A series exploring photos, words, and songs.
Photos: Arik Solberg
Words: Dave Shiffman
Songs ♫: On Spotify, curated by Arik Solberg
Ahh that feeling to wake up not to the buzz of an alarm or the sounds of a bustling city street but to the song of birds and the rays of the sun creeping over the horizon.
Ahh that feeling when your first conscious breaths of the day take in the crisp, fresh air of the boundless space and sky around you.
Ahh that feeling when your only neighbors are the crepuscular critters that are lurking about in search of food.
Ahh that feeling to live without constraints such as walls and neckties, schedules and habits, obligations and expectations, codes and regulations.
Ahh the feeling to spend your days unburdened by inane chatter and useless opinions, unsolicited information and blue light.
Ahh that feeling to have full control, to never acquiesce, to never appease, to never defer, to never submit.
Ahh that feeling to walk, to run, to climb and to rest, deservedly so.
Ahh that feeling to pass the time with your pack who amuse, obey, protect, and snuggle.
Ahh that feeling to be respected, cherished, hallowed, adored.
Ahh that feeling to gaze for miles upon nothing but Jah creation, to bask in the glow of gold and crimson and shades between, to lounge in the glimmer of moonlight under the smiling stars.
Ahh that feeling to feel enchanted by all that you see and hear and touch and smell.
Ahh that feeling to live the life you love, and love the life you live.
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Over the years, he has interviewed many personalities throughout the reggae world including Ziggy Marley, Burning Spear, Lucky Dube, Bradley Nowell and many artists in the progressive roots scene.
Dave has also written and published a novel, “The Cosmic Burrito,” a tale of two friends who drive across the USA in search of the ultimate burrito. He plays ice hockey weekly for a recreational team he founded and manages, Team Rasta.
Reggae music has filled his life with a richness for which he will forever be grateful, and he gives thanks to musicians far and wide, past and present, whether they perform roots, dub, dancehall, skinhead, rocksteady or ska, whether their tools are analog or digital, as well as the producers, promoters, soundsystems, selectors and the reggae massive at large who comprise the international reggae community.
You can follow Dave on Instagram at @rootsdude and Twitter at @ElCosmicBurrito.