This is a brand new blog. New postings everyday.
This Blog is to inform folk about root Reggae music evolving around the world. Upcoming artists to some of the originals will be presented on this blog.
Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley (born July 21, 1978) is a reggae artist who has won three Grammy awards.[1] Damian is the youngest son of Bob Marley. Damian was two years old when his father Bob Marley died; he is the only child born to Marley and Cindy Breakspeare, Miss World 1976. Damian's nickname Junior Gong is derived from his father's nickname of Tuff Gong. Marley has been performing since the age of 13. He shares, along with most of his family, a full-time career in music.His 1996 debut was Mr. Marley. His second release, Halfway Tree was released in 2001 and received the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album. His third album, Welcome to Jamrock was released in September 2005. Welcome to Jamrock centers on poverty and politics in Jamaica. Marley stated, that Welcome to Jamrock is about hope and that he wants to continue to spread that throughout his music. At the 2006 Grammy Awards, he won Best Reggae Album and Best Urban/Alternative Performance for Welcome to Jamrock. He is the only Jamaican reggae artist in history to win two Grammy Awards on the same night. He is also the only reggae artist to win in the Best Urban/Alternative Performance category at the Grammy Awards. Welcome to Jamrock was considered the best reggae song of the decade by the New York Times. On May 17, 2010, Marley released Distant Relatives, a collaborative album with Nas. The album title is inspired by Nas and Damian’s relationship, but also their shared African ancestry, which is a common thread. Now on tour together with new release Distant Relatives.
Heavy words like heritage and legacy are often used when the subject is Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. As Bob Marley's children, the band will always be associated with their father's towering presence as both a musician and cultural icon. And this is how it should be. To resist this association would be to deny the musical and spiritual blessings and heritage that have flowed from Bob to his children in what has truly been an extraordinary natural progression.The Melody Makers are building upon the foundation I and I father started. They have forged a sound all their own, incorporating international contemporary musical forms without losing an essential roots reggae sensibility. As Ziggy has said, "Bob stuff is unique. Melody stuff is unique." Since their debut as young teenagers until their present incarnation as a seasoned and highly professional band there has been one constant: great songs. From "Tomorrow People" and "Tumblin' Down" to "Everyone Wants to Be", the hits keep coming from what is still a relatively young group of musicians. After eight acclaimed albums, two Grammy awards and sold-out concerts before tens of thousands, the Marley magic continues to spread. Perhaps it is because this is message-music. Ziggy and his siblings live in a different time from their father, and this reality is reflected in their work. Without preaching or proselytizing, the Melody Makers sing about the world as they see it and as it could be. They sing about African peoples and their history, but the music doesn't carry a message of exclusion or retribution. And as they comment on the human struggle and problems and tribulations that face us all, the Melody Makers never lose sight of the fact that music is a celebration. Words like optimism and positivity are often used - and used correctly - when people describe their music. The Melody Makers' gift has been to inspire and uplift in a conscious party that, as fans, we hope will carry on well into the next millenium. Catch phrases like "one love" and "one world" seem less like fantasy and more like possibility when the Melody Makers are in town.
Ziggy sums it up like this: "The revolution is still alive and the youth, them have to know that."
