After a long winter without an
abundance of reggae in California it is always a great pleasure
to head out for one of the first festivals of the year. This
year was, unlike the last 2 years, full of promises of some of
Jamaica’s top-ranked reggae artists. The line-up for the first
day alone made me eager to take out time to head down to
Southern California to join with thousands of other hungry
reggae fans to enjoy 2 days of non-stop home grown Jamaican
reggae at this year’s 27th Annual Ragga Muffin
Festival held in Long Beach, California on February 16-17,
2008.
This year’s lineup included
Beenie Man, Capelton, Anthony B, Sly &
Robby, CherineAnderson, Gregory Isaacs,
Tarrus Riley, Midnite and Queen Ifrica.
The performance by Alpha Blondy had to be cancelled due
to him being diagnosed with severe pneumonia. We wish a speedy
recovery for Alpha and hope to see him back in California soon.
Other artists performing this year included Ed Robinson,
Cultura Profetica, Gentleman, Collie Buddz,
Soul Majestic, Roots Underground, The
Aggrolites and Idren.
One of the
opening performances on Saturday, Feb 16 was a rock-edged
performance by California’s own Soul Majestic who use
their modern take on reggae music to promote both humanitarian
and ecological issues. Soul Majestic will soon celebrate their
3rd album release, Forward to be released
early 2008. The show continued with New Orleans’ born Collie
Buddz who has gained his own stable of fans with his
ganja-man radio hit, “Come Around” and a beautiful showing from
Puerto Rico’s Cultura Profética. The evening lineup got
started with a sensual performance by the young Cherine
Anderson who gained fame for her acting abilities in the
films Dancehall Queen (1997) and One Love (2003).
It’s hard to believe she’s the same little girl who appeared in
Dancehall Queen when you see her now as a charming and
beautiful young lady. Cherine performed her chart-topping hit
with Chuck Fender, “Coming Over” and surprised us all
when she shocked out on the song, “Good Love”. Cherine is
currently enjoying nice airplay for her video version of the
song “Kingston State Of Mind” which topped MTV’s Caribbean video
countdown and remained on the top ten for four months, a real
feat for such a young Jamaican singer in the U.S. Cherine truly
epitomizes the phrase, “triple threat” with being not only an
accomplished actor, singer but also graduated “with honors” from
Middlebury College with a B.A. in Film and Music and a minor in Japanese language and literature. Like one of her
predecessors Tanya Stevens, Cherine is another rare
addition to the ranks of talented female artists coming out of
Jamaica today. It was a privilege to get a chance to see her
perform at this year’s Ragga Muffin Festival. Anthony B
performed on both Saturday and Sunday and proved to be in fine
form evident on his rootical performance of “Fire ‘Pon Rome”
along with his more hip-hop edge song, “Lighter” recorded with
the great Wyclef Jean and hip hop heavy weight Bone
Crusher.
The Long
Beach Arena was abuzz with excitement on Saturday as the
anticipation of a now rare California performance by the true
fire man, Capelton and the antics of Beenie Man
loomed near. In 2005 when I covered this festival the press
[including myself] was infuriated when the promoters took a
heavy-handed approach by bringing a presenter to the press
conference to voice concerns over the use of what he call
“homophobic” behavior by Jamaican dancehall artists ‘they’ feel
incite people to violence against homosexuals. The presenter
and promoter may have been surprised to find that many of the
press in attendance that day did not take this as well as they
thought they would and some strongly voiced their opinions of
the promoters lack of overstanding [or perhaps in spite of it]
and vilification of artists like Capelton, Beenie Man and
Buju Banton [who has been dogged again and again for his way
back hit “Boom Bye Bye”]. So, if the shoe don’t fit, why the
outrage. If full attention is paid to the complexity of what is
going on in Jamaica today, there should be no surprise why these
artists feel it is necessary to artistically express their
concern. The lack of quality dancehall artists performing at
Ragga Muffin Festival for the next two years kept many of us
away. However, this year, our favorite artists were back,
perhaps because the promoters had a change of heart or, more
likely, now understand that keeping artists we love off the
lineup will certainly keep many fans away. It was clear that
the dancehall program has made a flip back to the well
established past and cheers greeted Beenie Man who closed
the show on Saturday.
