Reggae Rising 2009
By Reggae Rising 2009
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Podcast Description
Reggae Rising is the premiere reggae festival in the United States. The festival takes place the first weekend in August on the Dimmick Ranch in Humboldt County, CA. Set deep in the Redwood forest, the 3-day camping event sells out every year attracting over 15,000 reggae fans from around the globe.
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| 1 | VideoRastaman Experience | Rootz Underground Movement! Revolution reggae music - edgy, raw, natural, roots... They are Rootz Underground. That is their sound. Kick down the walls, burn the paper the rules are written on and mash down the “box” that limits a sound to a single genre! Rootz Underground is here to channel the musical vibration that rings true in the heart and soul of all the conscious Rebel Rockers, Late Night Revelers & Soul Seekers! Many influences have borne their 'rootz', including their homeland Jamaica - birthplace of Rastafari and other radical movements, JAH - creator of all things, family, the earth in all its glory, the revolutionary 70's, Dub and Roots Reggae music. Synergy is a beautiful thing to witness and when delivered onstage with a raw energy live and direct its even more captivating. Its this synergy that has brought Rootz Underground forward across the last nine years of the bands journey from small underground club shows in Kingston at venues such as The Village Café and Red Bones all the way to the largest stages in Jamaica including Sunsplash, Rebel Salute, Welcome to Jamrock, Reggaelution, Sumfest and Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues repeatedly. The band consists of six core members that have been placed together through fate and friendship along the road of life in Jamaica with music as the common ground. Its here with the mix of these personalities and varied interests that the intricate recipe for the diverse sound comes together and gets expressed in this modern twist on roots reggae. Rootz Underground is Stephen Newland (lead vocals), Jeffrey Moss-Solomon (rhythm guitar, vocals), Colin Young (bass), Leon Campbell (drums), Paul Smith (keyboards, vocals) and Charles Lazarus (lead guitar). Rootz Underground has been blessed to be able to be amongst the return and rise of the band format coming out of Jamaica, at a time when dancehall and hip-hop are in the forefront they found themselves as a group performing lyrically conscious original ‘roots’ reggae music. Over the last decade they have won their fans and the respect of their contempories one explosive show at a time showcasing and projecting a collective energy that captivates audiences with its pure intention. It is with this ability to engage and hypnotize that Rootz Underground has set out on the tour trail, traveling through the Caribbean, North America and Hawaii in an effort to carry the message of upliftment, positivity and oneness. The year 2008 saw them touring America extensively on joint bills with foundation powerhouses such as Gregory Isaacs, Israel Vibration, The Wailing Souls, Dean Fraser as well as acts such as Anthony B and Tarrus Riley. They have played both the Raggamuffins Festival as well as The Sierra Nevada World Music Festival in California and most notably they also released their debut album “MOVEMENT” in early March. MOVEMENT has benefited from a sophisticated team, crafting some of the greatest recordings in reggae today. Each track of this 19-song set tells a vivid, nuanced story with moody - Jazz influenced guitar solos, nimble keyboards, ethereal segues, delay effects, traditional African/Jamaican hand drums, razor sharp mixing and call and response chorus vocals that find members harmonizing in agreement with the lyrical message. A rich sound, full of careful layers, serves as a comfortable bed for some of the most universal and honest lyrics to rest in a reggae mix. This sound also has a serious rock music sensibility with breakdowns into hard-hitting grooves, intense builds and smooth transitions back to the one-drop reggae rhythm. The album’s use of interesting vignettes takes us into the realm of the underground and beyond to position ourselves in the movement for a closer listen. The future is wide open with a heavy load of goals that have been set by the band who are constantly looking forward, 2009 will see the release of the second studio album entitled “GRAVITY” as well as touring focus on Europe and Sou | 11/30/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 2 | VideoAnother Day | It all started in east Africa, in Nairobi, Kenya in 1992 where Jahcoustix found the music that would give his life a clear musical direction: Reggae. Spending most of his youth days in African countries, Jahcoustix was fascinated by the African people and their positive attitude towards life thus living in severe poverty. As a sheltered teenager, he saw himself confronted with a burning interest in the