If you think you don't know the music of Stephen Marley, you do-you just don't realize it. A member of the celebrated Marley sibling group The Melody Makers since the age of seven, the Grammy winning producer, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist has also been the driving creative force behind the music of his brothers. Stephen's production, performance and writing credits recently earned him two Grammys-giving him a total of five: more than any other Marley family member or reggae artist in history. .. ..Born in 1972, the second son of Bob Marley, Stephen was dancing and singing onstage during his father and The Wailers' live shows (alongside older siblings Ziggy and Cedella) by the time he was old enough to walk. As a young boy, he stayed at home-as Ziggy and Cedella entered school-where he would shadow his father, mimic his speech and quickly fall in love with such future reggae anthems as "Lively Up Yourself." At seven, he began learning guitar on a nylon-stringed acoustic... ..In 1979, he made his official debut when he, Ziggy, Cedella and Sharon-collectively known as The Melody Makers-cut their first single, "Children Playing in the Streets," followed in 1985 by their debut LP, Play the Game Right. Over the next decade, the group would follow in their father's footsteps, racking up Grammy awards and bringing conscious songs and one-love rhythms to every corner of the globe... ..With his highly anticipated debut album, not only does the sound and soul of Stephen Marley come into vivid focus, but the 34 year-old artist is now inevitably stepping to center stage for the first time in his 27 year career. Appropriately, Mind Control is all Stephen and a cornucopia of the sounds and styles that he loves: a blend of reggae, rock, R&B, nyabinghi rhythms, flamenco and hip-hop. It's an album with the grit and flavor to rock old-school Kingston sound systems and slippery, waxed Miami Range Rovers alike... ..Featuring cameos from roots-rock star Ben Harper, hip-hop hero Mos Def and younger brother Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, it's a collection of songs that range from conscious critiques of society ("Mind Control") and politics ("Chase Dem"), to the sweet and open-hearted ("Hey Baby"), to the simple and fun (the sexy, club-rocking, Latin-tinged grinder "Let Her Dance," which features Maya Azucena & Illestr8)... .."My joy and my pain, this is me," Marley says, humbly. "It's a page from my book: Every page tells a story, but at the same time is a continuation of the page before it or the page to come. This is just one page.".. ..The album's breezy, horn-spiced title track casts a light on a modern day form of slavery, its words conscious, its groove monstrous: "That song is about subliminal slavery, hi-tech slavery, subliminal suppression," says Stephen. "It holds you down, it holds a man down from being wholesome." It's a call to arms for us to take back our lives, free our minds, regain our spiritual souls and think for ourselves: "Don't let them mold your mind/They wanna control mankind/Seems like their only intention is to exploit the Earth.".. ..Tapping into the disillusionment triggered by elected leaders in both the U.S. and Jamaican governments, the vintage, easy-skanking roots reggae of "Chase Dem" rips into the insincere, crooked politicians by shouting "run them away." If the balance of Mind Control sounds wholly created in the 21st Century, "Chase Dem" blasts out of the subwoofers like a long lost jewel from Bob himself. With that song, Stephen says, "It's like me post a bill saying, 'Just say no to politics.'".. ..The softer and sweeter side of Stephen is also on full display in the album. A smooth, smart slab of hip-hop featuring a dose of Brooklyn flow courtesy of Mos Def on the album's first single, "Hey Baby," is based on a song Stephen would sing to his children to keep them from being sad while he was on tour with The Melody Makers: "Hey baby/ don't you worry/ even though the road is rocky/ I'll be coming home to you again." The hypnotic "Lonely Avenue," is a sweet, harmony vocal- and organ-soaked take on the Ray Charles classic-done Marley style. "I'm a big fan of Ray," says Marley. "I couldn't tell you the first time I heard him, but I could tell ya what I remember is hearing him and feeling him in pain." Blending modern sounds with classic roots vibes, Mind Control finds Stephen carrying the Marley legacy even further into the future with such samples as the smart piece of the Martina Topley Bird song "Sandpaper Kisses" heard throughout "You're Gonna Leave.".. ..The album includes a trilogy of sorts ("Officer Jimmy Interlude," "The Traffic Jam," featuring Damian, and "Iron Bars," featuring brother Julian Marley, Mr. Cheeks & Spragga Benz) inspired by the few hours that Stephen and Julian spent in a Tallahassee jail in 2002 for marijuana possession: On "Iron Bars"-the song in which he sings "Let me out!