Concert review - The Green, with Through the Roots

4 February 2015 (Aggie Theatre, Ft. Collins CO, Ft. Collins CO)
^3.5/5.0

There's no better way to fight the February chill than soaking in the warm sounds of the islands. Hawaiian band The Green brought their pop-flavored reggae to the Aggie as part of their Chocolate & Roses tour. While the venue wasn't packed, the enthusiastic audience was clearly familiar with the band's songs. Their opening act, San Diego's Through the Roots, was a good pairing. Neither band is locked into a slavish interpretation of reggae, but both were able to draw on the power of the one-drop to share their positive messages.

Through the Roots

Through the Roots made a strong impression with their first song. The electronic intro swirled around a vocal clip of Bob Marley talking about richness, creating an electro-dub vibe before the band dropped into "Dancing in the Rain". The synth element proved to be a big part of their sound, with keyboard driven bass lines, thickly reverbed drums, and lots of toys to warp the guitar tone. Even when bass player Budda Foster switched to bass guitar, it was so heavily processed, that it sounded more produced than his keyboard riffs.


The band moved even further away from the purist reggae ideal on their next tune, which relied on heavier rock guitar. Throughout the set, lead guitarist Scott Curtis rarely slipped into the standard repetitious fill that's ubiquitous in reggae. Instead, he approached the songs from a modern rock perspective. This led to some very interesting interludes, where the whole band fell together on a common melodic theme to break up the flow of laid-back, mid-tempo beats.


Lead singer and rhythm guitarist Evan Hawkins added the third key element to the band's "Cali-reggae" sound, with a strong R&B vocal style that complemented the positive lyrics. He showed off a good range, but most of the time, his casual stage presence didn't generate as much energy as his shout outs on behalf of The Green. This made their set less about any player's personality and more about the group's tight musicianship. Those coordinated riffs to shake things up were just the start. Through the Roots had clearly polished their arrangements and thought a lot about their song transitions. While they didn't overshadow The Green, they served as a tasty appetizer for the main course.

The Green

The soulful pop spine of The Green's last release, Hawai'i 13 (2013, review here), combined with the chill set from Through the Roots, had me expecting a fairly relaxed performance, but The Green set me straight right away. A dramatic soundtrack built up the anticipation as they took the stage and they quickly jumped right into the steady groove of "Good One". Where the album version is a soothing philosophical reaction to over-indulgence ("It must have been a good time, baby, whoa"), this take was more immersed in the party mood that preceded the hangover. Charismatic lead singer Caleb Keolanui worked the crowd and radiated a loose exuberance that sold the song.


By the time they had played four or five tunes, the whole front line on stage had taken their turns at lead vocals, That versatility kept the audience engaged, While the singers weren't interchangeable -- guitarist JP Kennedy had a rawer raspy tone with rich, warm character and each tune pulled in the right persona to serve the song -- the handoffs distributed people's attention from one end of the stage to another. Also, when they pooled together on harmonies, it was easy to hear their Hawaiian roots in the sweet mix.


None of that should eclipse the backline rhythm section. BW Watanabe's keyboard bass lines filled out the bottom end and felt organic enough that I never missed a bass guitar in the mix. While he covered backing vocals and assorted keyboard comping above and beyond the bass, he seemed happy to lurk in the background, which didn't do full justice to his contribution. It was a treat watching him cover the fat low end, but still nail the sharp synth stabs or add the understated textures that filled out the sound. Drummer Jordon Espinoza by contrast played large, proving himself a master of fills. This drove the looser live feel, but never compromised the fundamental groove of the music.


As The Green smoothly flowed through their setlist, it was clear that they had worked out the dynamic progression for maximal impact. Songs found their own climaxes, but they never neglected the tenor of the whole performance. Drop out breaks accentuated the higher intensity moments and lazy grooves led to bigger builds. In particular, it would have been easy for them to lose momentum when they explored a moodier groove, like during "Never", but they maintained a taut focus that served to set up the the big beat funky chank of "Rootsie Roots".


Given that the tour was named after the band's most soulful number, "Chocolate & Roses", the crowd was primed to hear that gem of pop perfection, and it seemed like The Green was ready to deliver it late in their set. Easing into the jazzy soul vamp, Keolanui dedicated the groove to the ladies in the audience and they responded enthusiastically. As the intro stretched out, he riffed on Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You", "Loving you is easy, cause you're beautiful", but it was all a feint. They wouldn't pull out the tune until their encore, but they made up for it then by bringing a representative woman on stage to serve as a focal point. She danced with poise and graciously received literal chocolate and roses as Keolanui's serenaded her. The arrangement incorporated some bigger dynamic swings that upped the emotional ante, but they avoided any sense of irony and pastiche, preserving the purity of the tune.


Hawaii may be geographically far from Jamaica, but The Green made the island connection work with a high energy, positively conscious performance.

More photos on my Flickr.

Recording review - Ghetto Youths International Presents: Set Up Shop Volume 2

Another diverse sampler from reggae's first family
^3.75/5.0

Carrying on the family business is a long-standing tradition and the entertainment industry is no different. But even talent and the support of famous parents are no guarantee for success. Now put yourself in Julian Lennon's shoes or imagine the Marley offspring, trying to make a mark with the burden of a mythic, almost saintly father. They've each had to carry that weight and face down the unmeetable expectations. But where Julian Lennon has never completely exorcised his father's ghost, the Marleys have overcome the overblown hype and dismissive critics to prove that they had more going on than just their celebrity genetics. Eldest son Ziggy probably faced the harshest criticism, but his younger brothers have each taken their turns, too. With perseverance, they've gone on to earn Grammys and chart success while finding their own voices. In recent years, brothers Stephen, Julian, and Damian Marley have focused their attention on their label, Ghetto Youths International, where they've collected a strong lineup of performers. In 2013, they dropped Set Up Shop as an introduction to the label. This past December, they followed up with Set Up Shop Volume 2. Both compilations feature the Marley brothers and Stephen's son Jo Mersa, along with several other GYI artists like Wayne Marshall, Christopher Ellis, and Black-Am-I.

