by Ellene Miles on Sep 23, 2008

I am frequently amazed and amused by my social interaction with other cultures. Ok, that's just the P.C. way of saying white folks. Recently, I was out and about doing grown up errands and generally having a very "me" day in my usual casual jeans and t-shirt gear. This day, my t-shirt happened to have a picture of reggae superstar Bob Marley on it. No biggie, right? Wrong!

The brunette, green-eyed cashier at the drug store stared at the shirt and said "Oh, I have so many great memories of him. I play "Get Up, Stand Up" almost every day!" Gee, thanks for sharing that. I'm sure we can all breathe a sigh of relief knowing that white people also want us to stand up for our rights. I'll take that back to the weekly black meeting.

The sandy blonde family guy sitting next to me at the car wash says, "If only we could all see the world like he did, right? Don't you just love that idea? That's what Barack's all about, don't you think?" Yes, I totally think that Barack Obama's platform is all about living the Rasta way. Jah love!

The unnaturally tanned ticket taker at the movie theater leans in, and in a solemn whisper says, "It's so true, isn't it?" Yes, yes, "it" is oh so true. What the hell was he talking about?

The bartender at the CPK where I was enjoying a much deserved cocktail, placed my order before me and with a sad, nostalgic look says, "I went to Jamaica once. It totally changed my life. Made me wonder why I'm still a working stiff when I could be out in the world, you know? Doesn't he make you feel like you can do anything?" Uh, yeah. Totally. I mean, just the other day I was balancing my checkbook and thinking, "What would Bob do?"

I know Bob Marley is a giant in the world of music. His message, his beliefs and his passion for unity and harmony among all of us is definitely something to celebrate. But, what was it about the very image of him that made these strangers feel such an instant kinship with me? If I had been rocking, say, a Public Enemyt-shirt, would I have been taken into their confidence like that? Fascinating!

So, I made a mental note to self. This t-shirt goes in the back of my drawer, only to be worn on special occasions. Say I need "the man" to do me a solid and spot me that loan. I'm bringing Bob. When I need to sneak a churro into the movies, I'm bringing Bob. If I get caught I can just hum a few bars of "Redemption Song" and I'm certain that will get me off the hook.

But, I think I'll especially make it a part of my ensemble on November 4TH.

Maybe as I come of out the voting booth, I'll run into a couple of McCain sympathizers and a flood of "love see no color" compassion will fill their hearts and sway a vote or two towards Obama.

Hey, it could happen.

..... Ellene Miles has worked as an entertainment publicist for more than 6 years. Her collections of rants are featured exclusively on UTC for the good of the people ...

 

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By Peter Cooper • THE TENNESSEAN • November 11, 2008

East Tennessee would seem an unlikely place to spawn Bob Marley aficionados. No beach, no tides, and the accent is quite dissimilar from what you'd hear in Jamaica.

And yet Kenny Chesney heard Marley's music as a young East Tennessean and latched on tightly. Chesney recently hit No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart with "Everybody Wants To Go to Heaven," a song that featured backing from Marley's old compadres, The Wailers. Chesney and The Wailers will also perform together on the CMA Music Awards on Wednesday.

And Chesney's longstanding fascination with The Wailers led him to turn on a recorder during a trip down to Jamaica. With waves crashing in the background, Chesney — the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year — spoke with Aston "Family Man" Barrett (an original Wailer) and with Junior Marvin, who joined Marley's band in 1977. Thus, we give you Kenny Chesney, music journalist:

Chesney: So, Fams, you were one of the original Wailers?

Barrett: Yeah, my man. I'm captain of the ship. I put the band together. I keep everyone together over the years. To make it happen.

Chesney: So, when I listen to your music, there's a lot of commonality. I think your music and Bob Marley's music is the most universal music ever made, in my opinion. Everybody relates to it.

Marvin: A friend of mine has a son who's 7 years old, in England. He says, "I am Bob Marley?" I said, "Why?" He says, "One love." Family Man was one of the architects, along with Bob, of rhythms and bass lines.

Chesney: This is as inspirational as any music gets. No doubt about it, man. This music, I've always been drawn to it.

Marvin: Family Man also did an album with John Denver.

Barrett: Yeah. Just one track really. The album is called It's About Time. The track we do is called "World Game." Said he "wanted to be in the world game." He wanted to "make it better than it's ever been before."

Chesney: You started. . .

Marvin: I think I started with a Toots and the Maytals album. That was my first track, with Chris Blackwell, in England. You know, Toots did a country album as well. He remade "Country Roads."

I was playing with my friends Chris Wood from Traffic and Steve Winwood, and jamming with them, and they introduced me to (Island Records Founder) Chris Blackwell. Chris introduced me to Family Man and Bob. They just came from Jamaica where they started Exodus.

There was a shooting event, where they tried to shoot the band. The guitar player, Donald Kingsley, from a blues family in Chicago, was playing with Bob. He was really good. But the shooting kind of freaked him out. So he went home. Bob came to England with Family Man, and we met up through Blackwell. We met up and it was like magic.

Chesney: So the Exodus record was your first?

Marvin: Yes. And that album was voted CD of the century. So I was proud, super proud, to be on it. We had a technician, Roger Mayer, that formerly worked for the great Jimi Hendrix, and he took all of our guitars and lined 'em all up. Got the necks right. And that was the first time we were perfectly in tune.

Chesney: I love being here in Jamaica with you guys. It's an honor to be here.

Marvin: It's a pleasure. And I look forward to jamming with you in the future.

Chesney: Hey, what do you think Bob would think if he could see how much his music has touched the world?

Marvin: Bob, when he was young, he was clairvoyant. He could read people's palms. I think when he became to maybe 11, he saw some stuff maybe he didn't want to tell people. So he stopped doing it. But he had a sense of things to come.