/Let me out!/I'm an angry lion!"-Stephen asks himself, "What am I doing here, among the wolves? For some herb? It's like I'm a murderer. Ya know what I mean? Ya make me feel like I'm a murderer, for some herb, where, ya know, it's my culture.".. ..The genre-meshing "Fed Up" is a flute-led lament of romantic missteps-"She said, 'How could you treat me this way?'/What we had was more than words could say"-while the album closing "Inna Di Red," featuring Ben Harper, is a thoughtful, shaker-dusted meditation on inner peace... ..In addition to recording his debut album, Stephen has been hunkered down in the studio serving as the secret weapon behind both of Damian's past two Grammy winners as well as behind the Ghetto Youths International and Tuff Gong imprints. In addition to executive producing 1999's lauded, star-studded tribute to his father, Chant Down Babylon, his production skills can be heard on albums by Buju Banton, brothers Julian and Ziggy, Spearhead, Eve, Erykah Badu, Capleton and Mr. Cheeks. He's performed as a vocalist, percussionist or guitarist on albums by all the above, as well as albums by Eric Clapton and others. Marley continues to work on new music for all of his brothers. If they felt it important to carry on their father's legacy, it's not something that Stephen-nor his brothers-think much about anymore. "That work has been done", he says. "We are the legacy now.".. ..Stephen also embarked on two U.S. concert tours this year, including the acclaimed "Bob Marley Roots, Rock Reggae Festival," where brothers Stephen and Ziggy Marley joined together for the first time ever with reggae pioneer Bunny Wailer... ..Stephen has built and laid the foundations for a full-blown Marley family renaissance and with Mind Control, Stephen has achieved that: It's an album full of confidence and diversity in styles and emotion. "I don't want to be just another artist. I want to make a statement, and to continue this legacy, this musical legacy, with my family. Just like my brothers... I aspire to be a reckoning force, when you hear my name, you know quality comes with that: good music, good message, good vibe."
Raised in the studio, these four children of Bob and Rita Marley (Ziggy, Stephen, Sharon, and Cedella) are third-generation professionals. Their debut album was named after a song Bob wrote for them years earlier ("Children Playing in the Streets"), and now all four have become composers. "We are here to complete Bob's mission," says Ziggy, and they have had stupendous early success, becoming the first reggae group to top the U.S. R&B singles chart with "Tumbling Down" and already winning two Grammies. Their material is revivifying modern roots music, with an occasional nod to dancehall in Stephen's attitude-rich speed-rapping. ~ Roger Steffens
BIO
In the wake of his 2006 album Love Is My Religion, which earned his fourth Grammy Award, Ziggy Marley shares his musical love with families - his own and the extended human family. Marley's third solo release, Family Time, is produced with old friend Don Was and will be released this May on Marley's independent Tuff Gong Worldwide label. An easygoing journey of original tunes and a few covers, the album offers a full collection of family-oriented songs for those already familiar with Marley's beloved work in the genre, and may serve to introduce today's youngest generation to reggae. Highly listenable many times around, a quality that parents will appreciate, Family Time resonates with themes of love, responsibility, unity, freedom and fun (not to mention generosity - proceeds from the sale of Family Time will benefit Chepstowe Basic School in Port Antonio, Jamaica). "I know how important music can be in a child's growth and development, and in a parent's connection with their children," explains Marley, whose own brood recently grew to five. "This record represents my daily family life and is inspired by my three-year-old daughter Judah and baby Gideon. It was a joy to make and opened up new avenues in my creativity." For the album's recording sessions, Marley invited like-minded collaborators ("friends" rather than "guests") to join him in crafting its familial sound. Kids will love the gentle grooves; grownups are sure to be impressed by the musicians making them. Collaborators include current Who bassist Pino Palladino, Grammy-winning keyboardist James Poyser (Erykah Badu, Common, Al Green), percussionist Rock Deadrick (Ben Harper, Tracy Chapman), longtime touring guitarist Takeshi Akimoto, and legendary reggae drummer Santa Davis. It was a