Like its predecessor, Volume. 2 highlights the diversity of the talent on the label, from dancehall toasting and rocksteady to moody ska and dub grooves. The good news is that reggae fans of all types will find something to love here, but the grab-bag nature of this kind of release naturally means that there’s no clear thread of continuity running through these songs. While that keeps this from achieving “album of the year” status, Set Up Shop Volume 2 easily accomplishes the goal of generating interest in GYI’s artists. Whether it’s the sweet harmonies and poppy rocksteady of “In The Ghetto” from Black-Am-I or the fine dub production on Jo Mersa’s “Rock and Swing”, there are moments of sonic purity that hit their mark perfectly and leave me wanting more.

Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley grabs a lot of attention with several tracks, including the lead single, “Is It Worth It? (Gunman World)”, which wraps its morally ambiguous subject in a Two-Tone ska moodiness. While that one features Damian’s solid lyrical flow, I enjoyed the opening tune, “Hard Work” a bit more. The intro blend of a creaking door and a thoughtful splash of music reminded me of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”, but the production was what really grabbed my ear, first for how it eased into the chank rhythm, and then more for the sparse groove and electronic touches. Damian’s rolling, staccato delivery tips its hat at toasting deejays but also has a taste of East Coast hip hop flow. The heavy beat and drop out breaks are ready-made for the club scene, helped along by an infectious chorus that’s easy to join in on, “I’m putting in the hard work.”

The following track, “The Living Breed”, is also strong, but it’s the outlier of the collection, with its Mexican influenced pop DNA. The backing loop vamps with a Latin beat accompanied by an acoustic guitar, relying more on emcee accents to make the reggae connection than the rhythm. Still, it’s smooth how the conscious lyrics of the chorus perform a clean Aikido flip from “the last of a dying breed” to “the first of this living breed.” This one also benefits from the procession of distinctive vocalists -- including Illustr8’s American tones -- as they hand off the leads smoothly,

The only tune that doesn't click is Wayne Marshall’s “On the Corner”, which takes its inspiration and structure from one line of REM’s “Losing My Religion”. The music works, but Marshall’s cautionary tale has too much of a preachy tone and too little subtlety. Fortunately, his other contribution, "Nah Give Up", is much better.

But regardless of whether every song finds a home in listeners' ears, Set Up Shop Volume 2 shows off the Marleys' skills at production, arrangement, and talent scouting. It also highlights the different strengths and styles that Stephen, Julian, and Damian each bring to the table, all while reflecting on the impact that Bob Marley's music and message still have on modern reggae. They carry on their father's ethos and stand on his shoulders, but they're definitely "the living breed" of modern reggae.

Coming attractions - Backbeat Soundsytem

Do you feel lucky?

Trust is absolutely vital, especially when it comes to our culture-rich. We're in the middle of a golden age of music; there are hundreds of small independent labels and countless unaffiliated bands releasing albums and singles. That's the good news. The bad news is that it can be ridiculously hard to find know what's worth bothering with, given the overabundance of choices. That's where trust comes in. Maybe you've found critics or hipster outlets that you depend on to filter through it all. Aside from the set of artists I follow closely, there are a couple of independent record labels that have never steered me wrong.

Easy Star Records, home of the Easy Star All-Stars, is one of those. Aside from the All-Stars' reggae cover albums, which are exquisite, they produce a collection of strong artists like Passafire, The Green, and John Brown's Body. The latest addition is Backbeat Soundsystem, who demonstrate that strong rhythms and solid chank can thrive in the U.K. The band's label debut, Together Not Apart, has just released and Easy Star is sharing tracks from the new album.

Two of these, "Fighting Bull" and Hey Girl", offer two different sides of the band's skills. I like both, but "Fighting Bull" hits my sweet spot a little harder. The band lays down a funky reggae groove, with a marching bass throb and horn punch accents. The conscious lyrics are right up front, surfing the beat. The production mixes things up, with some light dub moments and synthesizer vamps. "Hey Girl" goes for a poppier feel, with a nice R&B vocal line, but still spices it up with some toasting flow. This time, the keys frost the edges of the tune with old-school tones that reach back some 40 years to the heady days of dance club funk.



If you dig feel-good reggae at all, Backbeat Soundsystem deserves a listen. Trust me.

Front Range recommended shows, 4/14

It looks like Cervantes is the place this week, but there's still a tough decision: reggae or hip hop? Both of these are old school performers with some strong material. I'll also take a moment to pay respect to Cervantes for being such a fine venue for both reggae and rap. They regularly serve up great acts at the top of their game as well as classic voices.


Wednesday, 16 April (Cervantes Masterpiece, Denver CO)
Pato Banton

I first heard Pato Banton through my interest in the second-wave ska band, The English Beat. By the late '80s, he was showing up on my radar and he had a minor hit with "Don't Sniff Coke". I've always enjoyed his flow and laid back grooves. It's been a long time since I saw him at Reggae on the Rocks (Red Rocks), but I'm glad that he's still active.

Wednesday, 16 April (Cervantes Other Side, Denver CO)
Six Mix-A-Lot

Sure, "Baby Got Back" was a party time anthem back in the early '90s (although I'm partial to Jonathan Coulton's acoustic cover), but Sir Mix-A-Lot was more than just a novelty act. His stage persona always played big on style, attitude, and wit. He's also been a good ambassador for hip hop, finding interesting partnerships with other genres to break down walls.

