The Legacy of Bob Marley

Greetings and love everybody!
It's been a while since I stopped posting new stuff.A friend of the blog, Beth Kelly, managed to wake me up proposing me an interesting article of hers to share with.Beth's article is about Bob Marley's remarkable cultural influence and commercialization of his profile.
I'm still not sure if I'll post fresh goodies regularly,but I'll try to fix some requested links and we see...



The Legacy of Bob Marley 

Bob Marley's legacy as a musician is unquestionable. He has become a touchstone of the musical world for performers and listeners alike, and has influenced many popular singers and musicians of today. However, there is a much more commercial side to his legacy, one that he would not have look favorably upon. In the years since his death, numerous products featuring his likeness have been released, and his heirs have traded heavily off of his fame and status as a musical icon to make a great deal of money – going against much of what Marley himself actually stood for.
 
Bob Marley was born and raised in Jamaica, where the island’s musical traditions heavily influenced his unique style of reggae songwriting. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, his fame as a musician grew, making him by far the most popular and influential reggae artist of any generation. During this time period, Marley also became an icon of the counterculture movement, in part due to his famous consumption of marijuana as a spiritual practice in line with his Rastafarian faith. It was this faith which also led him to decide not to make a last will and testament, out of concern for the possibility that his estate would become too commercialized and capitalist. Marley was diagnosed with melanoma in 1977, and died of the disease due to widespread metastasis in 1981.

In spite of his best efforts, Marley's estate and legacy became a hugely profitable and commercial brand. While it cannot be denied that Marley made a great deal of money from his music during his own lifetime, it was always his viewpoint that he was simply doing what he loved to do, and that the money was never the point of it. In fact, today, the royalties from the hit song “No Woman No Cry” still go directly to a soup kitchen in Jamaica. He was a strong proponent of the idea that money could not buy happiness, and was known for never changing his music to make it more commercially appealing. In fact, Marley’s last words to his son, Ziggy, who recently performed his own and his father’s music on DTV’s Guitar Center Sessions (see here), were, “Money can’t buy life.” The widespread branding of everything from posters to a personalized brand of Bob Marley marijuana that can be seen in the market today is far out of line with Marley's vision and beliefs, and would never have occurred during his lifetime.

In a broader context, Marley, in this regard, is part of a larger group of 1960s counterculture icons and ideals that have been distorted for profit. Such commercialization can be seen in everything from the immense profits made off of the legacy of the Woodstock festival to the wide array of merchandise, much of which is based on the classic counterculture film Easy Rider, available today.
On a brighter note, Marley's music and ideals have, however, influenced many of the musical icons of today. Despite the fact that commercialization has become the norm in modern music, many musicians and artists themselves hold to Marley's belief in music as a creation based on love of creating. In fact, modern pop music, especially that from more independent artists and labels, commonly uses this as a lyrical theme. Marley’s influence can be found in artists as widespread as The Fugees, Rihanna, Jazmine Sullivan, Naz, and many many more.

Bob Marley is unquestionably one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. His legacy, however commercialized it may have become since his death, still stands strong. In 2015, which is both the 33rd anniversary of his tragic death and would mark his 70th birthday if he were still alive, his influence on music and culture is just as strong as ever.



For those interested of an in-depth biography can check out this nice ebook of Timothy White called "Catch a fire".

Enjoy!

Tommy McCook & The Supersonics ‎– Down On Bond Street [1993]

 'Down on Bond Street' compiles 20 tracks from 1966-1968.Like Roland Alphonso did while leading Clement Dodd's own Soul Vendors outfit (with organist Jackie Mittoo), McCook and the Supersonics cut several instrumental sides, focusing on groove-heavy beats and tasty horn and organ solos. Trojan's Down on Bond Street brings together 20 of these gems, ranging from late ska cuts like "A Yellow Basket (A Tisket a Tasket)" to early reggae sides such as "Second Fiddle." Focusing primarily on rocksteady material, McCook also delves into some updated Jamaican R&B ("Heatwave (Moving)"), several choice covers ("Ode to Billie Joe"), and a few breezy originals ("Real Cool"). Showing off his considerable jazz chops, McCook is ever present with his vaporously tart and sinewy tenor lines (he turns in impressive flute work on a handful of cuts as well). Also part of that select crew of Jamaican jazz musicians, many being fellow Skatalite alums as well, the Supersonics featured alto saxophonist Lester Sterling, trumpeter Johnny "Dizzy" Moore, trombonist Vin "Don Drummond, Jr." Gordon, guitarist Lynn Taitt (whose Jets found work with producer Joe Gibbs), and organist Winston Wright. While Heartbeat's fine Tribute to Tommy and a few albums with the Aggrovators cover ska and reggae ground respectively, this McCook title is one of the few, if not the only wide-ranging collection of the saxophonist's instrumental output during the '60s. Highly recommended. 

                                                                                 Enjoy!

