30 Mar Reggae To Rock
On the long list of things I love about SunFest, the festival’s ability to showcase a wide variety of music genres ranks high. As music festivals continue to sprout across the country (heck, the world) the selection of sounds in each seems to shrink. SunFest’s longevity should be credited to its ability to bring lovers of pop, jazz, country, hip-hop, EDM, indie, folk, reggae and more to one location.
Reggae, in particular, has always been a delight to hear by the sea. It reminds me of sunscreen and salt water and taking the long way home down A1A. It is a staple of SunFest, and today I’d like shine a light on this year’s reggae acts.
A little history: If you didn’t know, reggae blossomed out of Jamaica in the late 1960s. Taken from the sounds of ska, it quickly became an international sensation, and was adopted by Britain, the US, and Africa. According to “The Dictionary of Jamaican English,” reggae is distinguished by a heavy four-beat rhythm driven by drums, bass and electric guitar, and a “scraper,” a ribbed stick rubbed by a plain stick.
To this day, reggae is heard as a voice of the oppressed. Acts like Toots and the Maytals, the Wailers, Bob Marley, and Jimmy Cliff all helped rocket reggae to where it is now, deep in the ears and hearts of many. (You’ll notice that those names are no strangers to SunFest.)
This year SunFest will welcome a handful of talented reggae artists to South Florida. Be sure you hear them all.
The son of Bob Marley and Cindy Breakspeare, released his first solo album, “Mr. Marley,” in 1996, and his second, “Halfway Tree” in 2001. Both releases painted Damien as a unique artist within his extremely talented family.
Marley is credited for his unique marriage of dancehall, reggae, and hip-hop sounds. “Halfway Tree” earned Marley is first Grammy for Best Reggae Album (2002) and found a home on the Billboard Top Reggae Album Charts for a whopping 158 weeks.
Marley took home two more Grammy’s in 2006 with his album “Welcome to Jamrock.” He snagged awards for both Best Reggae Album and Best Urban/Alternative Performance. He remains the only Jamaican reggae artist to take home two Grammy Awards on the same night.
Marley has gone on to release a collaborative album with Nas, and is a part of SuperHeavy, a powerhouse collaboration between Marley, Mick Jagger, Dave Stewart, Joss Stone, and AR Rahman.
If my memory serves me, the last time Marley played our fantastic festival was 2010. I remember feeling at ease wrapped in his sounds, and the enthusiasm float off the crowd. This year he’ll take the Ford Stage on Saturday afternoon. I hope to see you there.
This eight-piece reggae act was born out of Arlington, Virginia in 1997. The band blends reggae with go-go, Latin, rock, and a hip-hop, and over the years has amassed a giant following. The band has sold more than 200,000 albums, headlined shows in more than 20 countries, and was nominated for a Grammy.
The musicians have collaborated with many other talented artists, including Damian Marley and Michael Franti.
From their bio, frontman Jacob Hemphill is quoted as saying: “I want to speak for people who don’t have microphones. Our goal as a band is to stick up for the human race. We see the world and we try to make it better in the limited time we have here.” His words are as powerful as his music.
SOJA are also veteran SunFest performers, but this will be my first year catching their set.
I love Matisyahu. There was a time when every other music headline I read contained his name and his tales of his ride to stardom.
Matthew Paul Miller is an American reggae rapper and musician, who is known for his Orthodox Jewish themes and beatboxing talents.
His rise to fame first began with his releases, “Live at Stubbs” and “Youth.” Both of his albums became gold, and the latter was nominated for a Grammy. In 2006, he was named “Top Reggae Artist” by Billboard.
Since 2004, he has released five studio albums, four live albums, two remix albums, one compilation album, three EPs, and 20 singles.
No stranger to SunFest, Matisyahu will perform again on Sunday, May 3 on the FPL Stage.
This increasingly popular alternative/reggae group was born on the beaches of Hawaii and Santa Barbara, California. Joseph Dickens (Drums), Joseph King (Engineer), Cayson Peterson (Keyboard/Synth), Micah Pueschel (Guitar/ Vocals), and Adam Taylor (Bass) have played festival stages at Lollapalooza, Wakarusa, Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, and Sunset Strip Music Festival.
I am thrilled to hear their reggae, rock, pop sounds at SunFest in just a few weeks. Catch them on Sunday on the FPL Stage.
Every time I peek at this Florida-based band’s picture on the SunFest site, I crack a smile. Then to really get me giggling, their bio reads: Mix 2/3’s dubby roots reggae with 1/3 high octane ska, throw in a dash of punk rock and a pickle juice chaser and you have Trial By Stone. The product of what would happen if the Clash and the Skatalites got drunk one night and had an illegitimate baby.
If you’re smiling, there is a good chance you should also slide over the the Ford Stage to see what antics they bring before a crowd. Reggae, ska, and a little punk rock are welcomed beach noises.
Depending on where and how long you’ve lived in Florida, Morning Fatty may be one of the most exciting acts to play SunFest this year. The original 12 piece ska band was formed in 2004, but eventually edited down to four talented musicians.
The musicians, Andrew White (Guitar/Lead Vocals/Keys), Miller Joyner (Guitar), John Pop (Bass), and Jared McEachran (Drums) hail from all over the state, Tallahassee to Gainesville, Orlando, and our very own Lake Worth.
The boys draw inspiration from Incubus, Slightly Stoopid, 311, Passafire, and Less Than Jake.
This is guaranteed to be a great show, and I’ll tell you to get there early. These hometown heroes have a lot of love in South Florida. Make sure you find a spot to dance and see the stage.
Also, I know 311 has reggae influences as well. There will be more on that fantastic band in the very near future!