Recording review - The Green, Hawai'i '13 (2013)

Overlapping island perspectives and solid one-drop beats

Let the island rhythms relax you. Let go and surrender to physical bliss of the warm climate and gentle breezes. Dig your toes into the sand and feel for the roots of a rich cultural expression. Hawaii’s premier reggae band, The Green, has no problem drawing the parallels between their island home and Jamaica and encouraging listeners to settle in for some familiar, soothing sounds. More than just a pretty setting or relaxed lifestyle, both places share in the kind of isolation that can nurture their artistss and give them time to bloom into fullness. Various flavors of reggae music evolved from ska, which was inspired by soul and R&B music. The Green respectfully takes in the one drop beats, chanks, and swaying basslines as their starting point, then they reach deeper within to get at the soulful foundation. At the same time, they fully engage with modern R&B and Polynesian sounds. The chants that open and close Hawai'i ‘13 honor their Pacific traditions, but still find a common ground with reggae’s African origins.

While there is no single recipe for authentic Jamaican reggae music, there is a social consciousness that is never far removed. Hawai'i '13 is less concerned with this aspect, with the exception of "The Power In The Words", which preaches a message about the impact our attitude has on the world around us. Instead, the album dedicates most of its attention to love and relationships and,accordingly, invests the songs with a strong pop element. Fortunately, their sincerity imbues the material with a good emotional weight. On "Something About It", they convey the lonely tension that distance brings to a relationship, but they focus on the loving foundation: "I am the island in the middle of the sea/ You are the sunshine, come rise upon me." The verses recall Hall & Oates' charged pop sounds from the late 1970s and early '80s (think "Maneater"), but the busy bounce of the bass and the bubbly fills find the reggae pulse. It's not quite Sly and Robbie, but the foot tapping energy is a treat. The Green continue the retro vibe on the soulful "Chocolate & Roses", which borrows a touch of Lionel Ritchie to try to win over the girl. This piano driven R&B tune is one of the only non-reggae pieces, but it still slides right into the mix for Hawai'i '13.

Their hearts are in the right place, but my favorite track is still "Hold Me Tight". The solid, old-school one drop is moody and sweet, ornamented with a couple of mild dub sections. On first listen, it's another love song, typical for the album, "She holds me tight/ When my heart beats the limit/ And my head starts to swim". Closer attention to the lyrics, though, reveals the party anthem message in this ode to the joys of marijuana, "I want to fire up a fat spliff, pass it all around/ While rolling up another as we're strolling into town." It's a theme that Peter Tosh would be happy to endorse, but the key is the deep-to-the-bones reggae groove that anchors the piece. Another fine moment comes with the dark, 2 Tone ska of "Forgive Me". The pensive piece relies on keys to fill  in the horn lines, but the bass is wicked and throaty. They sing of regret and a break up, but the chorus has a defiant backbone that shows its strength.

The Green first showed up on my radar when they signed with Easy Star Records and contributed to "Baby Be Mine" on last year's Michael Jackson tribute, Easy Star's Thrillah (review). Their innate sense of soul carried that track back to its roots, making the reggae beat a natural extension. It's nice to hear those elements in a richer setting on Hawai'i '13. There are plenty of American bands tapping into the sweet roots of reggae music, but The Green is onto something special, from one island to another.

November singles

From solid roots to heady washes of sound, enjoy November's singles.

Prezident Brown - "Teach the Youths Dem (Meditation)" (from I Sound is From Creation)

"Teach the Youths Dem (Meditation)" offers a sweet taste of roots reggae, from the solid one drop beat and snaking bassline to Brown's chanting delivery. Brown's conscious-style message encourages strength and discipline in response to the destructive forces around us. The chank, fills, and beat mesh calmly, grounding the track with an uplifting vibe. That's the power in classic reggae: acknowledging adversity, but retaining hope.

Even though this is the second single off the new album, I couldn't find a public link of it. Drop by Amazon and get a small taste.

DaVinci - "In My City" (from The Moena Lisa)


Straight outta Fillmore - San Francisco rapper DaVinci (AKA John DeVore) lays down a low key anthem to the whole Bay area, letting everyone represent. The chilled out electronica groove and mellow beat match DaVinci's easy delivery. His quiet, raspy voice flashes back to Tone Loc, but without the playfulness. The relaxed vibe keeps "In My Cty" from building up too much bluster.

The Moena Lisa is his followup to last year's debut, The Day the Turf Stood Still.

Neil Davidge - "Green and Blue" (from Halo 4 original soundtrack)


Soundtracks are one of the prominent sources of interesting modern orchestral music. While film scores can be quite amazing, it's a rarer to come across remarkable game soundtracks. "Green and Blue" is a wonderful composition that develops some strong ideas and retains a rich sense of dynamics. I wouldn't expect a game like Halo to offer this kind of depth.

Composer Neil Davidge (Massive Attack) did a fine job here of creating an epic sense of triumph, colored with losses and growth. The soundtrack is paired with a remix album, too, which brings in a number of respected electronica producers to expand on Davidge's themes.

Maus Haus - "No More Girls" (from Light Noise)



The droning undertone and gritty, low-fi production on "No More Girls" mash up electronica and  garage psych. The driving beat and repetitive lyrics set up a hypnotic Kraut rock vibe. The heavy echo pushes the track slightly underwater and the rippling surface distorts the tune into music that needs to be absorbed rather than interpreted.

Drop by their Bandcamp page to check out more music from Light Noise.

Interview - Michael Goldwasser (Easy Star Records)

Easy Star Records has a stable of fine modern reggae bands, like John Brown’s Body, The Black Seeds, and Ticklah, but they’re most well known for their reggae filtered cover albums. The label’s house band, the Easy Star All-Stars, made a huge popular impact with 2003’s Dub Side of the Moon, their tribute to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. Their fourth tribute album, Thrillah (review) tackles Michael Jackson’s classic Thriller.