He used to say, "They're going to have plaques for this music, and put it on their walls. And this music will help free people's minds. And all people will be one. It won't be like black or white. It'll be just people." A lot of that has happened. I don't think he knew how big it would have gotten.

Now, he loved soccer. He'd say, "I used to vision myself playing for Manchester United, and here I am sitting down playing music. What's going on?"

Chesney: You guys touched the world.

Marvin: It wasn't accidental. We used to work 18 hours a day. Fams would set the instruments up and organize the rehearsal. We'd have a set time every day. Maybe play one song for a couple of hours. It was a lot of work. He put a lot of effort into it.

Chesney: It paid off. You guys did so much. I gave this kid a guitar, and he said, "I want you to play me a song." I started playing "No Woman, No Cry." He knew every word. And he was a little kid, probably
6 years old.

Marvin: We play a lot of family shows. Some of the kids say, "Yeah, I took my dad's LPs and put them on CDs." It's amazing to see how it has transcended among the different age groups. Beautiful.

Chesney: So are you guys.

Barrett: Thank you, man. Country music and reggae is one. It's a oneness. They both tell it uncut, without commercials.

Chesney: That is from the Family Man.

Barrett: Yes.

Chesney: Hey, Family, how did you meet Bob?

Barrett: The music brings us together.

 

 

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By: Jennifer Anderson

Kenny Chesney was thrilled beyond words when The Wailers agreed to be in his video for "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven." He is even more thrilled to have the legendary reggae band sing with him during his performance at tomorrow night's (November 12th) 42nd Annual CMA Awards.

Chesney and The Wailers will sing "Everybody Wants to Go To Heaven," and also The Wailers'signature "3 Little Birds." Chesney states:

 

"This may be the coolest performance I've ever done on an awards show. . . to just look over there and see Elan Atias on the mic, hearing him sing so sweet. Man, what people don't realize is their music is just -- really -- another kind of country. You can hear how natural the rhythms are on 'Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven,'and the way that song slides right into 'Three Little Birds'like they're next door neighbors."

Chesney tells us that when he shot his CMA nominated video for "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven" with The Wailers, he turned on his personal recorder, and taped his conversation with the guys about the music of Bob Marley and The Wailers.

 

"We were just sitting around talking about Bob Marley and his life, and how their music is very universal, and how it, arguably it was some of the most far reaching music to ever be recorded. I mean, it touched a kid in East Tennessee growing up, it could have touched anybody, you know."

The original Wailers included Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. "Family Man" Aston Barrett was a member of The Wailers Band, which backed Marley's original group. He is still with the band.

Chesney says: "People who may not know Family Man's name . . . which is Aston Barrett, but I promise you they know that rhythm, that heart, that music."

Chesney has 7 CMA nominations this year -- Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Album, Single and Video of the Year, and two Vocal Event nominations. He has more 2008 nominations than any other artist.

 

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Home and Leisure | Travel

Submitted by icampbell

The Caribbean island of Jamaica, at around 234 kilometres in length and as much as 80 kilometres in width, is hugely popular with tourists from around the world. Its many attractions include the beautiful coastlines of Port Antonio, the rustic charm of the south coast and the frenetic nightlife - and day life - of Montego Bay.

The island's capital, Kingston, also has its fair share of reasons to visit. The energetic city has been called 'the epicentre of Jamaica's arts and cultural landscape'. Lying on the south eastern coast, it is the largest city in the country with a population of over 650,000, and boasts both historical and cultural attractions, as well as a tropical climate and breath-taking scenery.

Only a short drive from Norman Manley International Airport, the city offers a variety of options. Those looking for a history lesson can head for the National Gallery of Jamaica, the ruins of Port Royal, or Devon House, which once belonged to Jamaica's first black millionaire. For the culturally-minded, there are numerous festivals held in Kingston each year, attended by many locals and foreign visitors alike.

Alternatively, the Hellshire and Lime Cay beaches may be perfect for a relaxed sun holiday, whereas the Blue Mountains offer a cooler climate and furthermore, the possibility of bicycle or walking tours. Upon arrival at this wonderful destination, you will find many local tour companies that will offer a tour of Kingston's cultural and historic points of interest, many of which are found on Hope Road. These include the 15 acres of Botanical Gardens.

Also on Hope Road is The Bob Marley Museum, which has become the city's most-visited sight, being where most of the legendary singer's music was recorded and now home to a huge range of his memorabilia. Possibly the country's most famous export, Bob Marley contributes hugely to the destination's allure and the museum pays tribute to the singer-songwriter, who was responsible for making reggae music a global phenomenon before his untimely death at 36 years old in 1981.

February sees the birthday of Marley, which sparks large-scale celebration annually across the island. As well as widespread music, dancing and celebration of all things Jamaican and Marley-related, activities include an annual Bob Marley Lecture at Mona Campus in Kingston, and also the 'Jamaica Celebrates Bob-Music' festival and Bob Marley Creative Expressions Day respectively, both at the Marley Museum.

When choosing to visit Jamaica, it should not be too difficult to find suitable flights to Kingston and, whilst there are many reasons for visiting Kingston and Jamaica as a whole, perhaps take the time to celebrate the life of its favourite son, while becoming immersed in a little bit of humble Jamaican history.

The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author and is intended purely for information and interest purposes only. It should not be used to make any decisions or take any actions. Any links are included for information purposes only.

 

...

 

Bob Marley might be thought as God to many people but he hated to be labeled with such nonsense. What matters the most about Bob Marley is his justified soul and his superb music.

