MAGAZINE #12 - October 2011 Queen Ifrica INTERVIEW FRANZ JOB SOLO BANTON DAWEH CONGO JOHNNY CLARKE JUNIOR MURVIN DON CORLEON, PRESSURE AND PROTOJE Sugar Minott - Dennis Brown - Peter Tosh - Tony Rebel J-Boog - Ce’Cile - Ruff Scott - I-Wayne - Yabass - Raging Fyah Bunny Lee and The Agrovators - Sly and Robbie - Junior Reid United Reggae Magazine #12 - October 2011 Want to read United Reggae as a paper magazine? Now you can... In addition to the latest United Reggae news, views and videos online each month you can now enjoy a SUMMARY free pdf version packed with most of United Reggae content from the last month. 1/ NEWS EDITORIAL by Erik Magni 2/ INTERVIEWS • Don Corleon, Pressure and Protoje 16 • Solo Banton 18 • Johnny Clarke 23 • Daweh Congo 25 • Queen Ifrica 29 • Franz Job 32 • Junior Murvin 35 3/ REVIEWS • The Upsessions - Below The Belt 41 • J-Boog - Backyard Boogie 42 • CeCile - Jamaicanization 44 Discover new music • Ruff Scott - Roots And Culture 45 • I-Wayne - Life Teachings 46 In the heydays of music magazines in the 90’s and early 2000’s getting a complimentary • Yabass - Back A Yard Dub 47 music CD was a regular pleasure. I for one found several new artists and groups due to • Bunny Lee and The Agrovators - Dub Will Change Your Mind 48 this promotional tool. Since then the music and publishing businesses have radically • Raging Fyah - Judgement Day 49 changed. Consumers have taken their reading and listening habits online and this has • The Bristol Reggae Explosion 2: The 1980s 50 lead to a dramatic decrease in sold physical units. Several labels and media houses are • Denja - Vampire Slayer 51 struggling to stay alive. • Sugar Minott - Hard Time Pressure 52 The main ingredient in the new business models and strategies is going digital – offering 4/ REPORTS your music or articles on a number of platforms as well as meeting consumers on Face- book, Twitter, Youtube and other popular places. And this shift in strategy has paid off • Peter Tosh Lights Up The Reggae University 53 for the labels. According to IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) • Celebration Held for Dennis Brown National Heroes Award 55 digital revenues was last year up six per cent to US$4.6 billion accounting for 29 per cent • Zion Train in Dublin 56 of record companies’ trade revenues in 2010. Services such as Spotify, Deezer and iTunes are helping the shift from physical to digital. United Reggae now follows in the same 5/ PHOTOS footsteps and we are proud to offer a digital music sampler together with this issue. The sampler contains songs from several of the artists that are covered in this twelfth issue • Natty King and Ras Zacharri in Paris 58 and you can choose to stream or download it. • Queen Ifrica, Tony Rebel, Sly and Robbie and Junior Reid in Paris 60 I hope that you can – just like I did in the 90’s – discover new music from new artists. Enjoy! All the articles in this magazine were previously published online on http://unitedreggae.com. COVER PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN BORDEY This magazine is free for download at http://unitedreggae.com/magazine/. Not for resale. United Reggae. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited. ----------------- and in digital stores right now drops on October 4th as digital ----------------- ‘Jimmy Cliff: an Unauthorised Leonard Dillon took a break Ras Kwasi Pre- through Basis Interactive Inc. download. Jimmy Cliff: an Biography’ is set to be released from the music business for ----------------- ----------------- on 30th November 2011 two years. In 1977 he was back sents Bun Bab- Rebel Lover Unauthorised and put out the excellent roots ylon Oppression Ariwa Sounds Biography album ‘Slave Call’ together Boy by Franz Back to Africa with Winston “Niney” Holness. ----------------- Job ----------------- Heavy Reggae heads should Music Festival Jimmy Cliff is a recent inductee Since then Leonard Dillon be well pleased when they get ----------------- ----------------- into the Rock and Roll Hall of has toured on and off and a glance at the roster of artists From humble beginnings in the Fame and one of Jamaica’s most recorded sporadically both to be found on ‘Bun Babylon front room of 19 Bruce Road successful musicians with sev- solo and in a new version Oppression’, the latest project in the south London suburb of eral hit songs on his list of mer- of The Ethiopians with fe- from esteemed producer ‘Da Thornton Heath, Neil Fraser, its. Many people recognize him male backing vocalists Jen- Gold Moor’, Ras Kwasi. This or the Mad Professor as he is for Wonderful World, Beautiful nifer Lara and Merlyn Webber. wicked compilation features better known, has built Ariwa People, Many Rivers to Cross ----------------- large efforts from some of the Sounds into one of reggaes and The Harder They Come, most