I had the chance to talk to Michael Goldwasser, one of the founders of Easy Star Records. As the musical director for the label, he’s been a strong creative force, working up song arrangements and driving the label’s tribute albums.

JJM - First I want to say that I’ve really enjoyed Easy Star All-Stars’ music for quite some time now. It’s really cool to talk with you.
MG - Great, man. It means a lot to me when I hear from someone who’s been following us for a while. I’ve been putting my whole life into this project for the last sixteen years. So it’s good to know someone’s listening.

I think it’s great, too, that the label releases some really great reggae, which is near and dear to my heart.

Thank you

One of the first things I wanted to ask you was about living in Israel. I caught this in one of your recent interviews and I was surprised.

I’ve kind of been back and forth over the last few years. I haven’t permanently moved, but I’m kind of there half the time. You know, I just feel like it’s a better place to raise my kids. It’s nice. Do you happen to be Jewish?

I am, actually.

Ok. So, for me, it’s still pretty cool to be somewhere where everyone can pronounce my last name [laughs] and the calendar isn’t about Christian holidays and stuff like that. It’s pretty cool to not be the other for the first time in my life. I really enjoy my time there. They like reggae music there and I’ve recorded stuff for Easy Star there. So, there’s really good vibes.

How has that affected your music? Have you been exposed to things you wouldn’t have heard otherwise?

Specific musicians and groups, definitely. In general, the music coming out of Israel, I’ve been following a real long time. But what it’s brought to me is the inspiration of working with some good musicians, getting new ideas and being somewhere where reggae is… In Israel, because people really don’t expect to make any money at it, they’re just doing it for the love. Whereas here, when you’re a musician, you are kind of hoping to make some money. Even in reggae. In Israel, people are really more like, “let’s just make some great music. Let’s just do and not be just thinking about getting paid.” I think that was really a nice breath of fresh air for me to work with people like that.

I think here, in the US, it’s not just the “eyes on the prize” that you’re talking about. There are plenty of dedicated amateurs, I’m one myself, but there’s something about being around enough people who can create an active music scene, then you can do some really cool things.

Yeah. And there is really a great reggae scene in Israel. All different styles of reggae are represented. You’ve got ska, groups who specialize in early ‘60s ska, all the way up through dancehall artists who want to sound like whoever’s popular now. And the same thing with sound systems – you have sound systems that go all the way back, so they can play mento (Jamaican folk music), and then you have sound systems that can play whatever record was released in Jamaica yesterday. So, there’s a wide range of reggae there and a lot of enthusiasm for different types of reggae.

That sounds really exciting.

Yeah, man. If you ever go, I will hook you up with people in the scene.

I appreciate that. I’ve traveled a bit, but I have not been to Israel yet.

Well, you gotta do it, man.

Let’s get into some questions about the band. I’ve read that the original idea for Dub Side of the Moon was Lem Oppenheimer’s.

Yeah, it was Lem’s idea. Lem’s not a member of the band, but he was one of the founders of Easy Star Records.

I’m curious about your perspective. What did you think when he first suggested it? Did you have any sense it would get as big as it did?

Definitely not! [laughs] I was skeptical. I got into reggae to make original reggae or to work with Jamaican artists and try to forward what I considered to be an authentic kind of reggae. So the idea of covering entire rock album had never crossed my mind before. It wasn’t what I set out to do. But Lem’s idea obviously turned out to be brilliant. I wrote basic arrangements for a few of the songs, just in my home studio, after we had batted around the idea of the project for a while. Then I realized that it really could work. It was a logical continuation of what I was doing. I just had to realize that.

And I think that working out the timing to match the original track lengths, to allow for the “Dub side of the Rainbow” experience [synching the album with The Wizard of Oz] was another cool aspect of it.

Yeah, we wanted to make it fun in lots of different ways. We were pretty ambitious. Because there was no standard that we had to meet, in terms of full album covers in reggae, we tried to do what we felt was right.

I’ve heard in other interviews that you chose to follow with a cover of Radiohead’s Ok Computer because they were a modern Pink Floyd and then the Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper to challenge yourself with major keys. Now, you’ve covered Michael Jackson’s Thriller. We’ll talk about the album in a moment, but how do you pick your targets? Do you take requests from people?
We get lots of suggestions, but we’re not actively looking for requests. Basically, there’s a pool of great albums out there that everyone is pretty much aware of. It’s not hard to find a good list of things to consider. The hard part is finding albums that we feel will work on every song and that will also yield interesting results. We don’t want to do the same album over and over again in terms of what it will sound like on our end. I don’t think we’re ever going to pick a completely obscure album just because we think it could sound really cool. The reality is that a lot of people would not care. The music is a big part of it, but it also has to be something that people would be interested in.

Right. You need to pick something with enough commercial appeal to attract the audience but also has the artistic appeal to make it worth bothering with.

Yes, exactly.

My dream target would be Miles Davis, Kind of Blue. That would make an awesome album.

I’m actually a big jazz fan. I would love, one day, to attempt something like that.

Getting back to Thrillah… Like the other cover albums, you catch the original feel and you still found something interesting to add, they weren’t slavish copies. In particular, I wanted to ask you about Beat It. That was probably one of my favorite tracks on the new album. Michael Jackson’s original has a dichotomy between the cheery, flippant pop attitude of the music and the seriousness of the lyrics. Your arrangement brought the music more in line with the message.

I’m glad you caught that. That was a big part of the intent. To me that song makes sense as kind of a lament about the gun violence that’s plagued Jamaica since the ‘70s. To me, it made sense in that regard. It made sense to slow it down and get this very dread, reggae feel instead of trying to match the uptempo feel of the original. That’s totally what we were going for.