african culture and its music. As a child Jahcoustix spent many years in Mexico, Liberia and New York before moving to Kenya and Egypt. In Kenya he spent his free time wandering through the downtown streets of Nairobi, where he would get his first contacts to Rastafarians and to reggae Music. Bands like Israel Vibration, Bob Marley, Burning Spear and Culture would later have a great impact on his world view. Inspired by the spiritual background of the Rasta culture Jahcoustix writes his first poems and starts playing guitar. After having spent 15 years abroad, he returns to Germany in 1998 and dedicates his music to a genre that knows neither skin colours, genres nor ideological limitations. On this new chapter Jahcoustix meets his band Dubios Neighbourhood and together they grow to become a strong unit. The debut album "Souljahstice" (2003) enriched the flourishing German Reggae scene with a modern roots Reggae Flair. Jahcoustix..s solo Debut “Colourblind” was published by Virgin Records in 2004 and raised the level of awareness beyond the local reggae Scene. In the coming 2 years Jahcoustix toured in the USA and Canada, played his first shows in Portugal, Italy and Slovenia and was invited to play at the famous Jazz festival in Montreux. The current Album "Grounded" was released in october 2006 and in 2007 Jahcoustix joined german Reggae Star “Gentleman” supporting him on his european Tour. In 2008 Jahcoustix released his new CD (an acoustic live recording which evolved from a side project) and went on tour in France, supporting Dub Incorporation and Tiken Jah Fakoly. Combined with energetic live performances and the love for music, Jahcoustix has by now become known all over Europe. With a promising symbiosis of Roots and acoustic Reggae it is his aim to spread positive vibes and his music to people all over the world. | 11/24/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 3 | VideoBack In The Days | The longest, hardest, and most consistently working artist in the history of the Jamaican Music Industry is the Empress of Reggae music, the most Honorable Marcia Griffiths, OD, first Lady of Songs, Female Vocalist Supreme. In a career spanning 40 years to date and still going strong, she hits high points internationally as a soloist and as a duo with Bob Andy, as Bob and Marcia. She has toured the world as a member of the I-threes with Bob Marley and the Wailers. Subsequently as a soloist she hit the Billboard chart with “Electric Boogie Song” and created a world class dance, the Electric Slide. This super star has been recording and performing ceaselessly. At a recent reggae concert in South Florida, Marcia Griffiths demonstrated the same level of performance she has been known for over the years, as both a solist and a member of different groups. She displayed, in combination with Reggae rapper Cutty Ranks, on their duet of “Fire Burning”, all the zeal and elements that go into dancehall music. Marcia exibit the same exuberance when performing her international crossove hit “Electric Boogie.” Marcia Griffiths has been performing and recording as a top class artist for four decade. She says “I started singing professionally as a vocalist in 1964, for Byron Lee and the Dragonaires band.” Her recording years started soon after, at Coxsone Dodd - Studio One where she recorded her first hit “Feel Like Jumping." | 11/16/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 4 | VideoRuff It Up | Chino, born Daniel McGregor on the 12th of February 1983, is a young artiste that is going to blow your mind and as a son of Jamaican music legend Freddie McGregor you know that he has music running through his veins. A great talent in his own right, Chino has already had a lot of experience. He sang from the age of nine in the Vaz Preparatory School’s choir and ever since it was his dream to have a career in music. He has performed on countless occasions since being a child and to this date one of his most memorable performance was at the age of twelve at Jamaica House in front of Prime Minister PJ Patterson. While a student at Wolmer’s High School, multi-talented Chino also gained experience as a selector for the sound system Omega Disco. Chino even today does not want to be categorized but rather sees himself as a musical artiste since he plays instruments such as guitar, drums, piano and bass. Furthermore he can sing, rap and dj, he writes, co-writes and produces tracks for artistes such as Daville, TOK, Wayne Marshall, Elephant Man, Kiprich, Delly ranx and of course his father, Freddie McGregor. Having had the opportunity to learn all about music from the cradle due to the fact that Big Ship studio is his “home”, Chino undoubtedly will be one of the biggest artiste in Jamaica. Since being a child he had the chance of observing and learning from the best, legends such as the late Dennis Brown, Marcia Griffith, Judy Mowatt and Gregory Isaac as well as dancehall icons such as Bounty Killa and Beenie Man to