DJ DADDY Ernie’s popular reggae show Superjam can now be listened to worldwide after the DJ teamed up with a New York radio station. The former Choice FM DJ sealed a deal with reggae label VP Records’ internet station Randy’s Reggae Radio, which began broadcasting the show on Wednesday (Mar 5). Daddy Ernie said: “As I continue to bring the show to our regular audience, I’m even more delighted to be bringing the show to new listeners, who know, appreciate and want to hear the music that we love.” The radio DJ was axed by Choice FM - Britain’s first black radio station, licensed specifically to cater to African Caribbean audiences – after it was renamed Capital XTRA as part of a major rebranding exercise last year. Not letting his loyal listeners down, Daddy Ernie dusted his shoulders off in the New Year and from January he started to present Superjam on British online radio station, Vibes FM. It seems no stone is being left unturned as Superjam will also hit Birmingham airways from Sunday (Mar 9) on Genesis Radio. Superjam made history as the first reggae show in the world to be broadcasted five days a week, outside of Jamaica. Source Voice Online: http://www.voice-online.co.uk/article/superjam-goes-global
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LINE-UP 2014 Iration Steppas ft. Danman Channel One Soundsystem African Head Charge Soundsystem Mungo's Hi-Fi Soundsystem Nucleus Roots (Live) The Drop (Live) Solo Banton Krak In Dub (France) Samson Sounds (Live) MC Gardna Riddim Tuffa Sound Big Toes Hi-Fi Maxi Roots DJ Nem Electrikal Soundsystem Positive Thursdays In Dub (Poland - Live) DJ Scottie Boy Escape Roots Sound The Jamaican singer Wayne Smith took reggae into the digital era with "Under Mi Sleng Teng'', a groundbreaking track that introduced a new, infectious, irresistible "riddim" and pioneered a style of recording built around electronic keyboards. Co-produced by Prince Jammy and first issued on his Jammy's label in 1985, "Sleng Teng'' became the foundation for the dancehall genre and has been covered, or "versioned", as the Jamaicans would say, close to 400 times, by performers such as Sugar Minott, Johnny Osbourne and Tappa Zukie, and seeped into the rock, rap and pop repertoire of acts like the Prodigy, 50 Cent, Robyn and MIA. Born in 1965 in Waterhouse, a tough area of Kingston, Smith possessed a distinctive, high tenor voice that brought him to the attention of the dub producer King Tubby and his protégé Jammy in the late 1970s. The teenage Smith trained as an electrical engineer and gained experience on the sound system circuit, singing over dub plates. He began recording with Jammy in the early '80s, though it took him over a dozen singles before he achieved his breakthrough and created his signature tune. In 1984, Smith and Noel Davey, a local youth who had procured a Casiotone MT-40 keyboard, pushed the "rock'n'roll" preset button on the basic instrument – a rhythm not dissimilar to Eddie Cochran's "Somethin' Else". Smith then started riffing on "Under Mi Sensi", a current hit by Barrington Levy; he warned against the danger of taking cocaine and made the obligatory reference to the more natural herbal "smoke". When Smith took this simple premise, based on a digitally created bass and rhythm track, to the "next door neighba" referenced in the lyrics – Jammy – the producer spotted its unique quality but found the tempo too frantic. He slowed it down, asked musician Tony Asher to add some piano and percussion, and premiered it at a sound system battle with Black Scorpio in February 1985; it went down a storm. The canny Jammy rush-released "Sleng Teng" and licensed it to the London-based reggae specialist Greensleeves for international release; he also began cutting versions by Cocoa Tea, Tenor Saw and John Wayne, while King Tubby jumped on the digital bandwagon with "Tempo'' by Anthony Red Rose. "Sleng Teng'' sounded the death knell for the roots reggae genre that relied on session musicians, and paved the way for the emergence of the dancehall and ragga that only needs a programmer/keyboard-player and a vocalist. Smith scored further hits with "Come Along" and "Ain't No Meaning", again produced by Jammy, but never matched the success of the game-changing "Sleng Teng". In 1989 he moved to New York, where he set up his own Sleng Teng label. He finally made his live European debut in 2011, when he toured with the Little Lion Sound system from Switzerland. Smith was admitted to Kingston Public Hospital with severe stomach pains on 14 February and died of heart failure. PIERRE PERRONE Ian "Wayne" Smith, singer and songwriter: born Kingston, Jamaica 5 December 1965; five children; died Kingston 17 February 2014. Source The Independant: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/wayne-smith-singer-and-songwriter-who-took-reggae-into-the-digital-era-with-his-worldwide-hit-under-mi-sleng-teng-9174800.html When Easy Star Records released Dub Side Of The Moon a decade ago, they never expected the impact that the complete reggae version of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon would have on the world. The album received a groundswell of international press, including praise from Rolling Stone, NPR, Entertainment Weekly, Vibe, and countless