People who aren’t familiar with reggae assume it’s just a simple chank. Your artistic decisions, like mixing in a fair amount of dub, can really open up people’s minds about what reggae can do. I think the expressiveness you get on Beat It is a cool thing.
Thank you. One of our goals is not just to reach reggae fans, we want to reach fans from outside the reggae world and introduce them to reggae and show them that there’s some variety of different styles within reggae.

On this album, I actually made it a point not to have any one drop rhythms at all. To some people, all reggae is, is the one drop beat. So I thought, “let’s mix it up and use lots of different drum patterns.” But not a one drop. We tried to get away from standard reggae.

Michael Jackson was such an iconic performer, much like the Beatles, Radiohead and Pink Floyd. When you started attacking this, what qualities were you hoping to pull out the most in this project?

I thought it would be futile to try to match Michael Jackson’s vocal prowess. We have some great guest vocalists, but Michael Jackson was an incredible singer with a five octave range. He had all these different ways of using his voice and he really came into his own with the album, Thriller. To try to reach those highs would be impossible. So, instead, I wanted to get the overall vibes of Michael. The album Thriller is comprised of nine songs that are all very different from each other, in very interesting different ways. There were several song writers involved, it wasn’t just Michael Jackson. Rod Temperton wrote three of the songs; he’s a highly acclaimed songwriter. Quincy Jones co-wrote one of the songs with James Ingram. Steve Porcaro and John Bettis wrote a song. So, there’s a lot of different vibes in there. I tried to bring out the different songwriting styles as well.

I know you had a lot of great guest contributors involved with the record. Are any of them touring with the band?
Several of the members of the touring band appeared on the record. Kirsty Rock, who has sung on all four of our tribute albums, is our lead female singer with the touring band. Ruff Scott, who appears on Want to be Startin’ Somethin’ is touring with the band right now. On a few shows, Cas Haley, who sings Human Nature and is a member of the greater Easy Star family will be performing Human Nature with us. If there are opportunities to have any of the other guest stars appear on stage with us, we’re going to try to make it happen. It’s always such a great thrill for the fans.

There are some great guests. I was familiar with Michael Rose, of course, and some of the other guests. But this album introduced me to some artists I didn’t know, like The Green.

Great! They’re a group of relatively young guys from Hawaii. We put out their last album last year, it’s called Ways & Means. They’re multi-talented, but one of the great things is that they’re four lead singers – four singers who harmonize well with each other and trade off leads. Unfortunately, it’s rare in reggae these days to have a group with so many powerful singers, so we’re really happy to work with them.

I’ve also reviewed your album of original music, First Light. Do you have any more original music in the pipeline?
Definitely everyone in the band writes and there’s always original music that could be recorded. It’s really more of a matter of finding the right time to work on it and put it out. Unfortunately, the music business is tougher and tougher. It’s harder to actually sell music, with this culture of people feeling like music shouldn’t be paid for anymore. So, every album we put out is a big, financial risk for us. So if we put out an album of originals, which would probably not sell as well as our tribute albums, it’s a bigger risk. So we have to look at it carefully, but I certainly hope that we have another one sometime in the near future.

I hope so. When I first heard about First Light I thought the band might be trying to prove their reggae cred. But listening to the album, there were some great moments.

Thank you. It was great fun to work on. It was great to put on a different producer’s hat than usual, in terms of approaching the original material. I wrote some of the songs, too, so it was great to put on my songwriter’s hat. I think it’s a great album, I’m really happy with it. To me, Thrillah is a logical extension of First Light, in that on First Light, we explored a lot of the R&B roots that many of us in the band have already, which weren’t apparent on our efforts where we were paying tribute to classic rock albums. So, there’s definitely an R&B influence on First Light and then, of course, with Thriller being an R&B or R&B/pop album – to me, it’s a very logical extension.

I didn’t think of that until you mentioned it, but you’re right. I know one of the coolest things on First Light was the decision to do the same song twice, in two different genres with Break of Dawn and In the Light.
Yeah, originally, I was thinking to do a straight up R&B remix of Break of Dawn but then when we were messing around in the studio, we realized it would be much cooler to totally change the tempo and vibe entirely and even redo the vocals – have Joanne, the lead singer and composer of the lyrics, take a different approach. That was great fun for us when we did In the Light. It’s just a straight up R&B song, no real reggae influence at all. For us in the band, it made a lot of sense, because that’s what we listen to, too.

And hearing her voice do both songs shifts your thinking about the range of her singing style.

Definitely

Thank very for your time and thank you for making some great music

Wow, you’re welcome.

(This interview first appeared on SpectrumCulture)

Concert review - Easy Star All-Stars with Passafire

13 September 2012 (Fox Theatre, Boulder CO)

The Fox Theatre built up a good crowd. The all-ages show had a strong youth contingent that seemed to know both bands very well. There were a lot of the same people I see when the Flobots play.

Passafire

I wasn't familiar with Passafire before this show. Based on the band name, I expected a solid reggae groove. That would have been welcome, but Passafire's sound turned out to be much richer than that.

Their music followed the jam band path of Phish, Widespread Panic and others. Songs skipped across genres, melding a hard rock solo into a ska groove or merging a Zappa-esque experimental sound into a reggae rock groove. Sharp rhythm and tempo changes signaled the song section boundaries, as well. Unlike those other bands, though, the songs didn't melt into a long running mass. That kept their set tighter with a stronger punch, even when they drifted into a spacier zone. The other difference is that Passafire seemed to center on reggae and ska beats as their natural foundation. At the time, I thought they might have been tailoring their set to fit better with Easy Star All-Stars. But after tracking down more of their music today, I can hear how central those rhythms are to their sound.

All four players were adept at changing up their approach to fit the sound in the moment. The band tours constantly and that showed in their performance. Bass player Will Kubley was particularly impressive. His playing on the reggae sections provided the solid anchor the style calls for, but he could also bounce it into a bubbly groove. His extended intro solo on Kilo had a laid back virtuosity.