 

Yeah, I have also read his full biography as well as description on each single song he has ever written and performed with his wonderful band The Wailers. His lyrics paint peace, anti-racism and redemption with probably the brightest themes anyone can imagine.

 

In his massive library of works, not a single sad song is found. Even if the lyrics are somehow more serious than others as heard in "400 Years", "Them Belly Foul", "Rat Race" and "I Shot the Sheriff", he has pasteurized it with hopeful and glittering light of Reggae and that's the key to his immortality. He might be complaining but that's what drags you away from your daily chores and exhaustion through time. You're already mesmerized by his powerful magic of positive vibrations.

 

I don't really want to point out only one song here. Personally I have never heard a song better than "Redemption Song" but I'm not here to discuss that. To many folk, "Redemption Song" is just more than 3 minutes of acoustic music and I guess they have written about it for miles and miles. But "Jammin'" is Bob Marley and the Wailers at their peak era. Exodus is now recognized as one of the greatest albums of all time by many critics and "Jammin'" is easily the heart of that masterpiece.

 

Jamming goes on two different directions. On Marley's Rastafarian ego, Jamming was a gathering to smoke herbs and become nearer to Jah (God). On the other side, Jamming can be easily all those small friendly gatherings that is spent with pleasure and joy they share with each other. The very pleasure which Marley is eager to share with you. And you don't need a certificate to be in that cult: "Ain't no rules, ain't no vow, we can do it anyhow. I and I will see you through" This I&I term might only look simple but in fact is a little more complicated than that. It is a Rastafarian term and this is what I've found about it:

"I and I is a complex term, referring to the oneness of Jah (God) and every human. Rastafarian scholar E. E. Cashmore: "I and I is an expression to totalize the concept of oneness, the oneness of two persons. So God is within all of us and we're one people in fact. The bond of Ras Tafari is the bond of God, of man. But man itself needs a head and the head of man is His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I (always pronounced as the letter 'I,' never as the number one or 'the first') of Ethiopia." The term is often used in place of "you and I" or "we" among Rastafarians, implying that both persons are united under the love of Jah."

Well, maybe Haile Selassie I really was the one and only Jah to Marley but you can always have your own interpretation. Jamming is also the facility to unity and oneness as Marley emphasizes on "We all defend the right; Jah - Jah children must unite: Your life is worth much more than gold." Zion, to Rastafarians is the Promised Land in which Jah sits and rules all creation.

 

Physically, Mount Zion is a hill just outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. But the gem of this song lies in the last verse which is breathtakingly marvelous to be completely thought by one person or prophet: "Jam's about my pride and truth I cannot hide to keep you satisfied. True love that now exists is the love I can't resist, so jam by my side."

 

Anyway, Reggae is all about the groove, there are zillions of reggae artists, overwhelmingly original and mature. But what keeps Bob Marley and the Wailers an inevitable reality is that they were the first reggae band to rise from the poor depth of Jamaica and publicize their music throughout the world. No other non-English spoken musical act has ever reached that summit. Now you hear the name of Bob Marley beside The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Whoever Marley was and whatever the number of his girlfriends was, he is bound to immortality. So you better jam by his side.

 

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by Richard Heap

Bob Marley, the Natural Mystic, may yet prove to be the most important musical artist of the twentieth century. Bob Marley's songs of determination, rebellion, and faith found an audience all over the world. Bob Marley was reggae's leading practitioner and emissary, embodying its spirit and spreading its gospel to all corners of the globe. Bob Marley free speech carries with it some freedom to listen.

Reggae's most transcendent and iconic figure, Bob Marley was the first Jamaican artist to achieve international super stardom, in the process introducing the music of his native island nation to the far-flung corners of the globe. Though he died prematurely at age 36, the heartbeat reggae rhythms of the enormous body of music that Bob Marley left behind have endured. However, in the two decades since the great man has gone, it is clear that he is without question one of the most transcendent figures of the past hundred years.

The last Bob Marley and the Wailers tour in 1980 attracted the largest audiences at that time for any musical act in Europe. Bob Marley and the Wailers was now the most important band on the road that year and the new Uprising album hit every chart in Europe. Bob Marley has always defended this often maligned herb. By popularizing reggae music and its marijuana celebrating lyrics, Bob Marley has prompted many people to question what they have been told, to take a fresh look at the evidence.

The Bob Marley Foundation seeks to maintain a dynamic foundation which will enable individuals, groups, and/or communities in developing nations, particularly Jamaica and Africa, to create and implement programs that assist in the empowerment of the oppressed people and the elimination of generational poverty through sustainable projects.

 

 

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ABUJA (AFP) — Nigeria will re-name streets after music legends Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and Bob Marley, as well as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, a minister said on Wednesday.

Names of some 80 streets in Nigeria's administrative capital are to be rebranded in coming days, some of them stripping off names of former military governors, the minister said.

Without specifying the ex-state governors whose names will be struck off roads in an Abuja suburb resided by legislators, Federal Capital Territory minister Aliyu Umar said some of the roads had been "inappropriately named".

"Some of the names have no relevance or affinity to our existence, history or culture," said Umar during a 48th independence anniversary parade.

For over half of the 48 years Nigeria has been independent from Britain, the country was run by military rulers.

"The occasion is to celebrate names which have contributed to Nigeria's democracy," he said.

The street naming exercise is to recognise literary icons such as Nobel laurete Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe.

Nigeria's famous afro musician Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and sport heroes Jay Jay Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo and Mary Onyali will have streets named after them.

The gesture was also extended to a leading opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar in his capacity as a former vice President.

Abubakar is currently challenging the election of President Umaru Yar'Adua in last year's disputed vote.

Streets will also be named after internationally renowned rights activists such as Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and Marcus Garvey.