serendipitous phone call about Davis that brought Paul Simon to the project, lending his instantly recognizable voice to the sweet advice of "Even If You Fall, Get Up." The Woody Guthrie standard "This Train" offers a warm-hearted duet with Willie Nelson, who brought along his ace harmonica player/sidekick Mickey Raphael to accompany him. The notion of kids as superheroes defending the Earth echoes through "Future Man, Future Lady," with Marley joined by Noggin network star Laurie Berkner. Another children's performer, Elizabeth Mitchell, gives an angelic lift to "Wings of an Eagle," based on the classic "Wings of a Dove," while Hawaiian singers Jack Johnson and Paula Fuga help sympathize with the young ones on "Cry Cry Cry," a child's call for freedom. Ziggy Marley plays covert travel agent on "Take Me to Jamaica," imagining a journey through his homeland along with Jamaican '60s icon Toots Hibbert. Actress/author Jamie Lee Curtis also contributes to the album, narrating two short stories, one of her own and one penned by Ziggy ("Helping Hands"). Of course, Family Time derives much of its authenticity from the voices of children, including Marley's. On the title track, three-year-old Judah helps her father implore listeners, young and old, to "lift up your hearts with a smile...it's time to be free." And on the tuba-bouncing tune "I Love You, Too," the importance of that simple phrase finds meaning in the family circle of Ziggy, mother Rita and sister Cedella. The album also includes the traditional Caribbean song "Hold 'Em Joe" (the first song that Ziggy sang in front of people as a child), "Ziggy Says" (a version of "Simon Says" which kicks into double-beat midway) and "ABCs" (with gentle leg-slapping and funny mouth sounds accompanying "A is for Africa, B is for Brother..."). Generations of listeners have long embraced Ziggy Marley's work for children, beginning with Marley and the Melody Makers' rendition of "Give A Little Love," the percolating, sing-along track on the 1991 Disney compilation For Our Children, an all-star benefit disc that arguably launched a revival of high-quality, kids-oriented music. Marley has also contributed to several acclaimed children's programs: the theme-song voice for the popular PBS series "Arthur" and a tune for the Dora The Explorer's World Adventure CD. Most memorable may be his voice in the role of Bernie, the Rasta jellyfish, in the animated Shark Tale, where he also sang his father Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds" with his brother Stephen and dance hall star Sean Paul. Marley has been repeatedly drawn to family-friendly projects as a musician, humanitarian and even an actor. He is an active supporter of Little Kids Rock, which brings musical instruments and music lessons to children in public schools, and he founded U.R.G.E. (Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment), a non-profit organization that benefits a wide range of charitable children's causes in Jamaica and other developing nations. Marley's career began as a family affair 30 years ago. At his father's urging, Ziggy, brother Stephen and sisters Cedella and Sharon formed a vocal group, the Melody Makers. The group was embraced by fellow Jamaicans and, over the next two decades, built an international following. They earned a Best Reggae Recording Grammy for their 1988 major-label debut, Conscious Party, produced by Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth and featuring the single, "Tomorrow People." The group garnered two more Grammys, for One Bright Day (1989) and the other for Fallen Is Babylon (1997). Ziggy's first solo performance came in Summer 2002 on the Jeep World Outside Festival, where he toured with Sheryl Crow and other artists. The following year saw the release of his debut solo album, Dragonfly, which featured such guest artists as Flea and John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Mike Einziger and DJ Kilmore (Incubus), bassist Delroy "Chris" Cooper, and keyboardist Franklin "Bubbler" Waul. In 2006 came Love Is My Religion, which expanded upon previously explored personal, social and political themes, fueled by a fragrant blend of roots reggae, African percussion and other elements. Marley hopes to share the messages of Family Time with children and families the world over. He's already thinking about how to present this work live, the visuals as well as music. "I want this to be a complete thing," Marley says. Expect concerts, perhaps children's books, more recordings and even an animated series coming to fruition. His ambitious, multimedia approach reflects the multilayered ideas of Family Time. "Usually my songs mean more than one thing. Family Time is my family, your family, the world's family."
