer-D J Dr. Israel’s ’99 Inna City Pressure debut, a gritty extrapolation on the bare-bones JA template. Israel’s smart bomb packed punk, ska, funk, rock, jungle, and hip-hop, proving the right sensibility can make a joyful fusion of disparate music genres. Several years later, he sallies forth with the equally tough and shifting Patterns of War.

King Yellowman From rags to records

He was deserted by his parents, scorned at stage shows, chased away by pro-ducers, banned from the airwaves and developed skin cancer. A doctor even told him he would live only three years more.

That was in 1983.

Swiss Reggae Ambassador Wears Double Culture

The reigning Swiss roots reggae champ Thomi Nikles, aka Famara, is not relenting in exposing his dual racial personality. “I am white outside and black inside,” he confessed over the phone from Europe. “Reggae is black music and that’s all about me.” The vibrant performer, who’s toured Western Africa a couple of times, wittingly captioned his recent and fifth full-length album “Double Culture.”

‘Black Kissinger’ producers seek J’can investment

The action film Black Kissinger has already managed to capture the interest of Hollywood investors but the film’s producer, Carlton Grant of Zed Jamaica Limited, is hopeful that the project’s cost will be split evenly between local and international interests.

The night is feeling their song- and then some

If you would like an idea of how well things are going for Bedouin Soundclash, you should know they finished recording their new album Street Gospels in February — and don’t plan on releasing for another year.

Reggae: Globalisation in reverse

Noted Jamaican musicologist, Dermot Husssey has observed reggae music’s global penetration as one of Jamaica’s greatest victories. Describing the music’s global reach as “globalisation in reverse”, he contends that this is a feat that only superpowers like Britain and America have matched.

“The penetration of reggae globally, is one of Jamaica’s greatest victories, especially as globalisation is becoming one of today’s more controversial topics,” Dermot Hussey told the recent Reggae Studies Unit lecture at the Undercroft of the University of the West Indies (UWI).

Jamaica’s most powerful export

I spent last week in St. Lucia. This week I am in Dominica. The first thing that always strikes me when I travel east is how much Jamaican culture has penetrated these islands: particularly our music – and Rastafarianism. Reggae music blasts from every bus and maxi-taxi, and there seem to be more Rastas per square mile in these islands than in Jamaica. But yet no patties to speak of, and sadly, no Jamaican breakfast.

Get Down, Moses – Upstart local Jewish musicians weave a coat of many colors

The Maccabee warriors’ trouncing of synagogue-defiling Greeks (a victory, incidentally, that blew Jewish chances to trade patriarchy for paganism) pales next to the Savior’s birth. But Hanukkah offers its own charms and boost to the economy—eight days of presents and that catchy “Dreidel” tune. This year’s Hanukkah could beat out the Christmas competition in New York, thanks to a burgeoning wave of musicians recording and performing individual takes on Jewish identity.

Fat Freddy’s win BBC music award

Wellington’s six-piece band Fat Freddy’s Drop has won a major BBC music award in London.