name a few. These interactions resulted in an in depth knowledge of recording and production techniques. He started his career as a rapper when he was asked by fellow artiste “Bryan” (brother of Papa San) to contribute a rap verse to the song “Joy”. Important songs that furthered his career were two collaboration with Kiprich, “Leggo Di Bwoy” and “Gimmi Di Gyal”, with the former being the number one on the Jamaican charts, which resulted in heavy video rotation and airplay locally as well as internationally. After graduating from High School, Chino gained experience in the USA where he worked with Slip N Slide Records, home to US artistes such as Trina and Trick Daddy. Since coming back to his roots in Jamaica, Chino has preformed in and toured major cities such as New York, Miami, Alabama, Mississippi, London, Europe, Africa, Japan, Bermuda, U.S Virgin Islands as well as in the Caribbean islands. A major mile stone in his career was a collaboration with his father “There’s a Reward For Me”on the Grammy-nominated album “Anything for you”. His career has evolved even further since then and there are numerous tunes that have been making waves in the industry lately, such as “ Girls Dem Straight” a favorite especially amongst the females with both song and video receiving heavy rotation (produced by Kurt Riley for the Worthington project), Buss It Pon Dem” (on the Cartoon Riddim), “ Inna di Club”(on the 12 gauge riddim-H20 productions),The Smash hit ”Redbull And Guinness” and “Ghetto Whisky” both Feat. Delly Ranx., ”Formula” ”Do So Fah” on the breaking news riddim, and Gyal Ting(On roach’s Mad Ting riddim)just to name a few. Chino, who has just completed working on his debut album titled “Unstoppable” will definitely keep the “Big Ship” sailing and will steer it successfully into the future. Daniel McGregor aka Chino is a true musical artist on the verge of great success…Surely “UNSTOPPABLE”. | 11/9/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 5 | VideoAfrican Children | Aswad was arguably Britain's most successful reggae band, in terms of both popularity and longevity. Critical opinion on their body of work is often divided; some hail their early material as the greatest roots reggae Britain ever produced, while others find their later pop-crossover phase more distinctive and unique, even at the expense of authenticity. Regardless, Aswad's ability to adapt themselves to the changing times — new musical trends, shifting personnel — was ultimately the driving force behind their decades-long career. Aswad (the name is Arabic for "black") was formed in Ladbroke Grove, West London, in 1975. Originally, the group was a quintet featuring lead vocalist/guitarist Brinsley "Dan" Forde (a native of Guyana and a onetime child actor on the BBC), drummer/vocalist Angus "Drummie Zeb" Gaye, bassist George "Ras Levi" Oban, guitarist Donald "Benjamin" Griffiths, and keyboardist Courtney Hemmings. Their sound was already rather eclectic from the beginning, mixing elements of soul, jazz, and funk with hard roots reggae, lovers rock, and dub. In 1976, Aswad became the first British reggae band to sign with a major label when they landed a deal with Island Records. Their debut single, the classic "Back to Africa," was released that year and hit number one on the U.K. reggae singles chart. Their self-titled debut album — a collection chronicling the experiences of London's West Indian immigrant community — followed not long after, and the group scored another hit with "Three Babylon." By this point, Aswad already had enough of a reputation that touring Jamaican stars — Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Dennis Brown, Black Uhuru — often hired the group as backing musicians. The band that has produced two of the best reggae songs in the history of the genre; "Roots Rockin'" and "Back to Africa" also contributed "Give a Little Love" and "Beauty's Only Skin Deep." In 1987 the hip-hop remix of "Gimme the Dub" was recorded which paved the way for the Reggae version of the pop hit "Don't Turn Around," later to be an even bigger hit for Abba's stepchildren, Ace of Base. | 11/2/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 6 | VideoBabylon Stop | Chezidek started singing from an early age at school concerts, and was a member of St. Ann's Bay Marching Band. After finishing school he performed on sound systems in the area, as Chilla Rinch singing and DJing at various dance and talent shows. Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, Culture and others inspired him. The soulful chanter always had a special love for positive cultural music and his African Roots, which lead him to Rastafari; his love for righteousness earned him the moniker Mel-Chezidek which he later drops the Mel and used only Chezidek. He left St. Ann's Bay for Kingston where he linked up with producer Phillip "Fattis" Burrell from Xterminator Production, where he recorded his first album in the year 2002 entitled "Harvest Time" distributed by VP Records, with popular tracks such as "Can't hear must feel", "Breakfree" and title track "Harvest Time", which got a lot of airplay in Jamaica and Europe. His first number one hit single "Leave De Trees" on the "Our Promotion" label, produced by his brethren Hugh Miller aka Bunny Dan; went on BBC top (10) Dancehall charts sending an environmental message. Since then he has performed on major events Magnum Sting, Teen Splash, Dancehall Jam Jam, Bob Marley Tribute, and Tribute to Peter Tosh, Rebel Salute and Western Consciousness. He was awarded best new artiste by the Jamaica Federation of Music and Affiliated Artiste (JFM) for Middlesex. 2005 saw the release of "Rising Sun". This Xterminator production is available from VP Records. In 2006, Al. Ta. Fa. An records released the crucial album "Mash Dem Down", which features combinations with Gentleman, Mark Wonder, Lutan Fyah and Prezident Brown. | 10/26/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 7 | VideoMonkey Man | Toots and the Maytals, originally called simply The Maytals, are considered legends of ska and reggae music. Their sound is a unique, original combination of gospel, ska, soul, reggae and rock. Frederick "Toots" Hibbert, the leader of the group, was born in May Pen in the Parish of Clarendon, Jamaica. He was the youngest of seven children. He grew up singing gospel music in a church choir, but moved to Kingston in 1961 at the tender age of sixteen. In Kingston, Hibbert met Henry "Raleigh" Gordon and Nathaniel "Jerry" McCarthy, forming a group whose early recordings were attributed to "The Flames" and, possibly, "The Vikings". Having renamed the group the Maytals, the vocal trio recorded their first album, "Never Grow Old - presenting the Maytals", for producer Clement "Coxsone" Dodd at Studio One in 1962-63. With musical backing from Dodd's house band, the legendary Skatalites, the Maytals' close-harmony gospel singing ensured instant success for the 1964 release, overshadowing Dodd's other up-and-coming gospel trio, The Wailers. The original album augmented by studio out-takes from the Studio One sessions was re-released by Heartbeat/Rounder Records in 1997, and is essential listening for Maytals and Skatalites fans. After staying at Studio One for about two years, the group moved on to do sessions for Prince Buster (released in 1974) before recording their second album produced by Byron Lee in 1965 . However, the band's musical career was rudely interrupted in late 1966 when Hibbert was arrested and imprisoned on drugs possession charges. Following Hibbert's release from jail towards the end of 1967, the band officially changed their name to Toots and the Maytals and began working with Chinese-Jamaican producer Leslie Kong, a collaboration which produced three classic albums and a string of hits throughout the late sixties and early seventies - "Do the Reggay", a 1968 single widely credited with coining the word reggae, "Pressure Drop", "54-46 was my number" and "Monkey Man", the group's first international hit in 1970 . The group was featured in one of reggae's greatest breakthrough events - The Harder They Come, the 1972 film and soundtrack starring Jimmy Cliff, named as one of Vanity Fair's Top 10 Best Soundtracks of all time. Following Kong's death in 1971, the group continued to record with Kong's former sound engineer, Warwick Lyn; produced by Lyn and Chris Blackwell of Island Records, the group released three best-selling albums, and enjoyed international hits with Funky Kingston in 1973 and Reggae Got Soul in 1976. Toots and the Maytals' compositions would be given a second airing in 1978-80 during the reggae-punk and ska revival period in the UK, when The Specials included "Monkey Man" on their 1979 debut album and The Clash produced their version of "Pressure Drop". Having toured throughout the world for many years, Toots and the Maytals disbanded in the early 1980s, but reformed in the early 90s to continue touring and recording successfully. Sublime recorded cover versions of some Maytals songs in the 1990s as well. The band recently won the 2005 Grammy award for best reggae album True Love, an album consisting of re-recorded versions of their classics alongside popular and legendary musicians such as Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Eric Clapton, and Keith Richards, as well as popular artists today such as No Doubt, Ben Harper, The Roots, and Shaggy. In 2006, they recorded a reggae/ska version of Radiohead's Let Down for the tribute album, Radiodread, by the Easy Star All-Stars. The album is a complete song for song makeover of the English rock band's album OK Computer into reggae, dub and ska. Let Down has been frequently cited by reviewers as one of the successes of the album. According to the official Toots MySpace, the band are recording a new album. Blog entries on the Myspace page report that Toots has been working on a follow up to the 2004 album True Love. The album, apparently