Groundation
American reggae band Groundation has released the title track from its upcoming new studio album, One Rock. The song features fuzzed out electric guitar riffs balanced over laid back reggae rhythms. “One Rock” also includes vocals from the Congos, well known for their work with Lee “Scratch” Perry, and their impressive vocal range. The lyrics on the new album touch on the human condition, human spirit, and the state of the world.
Groundation was formed in 1998 by vocalist/guitarist Harrison Stafford as a roots reggae and jazz fusion group with fellow students at the Jazz Performance program at Sonoma State University. The group’s first 2 albums (Young Tree and Each One Teach One) established their unique roots sound. The band also established a long affiliation with essential reggae artists. For example, Each One Teach One features vocalist Marcia Higgs and drumming master Ras Michael. Stafford’s deep knowledge of the reggae genre led to him developing a course he taught at Sonoma State called “The History of Reggae Music,” where legends like Joseph Hill of Culture and historical icons like Abba Melchezadek (Haile Selassie’s private secretary) would come to share their personal experiences.
Women Soldier
Spain-based Women Soldier has released a “Mixtape” in collaboration with producer and riddim maker Chalart58. The uncut mixtape takes the listener on a journey through reggae, roots, dub and rub a dub. Women Soldier includes Matah, High Paw, Belén Natalí and Awa Fall. Women Soldier will be presenting the mixtape this summer throughout Spain, France, Switzerland, and Belgium.
Mista Savona & Clinton Fearon
Mista Savona presents Havana Meets Kingston is setting up the release of its upcoming album on June 3, 2022 by releasing a new single on March 9 featuring reggae superstar Clinton Fearon.
Accompanied by an all-star band that includes Cuban trumpeter Julito Padrón (Irakere) along with Jamaican legends Sly Dunbar on drums, the late Robbie Shakespeare on bass and the late Winston “Bopee” Bowen on guitar, “The Human Chain” is a powerful and inspiring rocksteady roots anthem about the approaching threats to humanity.
The single is accompanied by a music video filmed on the rooftop of a skyscraper in Fearon’s current home in Seattle interspersed with clips of protest and conflict drawn straight from the headlines.
Jesse Royal
Jamaican artist Jesse Royal, one of reggae’s most famous voices, has revealed a new video for “Dirty Money”, from his second album “Royal”. “Dirty Money” features Ghanian artist Stonebwoy and addresses greed and corruption in a flawed political system. J
“The inspiration for ‘Dirty Money’ came from us questioning the system and how it operates. I remember asking myself ‘Who judges the judge?’ ‘Dirty Money’ which was co-written by my brother Vision Alexander was basically our reminder to the politicians that we are aware and no longer crippled by fear. Their day will come also. ‘Not even Holy water can clean your dirty money,’” Jesse states.
Dennis Bovell
British reggae master Dennis Bovell has unveiled a new cover of “Caught You In A Lie” from his upcoming album “The DuBMASTER: The Essential Anthology” (Trojan Records). “Caught You In A Lie” by Louisa Mark became a lovers rock hit in 1975.
Flox
Franco-British artist Flox has unveiled a new song titled ‘Smoke Grass’ that is included in his upcoming nu-reggae album titled ‘Square’ (Underdog Records), acheduled for release June 10, 2022. As his seventh album the ‘Square’ is wide open: old school rhythms or techno-like approaches, vintage dub or futuristic take offs, thick sound basses and melodies, scraped to the bone.
Of his own productions, Flox explains, “I have to hear something. It can be a bass line, a bird, someone whistling in the street, a phrase on the radio – there are no rules.”
Natiruts
Brazilian reggae stars Natiruts will be touring Europe in summer of 2022. The schedule includes August concerts in Madrid and Rototom Sunsplash festival in Benicassim.
Natiruts will be presenting its new album “Good Vibration – Vol 1” recorded in 2021.
Major Mackerel
Reggae veteran Major Mackerel has released a new single titled “How Long” from the forthcoming ‘Dread Time Riddim’. “How Long” questions how much longer the people will continue to be oppressed by a Babylon system.
Easy Star All-Stars Tour
Easy Star All-Stars, one of the best-selling and most revered reggae bands of the 21st century, will return to touring for the first time since 2019. This spring, the band will be headlining five shows in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic of the United States, as well as appearing at two festivals in New England and one in Mexico. The band will be performing full versions of their best-known album, Dub Side of the Moon (their acclaimed reggae recreation of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon album –along with well-known tracks from their other tribute albums: Radiodread, Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band, and Easy Star’s Thrillah.