Jackie Mittoo - Macka Fat [1972]

Jackie Mittoo is one of the most important artists in the history of Jamaican music. As founding member of the legendary Skatalites, as in-house arranger/producer at Studio One and as a solo artist in his own right leading groups such as The Soul Brothers, Sound Dimension and Soul Vendors.

 There are a dozen nice sultry hammond driven instrumentals on this LP.Certainly it has the sound of the best rocksteady music, some of its trancier grooves hinting at the dub era.

                                                                                Enjoy!   
                                                                                      

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Soul Rebels [1970]

Soul Rebels is an album by The Wailers, their first album to be released outside of Jamaica. The Wailers approached producer Lee Perry in August 1970 to record an entire album, and the sessions took place at Randy's Studio 17 in Kingston, Jamaica until November. First issued in the UK by Trojan Records in December 1970, the album has since been re-released several times on several different labels.This 2004 re-issue contains three bonus tracks: 'No Sympathy (alt.version), 'Jah Is Mighty' and 'Soul Rebel [version 4]'. Perry's production is sparse and haunting, only featuring guitar, bass, drums, electronic organs, and vocals with no horns or other embellishments. Working with the newly configured Upsetters band, Marley and crew delivered a strange and wonderful set of early reggae that at times plays fast and loose with the already established conventions of the genre.A classic!

                                                                                 Enjoy!

Rico Rodriguez - Roots To The Bone [1995]

Roots to the Bone was issued in 1995 by Island Records as an extended reissue of Rico Rodriguez' most important album, Man from Wareika, with some 12" sides from the late 1970s.

Rico was musically very active during that time playing in Europe as well as in Japan. He just had releases with Jazz Jamaica and continued with his own recordings he had produced in Japan during 1994/1995. At the same time Trojan re-released his 1969 LPs, Blow Your Horn and Brixton Cat, while Island used its Reggae Refreshers series to present Rico on this album, Roots to the Bone.

The liner notes have been written by Steve Barrow as a brief history of Rico's career that lasted for half a century just as long as the development of Jamaican music as one "of the world's great popular musics". He concludes: "as one of its original creators, he has used his trombone to sing the songs of King Alpha as convincingly as any vocalist."

                                                                                Enjoy!

Cedric Im Brooks - Im Flash Forward [1977]

	Superb collection of roots instrumentals augmented and enhanced by  Cedric 'Im' Brooks soulful sax overdubs. The sleeve notes say it all: "It is roots music solid, steady with cool tenor styling, nostalgic dance hall  echoes of a time past yet full of present day appreciations."                                                             Enjoy!

Baba Zula - Duble Oryantal [2005]

Intrepid buccaneers and experimentalists Baba Zula continue to explore uncharted waters with this, their third "Duble Oryantal (Belly Double)" album on Doublemoon. Mixed and mastered in the heart of mega-city Istanbul by legendary British dub producer Mad Professor, who also worked on their last outing "Psychebelly Dance Music", "Duble Oryantal" is the culmination of years of fearless musical adventuring, and as usual there's a talented and eclectic supporting cast on board for a share of the bounty.
Guest musicians include reggae legends Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, Alexander Hacke - bassist with seminal German noise artists Einsturzende Neubauten and Crime and the City Solution, Canadian vocalist and regular collaborator Brenna MacCrimmon and three acclaimed artists who span the spectrum from traditional Turkish music (celebrated clarinettist Hüsnü Þenlendirici from Laço Tayfa) to Turkish rock and pop (Özkan Uður from MFÖ), and writer-painter-musician Mehmet Güreli.
The very natural cross-breeding of reggae and oriental music takes well in Baba Zula's electronic treatments of traditional Turkish instruments, and with "Duble Oryantal (Belly Double)" they have further developed the new genre they have named oriental dub.

Enjoy!

Demon Fuzz – Roots And Offshoots [1976]

Their legendary 2nd LP!

Demon Fuzz is the brainchild of Paddy Corea, born during his musical sojourn in Africa (Morocco 1968). The idea was to blend all the musical influences & poly-rhythmic styles he had experienced, from sax to the 'steel pan', vibes, guitar,flute, jazz, reggae, classical, Indian raga, blues, suffi Arabic sounds, ska, calypso, Ethiopian church music, African highlife, kwela music,Joe Harriot-Shake Keane Indo-Jazz Fusions. All these influences synthesized into Demon Fuzz.We wrote some, we borrowed some, but we constructed a new sound, different from all the other black bands in England at the time, so much so Demon Fuzz became the prototype of a new musical genre in England, baptized as Afro-Rock by the legendary Eddie Grant and Paddy Corea. We used different time signatures 6/8, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, and several types of rhythms,different movements in the same piece (like classical works), used steel-band type bass and blues harmonics in some passages, African drumming  even early rap (Biafra , Our World Today).We inspired a new breed of bands after 1969, Spear, Cymande, Protoplazm, Batti-Mamselle, Assagai, Noir, The New-Tonics, even Osibisa, and many more.

by canouanmusic

Enjoy!

Negril – Negril [1975]

For some reggae connoisseurs this is one of the greatest record you never heard.

