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Peace begins with this often difficult and painful understanding. It begins in the
heart. It is that simple and it is that profound. For there to be peace in the world, we
must first cultivate it in our hearts then extend it into our homes, communities, and
through this, the world – our global community and family." ¾ Julia Butterfly Hill
In spite of ongoing tribulations on our planet, the echo of laughter,
the renewal of old and the beginning of new friendships revealed a model utopian family.
United by Reggae music and strengthened through the belief that the key to survival and
happiness on our planet is to cultivate peace by nourishing our hearts and minds with love
and cultural acceptance of all people. The simple but profound words "Peace On Our
Planet" found a spiritual habitat in the Redwood hills of California’s
French’s Camp in Humboldt County as the 19th Annual Reggae On The River
took wings and soared on August 2, 3 and 4, 2002 in Piercy, California.
Opening ceremony for this year’s show was delivered by Jim
Brown of the Pomo Nation Tribe and followed by performances by King Chango,
Medicine Drum and the North Coast Underground. Kanda Bongo Man
brought the excitement of Congolese Soukous as he sang in his Lingala language spoken in
Zaire and his native Congo. Bringing an exhilarating
close to the Friday, August 2 show was the socially conscious lyrics of Michael Franti
& Spearhead. A truly uncommon celebration of "all the freaky people"
came with Franti’s colorful stage performance of the title track from his latest CD
release Stay Human -- which made a larger than life emphasis of "all the
freaky people" and their differences with a three ring circus displaying human
eccentricities ranging from tight wearing flame throwers to cross-gender dressed acrobats
and clowns on stilts. Making a surprise appearance on the Reggae On The River stage on
Friday was the exciting South African group, Bongo Maffin performing songs from
their first U.S. release, Bongolution on the Lightyear Label (2002).
Robbie Shakespeare |
Michael Rose |
| Taxi
Triple Connection |
Ini Kamoze |
On Saturday, August 3, the Reggae massive was properly rocked by
a wicked Taxi Triple Connection with the legendary Sly Dunbar & Robbie
Shakespeare. Sly and Robbie heated up the stage and ushered in the "Reggae
Party" as they backed the "Waterhouse" style of Michael Rose.
The "rhythm twins" also flexed their musical prowess by also backing the lyrical
gangsta, Ini Kamoze who flawlessly performed his hit songs, "Listen Me
Tic" and "Here Comes the Hot Stepper."
| The Rasta youths are on the rise! So proved by an energetic and
brilliant performance by the talented camp from Ghetto Youths International with
Marley youths Steven, Damian "Jr. Gong", Julian and a guest appearance by
brother Ky-Mani Marley. Blazing the turntable between songs was a
street-wise dancehall set with a rare mixing table performance by the militant but
conscious Miami-based sound system master Jah Stream (celebrating the release of
his CD, Give Thanks for Life). Julian Marley opened the Ghetto Youths
extravaganza with songs from his last CD release including the title track, Lion In The
Morning and "Loving Clear." Julian also performed new songs soon to be
released including, "One Way Train" and "Here Together." Appearing on
stage to deafening applause was the youngest of the Marley crew, Damian "Jr.
Gong" Marley. |
Steven Marley, Julian Marley, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley
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| Jr. Gong blazed
through an impressive retrospective of songs including the title track from his 2002
Grammy winning CD, Halfway Tree as well as the songs "Educated Fools",
"More Justice" and the stylish Reggae duo with brother Stephen Marley,
"Catch A Fire" (Slave Driver). Launching an all inclusive Reggae cruise, Jr.
Gong sailed through a generous number of songs all delivered with a pleasingly youthful
Rasta flavor laced with a distinctive Hip-Hop beat including the songs "Me Name Jr.
Gong" and "Mr. Marley" from his CD, Mr. Marley (1966). Displaying
his musical versatility, Jr. Gong got the crowd jumping when he performed the
Calypso-flavored "She Needs My Love." Giving respect to his older brothers, the
young Jr. Gong introduced brother Ky-Mani Marley who move smoothly on stage to sing
his lovingly expressed, "Dear Dad" -- a touching letter-song to his father Robert
Nesta Marley. Ky-Mani continued the dedication to his dad by singing his song
"Crazy Baldheads" while Jr. Gong completed the dedication with "So Much
Trouble In The World "and" Trench Town Rock." The Marley youths made a
wonderful showing at this year’s Reggae On The River! |
Sean Paul
Katt & Revolution Dream Band
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Other
performers who scored big with the crowd at this year’s show was a wicked performance
by the great Detour Posse band who backed dancehall artist Sean Paul, who
rocked the crowd when he performed "strictly dancehall" songs from his current
CD release, Stage One on VP Records.
A
fine performance came from the Trinidad and Tobago Rapso group 3Canal. Band members
Wendell Manwarren, Roger Roberts and Stanton Kewley brought the
lively sounds of Carnival to the Reggae On The River stage as they performed their most
loved Jouvay and Carnival songs from their 2001 CD release, The Heroes of Wha? on Ritual
Records. Also performing on Saturday was Mystic, Katt & the
Revolutionary Dream Band, Sudden Rush and Luna Angel.
Cool
breezes and cool music kept the Reggae On The River stage in full swing beginning early on
Sunday, August 4 with opening performances by Dub FX, Youth Exodus and Non-Prophets.
Forwarding the Rasta vibe was a beautiful performance by Prezident Brown backed by the
Orchestra of Judah band with back up vocalist, Sisters of Encouragement. |
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| Later
on Sunday afternoon, a fine performance came from the Mali couple Amadou Doumbia and
Mariam Bagayoko know as Le Couple Aveugle du Mail or Amadou et Mariam.