other media outlets, while managing to sit on the Billboard Reggae Charts for more than 7 years. On July 22, 2014, the leading independent reggae label will release a special anniversary edition of this classic album with new artwork, an in-depth liner note booklet and two bonus tracks, including a new version of the song “Breathe” featuring additional vocals by Eric Rachmany of Rebelution, Metric Man, and Ruff Scott of the Easy Star All-Stars. The huge success of Dub Side of the Moon (2003) spawned a popular series of reggae tribute albums by the band including Radiodread (2006), Easy Star’s Lonely Hearts Dub Band (2009), and Easy Star’s Thrillah (2012). The Easy Star All-Stars have also released an original EP (Until That Day, 2008), an original album (First Light, 2011), and a remix of Dub Side called Dubber Side Of The Moon (2010). They have toured worldwide over the past decade, playing in over 30 countries on 6 continents. This spring the band hits the road for the Dub Side Of The Moon Anniversary Tour performing the album live in its entirety alongside classic material from the band’s career including original songs and tracks from the other tribute albums. Select shows will also include new animated visuals that were debuted at live shows in November 2013. The tour features a number of great pairings as well, including five co-headlining shows with John Brown’s Body (including the third teaming up for 4/20 weekend at Brooklyn Bowl), two shows with Ted Sirota’s Heavyweight Dub, and four shows with Rochester’s celebrated Thunder Body. Longtime collaborator Cas Haley (who sang on both Thrillah and First Light) brings his band Big Hope along to open all of the dates on the Southeastern section of the run. The band also makes its first appearance during JazzFest in New Orleans with a show at Howlin’ Wolf along with Ivan Neville’s Dumpstafunk. Source Grateful Web:http://www.gratefulweb.com/articles/easy-star-all-stars-announce-dub-side-moon-anniversary-tour Reggae'sPositive Vibes >>>> Fortunate Youth's All-Ages Reggae Shows Breathe Life Into the Band3/6/2014 Fortunate Youth, a six-piece reggae outfit from the South Bay, know just how lucky they are. While "fortunate" may be an obvious descriptor for guys who get to travel the country playing reggae, the "youth" part has gained more significance as five years of recording and touring has expanded the group's positive vibe to a national, all-ages audience. "We've heard from parents throughout the whole country that their 7- and 8-year-olds love our music," says drummer Jordan Walpole. One particular member of the band's prepubescent fan base gets extra love and support from the group at each show she attends. "A good friend of ours has a daughter who was battling cancer at a very young age," Walpole explains. "She fought it and has been very successful. . . . She's happy and young and talented and amazing, and she comes to every show she can. We always give her a bunch of love; we're so happy every time she's there. . . . It's great to be a part of something that can help people in need." The band also give back to less-than-fortunate youths by supporting a nonprofit that brings music-education classes to underfunded inner-city schools. "For the past couple of years, we've been part of a compilation called Music Unites, which was released digitally and hit huge on the Billboard charts," Walpole says. "We're lucky that, as we get more popular, we can help others and remain appreciative of everything." Formed from the ashes of two previous bands, the members of Fortunate Youth have been working nearly nonstop since they joined forces five years ago. "Our first show was for our manager's birthday party on short notice, and we felt so fortunate to get together and have that happen," Walpole says. The group turned that feeling into not only a band name, but also a mission statement. "No matter what music we grew up on, all of us feel the passion and emotion of reggae music, as well as the positive message," Walpole says. Fortunate Youth have spent nearly as much time on the road as off in the years since they formed. They are currently on a 49-venue headlining tour that began Thursday, March 6, slips into Fullerton's Slidebar Rock-N-Roll Kitchen on Monday and ends at the Observatory in Santa Ana on May 10. Dubbed "It's All a Jam," this is the band's fourth headlining expedition, which doesn't include tours in support of acts such as the Expendables and Tribal Seeds or shows with Pepper, the Wailers, and Toots & the Maytals. They're also collaborating with a band called Los Rakas, a hip-hop group from the Bay Area. Traveling the country to preach the good word of reggae is a positive experience, according to Walpole, even in unexpected places. "It's nice when you're in a state like Alabama, or somewhere you've only heard about, and you meet the greatest, nicest people ever," he says. "You're just stoked." Fortunate Youth perform with True Press on the outdoor stage at Slidebar Rock-N-Roll Kitchen, 122 E. Commonwealth, Fullerton, (714) 871-2233;www.slidebarfullerton.com. Mon., 5 p.m. Free. All ages. source OCweekly blogs: http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/2014/03/fortunate_youth_reggae_slidebar_interview.php?page=2 |