BARRINGTON LEVY - ACOUSTICALEVY
AcousticaLevy,
represents the first studio album by the enigmatic singer since 1998's Living
Dangerously. Levy burst upon the scene in the late 1970s, a diminutive youth
with a signature golden voice who, along with producer Henry "Junjo"
Lawes and the Roots Radics band, ushered in the early dancehall era of reggae,
changing the sound and vibe of the music forever. Throughout the early 1980s,
Levy was one of the most popular and prolific artists in the game before moving
to the UK and teaming up with producer Jah Screw. With Screw, Barrington Levy
would record many of the timeless hits that made him one of the most celebrated
vocalists to ever emerge from the Jamaican music scene. Songs like
"Murdera," "Under Me Sensi," "Prison Oval Rock,"
"Black Roses," and "Here I Come" are modern classics that
are still highly regarded by fans today, allowing Levy to pack houses
throughout the US and Europe. AcousticaLevy is produced by Barrington Levy and
musician/producer Handel Tucker, and features "Bull" singing his most
beloved hits acoustically. Tucker is a hitmaker's hitmaker whose credits
include the platinim-selling Bonafide by Maxi Priest, The Score album by the
Fugees, and Etana's brilliant 2014 album, I Rise. Tucker has worked with Levy
previously, having played keys on Levy's 1993 debut album for MCA titled
Barrington. The album, which will be released April 15, 2015 on Doctor Dread's
DDP record label, includes tunes like "Murdera," "Under Me
Sensi," "Prison Oval Rock," "Be Strong", "Teach
The Youth," "Here I Come". Also included on the album are three
new tracks: "Life is Great" (featuring Patrice), "Things
Friends" and "Times Hard." ~ Amazon
BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS - BURNIN' UP BEANTOWN: THE BOSTON BROADCAST - 1973
1973 was the
pivotal year in the life of Bob Marley & The Wailers. Though a popular
reggae act in their native Jamaica, as well as amongst the Caribbean diaspora
in the UK, during the 60s and early 70s West Indian musical forms remained a
marginal interest in the major music markets of the US and Europe. While in
London in 1972, Marley came to the attention of Chris Blackwell, the young and
enterprising founder of Island records who had started to harbour ambitions of
bringing ska and reggae music to a mainstream audience. A shrewd marketer well
attuned to the shifting notes of musical trend, Blackwell felt that the way to
break reggae would be to hook onto the spirit of rebellion inherent to rock n
roll. Key to Blackwell s project was the search for a charismatic personality,
someone who could style themselves as an iconoclast and cross into the rock
world as an insurgent, irresistible force; in Bob Marley, Blackwell recognised
such a figure. Released in April 1973, the band s debut for Island, Catch a
Fire , broke into the charts in both the US and UK and turned the ears of
influential music critics everywhere. The subsequent North American tour saw
The Wailers opening for the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Sly & The Family
Stone, crucial milestones on the road to the international ascension of reggae
music. Behind the scenes, however, all was not well. Peter Tosh and Bunny
Wailer were suspicious of Blackwell and felt that they were being presented as
sidemen to Marley s star performer. By the end of the year, after disagreements
around touring, both had quit the band to embark on solo careers. This
performance captures the Waliers at their defining moment- the opening night of
their North American Catch a Fire tour. Recorded at Paul s Mall in Boston on
the 11th of July 1973 and broadcast live by local radio station WBCN, the gig
is a fascinating document of an incredible band at the very moment that they broke
through; it remains essential listening for Marley fans, reggae enthusiasts and
music lovers in general.
LEVI ROOTS –
RISE ABOVE
THE album
for this summer!! This is no ordinary album release from an ordinary artist.
Levi Roots has a unique story which many already know. Levi has always wanted
to release commercially accessible reggae, and many don’t know that he was
actually a MOBO nominated musician. Music and food have always been his
passion, and now finally the album has come. With the majority of the songs
co-written and co-produced by Levi, as well as three fantastically different
but well-known covers, this is an album of strength and depth, ranging from
roots inspired reggae with beautifully crafted melodies, to a brilliant cover
of the inimitably catchy “Don’t Worry Be Happy”. There is certainly something
for everyone on this album and first single “Jam In The Streets” is an
infectious summer song that you can’t help singing along to. ~ Amazon
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