THE IRRESISTIBLE TUNES OF REGGAE STAR BERES HAMMOND

Beres Hammond on stage

Writing is a passion that involves creativity, but it’s not tougher than choosing the right subject that readers may like. Readers don’t tell writers what they want; therefore, it’s sometimes difficult to know the minds of readers and the articles they might be interested in. 

This is one of the reasons I like to spread my tentacles on every subject. Who knows? There are certain groups or classes of people who may be interested.

Like Africa, full of fresh, sweet coconut trees with tasty juice, Jamaica is full of great artists, some reggae fans may not even know about them. Freddie McGregor, Frankie Paul, Cocoa Tee, Jacob Miller, Barrington Levy, Alton Ellis, etc.

Today, I will introduce one of Jamaica’s great artists who stormed both the Jamaican and the British charts with unprecedented hits. His great tunes will pull you to the dancing floor even if you are not ready to dance, yet only a few know who Beres Hammond is.

Born Hugh Beresford Hammond in 1953, Beres is considered the lover’s rock singer par excellence in Jamaica and around the world. He became the singer of the band Zap Pow in 1975. His youth influences were American soul artists, such as Sam Cooke and Otis Redding.

But it was more Peter Tosh, Ken Boothe, Alton Ellis, and The Heptones, his reggae idols, that pushed him to persevere in this style of music. He had to wait until 1976 to release his first album, Soul Reggae, on the label Aquarius, his first great success, in the wake of the single One Step Ahead, which held the first place on the charts for fourteen weeks!

Despite this, he did not record any more albums for the next few years and only focused on producing singles. He will quit Zap Pow in 1979.

Five years after his first album, Joe Gibbs produced his second, Just A Man. Unfortunately, things undoubtedly did not go well between the artist and the producer. He steps back for one year, after which he released his new album for Willie Lindo.

After creating his own group, Tuesday’s Children, he founded his own record label, Harmony House. It is on the latter that he’ll produce new singles, of which What One Dance Can Do will be his greatest success.

He left Jamaica in 1987 after being attacked at home to relocate to New York for three years. But the decisive encounter in Beres Hammond’s career was undoubtedly with Donovan Germain, the Penthouse record label boss. 

Indeed, Germain produced the single Tempted To Touch, a huge success for Beres, to mark his return to his native island. The title transcended borders and did very well in New York and the UK as well. Beres was revealed as a true crooner! Since then, he has specialized in love songs, to the delight of his admirers.

The greatest Jamaican producers and labels have also been seduced by his voice: Fatis Burell, the Xterminator boss, Richard “Bello” Bell of Star Trail, and Steely & Clevie. He has released several albums for the major reggae labels VPP Records, Heartbeat, and Greensleeves, as well as his own label, Harmony House.

Conclusion

Everyone is inspired to do something great in life, but the sources of inspiration are diverse. I don’t smoke(cigarettes or weed) or drink much. I do write a lot, but listening to reggae music gives me much inspiration, which is the reason I can’t stop writing about these musicians whose music has entertained the world in many ways.

Each one of us has problems; even the rich man has a problem too, because he is worried about where to keep his treasures or dying and leaving them behind. But one important thing in life is not to let the problem suppress your life; fight to defeat it. 

I will leave you with one of Beres Hammond’s great tunes, which I love, called “They Gonna Talk.” I wish everyone a happy weekend.

WHY VISIT JAMAICA IN YOUR LIFE TIME

The lead singer of reggae group Culture, Joseph Hill

Many people call Jamaica a paradise on earth, the diamond in the sea, and heaven in the Caribbean. There is magic in Jamaica, but listening to the great reggae tunes isn’t enough until you visit this great country in the Caribbean, which has attracted millions of tourists worldwide.

The mere mention of Jamaica brings to mind great reggae artists such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Joseph Hill (Culture), Jimmy Cliff, Toots and the Maytals, Desmond Decker, and other artists, but there is more in Jamaica that makes it unique than the sweet coconut-water reggae.

Jamaica is part of the Greater Antilles and is the third-largest island located south of Cuba and west of Haiti. The island boasts of beautiful, exotic nature, vibrant, distinctive, magnificent mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, and miles of first-class beaches.

The natural beauty of Jamaica attracts travellers from all over the world. The most visited places of the island include the Blue Mountains, where one of the most popular and top quality coffees in the world comes from, and Dunn's River Waterfalls.

