The record starts strong with “Want No More” over the legendary Baltimore Riddim, then moves on to a hard hitting Hip-Hop feel on “Follow Me” and “Ghetto Heaven.”  The cuts you’re sure to hear spun by your favorite Selectah are the aptly named “DJ,” “Bounce,” and “Grown” which sounds more like something coming out of Atalanta than Jamaica.  And though this is a fresh step for Reggae, Mitch also has a few tracks for us purists with “Borrowed Time,” “Come Back Baby,” and my personal favorite “Special For You.” Mitch seemingly came from nowhere but apparently he expects to be around for a while with his signature tag line “It’s Mitch Again!” Check the videos below and catch the vibe.

Jah Bless – Marley “One” Lovell

I wanted to give you a n installment of new music to check out as promised in the last post.  There are several albums that have recently released that I am very excited about.  As a Reggae fan I am used to getting excited by singles or new artists and rarely get the joy of three all new albums from seasoned veterans.

The first album I want to talk about is Jah Cure’s Universal Cure.  It is his first installment of new studio music since being released from prison several years ago.  We have enjoyed songs recorded while he was incarcerated but I know that I speak for all Reggae fans when I say that this album  highly anticipated.  Over the course of his career Cure has crafted some of Lovers Rock’s sweetest melodies as well as hard hitting one drop anthems.  This album is no exception.  As always there are the tracks on popular Jamaican riddims such as Sticky, Journey, Forever, Call On Me, and Green Grass but other notable cuts on the album are a heartfelt cover of Bob Marley’s “Burnin’ and Lootin,” as well as a monumental collaboration with Mavado, Junior Ried, and rapper Flo-Rida on “Hot Long Time.”  Mavado and Flo-Rida were added to this track for the album version.  Another favorite of mine is the single Mr. Jailer where Jah Cure explains to the jail keeper that he is as much of a prisoner.  He took his time but this album was definitely worth the wait.

I know that a new Sizzla album isn’t exactly a surprise since he releases no less than 3000 albums per month but this latest installment released of the legendary Greensleeves Record Label is an instant classic. Recorded with his touring band the Fire House Crew, this album brushes off recent flops (such as “Addicted”) and returns to the roots in the best way possible.  The single released several months ago was “Black Man In the White-house” where Sizzla praises President Barack Obama as an inspiration to all black people of the world.  It helps to set the tone for the positive and uplifting release from Conscious Dancehall’s biggest star.  The album is produced particularly well and experiments rather successfully with autotune pitch correction.  Personal favorite tracks of mine are “Jah Love,” “Stop It Right Now,” “Open Up The Doors,” and the token Nyabinghi chant track “Babylon Ease Off.”  This is a refreshing offering from Sizzla who has been known to take some drastic stylistic risks.  Give thanks, this will certainly stay locked in the deck for the coming months.

The reason I save this album for last is to make sure that is is fresh on your mind.  The latest releases from Sly and Robbie’s Taxi Label is the best Reggae album of the year but I might go as far as to say that it is the best pure Reggae album to be released in the last several years.  The rhythm twins are at it again and at their best as they craft smooth flowing classic sound to match to retro Bitty McLean.  After sharing this album with my parents and some older friends of mine I realized that many of these tracks are actually covers of classic soul songs which accounts for the classic vibe of the overall project.  It is also notably different musically from the hard hitting singles “Let Them Talk,” “The Real Thing,” and “Lately.”  My favorites are “Games,” “Lost Love,” “So In Love,” and “Jahovia” featuring Johnny Osbourne but honestly this is a cover to cover installment.  Seriously, press play and sit back and appreciate the craftsmanship and experience that went into making this album.  Literally thousands of songs produced and recorded by Sly and Robbie…  all leading to this.  You can check out an entire hour long concert by Bitty Mclean and the Taxi Gang on myspace.

In other news, my favorite newcomer Alborosie has been signed to Greensleeves records and will be releasing his long awaited debut album titled “Escape from Babylon.”  It’s sure to include several of his hits that have made him one of the most highly requested Deejay and producer but this Ras always seems to have a new track up his sleeve so it’s not to be missed.  Happy listening…. Give thanks.