Guitarist Ted Browne dominated the stage, driving most of the lead vocals. He favored a heavy echo on his voice that fit well with Kubley's close harmonies. His guitar was tasteful. He had plenty of chances to show off some flash technique, but he generally reined that in to support the song. His soft-spoken laid back persona was forward enough that he wasn't shy.

Mike DeGuzman keyboard accents were fine, but he really stood out for the stunt touches: strapping on a guitar to contribute 30 seconds of glory or whipping out a Roland keytar (it looked like a Lucina) to step to the stage front. The theatrical moves worked; the whole band had a good stage energy.

There were a lot of great songs and I'll have to track down more of Passafire's music. Along with the rest of the crowds, one of my favorite songs was Dimming Sky. The old school R&B start shifts into an uptempo ska beat backing a lazy vocal. "Other fish go swimming by, they say good night / And I wish the dimming sky would stay so bright".

Easy Star All-Stars

It's been three and a half years since I last saw Easy Star All-Stars, but it still stands out as an amazing show that made my top five of 2009. After reviewing Thrilla, their new tribute to Michael Jackson's Thriller, I had unreasonably high hopes for this tour because Jackson's music would kick up the pop energy for the show. Even so, Easy Star All-Stars exceeded my expectations, delivering a well rounded show: high energy jams, sweet reggae grooves, spacy dub excursions, and sentimental moments.

The band started the show with a vamp build into their lazily drifting version Radiohead's Airbag. That got the audience moving but they really woke up when the band followed up with Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'.

The setlist was nicely constructed to take the crowd through the history of the band's work. They hit the high points and kept the flow moving. The new album, Thrillah, was well represented, while there were only a couple of tunes from Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band. The Pink Floyd section, with Breathe and Time was a treat. The dynamic shift from a trippy, reflective mood to heavy rhythm focus and then Ruff Scott's exciting rap delivery made it a long adventure ride. This segment rolled perfectly into the dark and moody sound of Radiohead's Lucky. With perfect timing, the All-Stars lightened the vibe with an a capella singalong start to With A Little Help From My Friends.

Like the setlist, the band's roles were also well balanced. Kirsty Rock and Ruff Scott were like sweet and spicy. Rock's sassy attitude and strong pop voice were perfect for tunes like P.Y.T. and Thriller. Scott's raspy growl and toasting style was a strong, earthy counterpoint. He was a charismatic performer, too, owning the front edge of the stage as he challenged people to sing along or exhorted them with his rap. His riff on Money was strong and he also covered DJ Spragga Benz's spoken word part from Thriller.

Guitarist Shelton Garner Jr was a solid player, able to shift from chank to serious rock solo work with ease. But his singing was a real treat. On The Girl is Mine, he had a strong R&B sound that gave a hint of Michael Jackson, but with a deeper tone. His real moment to shine, though, was the encore. He came out alone and performed a solo arrangement of Bob Marley's Redemption Song. The guitar arrangement had a light Hendrix chord melody touch, but his voice was strong and soulful. It was a truly moving moment. The last notes hung in the air before the rest of the band stepped up to continue the encore.

Bass player Ras I Ray, though, was the true heart and soul of the band. Like a ringmaster, he was at the center of it all. His playing was phenomenal: fluid and melodic, then throbbing and deep, whatever the moment called for. Through it all, he kept in constant motion. One moment, he'd march in place, crouched down in a power stance. Soon after, he'd grin infectiously and dance with joyous energy. His presence and charisma anchored the band. Even his stage patter had a confident humility that showed off the band's open spirit.

Easy Star All-Stars throw an amazing concert. Without an ounce of drag or waste, they still create a loose party atmosphere. They take these incredibly well-known songs and rebuild them to create a truly original sound. They show off their phenomenal musical talent and still seem more interested in making a connection with the people at their shows. I only regret that I couldn't see their other two shows in the area this tour.

More photos on my Flickr.

Front Range - Recommended shows, 9/10

A couple of all star bands and some other changes of pace. This is a great week of music - choose wisely.

12 September (Aggie Theatre, Ft. Collins CO)
13 September (Fox Theatre, Boulder CO)
14 September (Cervantes Masterpiece, Denver CO)
Easy Star All-Stars

The Easy Star All-Stars are touring behind their Michael Jackson cover album, Easy Star's Thrillah (review), which is their latest reggae reinvention. This is a great band to catch live and we're lucky to get so many stops along the Front Range. The All-Stars will have a stage packed with talent, with several charismatic players taking front duties in rotation. Aside from the Michael Jackson songs, expect a sampling from their other albums with songs by Pink Floyd, Radiohead, and the Beatles. As strange a combination as it sounds, the reggae/dub backbone creates a consistency that creates a perfect flow.

Even if your interest in reggae is limited to that one time you heard your college roommate's copy of Bob Marley's Legend, you will definitely enjoy this show.

12 September (Boulder Theater, Boulder CO)
13 September (Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs CO)
The B-52s

I haven't seen the B-52s since they opened for the Who in 1982 (along with Joan Jett). Despite the hostile crowd, the band's confidence never faltered and they played a great, if short, set. Their surf-tone new wave sound, outré lyrical themes, and party attitude made the B-52s one of my favorite bands of the early '80s. Decades later, the band is still going strong, with more focus on touring than the studio. Come out ready for classics like Rock Lobster and Love Shack as well as more recent tracks like Funplex.

14 September (Fox Theatre, Boulder CO)
15 September (Ogden Theatre, Denver CO)
North Mississippi Allstars

Get down deep, dirty and funky. North Mississippi Allstars have their fingers on the rootsy pulse of southern rock and blues, which grounds them even as they spin out into psychedelic funk jams or barrel house boogies. They may be treading paths laid by the Allman Brothers and others, but they have an earthier feel. The band is adept at moving from rollicking rockers to deeply heartfelt, traditional tunes. They come through the Front Range fairly often, but it's always worth catching their show.