In the northwest of the island, there is a huge resort area of Montego Bay, where half of the best hotels in Jamaica are located, including Half Moon Resort, where Queen Elizabeth II stayed, and Round Hill Hotel and Villas. 

It is understandable why the island boasts of beautiful, exotic natural beaches, places untouched by humans, good infrastructure, and beautiful locations, such as Font Hill Nature Reserve, Cockpit Country, a limestone platform with many caves and valleys. 

Montego Bay is famous for its magnificent beaches, old mansions, and plantations, as well as many attractions of historic and entertaining attractions. Tourists enjoy their visit by rafting along the rivers Marta Brae, Black River, taking a tour of the Blue Mountains, or play golf on the best fields of the island.

Negril is one of the most environmentally friendly resort areas in the world. It is located in the west of the island, revealing its natural beauty of the seven-mile sandy beach of Kaliko Jack, Bladi Bay, 18 reefs and islands in Bubi Bay, Yas waterfall, Joseph caves, Anansi Park, and picturesque fishing villages.

It's intriguing to know that Jamaicans also call inconsistent or untrue stories 'Ananse stories.'

The resort of Ocho Rios in the north of the island is famous for its chic tropical vegetation, as well as the 180-meter-high Dunn River Falls, fruit and coffee plantations, and the viewing platform of Murphy Hill with a height of 670 meters. 

The famous Blue Lagoon, where the filming of the same name (The Blue Lagoon) took place, can be visited in the north-east of the island, in Port Antonio, and in the south-east of the country. It is worth visiting the Spanish town, the former capital and one of the main attractions of the island. 

Diving in Jamaica gives the chance to see the diverse and mysterious underwater world. The waters of Negril have great visibility with a rich variety of fish, turtles, eels, and dolphins. At a depth of 19 m reveals the so-called Throne Room is revealed, a cave filled with yellow sponges. 

On the territory of Jamaica, there are 10 excellent golf courses, because Jamaicans love this sport very much. In Kingston, the capital, you can also enjoy the sight of historic, beautiful buildings, paintings, and products inspired by Rastafarians.

Amazingly, today, Jamaica is no longer known as the reggae kingdom, but also an athletics country, thanks to good athletes, such as Melene Ottey, Asafa Powell Usain Bolt, etc.

Joel Savage's interview with Joseph Hill

 MY FULL INTERVIEW WITH JOSEPH HILL

Joel: I have to call you, Sir Joseph Hill. Let’s rally round Jehovah’s throne. I have a few questions to ask you today.

Joseph: You are welcome. (Then he smiled)

Joel: It was in the seventies, I heard of Culture. Can you please tell what has inspired you to be in this hard music industry for all these years?

Joseph: It’s Jah (referring to God) that gives me the strength. Always feel that there is something to watch out for. For myself, I love to play for the people. They are also part of my inspiration. These are what have inspired me throughout these years.

Joel: You have been singing all your life about corruption, oppression, war, poverty, discrimination, crime, and so on. Were you a victim of such things in any circumstances?

Joseph: There are people I saw in comparison to various countries. Yes! yes!! Yes!!! I have seen people die, and not a word of justice has been said. Think of a person’s life. It is priceless. The last grief I had. There was this woman in Afghanistan, separated from the land. They treated her so badly that she and her child were eating grass.” G R A S S- grass”.(Joseph moved with sorrow, spelling the word grass)

Joel: Your lyrics and beats in every song of Culture touch and move everyone on the road of trials and tribulations. Where do you get such wonderful rhythms and lyrics from?

Joseph: The big man who rules the earth. He is the governor. (He laughed)

Joel: You were in Sierra Leone when the war was at its peak, with the brutal fighting activities of the rebels. Did your visit create any impact or bring a change to the suffering masses?

Joseph: Yes, my visit brought a change. When the people saw me, they didn’t know what to say. They just cried and cried. You know the rebels told the government that “You should be glad that Joseph is here. If he weren’t here this place would be destroyed within 24 hours. Imagine. I just came back from there a few weeks ago.”

Joel: I learned that at the capital, Freetown, at the guest house you lodged, there is a tree nearby, and every morning a bird came to sing, and out of the song of the bird, you composed a song from it.

Joseph: Yes, it's true.

Joel: I ask the same question of any reggae artist I interview. Reggae music is loved by everyone. But why is it that the music is given less attention?

Joseph: Because the truth is God’s friend. But not a lot of people are friends of the truth.

