Legends passing......future of reggae

[davek]

Let's look at it this way:

If you consider popular Jamaican music as starting in 1960, it's been 50 years since it's birth.

During the first 25 years, the music evolved from shuffle to ska, into rock-steady, reggae, roots reggae, DJ, dub, and dancehall. All very original forms, very pure and inventive.

Over the last 25 years, the music has evolved from *______* to *_________*. (fill in the blanks).

Now, was there a magical golden era of reggae, or has it all been of the same level of invention, passion, and over-all quality when you compare the first 25 years to the last 25 years?

There is no right answer here, it's just offered as food for thought.

Anyone who lived through the exciting times of the first 25 years can't be blamed for not appreciating what has happenned since 1985, just as you can't blame the youth of today for not relating to music that occurred before they were born. It's a question of your point of entry, and personal taste. You can argue opinions forever, and the argument will never end.

There are many good artists today, with lots of talent. But man, sometimes I hear their sweet voices and clever lyrics and think "if they only had a proper riddim to work with....". Just my two cents, I appreciate that opinions vary (which is what makes this board interesting).

[Big D]

Has anyone mentioned the roots sound coming from the V.I.? The U.S. Virgin Islands has produced crucial sounds between 1999-2004. In that five year span, the V.I. groups, MIDNITE & BAMBU STATION has put out a few albums with their own unique, rootsy sound. As the years went by, and different collaborations have sprouted, the original Midnite sound can be caught only on stage...live. Their newer works highlight collaborations between Vaughn Benjamin and a few American studios that bring a different sound to Midnite. Midnite's early sound has a definite drum and bass foundation that stirs your soul along with the fired up lyrics of the band leader, Vaughn Benjamin. I can listen to Midnite all day along with the roots of the golden era of reggae. You know it's a new sounds, but it's message and political fire is not far off from the lyrics of yesteryear. I know lots of you have listened to these two bands, so if you haven't...check it out!

[Inyaki]

Let's look at it this way:

If you consider popular Jamaican music as starting in 1960, it's been 50 years since it's birth.

During the first 25 years, the music evolved from shuffle to ska, into rock-steady, reggae, roots reggae, DJ, dub, and dancehall. All very original forms, very pure and inventive.

Over the last 25 years, the music has evolved from __ to _____. (fill in the blanks).

Now, was there a magical golden era of reggae, or has it all been of the same level of invention, passion, and over-all quality when you compare the first 25 years to the last 25 years?

Very interesting.
Let's check Jazz, Blues, Latin music, Soul, Rock, etc....
There is a unanimous school of thought that consider the golden eras of any of those styles. (I'm not even gonna mention Classical music!). So why not in jamaican music?

Otherwise: the best Reggae ever has been produced after 96 (much better and inventive than the 60s-80s.
the best Classical music is from the XX century
The best Jazz is post - 80 ( much better than Ellington, Miles, Coltrane old stuff) and of course todays Blues is much better than the 30s - 60s.

( do I need to put a smiley? )

[Sir Bellyas]

Yes Inyaki and Davek, couldn't have put it better myself. It's not only modern reggae that suffers in comparison to its antecedents, all other musical forms have the same dilemma.

[blackarkrock]

Yes Inyaki and Davek, couldn't have put it better myself. It's not only modern reggae that suffers in comparison to its antecedents, all other musical forms have the same dilemma.

While I tend to agree with this, I don´t think kids of today do...

[dan i]

Sir Bellyass may remember a similar topic of discussion which was addressed many years ago in his Boom Shacka Lacka magazine. You and Russ seemed to be defending the making of reggae with machines all the time back then. Has much changed since then? Apart from a bigger quantity of releases and a downturn in quality control?

[Sir Bellyas]

Good point dan i, I guess I am now officially an old fart! Not to be too flippant though, I did think about that when I made the post. I don't have a problem with music made by machines, I think there were good records being made in Jamaica up until a couple of years ago. But I think my love of the music is also tied in with how much it meant to people of my generation. The roots made nowadays in the UK, Europe and the US doesn’t move me like the roots that was made in the UK way back when, or the music that was made in Jamaica up until a few years ago. It’s only my opinion of course, but as far as Jamaica is concerned it seems like its all over. Mick Sleeper cites Jah Cure and Richie Spice, the bulk of Cure’s best work was recorded prior to his incarceration, when he was something of an underground favourite, and some while he was in jail, but since he came out his music has largely been ordinary. Spice was good for a few years but has been quiet lately. Records are no longer being pressed in Jamaica and downloads are not my thing.