14 September (Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison CO)
15 September (Boulder Theater, Boulder CO)
Umphrey's McGee

Like most progressive jammers, Umphrey's McGee's studio work barely scratches the surface of the band's talent. Their concerts showcase the band's range and give a better sense of how they meld technical proficiency with a gifted sense of coordination and timing. Umphrey's McGee has a unique tone among the other big name jam bands because they incorporate some wider ranging influences from prog and metal. The Boulder Theatre show is already sold out, but Red Rocks is the perfect venue to experience their show.

Recording review - Easy Star All-Stars, Easy Star's Thrillah (2012)

Inspired by the King of Pop, it's another classic reggae reinvention

As the house band for Easy Star records, the Easy Star All-Stars have made some great original music (review) and reinvented classic albums by Pink Floyd, Radiohead, and the Beatles. While reframing these great albums as reggae might seem like a gimmick, Michael Goldwasser and the All-Stars take the arrangements seriously and they have a knack for maintaining a respectful connection to the original.

I wasn't sure how to feel about their latest target, Michael Jackson's Thriller. I'm ambivalent about the King of Pop and it wasn't obvious that the reggae context would open up the songs. When I cued up Easy Star's Thrillah, it didn't seem like a big leap. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' featured a good ska influenced intro that might have signaled a radical departure. Instead, it almost immediately transitioned into a funky, Afrobeat groove. The arrangement felt like a small step from the original's horn line and the vocals weren't too far from Jackson's smooth, high tenor. But that subtle shift was significant. Easy Star's horns had a richer role and masked the slightly slower tempo.

Thriller's more soulful tracks seem more straightforward. The reggae beat on Baby, Be Mine doesn't get too far from Jackson's pop soul original. Similarly, Human Nature adds a more interesting horn and synth line along with the reggae beat, but the dreamy pop soul feel remains. The more radical transformations come on the bigger, high energy tracks.

Beat It served as a big rocker on Michael Jackson's Thriller. He used the speedy beat and punchy vocals to pump up the tension and express frustration at the inevitability of violence. The All-Stars turn that on its head. The drag tempo opens space for dubby echoes and a brooding darkness. The trippy solo breathes organically in direct contrast to Eddie Van Halen's fluid flurry of notes. Easy Star's cover emphasizes the frustration in the lyrics, especially Michael Rose's expressive vocal. By contrast, Jackson's original seems too blithe.

My favorite track by far is the title track, Thriller. While the band opens with similar spooky sound effects, this reggae version is anchored by a smoothly reworked bassline. It's a largely stripped down down with lots of room to appreciate the dub spaces, the moody bass, and haunting melodica fills. Like Beat It, this version drops the tempo to get a more laid back, dream groove that creates the perfect tension the song calls for. Every note sounds completely natural rather than a reinvention. DJ Spragga Benz's vocal on the spoken section is no substitute for Vincent Price, but it fits the arrangement well enough. The slower pace and extended jams drags the song out by another minute and a half. If this isn't enough, Close to Midnight, one of the extra tracks provides a 7 minute dub jam that catches the vibe of the All Stars' Pink Floyd dubs.

Listening through Thrillah reminded me how many huge hits were crammed into Thriller. Without being much of a Michael Jackson fan, I still knew every track. Easy Star's reggae treatment didn't put the original on a pedestal, but showed what an inspiration it could be.

So far, the band has only shared Billie Jean with Luciano on vocals. But their album teaser gives a taste of their cover of Thriller.

Recording review - See-I, See-I (2011)

Dub-style reggae/soul: the essence of the human condition

After catching See-I in concert recently, I was interested to hear more. Their modern blend of reggae, soul, funk, and rock stepped outside of straight reggae tradition, but the heavy grooves were truly righteous.

While their live show had a loose, party energy, their eponymous album See-I is more tightly arranged and stays closer to a reggae core sound. Head nodding, hypnotic dub grooves are a recurring theme throughout the album. The first half of the album hits like Muhammad Ali's left jab. Each of these tracks extends See-I's sonic footprint and gives a sense of the band's musical approach.

The opening track, Dangerous, announces, "This is the real See-I sound" before launching into a steady chank, threaded with dreamy background elements. See-I gives the song room to develop, folding in percussion, syncopated drum lines, and echoed fills. Much of the last minute is a stretched out dub section, but it's a natural extension of the song's basic essence.

The second track, Haterz 24/7 opens with a spoken preface:

Back in the days, they had the Hater of the Year award
Haterz Ball, man. 24/7, around the clock
That's how they did it

The reggae beat verges on ska as it's accented with afro-beat horns and a funky drum line. The vocals roll on relentlessly while the guitar fills remind me of the Talking Heads' worldbeat excursions. The uplifting spirit of the groove stands up to all incoming criticism. This is a perfect model of the strength of reggae music: "I am the lightning and the thunder".

If dub style reggae is See-I's comfort zone, soul is their home away from home. Soul Hit Man was a favorite song from the set and the album version cooks. Like several other tracks, we get a sampled intro:

"A man of the world. Could you please tell me what's your definition of soul?"
"My definition of soul is simple. I think soul is the essence of the human condition"

Soul Hit Man cooks, but Talkin' About Peace lays down a beautiful soul funk groove. Horns, tasty guitar fills, and a throbbing bass line set the mood. The toasting vocals on the chorus add the reggae touch in to provide the necessary continuity with the rest of See-I.

The second half of the album adds its own touches of worldwide rhythms and some hip hop sounds, but after the punch of the early tracks, this is just consolidation of See-I's musical ground.