originally due for 200 | 10/19/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 8 | VideoOpen My Mind | Encompassing the spirit of aloha and the soul of reggae music, Hawaii's own Humble Soul continues to warm the hearts of music lovers from the shores of the Pacific rim to the blazing tip of South Africa with his distinctive style of honest "Hawaiian-Roots-Music". His poetic anthems and understated melodies have been consistently celebrated by concert and festival goer's of all kinds. Thankful in every way, Humble Soul feels very blessed by the tremendous support of his family of growing fans. He keeps a low profile off-stage, however, Humble Soul's passionate live delivery and recorded music speaks volumes. | 10/12/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 9 | VideoWe Shall See | Nigel "NiyoRah" Olivacce was born on October 9, 1980 in the coastline village of Pointe Michel, Dominica. At age 4, he moved to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, with his family, and cultivated an interest in music through listening to artists in his father's and uncle's roots reggae collections, including Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, Burning Spear and Lucky Dube. By age 16, NiyoRah began chanting on the streets about the life experiences of the Savan ghetto in downtown Charlotte Amalie. At age 18, NiyoRah decided to pursue a career in reggae music. “Reggae had one of the greatest influences on my life. It's the type of music I cling to for some mystical reason,” he says. “The most high guided me more than me myself.” He took on the name NiyoRah - a combination of his nickname growing up and out of respect for the omnipotent power of the sun. Music was a natural career choice because of his musically gifted family. His grandfather is an award-winning vocalist who sings Negro spirituals and gospel, while his aunt, Ophelia Olivacce Marie, is an international French-speaking artist heralded as “Dominica's Songbird” for her style of cadence and calypso. In 1998, he was introduced by local reggae radio personality Ras Manny to Black Juice Records, a Virgin Islands-based recording company. He joined with six other reggae artists under the company to co-found Star Lion Family. His voice can be heard on Star Lion Family's EP Brighter Days released in November 2003. NiyoRah's songs delve into a wide range of issues, including cultural living, love for nature, strengthening of all peoples, especially Africans, and spiritual growth. In concert, NiyoRah has performed in front of thousands, sharing the same stage with artists such as Sizzla, Capleton, Junior Reid, Buju Banton, Bunny Wailer, Glen Washington, Eve of Rough Riders, Midnite Band, Dezarie, Junior Kelly and much more. NiyoRah's debut solo album - A Different Age - was released in May 2005 under I Grade Records. His sophomore album, Purification Session, was released in June 2006, with collaborative productions from Zion High Productions and Lustre Kings Records. | 10/5/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 10 | VideoStay Away | In these troubled times, Luciano's engaging baritone resonates like a divinely ordained instrument possessing the power to comfort and, seemingly, the informed biblical authority to warn of impending destruction. While many of his so called "conscious" contemporaries have faltered by recording songs that glorify wanton sex and random violence as a means of topping the charts, Luciano has held steadfast to enriching Rasta principles; these positive lyrical themes have justifiably earned him the title of The Messenger. | 9/28/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 11 | VideoNuh Talk - Money Where Your Mouth Is | Lutan is keen to emulate Dennis Brown and Garnet Silk, two of the singers he grew up listening to, by not only singing hard-hitting message songs, but making commercial sounds that will introduce him to the mainstream. "Getting that hit song is important to every artiste. I always sing as an artiste but its time I start singing for the radio," he said. At the start of 2009, San Francisco's 2B1 Records released Africa, a double disc, 30-song album by the prolific singer. It includes songs like De La Vega, Save the Juvenile and Outa Line, which are largely familiar to a sound system audience around the world. It was released three years after Phantom War, an impressive compilation of songs distributed by Britain's Greensleeves Records. Recently, Lutan inked a management deal with Prestige Artists Entertainment, a management and booking company headed by Lukes Morgan, guitarist for leading roots act Morgan Heritage. "I don't see Lutan as an average artiste. What really grabs me about him is his singjay-style, melodies and lyrical content" said Lukes. Dub poet/social commentator Mutabaruka says he is taken with Lutan's stance to sing from the heart despite the material trappings of the music business. "(The fact that he said) We are going to call an album