Jah Bless   –   One Lovell

Hey there Reggae fans.  As you may or may not know, I am fortunate enough to be employed at Rhapsody.com as a “producer,” managing the content submitted by record labels and distributors.  Now that I have worked there for a few months, I have been able to fully manage all of the Reggae that we have available on the service.  I take pride in the fact that we don’t have multiple listings of guys like Gregory Isaacs and Michael Rose that have recordings released in several versions of their names.  It’s not perfect but it’s a work in progress.  I can also say that if you are a Reggae fan, a Rhapsody membership is worth it because I have been digitally crate digging for 7 months every day and still have not explored everything that we have.  Fortunately I was able to also take over the Reggae “Channels” that we have available that is essentially a commercial free music stream that is available at Rhapsody.com.  I will be constantly updating these stations with quality tracks that I find throughout our vast library and make sure that you stay up to date on new releases and rising artists.

Reggae Essentials:

This is where all the hot One Drops go down…  You know I am a huge fan of the classic one drop made famous by the Wailers and every roots band that followed them such as Steel Pulse, Black Uhuru, Dennis Brown and the list goes on.  That is the back drop with a strong representation of the new school roots movement.  I really feel passionate about the up and coming Reggae music that has evolved into hard hitting anthems from the likes of Gentleman, Richie Spice, Sizzla, Capleton, I Wayne, Warrior King, Gyptian, and of course the Marley Brothers always leading the charge.  There is over 1000 songs in rotation on this channel so there is always something new to hear.  Definitely check this out.

Dancehall:

Most people associate Dancehall with the pulsating Soca like feel, but Dancehall is so much more.  When I think of the Dancehall I think of the originators.  Guys like Barrington Levy, Cocoa Tea, and Michigan and Smiley. So I did a major overhaul of this station and added a more classic feel.  Of course there are plenty of tracks from the major stars such as Shaggy, Sean Paul, Shabba Ranks, Rihanna, Busy Signal, Buju Banton, and many others.  I have held back on the amount of tracks from artists such as Elephant Man, Vybz Kartel, and other controversial artists though they do have some tracks that I felt fit the atmosphere that I wanted to create.  I’m also considering doing an overhaul on this station and turning it into a station that also features Hip-Hop collaborations.  Please check it out and let me know what you think.

Dub Wise:
This is my baby.  I did an overhaul on the the other stations and made them my own, but Dub Wise is a One Lovell original.  I thought that it would be a good fit for people who are at work and need some instrumental music to check vibe out to.  I tried not to make it too slow and repetitive but I think that it really came together once I got enough different artists involved that fit.  Of course we have Lee “Scratch” Perry, King Tubby, Augustus Pablo, Sly and Robbie, Dean Fraser and many classic pioneers of dub but I also included selections from Thievery Corporation, Gorillaz, Zenzile, and other electronic artists to change up the feel of the playlist.  As I have grown older, my appreciation for dub has steadily increased and now is a major influence in my life.  The simplicity is calming and humbling…

I really feel blessed to be given the opportunity to share my passion for Reggae music for a living so please take full advantage of these FREE music streams.  Music is and always be for sharing and we are developing more and more ways to do that.  That is my mission.  In the spirit of sharing, I’ll be back to share some fantastic new releases soon.

Jah Bless    –   One Lovell

On this site I have talked at length about the profound influence that Reggae has had on the world of Hip Hop and Pop in general but something that I have yet to talk about is Dub. Dub is the foundation of Reggae and has led its own journey through music being the basis for much of the electronic music that is produced today. Dub’s tempo was doubled which created Drum n Bass which lead way to House and Techno. You can learn all about it and its pioneers in the new feature film “Dub Echos,” which looks to be one of the coolest reggae documentaries of all time. Seriously, this is not to be missed. Check out the trailer below. If that isn’t enough Dub, Rhapsody’s newest channel “Dub Wise” programmed by your truly will soon be available for free on Rhapsody.com. I’m really excited about this and will definitely let you know as soon as it is available. 

Last but not least let me put you up on a few tracks as always. First off let me flash you back with a rediscovery of one of Reggae’s many one hit wonders. Ever heard of VC? No I didn’t think so, but I bet you remember this cut from some party in the last decade. Track by the name of “By His Deeds.” I’m not sure what happened to you VC but you will never be forgotten because this is an anthem. Big Up. The next track on our always trusted YouTube playlist is a remix of Athea and Donna’s Dancehall classic “Uptown Top Rankin,” by our favorite Reggae crossover artist Estelle. This is a crazy track featured on Joni Rewind’s album. It’s great to see her sticking to her roots. We salute you.