"We honour Malcolm X, who taught black people to stand up for their dignity wherever they are, Rosa Parks who single-handedly confronted discrimination and Martin Luther King Jnr (whose) dream lives on," Umar said.

Also honoured are the late right activist and African nationalist Marcus Garvey and the late king of reggae music Bob Marley because "they are an integral part of our history and consciousness".

 

Posted on: Wednesday, 1 October 2008, 15:00 CDT

What: Reggae: The Story of Jamaican Music: Part 1
Where: Documentary Channel
When: 8.30pm, Saturday

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REGGAE music has conquered the world and rocked successive generations. Jamaican music was, and is, a truly urban folk music -- unlicensed, uncopyrighted, uncensored and, to this day, untamed.

The Story of Jamaican Music bears witness to the durability of the reggae movement over the past 40 years, tracking the constant human and cultural traffic between Kingston, London and the United States.

Lloyd Bradley highlights the social and political history of a newly independent Jamaican people and their displaced brothers and sisters in Britain and America, through the expression of its greatest art form, reggae music.

Through newly recorded interviews, Bradley tells the stories of the major figures in the development of reggae, from Prince Buster and Coxsone Dodd, through to more recent stars like Sly, Robbie and Shabba Ranks.

He also pays tribute to the producers, deejays and fans, revealing that above all, it is the indomitable Jamaican spirit that has driven the development of the music, from ska to reggae and the dancehall music of today.

The opening episode, Forward March, looks at the newly independent Jamaica where ska was born at downtown sound systems -- the first modern Jamaican style.

This was the music and the dance that exuberantly celebrated the birth of a new nation of "Israelites". By the time it crossed to Britain and later to America, it was reggae, a bone fide pop style. This was reggae's first golden age, celebrating what it meant to be "young, gifted and black".

As a music made by the people, for the people, reggae became the voice of Jamaica's dispossessed, a situation that would produce the island's biggest superstar and the music's greatest ambassador -- Bob Marley.

The documentary also features artists such as Big Youth, Sugar Minott, Bob Marley, Max Romeo, Bunny Lee, Prince Jammy and many more.

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(c) 2008 Dominion Post. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.
Source: Dominion Post

 

September 19, 2008

Ziggy Marley has always dedicated his life to philanthropy and helping kids. Whether starting his charity Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment (U.R.G.E.) which works to help children, designing a shirt for Fashion Against AIDS collection, which aims to spread awareness about HIV-AIDS among young people, or becoming a supporter of Little Kids Rock, which is a nonprofit organization that provides free musical instruments and free lessons to children in public schools throughout the United States, it's clear Ziggy understands how important children are to society. Ziggy, who is a father of five, is currently in the studio recording his first children's album.

We caught up with Ziggy Marley recently to get his thoughts on his upcoming album focusing on children and why it's so important to sing to our kids.

"You want to affect the people you have to sing for children because they are the ones with the most open minds.  We as adult's our minds are more set.  You know most of us our minds are set but children's mind open so Jah says sing to the children because it's them that lead and teach other people.  Our children lead the way not the people of a mind that can't be free from mental slavery.  The children they lead the way so we decided to teach the children instead of trying to force it upon people who don't want to know it, you know?  But we tell the children because they are more willing to listen to it and dance and yeah,  affect their mind.  So we'll see how that goes.  I think it's a good strategy."

Although the album does focus on a positive message for children, Ziggy revealed it's album that can appeal to everyone in the family.

"The good thing about the songs is they be for children but it's for everyone really.  It's songs that you can groove to and appreciate lyrically.  It's not songs that adults won't like.  They will like it but children will understand it."

The album doesn't have a release date yet, but look for Ziggy to finish the recording by the end of the year.  Ziggy will also be featured during the show, "Battleground Earth: Ludacris vs. Tommy Lee" on the Discovery Channel. The episode which features Ziggy will air on Discovery's Planet Green Sunday, September 21 at 10/9 central.  It was also recently announced that Ziggy will be performing in Australia and New Zealand for a run of shows in January and February of 2009.

 

 

A trip to the singer's mausoleum is to touch the soul of the island

This small stone house where Bob Marley was born in 1945 is in the village of Nine Miles, 6,000 rugged feet from the resorts down on the beaches.

 

By Ed Bumgardner | Journal Reporter
Published: September 14, 2008

NINE MILES, Jamaica - The Caribbean island of Jamaica is a place of contradictions and conundrums. It has incredible beauty. It has rain forests, waterfalls, verdant hill country and mountains dense with bamboo, sugar cane, fabulous coffee, exotic flora and fauna and all manner of fruit trees.

The ocean is turquoise, the beaches pristine, the sunsets spectacular.

This is the Jamaica seen in brochures and travel magazines, the one sold by all-inclusive resorts in such tourist havens as Montego Bay, Negril and Ocho Rios. These manicured and well-maintained resorts efficiently assure that life is to be savored without effort, sustaining paradise found.

Kept at bay is the all-too-real Third World poverty that dominates Jamaica. Rural Jamaica is a reality that operates on its own rhythm. To understand it, visitors must be willing to embrace it at face value.

It is into this life that the late reggae icon Bob Marley — a devout Rastafarian and a man of profound, socially charged music, more prophet than pop star — was born, tucked high in the jungle hill country of St. Ann's Parish in a tiny village of shacks named Nine Miles. It is also where he is laid to rest, atop a hill facing Mount Zion, 6,000 feet above the beaches of Ocho Rios, two hours from "Ochee" by car.

The Honorable Robert Nesta Marley, the "Tuff Gong," died of cancer in 1981. He was 36. To Jamaicans, he is a symbol of socioreligious — and economic — importance. His image and his music with The Wailers are the island's most recognizable exports, and, for the tourist trade, a most marketable commodity. It is impossible to go anywhere in Jamaica without hearing Marley's name or music — or seeing his face on every conceivable manner of souvenir, some licensed by the Marley estate, most not.