Aside from their work with See-I, Rootz and Zeebo Steele are part of the loose family of contributors to Eric Hilton's Thievery Corporation. They met Hilton in Washington D.C., where they started See-I. Now the two entities are thoroughly cross pollinated, with the Steele brothers bringing an island lilt to Thievery Corporation and taking advantage of musicians like Rob Myers.

Front Range - Recommended shows, 8/13

This is a slower week after last week's fine selection. Even though it means we can catch our breath, there are still some cool shows to see.

17 August (Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison CO)
18 August (Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison CO)
Pretty Lights

Pretty Lights (Derek Vincent Smith) is rooted here in Ft. Collins, but the band/record label is a worldwide phenomenon now. Thick with a rich selection of samples, genre mash-ups, and a rave aesthetic, the band's music is festival friendly. Red Rocks is a good venue to chill and enjoy the flow.

18 August (Bluebird Theater, Denver CO)
Dread Zeppelin

What would Elvis do? More to the point, what would Tortelvis do? I mean aside from create the best reggae/Led Zeppelin cover band in the world? I'm not sure, either. But, having done that, I have to ask, hasn't he given us enough?

It's a goofy enough idea, but it works largely because of the musical magic. The songs just click into place.

Concert review - Sister Carol (and Nakeeba Amaniyea) with Irie Still

3 August 2012 (Cervantes Other Side, Denver CO)

The crowd was pretty thin when Irie Still took the stage, even though they started a bit late. By the end of the set, things filled out nicely, though. DJ Uplifter offered some high volume, bass heavy reggae tracks between sets. The tunes were fine, but the sound didn't fit the vibe.


Sister Carol made it all better with her set -- two hours of her reggae medicine was exactly what we needed.

Irie Still

Frontman Ronny Noel was a natural performer. He had that gifted ability to draw the crowd's total attention with confidence but still leave room for the rest of the band to shine. That allowed Irie Still to maintain a balance that was fully dedicated to the music over individual personality. Even though Noel stood out, percussionist Ray Cruz also brought his own charisma to the stage, adding shout outs and whistle bursts to keep the energy strong.

The heartbeat of the band, the rhythm section, laid down a solid reggae drive. That trio of tight punchy drums, a grounding bass lifeline, and tastefully syncopated percussion were locked down into the deepest of pockets. Noel occasionally joined in with his djembe and added his beats.

The keys meshed in perfectly, whether weaving in a bubble chank or tossing in melody. The guitarist was good, but he tended to focus more on fills. Being low in the mix didn't help: even when he laid in a chank, it didn't pop like it should. His fills on the soca were stronger, though.

While Noel drove the lead vocals, Celena Otero provided some sweet harmonies and backing lines. She had a clean voice that showed some depth. Irie Still should get her singing more leads and developing a more active stage presence to broaden the band's energy.

The songs kept the crowd dancing. While the focus was on reggae, Irie Still tossed in some ska, dancehall, and soca grooves to stir the pot. I especially liked their darker, moodier cover of Get Up, Stand Up. This Denver band was a great opener for Sister Carol.

Sister Carol

When I first heard Isis - "The Original Womb-Man" (review), I was drawn to Sister Carol's charisma and energy. Her woman-worship, conscious lyrics were strong and positive. But most of all, the music was tight and grounded in a roots style. Even though Isis is from 1999, I hoped she'd bring the same edge to her show at Cervantes. I just needed to remember the unofficial Jamaican motto, "Don't worry" -- Sister Carol has developed like a fine wine over the years.

Her voice was darker and richer, but she still brought in some of the sassy attitude of her younger days. Perhaps in honor of her earlier recording with the Hi Life Players, her backing band had the same name, although they seemed too young to have played with her back in 1984. Unlike Irie Still, the Hi Life Players were primarily there to provide the perfect setting for Sister Carol's larger than life presence. But that didn't stop them from showing off some phenomenal playing while they anchored the grooves. Soaking in the rhythms, it was easy to take them for granted as Sister Carol sang, but then they'd surprise us by standing out with a flashy fill, a soulful vocal line, or a pumping bass.

The Hi Life Players opened the set by themselves to warm up the crowd. Their four piece (drum, bass, keys, and guitar) had a full sound and their guitar player offered some strong vocals and good stage presence.

After their single song warmup, they brought out Sister Carol's daughter, Nakeeba Amaniyea, for a short, four song set. Like her mother, Amaniyea had a strong stage presence with a positive, joyful vibe. Her vocal sound was rooted in R&B, but she showed off her chops in several styles. On My Jamaica, the dramatic lighting set up a mellow, soulful start. As the song picked up strength, Amaniyea laid down a smooth flow of rap lyrics. On her newer single, Roots Rasta, the music had a faster ska beat and a dancehall energy. The high point of her set, though, was a freestyle rap. She laid down a nice East Coast cadence, but with some of Michael Franti's conscious flow.

After Amaniyea left the stage, Sister Carol took the stage like it was her home. Introduced as an empress, she was draped in a Rastafarian flag and her regal style showed. With her strong posture, her panther poise, and wicked sunglasses, she had the allure of Grace Jones.

The set kicked off with an uptempo version of For the Conquering Lion, which showcased Sister Carol's strong voice. It was a joy to see her work the stage, whether it was connecting with the crowd at the edge of the stage or projecting to the back of the room.

She hit lot of older songs, like my favorite Rasta Girl, as well a new tracks, including the crowd pleasing Medical Marijuana. It was particularly nice when she brought her daughter back out so they could perform together. Sister Carol tossed in her backing vocals while Nakeeba took the lead.

Over the years, she's clearly settled into her Mother Culture role. Even so, things never got too serious as her warm personality came through. She wrapped up the set with her iconic cover of Wild Thing, which gave the guitarist a chance to show that he could rock out. Then she settled in at the merch table to graciously greet her fans and sign autographs.

More photos on my Flickr.