Joel: You have been following the Palestinians and Israeli conflict for a very long time and have even visited the Gaza Strip. Who do you think is the stumbling block to this peace everyone is seeking?

Joseph: Greed, greed, greed. Because there is enough to satisfy every man’s need but never enough to satisfy no man’s greed. So greed is the stumbling block.

Joel: In one of your songs, you played a song against Yasser Arafat, as the stumbling block.

Joseph: He made himself like that. He has to change his ways, and the other man would change his ways. There is something called “Repentance”. When repentance meets their hearts, we shall have a beautiful world.

Joel: You successfully came out last year with the remarkable “world peace” album. What message do you still have in mind for your numerous fans worldwide?

Joseph: You know, people should respect one another. To be used, abused, refused, and our hearts trampled by fea and living in doubt, thinking we are living on top of the world. No, we shouldn’t live that way. We have to seek happiness, love, mutual respect, joy,, and justice of God around us, and peace would find its rightful place.

Joel: Thank you very much for this interview, Sir Joseph Hill.

Joseph: Thanks be to Jah

Read other interviews of Anthony B, Andrew Tosh, U-Roy, Prince Malachi, Alton Ellis, Gregory Isaacs, Junior Murvin, Julian Marley, ASWAD, Femi Kuti, Seun Kuti, Tutu Puoane, and many others in ‘The Passion of Reggae and African Music. 

 Available at: https://www.amazon.com/Joel-Savage/e/B008SCTYI6/

“POVERTY IS CREATED BY MAN NOT BY GOD"- ANTHONY B

Anthony B: One of the versatile Jamaican musicians known for his quest for justice and equal rights

Anthony Keith Blair, popularly known as Anthony B, is one of the Jamaican globetrotting, versatile musicians and members of the Rastafari faith.

Usually on stage in African attire depicting his roots, and a staff in his hand, the energetic reggae musician’s lyric reflects on poverty, injustice, and crime, giving hope and consolation to the downtrodden masses.

Once in Antwerp, Belgium, after entertaining the massive spectators at the venue ‘Petrol,’ I took the opportunity to talk to Anthony B. about his life and music.

“Poverty, talking about suffering, I don’t even have words to explain it, because this is the way we live. It is part of our lives that we never try to eliminate it." 

"We always have to remember our roots, as Burning Spear said. For me, there is too much suffering in the world. People live rich, while others live in poverty, yet no one cares. This was created by a man, not God. This is what ‘Mr. Heartless’ is about,” says Anthony B."

You were born Anthony Keith Blair. Did changing your name to Anthony B. enhance your success as a musician?

Not really, but growing up in music in Jamaica as an artist, you need to find a name for yourself. I’m oriented African with an English name, so I made it Anthony B.

Anthony B speaks about his experience in the Gambia.

I have been to Senegal and Gambia. First and foremost, the reality as a reality, I respect my culture. There was an incident during my visit to the Gambia, as my visa expired the same day I was leaving.

I was at the airport when I was told the Gambia police were looking for me to be deported to Jamaica. It was a silly thing to know that you have been to the continent of your origin, but haven’t had enough days to see the people. All these problems were created by political leaders.

Joel Savage speaks to Anthony B.

If you want a visa for the Gambia, you have to go to England first. They have to remove all these political barriers. I remember a friend from Accra, Ghana, who was deported from Germany to Jamaica because he claimed to be Jamaican.

He doesn’t know anyone in Jamaica. Luckily, he had my number. He had to call me to help him because we are all Africans.

Do you want to know more about other reggae stars, including Anthony B, whose conscious and mythical music has stolen the hearts of music lovers around the globe? Get a copy of ‘The Passion Of Reggae And African Music,’ available at 

https://www.amazon.com/Passion-Reggae-African-Music-ebook/dp/B013L9A1JQ

The Secret Of How We Used Reggae Music As A Survival Tool In Africa

A major figure in world music, Jimmy Cliff has painstakingly crossed many rivers to become an international superstar.

Life is very tough and full of lessons. In Africa, during our school days and darkest periods, to avoid social problems, we fought to stay focused. On Sundays, we listen to whatever the preacher tells us, but away from the pastor's sight, we use reggae music as a tool to direct us on the right track and express our emotions.

In the sixties and seventies in Ghana, we listened to the songs of reggae pioneers, such as John Holt, Desmond Dekker, etc., but the musician whose songs played a significant role in our lives is Jimmy Cliff. 