Around the globe, he is synonymous with the island. And throughout the Third World, he remains a hero who dedicated his life to his religion, his music, black pride and human rights.

Marley is special to my wife and me, as we have regularly visited Jamaica for nine years. We cherish the island, its culture, its food, and, most important, its people.

We are no longer tourists. We are visitors.

This year, we went to Ocho Rios to mark the end of my wife's successful treatment for breast cancer. First on our agenda was a visit to Marley's tomb, not to gawk, not to buy a T-shirt, but to pay genuine respect. We had intended to make the journey on previous trips. It now seemed necessary, if not mandatory, given the life-changing experiences of the preceding few months.

The trip to Nine Miles is an adventure, as is everything on the island outside the gates of a resort.

Ride, don't drive, is a must when traveling in Jamaica. The traffic is unforgiving and scary. Roads are narrow, bumpy and pocked with unexpected hazards such as stray goats, scrawny cows, chickens, dogs, donkeys or dreadlocked pedestrians carrying fruit or spears of fresh fish. Trucks that seem as though they can't possibly pass will squeeze by, horns blaring, inches to spare.

We have found it beneficial to hire and befriend a driver, as needed. Rates can be variable — just about everything in Jamaica can be negotiated — and Jamaicans prefer to operate in U.S. currency, as the exchange rate is about U.S. $1 to $72 Jamaican. Citizens will gladly accommodate American dollars if you run into situations outside the cities in which goods are sold only in Jamaican dollars.

Our driver fetched us at the airport in Montego Bay and took us to Ocho Rios. We mentioned during the trip that we had specifically chosen Ocho Rios to go to Nine Miles, as it is the closest major city from which to make the journey. He immediately volunteered to handle everything — "no worries."

He arrived on the appointed day, not in a car, but in a small bus. We were the only passengers. "More room, same good price, mon," he said grinning. The cost of our trip — two passengers, total driving time just shy of four hours — was $130, round trip. Our driver provided cold beverages — we could also bring our own food and beverages — and he happily talked (we can understand moderately paced Jamaican patois) about places we passed on the drive. He was eager to accommodate all desires to stop at various stands and photo-worthy attractions.

He was wholly on "it soon come" island time. Everything moves slowly in Jamaica. "No hurries."

If a tight schedule is a factor, there is also Chukka Tours, which offers the Zion Line, an organized tour to Nine Miles — they call it "the Graceland of reggae" — in a colorfully painted bus known as "the reggae bus." It collects from all the resorts and costs $73 a person, with lunch, drinks and admission included. It is not air-conditioned, which can quickly be a problem if you are not used to the summer heat and humidity in Jamaica.
In Jamaica, summer is the off-season for tourism, so rates are lower. Expect to pay more during peak tourist season, which runs from December through May.

From Ocho Rios, The Zion Line tour is 4½ hours, round trip. It is tightly scheduled to accommodate the patrons of the cruise ships docked in Ocho Rios. Chukka also offers guided 4x4-vehicle tours. These are not recommended for pregnant women because of the bumpiness of the ride.

The winding road up to Nine Miles is crazy narrow and curving. Motion sickness is a common complaint, so prepare, if prone. Much of the road cuts through Fern Gulley, a rain forest, and the views of the hills, thick with trees and plants, are gorgeous. Primitive gardens are everywhere. Vividly painted stands — hill-country industry — sell fruit, jerk chicken or pork, icy Red Stripe beer and intricate wood carvings at good prices.

Our favorite stop, pointed out by our driver, was The Flower Mon, dressed in a colorful hand-sewn outfit, regal in a towering headdress, made of fresh flowers picked from the rain forest every two days. Each day, he puts on the floral suit and stands outside his shanty. This is his livelihood.

We were glad to pay $5 to take his picture.

We finally pulled up at the Marley compound in Nine Miles. Rastafarian guards stood outside a gate adorned with Marley's image, the Jamaican/Rasta colors (combinations of red, yellow, green and black), and Marley-influenced slogans. The gate opened, we were ushered inside, then it closed behind us. "This is sacred place, no foolishness," a Rasta explained in greeting. "People who pay respect come here. What go on this place is Rasta bidness."

All around, Rastas were smoking ganja, Jamaica's potent marijuana and a religious sacrament for Rastafarians, who cultivate it in the hills. They smoke to meditate, pray and "reason." Visitors are encouraged to smoke. At the fence, a hand poked through a hole at the bottom, clutching "spliffs" — the fat Jamaican cousin of a joint. Obtaining ganja, if one wished to do so, was definitely "no problem," mon.

The tour of the grounds cost $20. Our guide — all the guides work for tips — was named "Crazy," and he had a shtick that supported his name. He literally laughed like a donkey, cracking jokes as he brayed, and was so immaculately stoned that it took him a good while, even by the island standard, to climb the steps to the modest gift shop where the tour began.

First stop was the mausoleum of Cedella, Marley's mother, who died this year. It sits up from the house in which she lived, the one in which Bob was born and raised. The house is little more than a neat, simply appointed shack, a reflection of a no-frills way of life still led by the people of the village that is built into the hillside outside the compound.

To enter Marley's birthplace, visitors must remove their shoes. It's a sign of respect.

A short walk through the gardens, past assorted outbuildings painted red, green and yellow, led to the mausoleum where Marley's body is kept, flanked by Jamaican and Ethiopian flags — Ethiopia being the promised land of the Rastafarian religion. Outside the crypt, which is enshrined by a nice, chapel-looking building, is the primary tourist photo-op — a rock, now painted Rasta colors, where Marley is purported to have rested his head as a child. It's as factual as you want it to be — no worries.