The Marley surname perpetuates Jamaican royalty, resonates world-wide recognition and represents the pioneer of a cultural, political and social revolution. Reggae icon and legend Bob Marley blessed the world with his timeless, brilliant and message filled sound which continues to inspire and influence audiences today. With such a living past, Bob Marley’s conviction and passion for music unintentionally was passed to the lives of his offspring and has allowed the Marley name to remain relevant amongst the hierarchy of the reggae sound. .. Born on February 26, 1976, Ky-Mani Marley is the son of Bob Marley and table tennis champion Anita Belnavis. Ky-mani is the second youngest of Bob Marley’s eleven children. While bearing the Marley name, Ky-mani’s childhood told a different story. Born in Falmouth, Trelawney, Jamaica and settling in Miami, Florida at the age of seven, he was raised in the inner-city in a two bedroom home along with eight family members. .. Being exposed to an urban lifestyle, Ky-Mani adopted the attitude that all people are equal – no one is above or beneath him. This attitude has become the motto for the way he lives his life today. Humble. Soft spoken. Sincere. Loyal. Honest. Genuine. These are the makings of Ky-mani Marley. .. As a child he had no interest following in the footsteps of his world-famous father and was more inclined to play sports. However, the seed that was planted by Bob’s legacy sprouted in 1997 when Ky-Mani teamed up with hip hop artist Pras of The Fugees for a rendition of Eddy Grant’s “Electric Avenue.” This would be the defining moment in his journey which would lead him to pick up the torch his iconic father lit so many years ago. .. Remaining true to his Jamaican culture, Ky-Mani’s fondness for all genres of music influences the work he creates. He is an artist with no limits. Incorporating world music, hip hop, blues, rock and a grass roots sound into his music, the end product is the pure representation of life for Ky-Mani. His sound is one that transcends cultural lines and prohibits him from being categorized as only a reggae artist. His raw, unadulterated, gruff sound captures the listener and reverberates the essence of Ky-Mani’s life story. Songs such as “Dear Dad,” “I Pray,” and “Ghetto Soldier” display the versatility and fiery-passion he exudes when sharing his voyage through song. Peace. One Love. Unity. Street Life. These are the makings of Ky-Mani’s music. .. Ky-Mani has four studio albums to his credit: Like Father Like Son, an album featuring cover versions of some of his father's songs; The Journey (Shang), in 1999, which received mass critical acclaim and peaked at 7 on the Billboard reggae album charts; 2001’s Many More Roads (Fractal Ent/Reggae Vibes) which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album; and Radio (Vox), from 2007, which has more of a hip hop feel than his previous albums and reached 1 on the Billboard reggae album charts. .. Ky-Mani has also collaborated with R&B and reggae songstresses (Mya, Marcia Griffiths, Tessanne Chin), dancehall giants (Beenie Man, Buju Banton, Mr. Vegas, Alborosie) and hip hop talents (Young Buck, Afu-Ra, Ms. Dynamite). .. In 2007, Ky-Mani was the opening act for Van Halen’s North American Tour. He’s also headlined clubs and performed on festivals around the world, from The Netherlands and Hungary to Brazil and Mexico to Cape Verde and Kenya. .. He has starred in several films, including: Shottas with Paul Campbell, Spragga Benz and Wyclef Jean in 2002 (about organized crime in Kingston and Miami); One Love with singer Cherine Anderson in 2003 (a love story about a Rasta musician who meets a gospel singer when they both enter a music contest in Kingston); and as singer John the Baptist in 2004’s Haven , starring Bill Paxton and Orlando Bloom (a love story-cum-underworld revenge drama set on a exotic island). .. His television credits include: Living the Life of Marley on BET J; NBC/Telemundo’s The Shuffle; FOX Business’s Happy Hour with Cody Willard and Rebecca Gomez; plus Music Choice, MTV Jams and VH1 Soul, to name a few. .. Ky-Mani’s autobiography, Dear Dad, was released on February 6, 2010, what would have been Bob Marley’s 65 birthday. Dear Dad, which is distributed in five languages, was written with the assistance Dr. Farrah Gray, the influential African-American empowerment guru. Ky-Mani and Dr. Gray are currently on a 27-city book tour, both domestic and international. .. With a new energy and revitalized spirit, the future is promising for Ky-mani. In 2009, he started the charitable Love Over All Foundation which caters to empowering and educating the youth. LOAF also focuses on restoring values, rebuilding schools and supplying the basic necessities for the classrooms as well as the community in his hometown of Falmouth, Jamaica. .. Ky-Mani is starting a clothing line, Konfrontation, ready to take on his next acting challenges, and in the midst of recording material for his upcoming album, titled Evolution of a Revolution. This album should continue to highlight the myriad of his influences and prove to be a blend of genres that will touch the inner-soul of each listener.