His music was encouraging and inspiring.  It educated us and made us tough in our environment with the desire to succeed in life. Below are some of the selected tunes of Jimmy Cliff we dwelled on.

Hard Road To Travel

We listened to reggae from dusk till dawn, and the lyrical encouragement helped us let go of suppressed feelings.

“It’s a hard road to travel and a rough, rough way to go, but I can’t turn back, my heart is fixed, my mind’s made up, I’ll never stop, my faith will see me through,” sings Jimmy Cliff. The hope and faith we had from such songs became our tool for survival.

Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh

Every man has a right to live. Love is all that we have to give. Together we struggle by your will to survive, and then together we fight just to stay alive. A struggling man has got to move
Struggling man, no time to lose, I’m a struggling man, and I’ve got to move on.

I am born to win. Been lost and found, turned upside down, yeah, yeah, yeah. Been cast aside and despised, uhm, uhm, uhm, but I’m Daniel in the lion’s den and Jonah in the belly of the whale. I’m not alone, so I cannot fail, no, no, no. And I’m born to win.

Sitting here in Limbo, Waiting for the tide turn, Yeah, now, sitting here in Limbo, So many things I’ve got to learn, Meanwhile, they’re putting up a resistance, but I know that my faith will lead me on.

You can get it if you really want. You can get it if you really want. You can get it if you really want, but you must try, try, and try, try and try. You’ll succeed at last.

While we listen to such encouraging lyrics, we are inspired in such a way that we don’t feel the pain we go through in our daily hustle, often eliminating boredom and depression. 

Even though reggae music is not much promoted commercially by MTV, the power of the music can’t be denied.

Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh were both against apartheid in South Africa. In the picture, Jimmy Cliff wears a T-shirt with the picture of the murdered South African hero, Steve Biko.

Your world is plastic; you can see through to the other side. Your cities are made of wood; Antiques are what you’ve got inside; Houses are paper, but folks don’t hear a word you say
Friendship’s like acid; it burns, burns, burns, as it slides away.

Jimmy Cliff sings 'Synthetic World.'

There’s a day of feasting and a day of famine, a day of sadness and a day of joy. You could see on the day of feasting that life isn’t just a little play-like toy., 

So the day arrived when you least expected it, because you always thought you were well protected. Now you feel like a fish out of water, so now you’re wondering what’s the matter.

“You can change the style of playing reggae, you can change the rhythm of playing reggae, but never change the message,” sings Lucky Dube in Reggae Strong, because it’s music that carries the message of truth and the light. If you don’t like the truth, you can never be a friend of reggae.

The renowned Jamaican reggae singer and actor Jimmy Cliff passed away at the age of 81. On Monday, November 24, 2025, his wife Latifa Chambers announced his death, citing pneumonia and a seizure as the causes. On Monday, November 24, 2025, Jimmy Cliff passed away from pneumonia that followed a seizure.

“DADDY WHERE EVER YOU ARE REMEMBER ME”- LUCKY DUBE

Lucky Dube of South Africa: One of the world’s greatest reggae legends

Many great people die and nobody remembers them anymore. All that they achieved perish with them forever, but not Lucky Dube.  Like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, etc, the fame of Lucky Dube, the mesmerizing South African reggae star has overflowed its banks, ranking him one of the greatest musicians the world has ever known.

It’s often said good or great people die very young. This is a statement I have never pondered over it until the unexpected death of this perfect gentleman whose songs seek peace, love, unity, and speak against social problems and injustice. 

Like many others, I haven’t overcome the death of Lucky Dube, because I interviewed him, and above all his music is among my favorite reggae collections.

Every song that Lucky Dube made was a hit because his lyrical is brilliant and delightful. His invention and combination of mbaqanga (traditional Zulu) music created such a beautiful melody satisfying music lovers across the globe. 

His song “Daddy where ever you remember me,” is one of my favorites because it reminds me of the day at the age of 19, standing by my father’s hospital bed and he passed away.

THE LOVE PETER TOSH HAD FOR AFRICA

The great Peter Tosh

There are thousands of Africans in the Diaspora. Many hate to be called Africans,  some love the continent but have never had the chance to visit there, while others frequently visit Africa. One of them was the legendary Peter Tosh, one of the founding members of the original Wailers trio.