No cameras are allowed in the mausoleum. Shoes and hats must be removed. Even the Rastafarians, who keep their long locks under knit caps, take off their headgear in respect — "serious bidness."

The sides of the tomb hold artifacts to Marley left by visitors; votives flicker softly. It is peaceful. Light streams from the east through two glass windows adorned with stars of Judah. The ambience is powerful, spiritual — almost healing, a special place.

As we were leaving, a friend of our driver's, upon learning that we were on a pilgrimage of sorts, asked if we would like a tour of "the plantation" for $10. Our driver nodded. Respect.

We drove for a bit and were given to our new guide, enormous spliff in his hand, a machete in his belt, covered by his shirt. He began to lead us through the expanse of thick jungle. It didn't take long for our cerebral warning systems to start blaring that this may not have been our best idea. Nervous looks were exchanged. A visitor or two could … disappear in jungle such as this.

Picking up on our unease, our guide brushed aside some foliage, pointed out our driver in the distance, then began a botanical tour, pointing out different fruit trees, talking about certain flowers, then, pushing through brush, led us to acres of tall, well-cultivated ganja plants. We gawked as we walked. He smoked. He explained the cultivation process of certain potent hybrids — "AK-47" was one. We stared. To our disbelief, he told us to take pictures, and then offered to show us "the big field."

We politely declined. He led us back, wished us "much respect and blessings," and said, when asked, that he had "no worries" about his field's security. He smiled. He knew what we could not see.

We headed back, moved by and reeling from the whole experience, happy in the knowledge that we had seen another part of the real Jamaica. It had been a sharing of culture, some of it most unexpected, with experience and knowledge gained that no resort could offer.

No problems. At all.

 

 

 

 

 

published: Monday | September 1, 2008  

Before the Marley family of today became the musical powerhouse that it now is, there were people behind the scenes, working tirelessly to protect the legacy of the musical icon, Bob Marley.

Ensuring that the values instilled in the young and impressionable Marley minds, would make them exemplary men and women of the future. Those people behind the scenes were the mothers of Bob's children, particularly his widow, the renowned first lady of the Marley family, Rita Marley.

Rita Marley, 62, who mothered five of Bob's children, Ziggy, Stephen, Cedella, Sharon and Stephanie, the latter two being adopted from her previous relationships, said parenting proved to be a challenge but she was determined not to let any of her children, biological or adopted, grow to be a bad fruit because she failed to accept or confront the task.

"As a young mother and widow, it was a challenge raising 11 children. My husband's children also became my own. I had to love them all equally. Everyone was treated as one," she said. "There was no difference or preference among them."

However, Marley pointed out that she was more watchful over her daughters, as she believes girls are more vulnerable than boys.

But keeping a watchful eye over her girls at all times was not the only challenge this mother had to face. She also had to do what many Jamaican mothers today are doing, rearing a family in an inner-city community.

"Most of my children, Sharon, Cedella, Ziggy and Steve were born and raised in Trench Town. They had the ghetto experience since they were born and raised there. Yet, this had no negative impact on them," she said, pointing to many accomplishments of her children, musically and otherwise.

"They have proven through their decorum and global achievements that any child from the ghetto could attain his or her goals."

The key to achieving these goals, she noted, partly lies with the parents fulfilling their responsi-bility, facing up to the challenges of being a good mother or father, especially in an inner city.

She continued that parents should always instruct children in love, teaching them that there is both good and evil in this life, but they should always aim for and choose the good at all costs.

Looking back at the success she has had raising the children Marley said she is eternally thankful to an aunt, with whom she grew.

In her words, her aunt made sure she was brought up with love, respect, care and discipline — never compromising her values.

marlon.vickerman@gleanerjm.com

 

 

The son of Jamaican reggae superstars, Bob and Rita Marley, Stephen Marley carries the work forward with confidence, clarity, passion, and inventiveness. Impeccable musicianship and unparalleled song crafting provide the starting point, the foundation for the Stephen Marley experience.

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 Mind Control the 34 year-old artist is now inevitably stepping to center stage for the first time in his 27 year career. 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.

The true meaning of the work, the message of the music, Stephen said in a phone interview with Insight News last week, is the courage and peace that come from knowing "The Almighty controls all. My trust is in The Almighty, The Most High, therefore nothing worries me," he said. "Not one word shall pass heaven and earth that is out of the control of The Almighty."

And that is the sprit of his Grammy-Award winning cd, Mind Control. The album won Best Reggae Album at the Grammys' 50th annual ceremony on February 10.

Stephen warns youth in particular, but people in general, to examine the information environment and motives behind decisions we are being programmed to believe we are making of our own free will. He says accepting the culture of deceit guarantees defeat. "Corruption of your thoughts leads to destruction of your soul. You become an invention. Slavery these days," he says, "is mind control."

As he tours the world, Stephen said, he is finding that people are getting the message. People "want a new reality. They want to be part of this movement to achieve a greater purpose." His role as a musician is to enlighten people with the truth, he said.

He takes the assignment seriously.

"Being on stage is like being a preacher delivering a sermon," Stephen said. "It is a spiritual thing. I and I go within I-self. The musician is a spiritual medium for the Father. The 100-minute performance is like being in a trance to be used as a tool by The Almighty."

Stephen said the Spirit never fails the performance. "It always comes. I and I take a deep breath five minutes before going on stage. We know why we are here and what effect the music has on people. When the Spirit arrives, a transition occurs. People meet Truth and Light. Some just feel it from our presence. We don't need words," he said.