Eric Gale was home in Negril wailing on his guitar behind some serious lambs bred. This album was recorded in Jamaica before Eric Gale went back to New York to become one of the most in-demand East Coast session guitarists. The music is laid-back instrumental Reggae.

This album is some of the most musically advanced reggae you can find. The tracks are all sizzling with dancing groove energy that is the perfect mix of soul and reggae. Paints a perfect picture of the beaches of Negril in Jamaica. If you like reggae and James Brown and Marvin Gaye and Phish, you should give this album a try.
Have a look at the list of the involved musicians and you get an idea of the quality: 

Eric Gale (Lead Guitar), Peter Tosh (Rhythm Guitar), Richard Tee (Piano), Keith Sterling (Piano), Leslie Butler (Organ & Synthesizer), Cedric "Im" Brooks (Saxophone, Percussion), Val Douglas (Bass Guitar), Aston "Family Man" Barrett (Bass Guitar), Paul Douglas (Drums), Sparrow Martin (Drums), Joe Higgs (Percussion), Isiah "Sticky" Thompson (Percussion). 

Enjoy! 

Cedric Im Brooks* & The Light Of Saba – The Magical Light Of Saba

Cedric Im Brooks is an old boy of the Alpha School in Kingston, Jamaica, alongside alumni like Don Drummond, Johnny Moore and Tommy McCook of The Skatalites, jazzmen Joe Harriott and Harold McNair, and too many other musical giants to mention. He was a member of The Vagabonds, before Jimmy James moved the group to England, and during the sixties toured Caribbean hotels and clubs with various big bands and combos. His own musical horizons — especially the new jazz music — were increasingly distant from these constrained commercial contexts; and he eagerly accepted an invitation to visit a friend in the U.S.

In Philadelphia, Cedric was awe-struck by the music and vibes of the Sun Ra Arkestra. He was on the point of joining the commune when the birth of his second daughter necessitated his return to Jamaica. Amazingly, though rocksteady was in full swing on the island, Cedric took up Ra’s challenge by starting The Mystics, to experiment with free jazz and poetry, African robes and dancers.

During this period, Cedric’s long association with Studio One produced the hit single ‘Money Maker’; and his musical direction of Count Ossie’s Mystic Revelation of Rastafari was commemorated by the classic Grounation triple-LP set, before his frustrations with purely rasta patterns encouraged him to set up The Light of Saba, to go into other aspects of African drumming.

Taking leads from Hugh Masekela and Fela Kuti, the recordings of Cedric Im Brooks and The Light of Saba delineate ‘world music’ way ahead of its time. They offer a blend of African and US, Cuban and other West Indian influences — calypso and funk, rumba and bebop, nyabinghi and disco — magnificently expressed as classic reggae. This compilation is drawn from extremely rare singles and LPs.


'Mystical, uplifting, sensual, difficult. If you like your reggae
deep and dark, with splashes of primitive funk and a real feel for roots, then this is for you' (Record Collector).
'One for those who think they've heard it all' (Mojo).


Playlist :
Lambs Bread Collie
Sabasi
Free Up Black Man
Outcry
Salt Lane Rock
Sabebe
Nobody's Business
Rasta Lead On Version
Sabayindah
Rebirth
Satta Massa Gana
Africa
Sound
Sly Mongoose
Words Of Wisdom
Jah Light It Right
Ethiopia Tikdem
Song For My Father
Collie Version

μια ακομη καλοκαιρινη προσφορα για αυτους που ζεσταινονται και θελουν να ανεβουν λιγακι!Απο τον Τζαμαικανο σαξοφωνιστα Cedric 'Im' Brooks
Enjoy!

Darker Than Blue: Soul from Jamdown, 1973–1977

Για πρωτη αναρτηση δισκου θα εχουμε μια συλλογη soul-regge απο τη Jamdown ιδανικη πιστευω για τις ζεστες που θα ερθουν.

Tracklisting:
1 Boris Gardiner Happening Ghetto Funk (3:09)
2 Chosen Few Collie Stuff (2:52)
3 Carl Bradney Slipping Into Darkness (3:06)
4 Ken Boothe Is It Because I'm Black? (3:28)
5 Freddie McGregor Get Involved (3:34)
6 Al Brown A'in't No Love In The Heart Of The City (3:26)
7 In-Crowd Mango Walk (3:22)
8 Ken Boothe Ain't No Sunshine (2:15)
9 Milton Henry Gypsy Woman (3:01)
10 Junior Murvin Give Me Your Love (2:07)
11 John Holt For The Love Of You (3:40)
12 Alton Ellis It's A Shame (2:48)
13 Jimmy London I'm Your Puppet (3:38)
14 Delroy Wilson Get Ready (12"mix) (5:40)
15 Lloyd Charmers Darker Than Blue (2:59)
16 Tinga Stewart Why Can't We Live Together? (Extended) (7:00)
17 Tamlins Baltimore (4:01)
18 Welton Irie Hotter Reggae Music (3:50)

Enjoy!