Jahriffe
JahRiffe has a new single titled “We’re Groovin'” (JAH-N-I Roots Movement Records), which is like a follow up to his 2019 album “Reflection.” The soul meets reggae song relates to transformation with many sacrifices, internal and external.
Barriffe Mackenzie, better known as JahRiffe, performs deep roots rock reggae music based on Rastafari/African spiritual philosophy and practices.
JahRiffe has a new look as well. He explains: “It was not the first time I cut my hair but I knew this was just another level up to my life commitment to knowing myself which I believe is the treasure and purpose of life”.
Tony Levy
Caldwell’s “What You Won’t Do For Love” is the new song recorded by South Florida-based Barbados singer Tony Levy.
Tony Levy grew up in Barbados, listening to calypso acts like The Merry Men. He was also drawn to live music, particularly to bands like the Blue Rhythm Combo, Coalishun and Harmony. Later, soca became the sound of choice on the island especially at Crop Over, the annual festival that takes place in June to August.
After moving to Florida, Levy found new heroes in Jamaican legends Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff, as well as Pluto Shervington, a singer-songwriter who made a name on the South Florida live scene.
“I love music, I have always loved music. Love Earth Wind And Fire, George Benson and Bobby Caldwell. In Barbados, we were bombarded with Jamaican culture so there was also a lot of reggae,” said Levy.
JonQuan
JonQuan has unveiled “Sunny Monday”, a new ska single from his forthcoming album Easy Star Presents Jonquan & Associates. This song is a collaboration with Eazy D. JonQuan says: “I’ve known Dennis, Eazy D, for almost 20 years. He’s one of the most prolific songwriters I know. From ska to reggae, rocksteady to punk rock, Dennis has the chops and deep musical knowledge to prove it. He was strumming Sunny Monday on a ukulele one day, and I asked if he’d like to record it. Jason Budman drove down from DC to play the drums and two days later it was sent off to Victor Rice for adding bass and mixing. Ska music!”
Black Uhuru
Legendary roots reggae band Black Uhuru is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a new album titled New Day (LAW Records), scheduled for release in May. in the meantime, the band has relased a single titled “Brand New Day” that will asppear in the new album. The song features the band’s iconic founder Duckie Simpson.
“The band is legendary,” says Black Uhuru founder and bandleader Derrick “Duckie” Simpson. “We’ve been around for over 50 years. We started when we were youth and the band has come right through all these years in abundance.. There have been a couple of changes over the years with some guys left to do other things, and a couple of lead singers passed through the band: Don Carlos, Michael Rose, Junior Reid, and then Don Carlos again, and Andrew Bees now for like 25 years. This album is my second up front doing lead vocals.”
Ras Rebel
“Cali Love” is the latest from Ras Rebel. The song is inspired by Tupac Shakur’s “California Love” and is an ode from Ras Rebel to his home on the West Coast of the United States. The song features all live instruments with Ras Rebel on vocals.
Link&Chain
Link&Chain has launched its new single, “Guide Me Jah” (Issachar Muzik). The group came together in 1986 as a trio and still has three of its original members. Link&Chain is a band of brothers that have been harmonizing together and co-writing their songs for decades since their early days in Jamaica.
Hirie
Singer-songwriter and reggae pop star Hirie has released “YOUniverse” (Controlled Substance Sound Labs), a collaboration with Arise Roots.
Hirie says about the song: “YOUniverse’ is an all-encompassing song, marrying the past, present and future into one. Energy is not lost: your ancestry, your purpose and the purpose of those who came before you encircle the Universe indefinitely. Hence, ‘YOUniverse’ is a message to those who know they are here — not by chance, but by master design. So, stay firm, rooted and move forward knowing that you were brought into the ‘YOUniverse’ with intention.“
Siaosi
Hawaiian reggae artist Siaosi pays tribute to his Tongan roots with his newly released version of the Tongan Reggae classic “Eva Mai” (Wash House Music Group). Siaosi says: “Eva Mai is a Tongan Reggae anthem from the 90’s. Ulise, the original composer and singer of “Eva Mai” has been a big influence to many Tongan Reggae artists like myself. So with this remake I pay my respects to Ulise, the one who paved the way for me.”
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.