The Reggae News Agency  www.riddimjamaica.net | www.riddimja.com

 

 

 

Rome Film Festival selects first titles

'Der Baader Meinhof Komplex,' about the Red Army Faction in 1960s-'70s Germany, will screen at Rome.

'The Duchess,' an 18th century costumer starring Keira Knightley, will screen at rome.

Teutonic terrorism drama "Der Baader Meinhof Komplex," Keira Knightley starrer "The Duchess," omnibus pic "8" and Isabelle Huppert starrer "Un Barrage contre le Pacifique" are among the first titles confirmed to unspool at the Rome Film Festival next month.

United Nations-sponsored "8," which comprises shorts by eight helmers, including Gus Van Sant, Mira Nair and Jane Campion, tackling the subject of hunger, will world preem in Rome, where the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization is headquartered.

Knightley is expected on the red carpet for Saul Dibb's 18th century costumer "The Duchess," which previously world preems in Toronto.

Key talent expected for "Baader Meinhof," recounting the campaign of violence waged by the Red Army Faction in Germany in the late 1960s and '70s, are Bruno Ganz and Alexandra Maria Lara ("The Downfall").
Both pics unspool in Rome's gala premiere section.

Also screening in the Eternal City will be Anthony Wall's BBC-produced Bob Marley docu "Exodus 77," about the making of Marley's eponymous album in 1977.

As previously announced, Rome will celebrate Brazilian cinema this year. One hot title unspooling in this sidebar is young helmer Edoardo De Andrade's docu "Coracao Vagabundo," dedicated to pop sensation Caetano Veloso. Veloso is expected to attend and to perform live after the screening.

The 10-day fest's third edition will kick off Oct. 22 with a lavish carnival-like event being prepared by multitasking musician Arto Lindsay.

 

 

Raggamuffin Returns

http://www.undertheradar.co.nz/utr/more/NID/976/Raggamuffin_Returns.utr

ZIGGY MARLEY/ EDDY GRANT / STEPHEN MARLEY SHAGGY / ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT / INNER CIRCLE & KORA / UNITY PACIFIC / THREE HOUSES DOWN

Saturday 7th February 2009 @ Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua

Following the overwhelming success of the first inaugural reggae festival Raggamuffin, fans will be delighted to hear it's happening all over again with Raggamuffin 2009 announced today. Ziggy Marley, Eddy Grant, Stephen Marley, Shaggy, Arrested Development and Inner Circle will join Kiwi bands Kora, Unity Pacific and Three Houses Down.

Raggamuffin played a sold out show to more than 30,000 ecstatic fans in February this year, emphatically proving that reggae is alive and well in Aotearoa! Next year's event offers another musical feast of the world's best reggae artists, with a healthy dose of funk, dub, hip hop and soul. It will be the first ever visit to New Zealand by both Eddy Grant and Stephen Marley.

Headlining Raggamuffin 2009 is reggae icon, Bob Marley's eldest son ZIGGY MARLEY. Known from a young age with his siblings in the Melody Makers, Ziggy enjoyed two decades of successful touring, recording and acclaim, netting three Grammy Awards. Most recently his solo career has garnered similar acclaim, with his second solo album Love Is My Religion winning the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album (his first solo win following three previous Grammy's with the Melody Makers); while the concert DVD filmed during the Love Is My Religion world tour and released earlier this year has been acclaimed as one of the genre's best.

Ziggy was also the voice of Bernie the Rasta jellyfish in the movie Shark Tale and is known for his extensive charity work. 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, Ethiopia and other developing nations. Ziggy's set includes songs from the Melody Makers, his solo arsenal and a few of his father's classics. Ziggy is currently serving as Executive Producer of a documentary film about his father's life, produced by Jonathan Demme (who recently shot Neil Young's Heart Of Gold) , which will be released on Feb 6 2010 on the 65th anniversary of Bob's birth.

EDDY GRANT has been a hugely influential artist across four decades. His first 1 record was with Baby Come Back in the late 60s courtesy of the multi-racial group The Equals. As a solo artist songs like Electric Avenue and I Don't Wanna Dance were worldwide number one pop hits, but others like Jo'hanna, a thinly veiled attack on the apartheid regime in South Africa (Johannesburg) showed his music could also be politically charged. Due to illness, Eddy left England for Barbados where he spent many years founding a new form of music called 'soca'. It combines the influences of early pop and soul with the calypso music of the Caribbean and the African rhythms of his childhood. His album Hello Africa is recognized as the very first 'soca' album and his record label Ice Records and studio Blue Wave is recognized internationally as being at the forefront of recording and promoting calypso and soca music. On 27 June 2008, Eddy starred at Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday concert in London, performing amongst other songs his anti-Apartheid anthem Jo'hanna, an experience he cites as the highlight of his career.

Ziggy Marley is pleased to have his brother STEPHEN MARLEY on the bill for Raggamuffin. 34-year-old Stephen, the second eldest Marley son and fellow member of the Melody Makers since the age of seven, has spent his career as a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and Grammy-winning producer. Last year he released his highly-anticipated debut solo album Mind Control. Blending his love of reggae, rock, R&B and hip-hop, it was awarded the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Reggae album earlier this year. Acknowledged by media to look and sound the most like his famous father, Stephen has taken a while to step into the limelight as a solo artist in his own right, but in the past year has been thrilling audiences with his diverse music and live concerts. Stephen has now won six Grammy's (including two as producer of his younger brother Damien's two Grammy winning albums), which is more than any other member of the famed Marley family and more than any reggae artist in history!

The ska classic Oh Carolina introduced the world to SHAGGY and hits like It Wasn't Me and Angel from his juggernaut album Hotshot consolidated him as one of Jamaica's finest musical exports - and that's saying something! He has since had 20 million album sales, 11 worldwide Top Ten singles (16 in NZ with 9 being Top Ten!), and a Grammy award. Shaggy's 2008 album Intoxication features Bonafida Girl with Rik Rok, What's Love with Akon and has this dancehall master back at his best.

