Reggae artist Mystic Bowie will release
his debut album titled MYSTIC BOWIE'S TALKING DREADS, featuring classic Talking
Heads songs, and more, reggae-style, on June 15. The debut single, "Once In A
Lifetime," will be released on May 4.
As a
former member of the Tom Tom Club, a band that included former Talking Heads
founders Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, Mystic Bowie infuses fresh life into
Talking Heads' classic catalog with his high octane mix of roots reggae, ska
and lover's rock.
The
Talking Dreads album features a lineup of legendary reggae figures including
singer Freddie McGregor; ska guitar master Ernest Ranglin (Bob Marley, Jimmy
Cliff and Monty Alexander); Soul Train Award nominated Tarrus Riley
("Start Anew," "Good Girl Gone Bad"); and saxophone great
Dean Fraser. The album also features drummer Kirk Bennett and Lincoln Thomas,
McGregor's longtime guitarist. Cindy Wilson of the B-52s special guests on a
duet with Mystic for "Heaven."
The
album will include 11 Talking Heads songs with Mystic's own unique,
Jamaica-fied spin; plus two additional tracks, including: "Love Goes to
Building On Fire," "Slippery People" (Feat. Tarrus Riley):
"Burning Down The House," "House In Motion," "This
Must Be The Place," "Once In A Lifetime," "Pulled Up,"
"Life During Wartime" (Feat. Freddie McGregor); "Crossed Eyed
And Painless;" Grateful Dead's "Shakedown Street," "Psycho
Killer," "Piece of My Heart," "Heaven" (Feat. Cindy
Wilson).
Says
Salon of a recent Talking Dreads live performance: "Talking Dreads covers
Talking Heads songs as shimmering one-drop reggae jewels…swapping out urbanity
for roots and sincerity."
Since
introducing his musically revolutionary Talking Dreads project at the High
Times Music Festival in Negril in 2015, the Jamaican-born singer has performed
at more than 100 shows across North America – spinning the heads of initially
skeptical Talking Heads fans, and getting everyone grooving along to the
rhythms and jubilant spirit of his native island.
With the
success of these performances, Mystic Bowie, based in the Northeastern U.S.,
headed back to his homeland to the famed Barry O'Hare Studios in Ocho Rios.
Gathering old friends he had played music with since childhood, along with
younger musicians, legendary Jamaican artists and other special guests, Mystic
captured all the magic of his live performances on MYSTIC BOWIE'S TALKING
DREADS.
"Talking
Dreads is much more than a cover band," Mystic says. "I am very much
drawing on my own musical culture and history to make these amazing songs my
own, while at the same time preserving the integrity of the Talking Heads
songs." He continues, "I've
always felt that reggae's dance-inspiring, feel good vibe is universal, as are
many of the band's songs. And don't forget their intelligent, powerful lyrics,
which are fun to sing and shine fresh light on through this new fusion of
styles."
Mystic's
close personal and professional relationship with Chris Frantz and Tina
Weymouth of began when he joined the Tom Tom Club as a singer in 1996. He
appeared on their 2000 album THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE FUNKY and performed with
them for nearly 20 years.
In
conjunction with the release of MYSTIC BOWIE'S TALKING DREADS, the band will
tour the U.S.; following are dates/venues for 2018, with additional
performances to be announced.
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