August 2009

I do really want to care about modern, American reggae groups, but sometimes they just make it excruciatingly difficult to do so. Supporting new and independent groups should be a given, but in these troubled times, throwing down ten bucks for a new record – or a show – isn’t always the wisest thing to do unless one’s dedication to whatever group exceeds the norm. That having been said, John Brown’s Body, for a time at least, was probably one of the best live bands in the country. And not to diminish its body or work or to minimize the struggles that members – past and present - have endured, but at this late date, there doesn’t seem like anything else for the band to do.

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Anyone attempting to chronicle the rise of reggae in 1977 – especially if that person wasn’t from the island itself – was going to run into at least a few problems. Firstly, the colonial point of view was most likely inescapable for Mr. Jeremy Marre, the documentarian that helmed Roots, Rock, Reggae as a portion of a music/culture series called Beats of the Heart. Additionally, reggae music in ’77 wasn’t exactly an established genre. Bob was already insanely famous and the Stones had recorded in JA, but to have any sort of authentic perspective on the genre or how it came to be at that time was kinda foolish. Roots, Rock, Reggae certainly isn’t void of entertainment or proper forethought, but in a few places it seems to get kinda rocky.

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Folks working under various aliases only serve to further complicate the general JA discography. A few instances should be excused due the performer’s insane talent and the high quality of the resultant albums. George Nooks b.k.a. Prince Mohammed is one of these performers who gets a pass. It’s true, there’s really no ample explanation as to why Nooks felt the need to begin his career under the auspices of some stage name, but the early discs he released under that pseudonym are enough to pardon the singer from any perceived transgressions. And while the last decade or so has seen Nooks’ reemergence, this time under his own name, it’s the efforts from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s that could and should interest JA music enthusiasts.

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This is easily one of the creepiest reggae/rock steady tracks every laid down...it's still a burner.

I honestly know basically nothing about King Edwards. He was a producer, apparently. What label, you might ask? Don’t know that – that’s what the comments section is for, though. Amongst the Coxsonne Dodds and others from the ska era, King Edwards seemingly hasn’t aged in the same way, seeing as no one (or me at least) knows anything about the guy. There’s neither a real Allmusic post or Wiki page for the guy. What’s up with that ska fans?

Despite his relative obscurity, though, this compilation, Ska Ba Dip, has the work of not just the Skatalites, but the Baba Brooks Band on it as each of those ensembles backs up a few well known singers and horn players.

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Ziggy - Love is my Religion, 2006Saturday night, August 8 – Saratoga, CA - Mountain Winery

A beautiful setting combined with a great summer evening for a pretty good night of reggae in the South Bay Area foothills as Ziggy Marley played a mean roots reggae set.

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adsfaAnother guy who was an Alpha School alum, Owen Gray, made his presence known in the ska, rock steady and reggae scenes, spreading his career out over about fifty years. His story is much like a vast number of folks who recorded early on in the JA music industry and chased fame for the remainder of the classic period of reggae with only a bit of success. His voice has been referred to as one of the best in all of JA music – and while that’s obviously up for debate, Gray was a consummate soul singer. And perhaps because of this weird in-between ground that he occupied it resulted in his now lost career.

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