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT lit up audiences everywhere as part of the first Raggamuffin event, and we knew we just had to have them back! The eight-piece band's music shook the hearts, minds and souls of fans, with gorgeous grooves like Mr Wendal, Everyday People and Tennessee. Led by the indefatigable Speech, Arrested Development sees themselves as warriors of rhythm and storytellers of dignity.

Formed in Jamaica in the late 70s, INNER CIRCLE was one of the first reggae bands to be signed by Chris Blackwell's famous Island Records which led to widespread international success. After the tragic loss of lead vocalist Jacob Miller in a car crash, the band withdrew from the scene. New success came a decade later with the gritty anthem to the FOX TV series and later the Will Smith movie Bad Boys hitting 1 all over the world, closely followed by the irresistible Sweat (A La La La La Long) which topped charts. Inner Circle's special brand of pop-oriented Jamaican beats and energy-filled live performances have allowed them to transcend the traditional reggae niche and enjoy widespread crossover appeal for nearly 30 years.

KORA hail from Wellington and Whakatane Aotearoa and are a five-piece band, four of which are the Kora brothers, Laughton, Francis, Stuart and Brad plus Dan McGruer. In 2006 they won a bNet Award for the release Flow and their EP Volume reached Platinum status in NZ and subsequently they were picked up by Shock Records in Australia and Shiva Records in the UK. Kora's debut self-titled album released in NZ in 2007 and the UK in 2008 shot straight to the 1 on the official NZ charts, has reached Platinum sales and is still in the top 40 after 42 weeks! The band enjoys a busy touring schedule which includes shows in Australia and the UK.

One of New Zealand's finest reggae bands, UNITY PACIFIC is lead by Tigilau Ness, father of Che Fu, long time musician, poet and committed Rastafarian. Their recent album Into the Dread and critically acclaimed 2003 album From Street to Sky, tells his story as a first-generation Pacific Islander in Aotearoa and recounts experiences drawn from his long and interesting life - before he became a Rastafarian, Ness was a member of the radical Polynesian Panthers and active in the anti-Springbok tour movement in '81. His story is also recounted through a one-hour film documentary, From Street to Sky, first shown at the NZ Film Festival in July 2008, and which further details how this humble man of Nuiean descent helped shape the relationship between Maori and peoples of the Pacific through his music and his physical actions.

12-piece from Otara Auckland, THREE HOUSES DOWN developed their Pacific flavored reggae sound with horn laden harmonies and plenty of groove. Their debut album Dreadtown was released in Hawaii and the US through Pacific Hawaiian Distribution; the label that took Katchafire to the world. They won this year's People's Choice Award at the 2008 NZ Pacific Music Awards and Raggamuffin is lucky to have them hot on the back of performances in Australia, Los Angeles and Utah. So there you have it ....nine great bands and over ten hours of music!

Raggamuffin 2009 - Waitangi Weekend (the day after Bob Marley's Birthday), Saturday February 7, 2009 @ Rotorua International Stadium
Ticketmaster - www.ticketmaster.co.nz, ph 0800-111-999
For show details go to: www.raggamuffin.co.nz

 

 

Since the day he was born, music has been the only way of life for Julian Marley, a state of being interwoven with an innate freedom of spirit to express himself through the same art form that his father, Bob Marley, made legendary.

"Music was there even before I had memory," Marley said. "I always loved music. I saw a picture of me with a guitar in my crib. We just listened to our father's music. You can't pick it out. I was full of inspiration before I could even talk. It's in my blood."

The 33-year-old musician, who was born in London, has been playing music practically all his life. He cut his first demo when he was 5, a rendition of his father's song, "Slave Driver." Spending his youth between England and Jamaica, Marley learned to play several instruments, including the bass, drums, keyboards and guitar. While in England, he was influenced by the eclectic range of music, but mostly 1980s pop and what he calls the "British band feel."

 

His first album, "Uprising," was released in 1989 with the help of his brothers Stephen and Ziggy who founded Ghetto Youth International, a production company. Then in 1992, he moved to Jamaica and worked with veteran reggae artists such as Tyrone Downie and Earl "Wire" Lindo. During the following years he opened for his brother Ziggy and the Melody Makers on their world tour.

He later wrote or co-wrote all the songs on his 1996 album, "Lion in the Morning," which was recorded at the Marley Music studios in Kensington where his father also recorded some of his most well-known songs.

Inspiration has always derived from a message of unity and a higher power, Marley said, and he never forces a lyric or a note if it does not come naturally.

"We open our challenge to the Almighty," he said. "We don't pressure it, it's free. If I have no lyrics today, I put the paper down. If I have no music, I put the guitar down. It should always be fun and full of joy."

His latest album, "A Time and Place," was recorded once again with the support of his family, this time with brothers Stephen and Damian. Brothers Rohan and Ziggy also contributed percussion for the song, "Where She Lay."

The album, with alternating touches of reggae and jazz, on tracks such as "Perfect Smile," is lighter and more buoyant than his prior work, according to Marley.

"I got more involved in the instruments than on the first albums," he said. "A bit more jazz and hip hop with an R&B flavor. The first one was more hard core. It was a bit more world. The latest is upbeat roots, strictly more live."

Marley attributes his change in sound as an evolutionary one, a movement that corresponds with his growing maturity as a person and as an artist.

Wherever he goes, whatever he does, he tries to find a moment that moves him.

"It's life," he said. "Every day we live and give thanks and praises. We see someone suffering or someone achieving and in these moments we build the songs together."