Though a
little less confrontational and not wielding their usual raging
verbiage against non-hetro behaviors, it was clear that the fire
has not been doused but just moved to an even more intelligent
approach of communications that feeds those of us who overstand
while not offending the others. Choice in this battlefield has
been given a voice and no matter who tries to stop it, the
message will be set free as the performance by Capelton on
Saturday, February 16th proved his reign of fire
continues. Running full steam on stage after a short medley of
instrumental selections by the Prophecy Band, the
original fire man Capelton performed some of his best
loved songs whose complete lyrics may have been abridged but
overstood by the many fans in attendance that finished the
banned portions of each song with enthusiasm when the fireman
asks, “Who do you think you are, you’re living in a small world”
and blazed into “That Day Will Come” and “Jah Jah City”. Want
to check it for yourself, just link the live videos on You Tube
at
Sunday, Feb 17th got
off to a smooth start with performances by The Aggrolites,
Ed Robinson and Germany’s Gentleman. The women
dem were well represented this year and another gem came in the
performance from the real Fyah MumaQueen Ifrica
who performed songs from her new CD release Fyah Muma
produced by Tony Rebel’s Flames Productions
.including “Below The Waist” and “Born Free” alongside the
living legends Sly & Robby. Queen Ifrica was fierce when
she burned out Babylon’s filthy ways with her gritty and
powerful performance of “Genocide” which was propelled to even
higher heights with the power of the rhythm twins
Robbie Shakespeare on drums and Sly Dunbar on bass, a
wicked performance you can see for yourself at You Tube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhVvsCu3B5Y.
Sly & Robby
performed a set of their own and moving to the balcony [mostly
due to the new rule in the photo pit of only allowing the
photographers the first 3 songs without a flash which was made
even more unreasonable due the lack of sufficient stage
lighting], I realized that to truly appreciate their genius you
have to be away from the close drone of the house speakers. It
was a seriously wicked session! I realized for the first time
at this festival that being in the balcony gives you an entirely
different perspective to report. By abandoning my still camera
in frustration of the rules, I was given an alternate look of
the stage performers and revelry of the audience on the floor.
So for the rest of the festival, I took my journalistic approach
to the heights, a decision that I’m happy I made.
The set by the cool rulerGregory Isaacs brought me temporarily back to the front
stage to enjoy a few of his songs before being rushed out of the
photo pit. I must say that Isaacs was in rare form and seemed
pleased with the squeal of excitement from the ladies as he
swayed, strutted and grinned as he performed his now famous
songs “My Number One”, “Oh What A Feeling” and the ever popular
“Rumors”.
Those looking for something
completely different found it on Sunday, February 17, 2008 in
the performance at Ragga Muffin Festival by St. Croix’s
Midnite who took the stage like an old school jazz session
band performing their ever-evolving selections including a truly
wicked free-style extended version of “Love The Life You Live”
that lasted for over twenty-five minutes. Midnite’s lead
singer Vaughn Benjamin and brother Ron Benjamin
[vocals/keyboard] have emerged as one of the strongest purveyors
of what has come to be known as the new V.I.sound and
have propelled their stature even further by their mystical sets
that are never the same. Want a taste? Check out a few of my
recorded sets at You Tube,
When the lightning strikes,
its Tarrus Riley who stands alone as the best new
artist (and songwriter) coming out of Jamaica today. The son of
veteran Jamaican roots
singerJimmy Riley,
this youth is not holding back at all and performed for the
first time in California at this year’s Ragga Muffin Festival.
Tarrus is riding high with the 2006 CD release of Parables
(VP Records) produced by Dean Fraser who also
produced Tarrus’ first CD release in 2004, Challenges
(Yaman Records)
which features his song “Larger Than Life”. Parables
also boast a rhythm section by Sly
Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare. Tarrus Riley has
definitely proved that he’s no ‘one hit wonder’ and was recently
honored at the 2008 Reggae Academy for ‘Best Reggae Song’
and ‘Best Solo Male Reggae Vocals’ for “She’s Royal”. He is
also a multi-nominee for the upcoming 2008 IRAWMA Awards
to be held at New York’s Apollo Theater on May 4, 2008.
Tarrus gave a splendid performance with the wicked and wildLive Wyah Band at Ragga Muffins Festival as he sang the
soul-stirring “Lion Paw” and nyahbingi chant of “One Two Order”
alongside the great saxophonist Dean Fraser who continued
his skillful accompaniment on his songs “System
Set” (Willie Lynch Syndrome), “Beware”, “She’s Royal”
and the beautifully orchestrated John Legend song “Stay
With You”, a special request tune Tarrus dedicated to all the
lovers in the house. Tarrus Riley’s performance was beautifully
gift-wrapped by back up vocals by Sherida Sharpe,
Althea Hamilton and Nikki Tucker. It was a true blessing to
witness Tarrus Riley’s very first California performance. Enjoy
a few of his live sets from the show at You Tube.
Recognized as one of the largest
Reggae Festival in the U.S., we salute the organizers of the
27th Annual Ragga Muffins Festival. This year they can be proud
for stepping up and bringing some of the most talented reggae
artists of all genres from dancehall to roots. The festival
exemplified the true reggae spirit of Bob Marley and the
ever-changing talent found in Jamaica and around the globe.
Give thanks to Barbara Barabino of Ragga Muffins
Productions and Moss Jacobs Presents for a beautiful
start to the 2008 reggae festival season. Give thanks also to
all the singers and players of instruments whose names I may not
have mentioned here.