[Lion]

Here some info out of JA

J'can lock-out - Foreigners dominating Jamaican music form

Local acts missing on international dub charts

BY STEVEN JACKSON Observer Staff Reporter

Friday, November 05, 2010

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DUB music — a psychedelic reggae form — is charting in 14 territories on the reggae charts but Jamaican bands are not riding this wave.

It represents another Jamaican genre under-represented by locals which translates into lost revenue and acclaim for the industry.

Members of the Uprising Roots band
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"Europe and other countries have taken our roots music and are studying and learning it," Uprising Roots drummer Black Kush told Splash, adding that Jamaican youths concentrate on studying dancehall and US pop. "A few years from now no Jamaican youth will even know about dub."

None of the dub bands or compilation albums charting are Jamaican. Even, Gregory Isaacs In Dub album was produced by the UK duo Mafia & Fluxy.

The dub groups currently charting on iTunes reggae album charts include Dub Incorporation from France who is at numbers one and three in that country. The US-based band Easy Star All Stars is at two and 10 in the US; number five in UK; two and 10 in Australia; two and seven in Canada; three in Ireland; four in Italy; seven in Greece; and hold on to the second spot in Portugal. The Kiwi band Katchafire is at number seven in New Zealand and eight in Australia. Gregory Isaacs, In Dub album (UK) at 10 in Belgium. Seven Dub from France is at number five in Portugal; and Salmonella Dub another band from New Zealand) at nine in their homeland according to iTunes rock charts.

In fact, last week King Size Dub Vol 13 charted in Luxembourg at eight whilst Fahrenheit 451 and Sir Oliver Skardy (Europe) charted in Italy at 10.

Digital sales account for one-third of global music sales and iTunes is the dominant online music store, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) Digital Report 2010.

The reality is that Jamaican artistes are charting less online due to the growth of international or indigenous reggae bands. However, the possibility of a local dub band charting is even less due to the smaller talent pool.

"The other types of music in Jamaica are more hyped than dub music even though dub music is what the world rates us for," stated the charismatic Uprising Roots bassist Pot A Rice. "And the few people in Jamaica who are doing roots music do not get the opportunity to get airplay."

Uprising Roots will launch their latest album Skyfiya next month whilst embarking on a tour in the main dub market Europe.

Dub was spawned from reggae in the 1960s but has extended beyond the genre to incorporate other musical forms. Dub embraces the improvisation of the studio engineer and musicians in live and recorded sessions. The engineer or musician uses effects including echo and reverb in order to exaggerate or "lift the music to another level," according to Jah9, a rising singer who incorporates dub in her music.

"In this society where the artiste is (king) dub departs from that. It is really a tribute to the musicians and engineer and not the artiste," said Jah9, whose upcoming album is being produced by Don 'Corleon' Bennett, Beres Hammond and Rory from Stone Love.

Dub music is one form which Jamaica has all but forgotten. Stakeholders have also lamented on the absence of Jamaican ska bands to profit and influence modern ska. There are currently hundreds of ska bands internationally but the musical form is dormant in the land of its birth. Up to Saturday ska music was charting in one territory on iTunes reggae charts via a compilation album entitled Ska Mania. Ska, however, is more popular in the rock than reggae categories.

"Dub and ska is the ultimate, but people don't even play ska again in Jamaica yet there are plenty of ska bands in Europe. Dub and Ska is the real thing and it pays big money," added Pot A Rice. "Dub is the king's music because when you play dub you feel connected to Mother Earth and the essence of life more than other musical forms. It represents equal rights and justice."

Surprisingly, mento a local genre which waned in popularity in the '50s received some international acclaim last month when The Jolly Boys, a mento band (produced and managed by Geejam based in Portland Jamaica), beat all living reggae and dancehall artistes to top the international reggae charts. They are supporting the album with a prolific tour across Asia, Europe and the US.

In February, minister of culture, Olivia Babsy Grange, asserted that Jamaica was losing a grip on Reggae. She called for creative initiatives which emphasise training for the development of a stronger infrastructure to support the music and to recognise the new paradigms that have emerged with the convergence of popular culture and digital technology.

thanks to STEVEN JACKSON Observer

Lion

[ras andejo]

There always be reggae as long as there will be at least one artist in the world left to play....

There will be never era's like the 60's, 70's and 80's....there will be no Duke Reid, Prince Buster, Coxsone Dodd, King Tubby, Prince Jammy, Lee Perry, Bob Marley and so many others....

Time's changing but the old riddims and performers of the old days will be playing as long as people like us will play them....the future of reggae lies in our hands. Let's share the music with each other.

Bless,

[Gozer]

I just had a listen to Alborosie's Dub clash and I like it.

Regards,

Gozer