Alborosie is at it again… At any given time there are at least 2 or 3 new Alborosie tracks floating around the digital world. Bredren, if you’re reading this, much respect but give us a chance to support you by releasing these tracks officially. We want to let you know how much we love you and want you to continue to produce and resurrect the original rub a dub style. And PLEASE COME ON TOUR TO THE U.S.!! My favorite new tracks that I featured below are Promise, Rainy Day, Always, and Angel. Got to keep up with this hard working Ras. I also included a couple riddims you’re bound to hear at the club this summer. We got Jah Cure and Cherine Anderson on the Indiscretions Riddim and Turbulence, Mykal Rose, new comer Mitch on the Collie Monster Riddim.

Enjoy and Jah Bless – One Lovell

I must be dreaming… I just caught wind of an album that is in the process of being recorded between reggae royalty Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and Rap legend Nas.  Nas’s manager Anthony Saleh told Billboard.com that the two have been recording in Los Angeles for the past few months and the album was planned to drop in the spring with a tour in the summer.  Damian has always said what a huge fan he is of Nas and the two paired up for “Road To Zion” which I think ranks in the top Reggae/ Hip-Hop collaborations of all time.  It is the first time the link between the two genres has been made both lyrically and musically and has cemented Marley as a prominent figure in the Hip-Hop community.  But a whole album!?  I’m trying not to get too excited because some projects can get recorded but never released.  One glaring reason that might happen is because both of the artists are signed to different labels.  Nas has said that the album will be a community service project, with proceeds going towards building schools in Africa.  That is righteous work indeed and should go a long way to making this album a reality.  I will have my fingers crossed but if the album does manifest, I think it’s more reasonable to expect it in the Fall or early 2010.  Check out the article on Billboard for more information.

Jah Bless – One Lovell

Can you imagine a whole album like this!

Recently, Akon has stepped it up a notch by taking Canadian Reggae star Kardinal Ofishall and break out star Tami Chynn under his wing.  In the playlist below I included a few of Chynn’s hits that she had in the Reggae world before her recent work with Akon.  It’s easy to see why she has made such an impression on Akon.  Her beauty and her talent have the potential to have her music reach much further than the shores of Kingston where she hails from.  I expect that she will make the transition much as Rihanna has and hopefully bring the Reggae world along for the ride.  Though I like her work on the riddim circuit much more than, “Frozen,” I see where they are going.  Tracks like this allow her to break into the American Pop scene and capitalize on the neo-disco movement that is coming to dominate the airwaves. Check out her website for more information on this up and coming star.

Akon’s work with Kardinal Ofishall on the other hand is surprisingly authentic to the Ofishall sound that we have come to know and love.  Identifying more as a MC (Hip-hop) than a dee-jay (Reggae) Kardinal’s heritage is not hard to find as he slips in and out of his parents’ Jamaican patios seamlessly.  On the playlist I included some videos of projects that he has done leading up to, “Not For Sale.”  His first major hit was Bakardi Slang and that set him up for a strong career in the Jamaican music scene but it was clear that his expectations of success were unmet because he didn’t want to be pegged in one genre or the other.  That is why his teaming up with Akon is such a perfect fit because he transcends genres.  Check out the videos and listen to Kardinal in his own words and a sample of his latest project.

Akon’s unique style has refreshed the popular music scene and I think it’s clear that he understands the potential of Reggae music.  As I have mentioned before I think the Reggae’s lack of popularity is more based on poor distribution methods rather than disinterest and developments such as this will greatly increase America’s accessibility to Reggae.  I’d love to hear what you think about the videos so feel free to post a comment.

Jah Bless – One Lovell

I & I have been faulty on my promise to keep you up to date on the happenings in the Reggae world, but no more.  The latest and greatest in Reggae news was the 2nd annual Reggae Rising Music festival in Humbolt country California.  This festival has actually taken place for 25 years, but last year a legal dispute between producer People’s Production and host Mateel Community Center that lead to the Reggae Rising.  I have been fortunate enough to have been present for 18 of those 25 years.  Though many fans were sceptical of the”Irie-ness” of the festival following the dispute, no one can deny that the line ups and special guests the last two years has erased any doubt about the greatest Reggae Festival in the world.  At Reggae Rising 2007 the The Marley’s performed with special guests Mr. Cheeks from Lost Boys and Chali-2na formally of Jurassic 5, but in 2008 they stepped it up another notch by reuniting Black Uhuru for a special performance to highlight Saturday night.

