Reggae Sunsplash

Thank you all for your continuing support of Reggae Sunsplash, the interest and inquiries about the 2007 tour has been phenominal. We have decided to skip the 2007 tour in order to concentrate on larger festival shows in key markets in the US. This strategy is a return to the roots of Reggae Sunsplash, which started as a 4 day festival drawing an audience from all over the world. We beleive that this is also part of the future for Reggae Sunsplash. Our continuing strategy also includes incorporating all genres of music to continue on the path of our NEVER changing mission…UNITING THE WORLD THROUGH MUSIC!

Please continue to support and we will be dropping details of Reggae Sunsplash Festivals.

it’s not about class, color or races

German artiste, Gentleman, filmed his video in LA for his newly released song “Different Faces.” The track has a wicked melody and a conscious message right in time for this political climate we live in. It’s always nice to have a beautiful message from an equally beautiful artiste, him cute eeeeh.

nuff said
~ fleeter

Stephen & Damian at HOB LA

I checked out Stephen & Damian at the House of Blues in LA on April 26th.

K’naan opened the show. K’naan is a Somalian hip hop artist who’s lyrics depict his experiences in Mogadishu. This was the first time I had ever heard his music. The drum beats got my attention…then I noticed his smooth flowing style…then the lyrics hit me. I was like…hold on this yute is actually talking about something. It wasn’t about bling or gyal or whatever. Each song was a powerful story about his experiences growing up. The crowd was really feelin him too. Truss me him bad.

Stephen hit the stage and performed a few songs off his new album Mind Control. Leading up to the show I was wondering how Stephen would come across as a solo artist. I’ve seen him on stage before mainly with his brothers and he might do one or two solo songs and backup Damian on a few but i’d never seen him do a solo perfmance where he has to carry the show. Well hear mi nuh man, he quickly put my wondering to rest…he put on a commanding performance. He definately has a presence on stage that is very much like Bob. He also did a few Bob songs. It’s funny, normally I kinda cringe when anybody covers a Bob song but when Stephen does a Bob song I feel almost like i’m watching Bob. His voice…manerisms…everything. It’s not that he tries to imitate Bob its just something in him…a vibe or presence or whatever you want to call it but it is clear.

The crowd railed up when Mos Def came out to do Hey Baby with him and then the place go fi tear down when Damnian came out for Traffic Jam. Damian did a few on his songs including JAMROCK and was wicked as usual. But it got real serious when Stevie Wonder joined them on stage…yeah THE Stevie Wonder. I saw Stevie come down the stairs to join the ‘general population’, I couldn’t beleive he was just partying with the crowd like that. Stephen and Damian called him on stage for a few Bob songs and he did his thing. Ben Harper and Charlie Tuna made appearances on stage as well.

It was a wicked show definately one to check if it comes to your City.

Respec

Cultural Movement

So as we plan the 2007 tour we keep talking about how Reggae has really started to make its mark on pop culture…and that discussion led us to talk about how Jamaica, this tiny island of 2.5 million people, has made such an impact on the world.  What is it about reggae, Jamaica and Jamaicans that allows the culture to be so far reaching?  It invites outsiders in…keeps Jamaicans abroad connected…and keeps influencing new generations.

Some people say that it does this despite the problems in the country but  I think it does this because of the problems.  If not for the problems, the struggle, the music would’nt reach as many people.  It’s one of the reasons that so many people can identify with it even though their experience may be a little different, we all have struggles.  The resurgence of conscious lyrics and messages in recent years has, in my opinion, been a return to what made Reggae so influential. That being said, nothing brings people together like a struggle and a good session (party) and Jamaicans have always been good at putting everything aside and just party.

 Reggae Sunsplash has been at the forefront of the cultural movement since 1978.  ‘Uniting the World Through Music’…it pretty much says it all.

What do you think?

Respec

Welcome Sunsplashers!

The Reggae Sunsplash US 2007 blog will chronicle the ‘making of’ the 2007 Reggae Sunsplash US Tour.  The authors will be the production team with other selected contributors.

Join us for discussion on everything Sunsplash, Reggae and Jamaica including breaking news and progress from the planning and producing of this years Reggae Sunsplash US Tour to ideas for future tours and personal experiences on prior tours.