Africa. Nothing else. That is saying a lot," Muta said at the Kingston launch for Africa. Lutan Fyah was born Anthony Martin in Portmore, a sprawling housing community in Jamaica's St. Catherine parish. He has strong roots in Spanish Town, once the capital of the Caribbean country and stomping ground for big names like Lieutenant Stitchie, Papa San and San's late brother Dirtsman. In fact, Lutan remembers as a youth listening to San and Dirtsman performing at dances on his grandfather's Black Iniverse sound system in Thompson Pen, a community in Spanish Town. Watching them up-close inspired his career path. After giving up a promising football career due to persistent injury, Anthony Martin morphed into Lutan Fyah. Among his best-known early songs was There Is No Peace in Spanish Town, a catchy take on The Drifters' classic Spanish Harlem, which dealt with gang violence in Spanish Town. Lutan says it is difficult to escape the culture of crime that has dominated the 'old capital' for over 10 years. "Spanish Town is a kind of garrison where every man is a suspect. To keep yourself with the vibes you have to walk a chalk line," he said. Through regular tours, Lutan Fyah has made a name for himself in Europe where there has long been an appreciation for roots-reggae acts like Burning Spear, Culture and the Mighty Diamonds. But after nearly a decade of looking in from the underground, he is ready to blaze a trail in the mainstream. | 9/21/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 12 | VideoFeeling Alright | Throughout 2004-05, Rebelution began to build momentum through consistently playing local shows and by independently releasing an EP. Before they knew it, they were one of the biggest drawing bands, not just in the reggae genre, but in the entire area. “It definitely went to the next level when we literally had thousands of people watching us perform in Isla Vista on Friday nights,” shares Rachmany. The band’s upbeat, highly danceable grooves were charting a direct course for bigger and better things. Rebelution released their first full-length album “Courage to Grow” in June 2007, which would become the breakthrough album for the band. The album was praised for its crafty melodies, socially-conscious lyrics, and savvy musicianship. Rebelution quickly became known for sticking strongly to the roots of vintage reggae sound, all while appealing not only to reggae listeners, but also to music fans of all genres. “Courage to Grow” went on to garner mass downloads and radio play on monster stations such as San Francisco’s Live 105 where their single “Safe and Sound” was played on heavy rotation, with spins on San Diego’s 91X, and Los Angels’ KROQ. The album hit an all time high when it was selected as iTunes Editor’s Choice for Best Reggae Album of 2007. In addition, “Courage to Grow” has been in the top 10 iTunes Reggae album sales since its release two years ago. It remained in the Billboard Top Reggae Album Chart for 36 weeks, and peaked at 4. Now, two years since their last album, Rebelution is ready to give their fans their long-awaited, sophomore full-length album “Bright Side of Life” on August 4, 2009. Recorded in their home town of Santa Barbara at Santa Barbara Sound Design, entering the same studio the day after Depeche Mode completed their sessions for Sounds Of The Universe. “Bright Side of Life” features 12 new signature tracks blending the band’s cohesive mix of reggae, rock, and hip-hop influences in a calliope awash of front man Eric Rachmany’s Santana-esque guitar flurries, Marley D. Williams’ solid and attacking bass lines, the psychedelic and tasteful piano, keyboard and Hammond b-3 stylist of Rory Carey, and the jazz rock fusion of Wesley Finley’s finesse drumming and percussion. Of the new album, Rebelution shares, “After the positive response from fans and critics for ‘Courage to Grow’ and touring in support of it for the last few years, we are glad to finally reveal our new material to the fans who have waited so patiently. We’ve played many of the new songs live, but the recorded versions will have that ‘studio magic’ from all the time we’ve put into them.” The band notes that their second album will show their growth in maturity musically, with a more polished sound with flares of new styles that fans and future fans have yet to hear. “Bright Side of Life” also has an overall theme of encouragement. The band shares, “Though it was important for all of us in the band to be motivated to continue with what we do best, which is making music, we feel people in the world could use some encouragement in this time to stay motivated as well, which is what we drew a lot of inspiration for this album.” The release of “Bright Side of Life” marks the first release under Rebelution’s newly founded record label 87 Music, in association with Controlled Substance Sound Labs, the California based music collective, which is also home to artists Slightly Stoopid and Pepper, and their respective