Aba Shaka live alongside Highlanda Sound’s Kahlil Wonda (@ The Royal Peacock, September 2016, Atlanta, GA)
Listen to this episode for Reggae music tackling topics like reparations, repatriation, liberation, the many struggles and treasures of Africa. Bob Marley starts it and his son Stephen closes the show.
Click the image to download/stream.
“Take the time to overstand the land, Mama Afrika.” ~ Kelissa
Playlist:
1 – Bob Marley – Zimbabwe
2 – Rod Taylor – Ethiopian Kings
3 – Burning Spear – Cry Blood Africa
4 – Freddie McGregor – Africa Here I Come
5 – Yabby You & Trinity – Free Africa
6 – Yami Bolo – Africa For The Africans
7 – Warrior King – Africa Shall Be Free
8 – Lutan Fyah – African Be Proud
9 – Hugh Mundell – Africa Must Be Free
10 – Johnny Clarke – African Roots
11 – Burning Spear – African Postman
12 – Pentateuch – Struggles of Africa
13 – Peter Tosh – African
14 – TARRUS RILEY & KABAKA PYRAMID – Fly Di Gate
15 – Burning Spear – African Teacher
16 – Gregory Isaacs – Save Ethiopia
17 – Jah Bouks – Call Angola
18 – Pressure Buss Pipes & Chronixx – Africa Redemption
19 – Cocoa Tea – Africa Here I Come
20 – Kelissa – Afrika
21 – Freddie McGregor – Africa
22 – Garnet Silk – Mama Africa
23 – Burning Spear – African Jamaican
24 – Buju Banton – African Pride
25 – Peter Tosh – Mama Africa
26 – Stephen Marley – Made In Africa (Feat. Wale And The Cast)
In this episode, I present some essential Roots reggae cuts, mostly from the 1970s. These songs deal with the everyday lives and aspirations of the artists concerned, including the spiritual side of Rastafari and the honoring of God.
The featured artists provide social commentary and deliver lyrical themes including spirituality, resistance to government, black pride and repatriation.
You will hear Studio One classics, gems from Tuff Gong, Exterminator and Volcano, plus quintessential Trojan recordings, among others. The full track list is posted below. Enjoy the musical mix!
Song List:
1 Freddie McGregor – Rastaman Camp
2 Bob Marley – Africa Unite
3 Black Uhuru – Sensimilia
4 Sammy Dread – Road Block
5 Hugh Mundell – Rasta Have The Handle
6 The Gladiators – Easy Squeeze
7 Black Uhuru – Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner
8 Black Uhuru – Plastic Smile
9 Gregory Isaacs – Slave Master
10 John Holt – Up Park Camp
11 John Holt – Tribal War
12 Barrington Levy – No Fuss Or Fight
13 Jacob Miller – Tired Fe Lick Weed Inna Bush
14 Barrington Levy – Do Good
15 Barrington Levy – Murderer
16 Carlton Livingston – 100 Weight of Collie Weed
17 Bob Marley – Forever Loving Jah
18 Bob Marley – Them Belly Full
19 Bob Marley – Rebel Music
20 Don Carlos – Natty Dread Have the Credentials
21 Half Pint – Political Fiction
22 John Holt – Police In Helicopter
23 Jacob Miller – Tenement Yard
24 Gregory Isaacs – Border
25 Yabby You & The Prophets – Babylon A Fall
26 Yabby You & Tony Tuff – Falling Babylon
27 Burning Spear – Follow Marcus Garvey
28 U Brown – Jah Is My Father Still
29 Delroy Wilson – Better Must Come
30 Dennis Alcapone & Delroy Wilson – It Must Come
31 Barrington Levy – Teach The Youth
32 Cocoa Tea – Rasta Man
33 Sugar Minott – Give Me Jah Jah
34 U-Roy – Gorgon Wise
35 Johnny Osborne – Truths and Rights
36 Bob Marley – Time Will Tell
37 Burning Spear – Columbus
38 Freddie McGregor – Bobby Babylon
39 Johnny Osbourne – Jah Promise
40 Sugar Minott – Jah Jah Children
41 Johnny Osborne – Jah Righteous Plan
We present Highlanda Sound System with Kahlil Wonda at the controls and Super PEC providing some song introductions while interacting with the “rockers” and “skankers” in the venue. Selections from the Studio One and Bob Marley era to today’s Beres Hammond and Damian Marley with some nice “riddims” ridden and exclusive specials in the mix.