The fearless, tough man, whose vicious wit marked militant tunes, made him an international figure, visited Africa, including Nigeria, on many occasions. I never had the opportunity to see Peter Tosh performing,,g but I had a glimpse of him when he visited Nigeria and followed his activities in the country through ‘The Punch Newspaper.’

Peter Tosh was in Nigeria in 1982. During his visit, he stayed in the house of Sonny Okosun, another great Nigerian musician interested in the well-being of people. It’s like the two had something in common. In Nigeria, Sonny Okosun’s ‘Fire in Soweto, Papa’s Land’ etc, became international hits, for his concern for the suffering South Africans under Apartheid regime.

While in Jamaica, Peter Tosh recorded ‘Apartheid’ on his ‘Equal Rights’ album. “Inna me land digs out me gold, pearl, diamond, we gonna fight against Apartheid.” It’s not surprising that the two musicians were great friends. In 1983 while still in Lagos, Peter Tosh revisited Nigeria. This time, he cemented his love for his dear Africa by composing the song he named ‘Mama Africa.’

Peter Tosh sings 'Mystery Babylon.'

“Two thousand years of history can’t be wiped away so easily, sings Bob Marley in ‘Zion Train.’ Definitely, the achievements of Peter Tosh in the field of music can’t be easily forgotten. On April 20, 2016, Jamaica celebrated the second official International Peter Tosh Day. Like the sons of Bob Marley, Andrew Tosh is carrying on the works of his father.

THE I-THREES: GREAT FEMALE MUSICIANS BEHIND BOB MARLEY

Bob Marley and the I-Threes performing

Music, it's like my passport and water I need daily when travelling. I can’t do without it because it gives me inspiration. It’s great to have musicians and players of instruments around us. Music fills the courts of heaven as heavenly beings praise our Lord and Creator. 

When God created the world, the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy, that’s what the Bible says at (Job 38:7)

You will know the I-THREES if you love music because they were highly talented musicians supporting Bob Marley as back vocals, in the history of Jamaican music. Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt, and Marcia Griffiths knew each other long before they became internationally known.

Marcia Griffiths was already a star before the group I-Threes were formed. Her duet recordings with Bob Andy, which included “Young, Gifted and Black,” had brought her international attention, when she invited Judy Mowatt, who had previously sung with ‘The Gaylettes,’ and Rita Anderson, to support her on a recording with Andy. This invitation brought the three women together.

In Jamaica, that time was ‘The Wailers’ formed in 1963, which was a vocal group consisting of Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, Bunny Livingston, Bob Marley, Peter McIntosh, and Cherry Smith. Livingston later became Bunny Wailer and McIntosh simply Peter Tosh. In 1966, Braithwaite, Kelso and Smith left the group leaving the trio of Livingston, Marley, and McIntosh.

Shortly after the departure of McIntosh and Livingston from the group, Bob Marley asked the three women to sing on his recording, Jah Live. They continued to sing for Bob Marley as back vocals for the next ten years. Later Bob Marley married Rita Andersen, whose original country of birth was Cuba. Surprisingly, both Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh became successful in their solo careers.

The I-threes on stage

In early 1975, the I-Threes joined Marley for a tour as the opening act for ‘The Jackson Five.’ The I-Threes continued to sing with Bob Marley until and after his death. But that wasn’t the end of the careers of the women, the three pursued a successful solo career.

On May 26, 2009, the I-Threes performed with Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespear, the Compass Point All-Stars and celebrated Island Records’ 50th-anniversary in London at Shepherd Bush Empire. The message of The I-Threes is one love, hope, peace, and unity to all mankind.

Sitting Here In Limbo: Got Some Time To Search My Soul- Jimmy Cliff

Jimmy Cliff

Reggae music is inspirational. It is a piece of music that carries Jah’s prophetic message, the truth, and the light. It’s a piece of music that gives comfort and satisfaction to sufferers and the downtrodden victims, and gives hope to the common people denied justice and abused in society.

I love reggae music because it gives me the inspiration to write without ceasing. Just as I love the music, I love the artists and the players of the instruments behind the music. 

Jimmy Cliff is one of my favorite reggae artists. I love almost all his songs, but not more than this great song called ‘Sitting Here In Limbo.’

Sitting here in limbo

But I know it won’t be long.

Sitting here in limbo

Like a bird without a song

Well, they’re putting up resistance.

But I know that my faith will lead me on.

