Burning Spear Live at Club Roxbury in Omaha

We went to see roots reggae legend Burning Spear last night at Club Roxbury in Omaha. As usual, the band was smokin' hot, super-rootsy and always conscious. The crowd was also waaaaayy into it, which spurred on the players. Burning Spear, himself, was having a good ole time throughout... as were we. Love that roots-riddim! Praise Jah!

My camera phone didn't work quite as well inside in the dark (I don't have a flash), but I thought I'd post a few shots nonetheless:








Here are a couple of the more well-known cuts by Burning Spear:

"Slavery Days"


"Marcus Garvey"

"Africa Unite!" documentary film trailer

Here is the trailer for "Africa Unite!", a documentary celebrating Bob Marley's 60th birthday with an emphasis on his vision of pan-African unity. Cool stuff... check it out:



Here is website and the poster:



I dig this poster, as well...

Gilberto Gil live in NYC!

We saw an amazing show by Gilberto Gil last night at the Nokia Theater in Times Square! Beautiful sounding Brazilian music and the never-ending positive, multi-cultural groove! A wonderful night with one of the greatest Brazilian musicians of the last 50 years.

Since we left our diggity-dog at home with Drea's folks, we particularly enjoyed Gil's version of Bob Marley's "Kaya." Drea was sure there was some cosmic convergence that made him play that one in honor of our dog! Here is a different version you might enjoy:


And, though I've posted this before, you might like to look at this trailer on the Tropicalia movement, which Gil was a part of in the 1960s:

Distinctly Jamaican Sounds

There are a number of awesome online "sharity" websites where folks post all kinds of music that is downloadable for free. If you like reggae, the "Distinctly Jamaican Sounds" website is a treasure trove of riddims.

Since we are laying down the rastafari groove, here is a nice live clip of Peter Tosh in 1979 at the Montreaux Jazz Festival doing one of my favorite of his tunes, "African":

Coco Tea's Reggae Tribute to Barack Obama

Jah, rastafari! Give thanks and praises for Obama!

Peter Tosh w/ Mick Jagger - "Walk and Don't Look Back"

This is a classic collaboration. Tosh is the personification of cool, while Jagger is, well, Jagger...

Dig it!

Bob Marley - "Stir It Up"

This is a really clear and mellow-steady version of Marley's classic, "Stir It Up," recorded in studio... Dig it!

Reggae's Redemptive Songs

This looks like an interesting book, if you like the reggae riddim!

The teaser...

It's not surprising that a Caribbean spiritual philosophy espousing peace, unity and love -- whose charismatic spokesmen delivered its message via a mesmerizing music, fueled by as much ganga as their lungs could hold -- found so many devotees in a mid-70s America that was still recovering from the divisive Vietnam War and race riots. This was also an America that was embracing gentle Easternisms and toking up with more and more frequency.
Even with the belief that Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie was something akin to the Second Coming, Jamaica's Rastafarianism and reggae music spoke to millions of Americans, including a white guy from Riverdale, New York, with a trust fund and a camera. Thirty years ago he became one of its most unlikely missionaries.

Here is a good article about the project:
Reggae's Redemptive Songs

And, if you like Jamaican music, you should definitely check this site out. There is lots of great music to be had through this one:
Distinctly Jamaican Sounds

Linton Kwesi Johnson (LKJ) - "More Time"

LKJ is one of my all-time favorite reggae artists. The words come first for Linton, who is a dub poet. My friend Tous turned me on to his poetry and music all the way back in the halcyon days of high school. I was fortunate to catch LKJ live in Madison, Wisconsin, five or so years ago on what turned out to be an otherwise bizarro night. The tune "More Time" is a favorite off of the 1999 album of the same name. It is perfect for the beginning of another work week... listen to the lyrics. Dig it.

Linton Kwesi Johnson, "More Time" (1999)