Highlanda Sound System at the controls with DJ Kahlil Wonda and MC Super Pec (August 18th, 2011)
Playlist
1 The Girl Is Mine – Frankie Paul
2 I’m Not Going Crazy – Don Carlos
3 Look How Me Sexy – Linval Thompson
4 Ain’t No Stopping – Sister Nancy
5 Diseases – Michigan & Smiley
6 Worries In The Dance – Frankie Paul
7 You Don’t Know My Name – Alicia Keys
8 Come Down Father – Beres Hammond
9 The World’s Greatest – Terry Linen
10 Empress Divine – Warrior King
11 Kingston 12 Shuffle – Bob Marley & The Wailers feat. U-Roy
12 Christopher Columbus – Burning Spear
According to a recent interview with Burning Spear, he states that Reggae is losing its roots and if we ever expect the music to return to its glory days the producers need to know that the music needs direction!
He realizes that young producers turned the once organic sound of reggae to an artificial beat by using equipments that mimic the sounds of an authentic band.
Spear also states that he feels it is difficult but imperative for Jamaica to build a national recording studio that offers budding producers and musicians an opportunity while encouraging them to record music the traditional way.
Source: TheGleaner
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Burning Spear has been awarded the Grammy for Best Reggae Album for Jah is Real, released by Burning Music Production.
Burning Spear, AKA Winston Rodney, OD, previously won a Grammy award for Best Reggae Album in 2000 for his Calling Rastafari album. He’s been nominated for 10 other Grammy Awards, most recently last year’s award, but the 2007 Grammy award winner was Stephen Marley, for Mind Control.
Burning Spear is a roots reggae artiste in the classic sense, hailing from Jamaica and reknowned for the Rastafari messages of his music.
Other nominees in the Best Reggae Album Grammy category for 2008 included:
The Grammy Awards (a shortening of the original name, the “Gramophone Awards”) are presented annually by the US National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for outstanding achievements in the music industry. The Grammies were established in 1958 – this year was the 51st annual Grammy Awards.
Reggae Grammys have been awarded since 1985, when Black Uhuru was awarded the first Reggae Grammy for Anthem. At that time, and until 1991, it was officially the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Recording. Since then, it has become the Grammy award for the Best Reggae Album (Vocal or Instrumental).
Highlanda.net:
“Nothing compares to being in a venue where a reggae band is performing live. The rumble of the bass lines surround you in a warm embrace and you can’t help but to rock and skank as you are transported to another realm and higher level of consciousness. This describes the effects of the power that live reggae musicians have over the masses.”
Third World
Third World is a Grammy nominated Jamaican reggae band formed in 1973. Their sound is influenced by soul, funk and disco. Third World’s greatest success came in the late 1970s and early 1980s, peaking with their cover version of The O’Jays’ “Now That We Found Love”, a hit single on both sides of the Atlantic in 1979. Here is a Third World performing “Now That We Found Love:”
This song brought them to the attention of Stevie Wonder, who worked with them and wrote (along with Melody A. McCully) their song “Try Jah Love.” This band still records and tours to this day so definitely check them out if they come to a venue near you. Visit Third World online at http://www.thirdworldband.com/
Inner Circle
This Jamaican reggae group was formed in 1968 by the brothers Ian and Roger Lewis in Jamaica. The band released its debut album in 1974 on the famed record label, Trojan Records, and resigned in 1979 to Island Records, where the internationally successful album Everything Is Great originated. They are responsible for the 1989 song “Bad Boys,” which serves as the theme song for Fox Network’s long-running television program COPS. Here is Inner Circle with “Bad Boys:”
Jacob Miller, the frontman and lead singer, was killed in a car crash on March 23, 1980. The band appeared in the reggae cult film Rockers in 1978. Their second American hit, reaching #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1993 was “Sweat (A La La La La Long)”, which was a #3 hit in the UK. Here is Inner Circle with “Sweat:”
Steel Pulse
Steven Huey reports, “Generally a protest-minded Rastafarian outfit, Steel Pulse started out playing authentic roots reggae with touches of jazz and Latin music, and earned a substantial audience among white U.K. punks as well. Their 1978 debut, Handsworth Revolution, is still regarded by many critics as a landmark and a high point of British reggae. As the ’80s wore on, slick synthesizers and elements of dance and urban R&B gradually crept into their sound, even as their subject matter stayed on the militant side. By the late ’80s, Steel Pulse had won a Grammy and were working full-fledged crossover territory, but never reached the same degree of commercial acceptance as Aswad or Inner Circle. They subsequently returned to a tough-minded, rootsy sound that nonetheless made concessions to contemporary trends with touches of dancehall and hip-hop.” Here is Steel Pulse performing “Rally Round:”
In 1993 they performed at Bill Clinton’s inaugural celebration, the first reggae band to appear at such an event. Visit Steel Pulse’s website for more.
Aswad
From Vh1: “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 was often hired as backing musicians for touring Jamaican stars: Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Dennis Brown, and Black Uhuru.
Highlanda Sound 