Sitting here in limbo

Waiting for the dice to roll

Yeah, now, sitting here in limbo

Got some time to search my soul

Well, they’re putting up resistance

But I know that my faith will lead me on

I don’t know where life will leave me

But I know where I have been

I can’t say what life will show me

But I know what I have seen

Tried my hand at love and friendship

But all that is past and gone

This little boy is movin’ on

Sitting here in limbo

Waiting for the tide to flow

Sitting here in limbo

Knowing that I have to go

Well, they’re putting up resistance

But I know that my faith will lead me on

I don’t know where life will take me

But I know where I have been

I don’t know what life will show me

But I know what I have seen

Tried my hand at love and friendship

That is past and gone

And now it’s time to move along

Gonna lead me on now

Meanwhile, they’re putting up resistance

But I know that my faith will lead me on

Sitting in limbo, limbo, limbo

Sitting in limbo, limbo, limbo

Sitting in limbo, limbo, limbo

Meanwhile, they’re putting up resistance

But I know that my faith will lead me on

Listen to Jimmy Cliff singing Sitting Here In Limbo.

REGGAE AND MUSIC FANS, KNOW THE LIFE AND PASSION OF YOUR FAVOURITE MUSICIANS

Interview with great musicians behind the reggae music

Musicians are seen performing daily, travelling from country to country, entertaining fans. They have a lot of fans and followers, but only a few people know about them. One particular music in which concert attracts a large audience is Reggae. 

Even though this type of music that carries a prophetic message is not heavily promoted by MTV like other music, such as R&B, pop, soul, etc, Reggae has penetrated deep into the international platform.

The only way to know the mind, life, and passion of a musician is to be close to them. My love for music led me to meet some of the great musicians behind both Reggae and African music. 

In this book, 'The Passion of Reggae and African Music' are interviews with some of the great musicians. They are Lucky Dube, Gregory Isaacs, Anthony B, Capleton, Andrew Tosh, Julian Marley, Tutu Puoane, Femi Kuti, Seun Kuti, etc.

A good product needs no publicity, yet I always try to find a way for readers to enjoy this beautiful photo-illustrated book. This book is not only for Reggae fans but for all music lovers. Below are free pages for readers.

http://www.amazon.com/Passion-Reggae-African-Music-ebook/dp/B013L9A1JQ/

Reggae and High-Life Brewed From African Pot - Ekow Alabi Savage

Ghanaian musician, Ekow Alabi Savage

Music is inspirational, even if the lyrics are in a foreign language; it still draws people to the dance floor. One of Africa’s musicians who has gained international recognition with his sweet blended Reggae and Highlife is German-based Ghanaian musician, Ekow Alabi Savage.

At the time when Africa’s dream of autonomy was slowly becoming reality and the first President of Ghana joined the youth to build a modern nation, Ekow Alabi was born in Ghana in the city of Cape Coast, once the capital of the "Gold Coast.”

He began playing drums at the tender age of five years. After studying all types of African drums and percussion in Accra, he easily started playing the local Highlife, Calypso, Jazz, Soul, Gospel, and  R and B.

At the age of 14, he founded a school band called "ANABO," working with their favorite rhythms like reggae, highlife, and calypso. He soon became "the small boy drummer," playing with famous bands like "SWEET BEANS BAND" in Ghana. Later, he played with internationally known African bands and musicians like Manu Dibango and Fela Kuti.

In the late 70´s he moved to Germany, playing with internationally known artists like George Darko and Pat Thomas. There, he rejoined his old schoolboys (friends) to form the first Afro-Reggae band in Berlin and Germany, "Roots Anabo.” The band created its own rhythmical style called SUNLIFE MUSIC and toured most of the famous music festivals during the European summers.

In 1984, his band performed at the Reggae Sunsplash Festival in Montego Bay, Jamaica, where they met Glen Browne, a Jazz bass player, and Ibo Cooper from “THIRD WORLD” who joined the band to record songs for their album "Civilization” in the Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston.

In the late '80s, when the group was taking a break, Ekow Alabi joined Berlin´s first multicultural and multilingual hip-hop band, "REALITY BROTHERS". There, he met producer Tom "Serious" Lee. Together they recorded Ekow’s first solo album, "Return to Zion,” as well as two videos.

During his musical career, he performed with international musicians like Ziggy Marley, Kojo Antwi, Manu Dibango, Fela Kuti, Cedric Him Brooks, Eeka Mouse Black Heritage, Africa MMA, and Vitamin X, and, in the past five years, with Jimi Tenor.