Following a mind blowing performance by Jr. Ried featuring Sly & Robbie, Ried and the rhythm twins were joined on stage by Don Carlos and Garth Dennis to perform classic anthems by Black Uhuru.  It was clear they hadn’t performed together recently due to the chemistry on stage, but I am so thankful to have witnessed such a momentous event.  And of course Sly & Robbie was the familiar rock playing for at least 2 straight hours with three different artists (Reggae Angels, Jr. Ried, and Black Uhuru).  The performance even carried on the the next night when Don Carlos brought Jr. Ried back on stage during his solo performance to play more Black Uhuru classics.  I can only hope this leads to a reunion record.

I felt somewhat bad for Turbulence and Sizzla who had to follow this historic performance, but they must have been inspired because they were the best live performances from dancehall artists that I have ever seen.  It was my first time seeing Turbulence who was surprisingly melodic and extremely dynamic on stage while commanded the crowd.  I will not miss another performance by this talented young artist.  Sizzla closed Saturday night and did not hold back.  For those of you who don’t know about the tension there can be at a Sizzla show let me just outline a few things that could go wrong.  First of all, Sizzla has such a large body of work, that the set list might miss fan favorites in favor of songs on the current album.  Sizzla also is known to use profanity and derogatory remarks against homosexuals which can seriously damage the vibe of a roots Reggae show.  But at Reggae rising 2008, none of these things happened (to his credit he also did a very good performance in 2006).  He was dynamic on stage and seemed to feed of of the energy of the night keeping it positive till the last beat.  Much respect bredren.

Before we go on to Sunday’s highlights I would be wrong not to mention the performances that Tanya Stephens and Beres Hammond threw down on Friday.  I overheard many people saying that Tanya was the reason they came to the festival this year.  She blew away many people in 2007 and she s did not disappoint in 08 with a great performance showing the strength and command that only a woman can.  Personally, Beres Hammond was 1/3 of the reason I was especially excited about this years lineup. He has one of the purest and cleanest voices in Reggae music and is known for putting on a spectacular show.  He was extremely humble and grateful for the honor of being featured and seemed to have the most fun on stage out of anyone that performed all weekend.

Sunday was great finish to the weekend and featured performances by Collie Buddz, Gentlemen, and Don Carlos. Collie Buddz performed a lot of the remixes and news tracks that he released since performing in 2007, but lack of a studio release limited the potential of the show.  Don Carlos capped off the entire festival with a one of the Irie-est roots performances that I have ever seen and brought Jr. Ried back for a second Black Uhuru jam session.  Don is the godfather of Reggae and he embodied the spirit of the music that night with humility and graciousness.  Few things can upstage a Don Carlos performance in my mind but Gentleman made quite an impression on me.  For those of you who are not familiar with Gentleman, he is a German Reggae star that has collaborations with pretty much every major Reggae Artist in the world.  His appearance is very unassuming but his performance was the highlight of the weekend for me.  He was the guy that I went and looked for at the record store on Monday.  His crowd control was fantastic and his voice was surprisingly rich for a man of such small stature.  He performed hits from his various albums released over the past decade including several collaboration tracks such as Fire A Go Bun Dem featuring Capelton and his latest hot Celebration featuring Alborosie.  I will definitely be keeping an eye on the Gentleman US tour schedule.

The only problem with Reggae Rising 2008 is that fans will have too high of expectations for 2009!  Peoples Productions has a serious task ahead of them to live up to this year.  Nuff respect to all the organizers, Volunteer and of course the Musicians for making it an experience that I will not forget.

Bless-sed Love

-One Lovell

Check out my video playlist of fan Youtube videos.

We are starting by doing a profile on New Orleans, and the various people and places that are a must for every Reggae lover. The video features segments on Wayne’s World and Son’s Reggae Shop, Red Lantern clothing store, Reggae Night at the Dragon’s Den, the Imperial Dub Sound System, the Domino Sound Record Shop, and the Coco Hut Caribbean Restaurant. The video was compiled and produced by myself and is designed to promote the Reggae culture here in the Crescent City. These videos are also featured on the Issential New Orleans page. Enjoy

Part 1

Part 2