In the summer of 2010, Josh Heinrichs will be releasing his highly anticipated, first full length, solo album since disbanding Jah Roots last year. The album, ‘Josh Heinrichs & Friends,’ will feature a diverse & highly talented mix from today’s current, international, reggae scene. Some of the artists collaborating in the studio with Josh are Cas Haley, members of Katchafire, Inna Vision, Ooklah The Moc, Clear Conscience, 77 Jefferson, as well as others, yet to be announced. The reggae band, Jah Roots, was founded by Josh Heinrichs in 2001, along with four musician-friends from his hometown of Springfield, MO. Over the following eight years, they released five studio albums and toured extensively throughout the USA. During this time, Heinrichs wrote a number of songs that eventually gained fantastically large on-line notoriety, and were downloaded en masse all over the world. The band’s success was recognized in the official media outlets of such locales as Guam, Hawaii & New Zealand. However, after years playing to overflowing crowds at outdoor festivals and packed mid-sized venues, the toll of non-stop touring began to take a personal toll, & Heinirchs decided to step away from the band he had taken so far, in order to devote more time to his wife & children. Throngs of Jah Roots fans, whose numbers spanned across the globe, were understandably saddened to learn of their favorite bands dissolution. However, in very short order, they had their collective spirits buoyed, when in the spring of 2009, it was announced that Josh Heinrichs would be moving forward & recording/performing as a solo artist. Shortly following his announcement, Heinrichs released, the appropriately entitled EP, ‘Things Change,’ & toured in support, with a new band comprised of talented musicians whose previous work Heinrichs had long admired. The “Things Change” tour played throughout 2009, stopping in various locations throughout the midwest, west coast, and Hawaii. During the tour, the many fans that turned out to support Heinrichs’ new musical vision were thrilled to discover Heinrichs, with help from his new band, was still performing their favorite Jah Roots standards -in addition to- delivering the current, and evolving music he was writing as a solo artist Aside from his work with his new band, Heinrichs has also toured extensively with his friend, & musical spar, Cas Haley. They’ve performed numerous shows as an acoustic duet, & have even recorded ‘Favorites,’ an as-yet-unreleased album of exciting new takes on their favorite classic reggae songs.With the release date for Josh's new album quickly approaching, new & longtime fans alike will be growing increasingly eager to hear the new album, & all that Josh has to offer as a solo artist; an offering that’ll be greatly enhanced this time around by such an amazing roster of talented friends... .. ---D.Wells .. ..
Duane Stephenson is an amazing singer from my opinion.. seeing him live with the wailers really showed me the energy he puts of when preforming his song. I had a wonderful time at the show 100% positive reggae vibes.. If your into positive loving music Duane wouldn't let you down..
Singer/songwriter Duane Stephenson greatly impacted upon Jamaica’s musical landscape with the release of his stunning introductory album “From August Town” on Cannon/VP Records in early 2008, demonstrating that the heartfelt lyrics, sincere vocals, insightful commentaries and deeply rooted spirituality that made roots reggae a global force lives on in the 21st century. From the exquisite remake of the late Tyrone Taylor’s mid-80s lovers rock lament “Cottage In Negril” to the brilliant title track “August Town”, a contemplative tale of intermittent war torn conditions in the Kingston community where Duane was born and currently resides, “From August Town” reaped critical accolades. It was cited by Billboard Magazine as one of six albums “collectively galvanizing a roots reggae revival” with “lyrics that convey romantic longings and the anguish of ghetto realities with equal conviction” and similarly hailed by Pitchfork.com as “undoubtedly a highlight of not just 2008, but perhaps the past few years.”