Once on stage, after being escorted to their microphones, it is difficult to believe that
Amadou and Mariam are both blind. |
Amadou et Mariam
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| As I
positioned myself to photograph the couple as they performed, they turned and seemed to
look directly at me and then both smiled. It was a mind-expanding experience, not only
because I was aware they are both blind, but because I felt sure that in spite of their
physical blindness they were quite aware of my presence in front of the stage and they
seem to gain momentum from the flow of spiritual energy surrounding them. Amadou et Mariam
brought an insightful blend of African-American Jazz and Blues, Cuban son and Indian
rhythms to the stage. I found Amadou et Mariam’s performance to be, quite frankly,
magical as Mariam's lilting voice wafted over the audience and gently settled in with the
rhythm of Amadou’s guitar, reminiscent of the Blues style of the great B.B. King.
Singing in Dogon and French, I could not tell you what words their songs actually spoke
of, but each song touched me with an unseen and mystical sensation that felt somehow
familiar and comfortable. Amadou Et Mariam were definitely one of the highlights of this
year's show. To hear more of Amadou Et Mariam listen to their current CD release, Tje
Ni Mousso on the Circular Moves Label (2000) and Sou Ni Tile on Tinder
Records. |
Laza of LMS, Denroy Morgan, Peter Morgan
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| Always
constructing a "Reggae Roadblock" the family-based Reggae group Morgan
Heritage performed with their father, the great Denroy Morgan. The Heritage
family jammed on songs "Troddin’ Jah Road", and the call to work anthem,
"Ready To Work" all from their ground-breaking CD release, Don’t Have to
Dread to be Rasta on VP Records (1999). |
Una Morgan, Peter Morgan |
Morgan Heritage also kept the Rasta vibes strong as they performed songs
from their latest release, More Teachings (VP 2002) including the songs, "Down
by the River" and from One Calling (1998) they kept the audience high when
they performed "Trodding to Zion" and "Give We A License." The
pressure point was put under maximum stress when the next generation of Morgan Heritage
hit the stage as Hip-Hop driven Rasta youths, LMS performed the title track from
their 2001 VP Record release Zion Gates and the song, "Free As A Bird." |
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| Giving another fine performance on the Reggae On The
River stage was South Africa’s Lucky Dube who sang songs from his latest CD
release on Shanachie Records, Soul Taker including the songs, "Sleeping
Dogs" and "Money, Money, Money." Lucky Dube also beautifully performed
songs from his previous releases including the song "Feelin’ Irie" from his
1966 album, Serious Reggae Business. Coming
to conduct a "Reggae School to test your Reggae skills and obtain a higher level
of Reggae Education" was the African Teacher, The Professor of
Percussion, Dean of Dub and Chancellor of Culture, the great Burning
Spear backed by the power of the Burning Band. |
Lucky Dube
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Burning Spear opened his
show with his livity song, "Creation" and was in fine form when he performed the
song "Burning Reggae' as he displayed his skillful percussion talents. Believe it or
not, Burning Spear is said to be retiring this year and his performance at this
year’s Reggae On The River could be one of his last. Spiraling through time, Burning
Spear performed a cornucopia of his songs including, "Are You Ready",
"People of the World" and a seamless performance of the glorious "Jah No
Dead" which can be heard on the soundtrack of the 1978 film, Rockers. Burning
Spear also performed his new song "Free Man" (don’t trod on Rasta man,
Rasta man don’t trouble no one) soon to be released on the Burning Spear Label.
Commemorating the spirit of the Messiah of The Message, Burning Spear sang the emotionally
charged "Marcus Garvey" in honor of The Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey
born on August 17, 1887 in Jamaica’s St. Ann’s Bay. It’s interesting to
note that during Burning Spear’s performance you may find yourself mesmerized by the
mystical elements of The Spear’s compelling vocals and the heartbeat of his Nyahbingi
driven percussion. His well-know shout of "TALK TO ME PEOPLE, TALK TO ME" has
become a necessary stimulant that spiritually takes hold of the people and safely returns
them to earth.
A
deafening round of applause ushered Burning Spear back on stage for an encore. The
African teacher’s final set included the powerful song "Days of Slavery"
and the Rasta revivalist chant, "African Postman," which not only stirred up the
crowd but also animated a once meditative Spear into a wicked yard man skank during the
instrumental set by the Burning Band. A cheering crowd was quieted when Burning Spear
humbly offered the following farewell and closing words for this year’s Reggae On The
River:
"You see this music, Reggae
Music? Reggae music is a big, big, big, big sound ‘ting you know, a deep music. I
know dat. I an I and I been playing this music from an earlier time, for a long, long,
long, long time. I know dat. I also know dat the people identify the culture and the roots
of ‘dis music. The people fully identify with the strength of ‘dis music. I know
dat. You see ‘dis music? ‘Dis music couldn’t play and play and play and
play and go places and places. I know dat. ‘Dis is how I see it! It’s one big,
big house of Reggae. One big house of Reggae, regardless. I also know dat I am the one in
‘dis time who been carrying the torch for ‘dis music. So, you want some more
original Reggae music? Reggae music is the people music, is the world music, is Jah music,
is Roots & Culture music…I know so many things about the music. I always want to
be music…As Jah wish. So we thank you for your presence…your support…your
time…your oneness…your togetherness. So, hopefully some other future we can do
this again, together. Rastafari! --Burning Spear
Big up and give thanks to all the singers and
players of instruments, to the staff and volunteers from People’s Production and
the Mateel Community Center, Inc. Also BIG UP to the crucial sounds of Jah Love
Universal Sound System, Midnight Dread and Massive Sound International and this
year’s Reggae On The River MCs, the actor Leon and Rocky Allen Bailey.
Blessed Love |
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