artist imprints. | 9/14/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 13 | VideoEmptiness | “I love reggae music with all of my soul,” says Ishi Dube who is one of reggae’s rising stars. A seasoned musician, Ishi is becoming more and more widely recognized in the world of reggae music as a skilled songwriter and vocalist with a powerful and beautiful voice. His unique style skillfully moves from roots to lover's rock, from DJ/singjay to Dancehall, and back to roots with lyrics that are intelligent and positive. Besides being an accomplished musician Ishi is adept all aspects of music production, from setting up and running sound for large events to producing and recording artists in the studio. Since the release of his self-produced debut album, "MASSAGANA - Thanks and Praise," Ishi Dube ads a different layer to his genuine roots sound, a newer dancehall edge that will appeal to reggae massive everywhere. Always positive, always spiritual, Ishi continues to appeal to the people regardless of class, creed, or color. | 9/7/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 14 | VideoReally Like You | Growing up without a father didn't impact negatively on the life of 23-year-old Okeefe Aarons. He, however, developed a special bond with his mother despite having to relocate from Kingston to St Elizabeth at an early age. "My mother built a house in St Elizabeth and we moved there when I was young. My mother wanted to leave the garrison because of the violence. During that time I developed a special bond with my mother. Right now she's my biggest fan," said Aarons who is known in the music world as the up-and-coming artiste Laden. Laden gained some attention in 2006 when he entered the Digicel Rising Stars competition and placed in the top eight. He is grateful for the opportunity and the platform that the competition provided for him, as it has opened many doors for him in the music world. "Digicel Rising Stars helped out a lot in terms of exposure. It made it easier for people to recognise me and it also got me the opportunity to record for producers," he informed. Source: Jamaican Observer | 9/4/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 15 | VideoWild Thing | Sister Carol, born Carole East, is one of Jamaica's top entertainers. Having been born and raised in the ghettos of Kingston till the age of 14, her family immigrated to Brooklyn, NY in 1973 to look for work. Who knew that the thriving dancehall scene in New York City in the 70's would lead Sister Carol to a path that would include movies, albums, television appearances and a Grammy nomination for her highly regarded 1996 release, Lyrically Potent. | 8/31/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 16 | VideoRound the World | Gentleman resides in Cologne, but sometimes names Jamaica as his home away from home. He is the son of a Lutheran pastor. He is a father of two children, Samuel and Tamica, and is currently dating Tamika, a background singer of the Far East Band, which has been supporting him since his first concert tour of Germany in 2002. He has been traveling to Jamaica regularly since he was 16. Legend has it that he became hooked on his brother's Reggae records and thus wanted to get to know Jamaica first-hand. The island has become a second home for him. In the meantime Gentleman is also regarded as a popular reggae artist in Jamaica as well, which he regards as an honor, being a European. | 8/27/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| 17 | VideoMama | Capelton performs "Mama" at Reggae Rising 2009. Many of Capleton’s songs “and most of his critics” make mention of this blazing fire. Capleton hopes to clear up the confusion once and for all. “Is not really a physical fire. Is really a spiritual fire, and a wordical fire, and a musical fire. You see the fire is all about a livity. But is people get it on the wrong term. People get confused.So when a man say ‘more fire’ him think that mean say you fi go light the cane field or go light the church.” Fire, Capleton explains, is a way of reminding one‚s brother that they are going astray. “That way a man know say him doing something wrong. That even give him the urge to know say Yo check up on yourself. What you’re doing is not right, or else him would not say ‘Fire fi dat,’ or ‘Burn dat’ or ‘More fire.’” “If we go check it back now,” he continues, “fire is for the purification of earth, anyhow you check it. This earth itself have to even emerge from the literal fire also, which is the volcanic activity, we a talk bout lava. The hottest element to rise us in the morning is the sun. The water cleanse, but it’s still the support from the fire that burn the water, burn out of the bacteria so the water coulda heal we fi cleanse. The herb heal, but it’s still the fire fi burn the herb so the herb coulda heal we also.” | 8/20/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| Total: 17 Episodes |
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