With Vitamin X, he recorded five albums from 1990 to 2000. Together with the international Finnish Jazz musician Jimi Tenor and the band “Kabu Kabu,” they fused Afrobeat with Jimi´s Jazz vision and performed this fusion at many concerts. 

Alabi also tours in Europe as well as in Africa with Brothers Keepers and Bantu. He is continuously expanding his extraordinary talents in other areas, like teaching and giving percussion workshops.

Ekow is currently working on his new album "Going for Gold” featuring Mariamu Morris, Djatou Toure, Beezy, Aly Keita, Crimeldo, and many more under the production of  Tom Lee Pettersen. 

On tour, Ekow would take the opportunity to present songs from his last album and put up a great performance to entertain his fans in Germany and Europe.

For live performance, concerts, and festivals, contact Ekow’s management at info@ekowmania.com order booking@ekowmania.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWVQOe3NEKI

http://www.ekowmania.com/

https://www.facebook.com/EKOWMANIA?fref=ts

THE PASSION OF REGGAE AND AFRICAN MUSIC

Interview with different musicians

Drumming and dancing have been part of Africa’s culture for ages as ceremonial activities initiated by ancestors to appease the gods. Unwillingly stolen away from Africa to the Caribbean, African music and rhythm found their way to these islands in the form of reggae music.  


Since then, reggae has acted as a magnet, creating a huge impact on the global music scene.

This type of music, which carries a prophetic message and spiritual lyrics, continues to influence musical genres, cultures, and societies throughout the world, contributing to the development of new counterculture movements in Europe, America, and Africa. 

“Reggae in the bathroom, Reggae in the bedroom, Reggae everywhere, Reggae in jail, Reggae in church, everybody likes it,” sings Lucky Dube.

In this book, the writer speaks to some of the masters behind contemporary reggae and African music. The influence and impact of these great musicians are internationally known and are recounted with warm, sincere, and unrivaled craftsmanship that distinguishes them in the music world. Read the live performances and interviews of:

Anthony B, Joseph Hill-Culture, Gregory Isaacs, U-Roy, Capleton, Julian Marley, Prince Malachi, Dean Frazer, Luciano-Jepthar McClymont, Johnny Clarke, Alton Ellis, Lucky Dube, Julian Murvin, Andrew Tosh, ASWAD, Live Wyya, Seun Kuti, Femi Kuti, Faytinga, Manu Dibango, Tutu Poane, HeartWash KingSillah, Leroy Brown, and The Congos.

Reggae Music has penetrated Africa, the continent of its origin.  It’s interesting to know how Jimmy Cliff’s reggae tunes changed the lifestyles of many Africans, including Ghanaians in the ghettos, followed by Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, inspiring many musicians, including Alpha Blondy and Lucky Dube in Africa and Alborosie and Gentleman in Europe.

This beautifully illustrated, colour photo book is one of the most fascinating works ever written about reggae and African music.

                                                      
Preface

Reggae Music is not much promoted by music television stations, including MTV, yet the impact of the influence of reggae and those behind the music, Rastafarians, is enormous worldwide. Everyone knows it’s because of the message the music carries. 

The truth is, a Rastaman wouldn't sing about luxury when he faces hunger and poverty. He would not praise the judge and the president when the people are being denied justice.

Slavery has ruined his culture, degraded him, lost his identity, and taken him by force under sub-human conditions to another place. An unknown island, now called Jamaica. 

Taking his psychological instruments with him, Africa’s music finds its way to the Caribbean as Reggae, and the migration of Jamaicans to England came along with scores of people with musical experience and talents. Reggae music, therefore, gained followers within the Jamaican community.

It is therefore not surprising to see the influence of reggae strongly in Britain and other parts of the world where Jamaicans settled. In Britain exist scores of reggae stars, including Maxi Priest, Sugar Minott, Prince Malachi, Tipper Irie, Maxi Priest, Linton Kwesi Johnson, etc, and other formidable groups like Steel Pulse, Musical Youth, and Aswad.  

There are many reggae artists I have never had the opportunity to meet, but I know how their roles in the music industry change the reggae world.

