Picture this:
You’re in The Elovaters, an up and coming reggae band near the end of a month-long tour which had you traversing the entire east coast, from Florida to Maine. Your recently upgraded tour bus provides a modicum of comfort but not a shred of privacy.… Read More
Rootfire is giving away a pair of tickets for any show on Phase 4 of The Movement’s “Ways Of The World Tour,” which kicks off January 18 at Boomshaka Festival in San Diego before continuing out to the Midwest.
Special guests Josh Heinrichs and Indubious will be on the bill Jan 29-Feb 28 with stops in Chicago, Grand Rapids, Denver, Salt Lake City, Berkeley, Santa Cruz, Portland, Seattle, Sacramento, Boise, Missoula and more!… Read More
In honor of the recent Best Reggae Album Grammy nomination of the new Steel Pulse album “Mass Manipulation” released on Rootfire Cooperative, this Rare Record Showcase focuses on my personal favorite Steel Pulse record, and in my opinion one of the most underrated records in Reggae, 1980’s “Caught You.”
“Caught You” is the third album by arguably the best and most prolific reggae group ever to come out of the U.K..… Read More
Michael Franti is not on tour; he’s on a mission. A revival to spread peace, love, healing, acceptance, inclusion, tolerance and hope.
I often refer to my regular attendance at concerts as “church” because of the upliftment these experiences provide. While this may illicit scoffs from more casual listeners, people who largely ignore music, and/or the deeply devout who attend actual religious services, committed music fans will concur that these events can provide real, meaningful spiritual fulfillment.… Read More
Last week, Los Angeles, CA roots-reggae champions Arise Roots released “Come And Get It,” the lead single from their eagerly anticipated new album dropping early next year on Ineffable Music. Aside from being a killer tune in its own right (always the case regarding new music from this top-ranking group), the track has the notable and, frankly, historical distinction of being the first recording to feature two of the American Reggae scene’s best known figures: Kyle McDonald of Slightly Stoopid, and Eric Rachmany of Rebelution.… Read More
Heads up songwriters! The 18th annual International Songwriting Competition (ISC) is taking entries now and the deadline to enter is fast approaching. Much like Rootfire, the ISC is all about finding new and under-appreciated artists, and giving them some exposure as well as some assistance to reach their dreams.… Read More
In the mid 90s, I became enamored with a compilation CD that I had stumbled upon called Groovin High, Vol. 1., which introduced me to the serene and spacey yet rhythmic sounds of trip-hop. Delving into this newfound genre which captivated me with its laid-back, funky jams, I discovered a new world of downtempo music, which included a more synth-driven version of dub, the instrumental, psychedelic subgenre of reggae music which I already had an affinity for. … Read More