skillful lights currently most successful and influential the lead-motive to the mo- What’s Going on the Roots Reggae scene, all labels of recent times. tion picture of the same name, On by Freddie singing songs aimed at chant- a picture where Jimmy Cliff McGregor and ing down corruption and uplift- The label is now reaching its also played the leading role. ing the oppressed populations 30th anniversary and to cele- Soul 4 Soul of the world. Trinibagoan singer and London- brate this event will be holding Jimmy Cliff has – just as ----------------- ----------------- resident Franz Job has teamed the Back to Africa Music Festi- Bob Marley, Desmond Dek- Leonard Dillon Reggae veteran Freddie Like who? Lutan Fyah, Natural up with Necessary Mayhem- val in The Gambia from Friday ker and Toots Hibbert – McGregor teams up with soul- Black, the oft-overlooked, but producer Curtis Lynch for his January 20th to Wednesday been hailed as an early su- of The Ethiopi- ful reggae and gospel quar- extremely talented Determine, new five track EP titled ‘Rebel January 25th next year at the perstar of Jamaican music. ans Has Died tet Soul 4 Soul on a cover of Selah I and even veteran Utan Lover Boy’. sea side resort of Batukunku in Marvin Gaye’s classic What’s Green all impress on Bun Baby- His story will now be told in ----------------- the south of the country. Leonard Dillon founded, to- Going On for VP Records’ ‘Reg- lon Oppression with excellent Franz Job is no rookie in the ‘Jimmy Cliff: an Unauthorised gae for Lovers’ compilation. tunes (especially check Deter- music business and has also Biography’ written by mu- gether with Aston Morris and The Mad Professor has worked the late Stephen Taylor, the mine’s sizable opener, Unite recorded for Curtis Lynch previ- on many types of Reggae gen- sic journalist and author Da- Freddie McGregor is head of the Africa). But really taking over ously. vid Katz, previously respon- ska, rocksteady and reggae res during this time so expect vocal group The Ethiopians McGregor musical family that on the album is the incompara- to hear Dub, Dubstep, Lovers sible for ‘People Funny Boy: also comprises well-known ble Yami Bolo whose two origi- In 2009 Franz Job dropped his The Genius of Lee “Scratch” in the mid 60’s. Aston Mor- Rock, Dancehall and Roots ris soon left, and The Ethio- producer and singer Stephen nal selections Blood Diamonds very worthwhile debut album & Culture by a variety of art- Perry’ and ‘Solid Foundation: “Di Genius” McGregor and and Bloody Coltan are amongst ‘Babylon is Dead’, a set that in- an Oral History of Reggae’. pians first hit song Train to ists like Turbulence, Macka B, Skaville was recorded as a duo. his singjaying brother Chino. the finest sets to be found on cluded dub mixes courtesy of Tippa Irie, Earl 16, Aisha, Levi the entire album. Also, be sure Dougie Conscious. ‘Jimmy Cliff: an Unauthorised Roots, The Robotiks, Brinsley Other smash singles for a Soul 4 Soul has won Ja- to check that the album reach- Ford, the Mad Professor him- Biography’ tells the tale of maica’s National Gospel es its end with dubbed out ver- Earlier this year Franz Job how Jimmy Cliff battled pov- number of acclaimed produc- self plus many more including ers soon followed. Engine Festival Competition sev- sions of several of the tracks voiced two riddims produced a selection of local artists. On erty, controversy and preju- eral years in a row and has which, again, are sure to grab by Curtis Lynch. The Mr. Wil- dice to become a world-class 54, The Whip and Everything top of this the festival will also Crash only to name a few. also been featured on Barry the attention of well estab- liamz duet Viva Marijuana on offer workshops, seminars and musician credited with making O’Hare’s Masterpiece riddim. lished fans. the Gorilla riddim and Special an exciting Miss Natural Beau- reggae popular with a global Lover on a relick of the Pass the audience. It is based on exten- In September 1975 a tragic ac- ty contest. cident occurred. Stephen Tay- What’s Going On is avail- Surely you’re interested by Kutchie/Full Up riddim. sive interviews with the artist able on October 5th both now, so don’t hesitate. ‘Ras and his peers as well as press lor was working at a gas sta- For more information visit tion when he was killed by a a single and on the ‘Reg- Kwasi Presents: Bun Babylon Special Lover is also included www.backtoafricafestival.com. archives and other sources. gae for Lovers’ compilation. Oppression’ is available on CD on ‘Rebel Lover Boy’, a set that van while crossing the street. ----------------- sion for arts and cultural me- rently available on Youtube bunch and now this album that who recorded his first song for As usual both tracks come dia, ROCKAZ MVMT and its and the album hits the streets incorporates styles including Sugar Minott.