I will, therefore, give credit to those musicians in the names of Ijah Man Levi, Bunny Wailer, Max Romeo, Dennis Brown, Don Carlos, Macka B, Winston Rodney, alias Burning Spear, Peter Tosh, Jacob Miller, Augustus Pablo, Mutabaruka, Pablo Moses, Lee Scratch Perry, Beres Hammond, Jimmy Cliff,  Eric Donaldson, John Holt, Desmond Decker, Barrington Levi, Norman Washington Jackson, famously known as Tiger, Joseph Cotton, Shinehead and hundreds out there whose names didn’t appear.

“Reggae music will be there forever,” said Lucky Dube. The music has taken a new dimension with both old and new artists such as Shaggy, Mad Cobra, Super Cat, Bushman, Mickey Spice, Taurus Riley, Buju Banton, Sizzla, Shabba Ranks, Everton Blender, and the sons of Bob Marley. Damian, Ziggy, Julian, Stephen, Kymani, Alberto Dascola, alias Alborosie, Timann Otto, alias Gentleman.

Writing about the history of reggae music without mentioning the names of certain groups that added flavor and savor to reggae would be totally incomplete. 

I will, therefore, give credit to these groups: Mighty Diamonds, The Cimarron, Toots and the Maytals, The Abyssinians, Black Uhuru, Third World, The Heptones, The Skatalites, Israel Vibration, Morgan Heritage, The Gladiators, The Pioneers, The Wailing Souls, The Pioneers, Ethiopians, Jolly Brothers, UB 40, and Inner Circle.

Within a short period after meeting the reggae stars I interviewed, painful death has taken away four of the reggae stars I met. Joseph Hill of Culture group, Lucky Dube, Gregory Isaacs, and Alton Ellis are gone. 

Their space, no one can fill, but the roles they played in the history of reggae shall remain indelible. My condolences to their families, relatives, and fans who received the messages with shock.

Table of Contents

1.     African Descendants As Jamaicans

2.     The Prophesy Of The Birth Of A Nazarene

(The Significance of Marcus Garvey and Haile Selassie To The Rastaman)

       (The Agony of Ethiopia After The Death of Haile Selassie

3.     The Influence of Jimmy Cliff’s Music in Africa

(Alpha Blondy and the Solar System- How his music has influenced Africans, After Jimmy Cliff)

4.     FAYTINGA: The Freedom Fighter Turned Musician

5.     Lucky Dube In Concert. July 4, 2004, Linkeroever-Antwerp

6.     Lucky Dube speaks to Joel Savage

7.     The Fatal Shooting That Killed Lucky Dube

8.     Culture Live At Pole-Pole Festival. Gent-Belgium

9.     Face To Face With The Great Joseph Hill Of Culture

10.           The Sudden Death Of Joseph Hill

11.           Julian Marley At Hove-Live Festival

12.           Johnny Clarke At Hove-Live Festival

13.           “I have never been out of Music, I am Always In Music”- Johnny Clarke

14.           “In My Song, Jah Is My Light And My Salvation”- Prince Malachi

15.           The Influence Of Aswad on the British Reggae Scene

16.           “I Am Back To Entertain My Fans”- Alton Ellis

17.           Alton Ellis Passes Away

18.           Seun Kuti At Sfinks Festival. Boechout-Belgium, July 31, 2005

19.           Tutu Poane Performs At Mano Mundo Festival

20.           Manu Dibango At Pole-Pole Festival. Gent-Belgium, July 21, 2005

21.           Andrew Tosh Brings Father On Stage

22.           “Definitely, My Father Was My Biggest Influence In Music”- Andrew Tosh

23.           Luciano Storms ‘Open Air Theatre’ in Antwerp

24.           Luciano Speaks About His Passion And Inspiration In Music

25.           At ‘Open Air Theatre’ with Dean Frazer

26.           Femi Kuti Sings Against Obasanjo and Other Corrupt Politicians

27.           “Poverty is created By Man, not God”- Anthony B

28.           Junior Murvin Entertains Fans At Venue ‘Petrol’

29.           Meeting Leroy Brown, One Of The Pioneers Of Reggae

30.           The Congos, Keeping Reggae Alive

31.           Meeting Rasta Ambassador U-Roy

32.           Gregory Isaacs Steals The Heart Of Ladies At ‘Petrol’

33.           Gregory Passes Away

34.           Roots Rock Reggae Group Called ‘Live Wyya’

35.           Capleton Explains The Message Of His Music

36.           The Diversity Of Africa’s Music And Culture In Europe And America

37.           King Sillah, An Upcoming Reggae Star In Antwerp

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