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A Glossary of Jamaican Terminology 3 4

5 6 by Tracy “Too Dread” Moore RAS WORD The Shack host on KTHX 100.1 FM Reno, NV www.myradiox.com Puzzle 7 The live presentation of reggae music in has its roots 8 9 2 in the sound system, an open-air offering of the latest recordings 10 by a sound system crew, which was always much more than 11 the mere playing of records. Creative use of sound effects and tension-building interruptions and start-overs helped build a 12 frenzied vibe. Nearly all notable Jamaican reggae vocalists refined their abilities and made their name through sound system 14 service, from originators like U-Roy, Dennis Alcapone and Big 13 15 Youth to later legends like , and Anthony B. See if you can come up with the terms referring to the 16 17 participants, techniques, styles, vocal commands and atmosphere of the Jamaican-style sound system and the foundations of today’s 1 authentic live reggae performance.

Too Dread is Reno’s original reggae radio DJ (The Kingston Jam, KUNR-FM, 18 1988-98), who has seen the JA sound system stylee up close over seven journeys to JA, has promoted several live reggae shows in Reno, NV since Photo by Tracy Moore the late ‘80s and has played in a number of reggae bands in the Reno area over the last 20 years. Down 2. Vocalist who combines chatting and crooning a melody line NOTE: When in doubt, use reggae, not babylon, spelling. (one word, leave out the hyphen). Across 3. The instrumental backing of a song, over which many vocalists 1. “Sound _____” or competition between two or more sound can perform original melody lines and lyrics; also a command system crews. called out by a vocalist to instruct a live band to have the bass 6. “_____and _____ up” A command to interrupt a well-received and drum drop out. track, usually resulting in starting it over to increase the excitement. 4. Seamless back and forth mixing of the same instrumental 8. “______” Vocal command to a live band to have the keyboard tracks featuring two or more different vocal lines. and guitar drop out, leaving only bass, drum and maybe some 5. “______,” a vocal command to start a track, referring to the cool echoed effects. actual setting of the needle onto the record (two words, no space). 10. Inferior music or sound system; can often refer to slack or 7. Recorded vocal performance over a popular instrumental non-conscious lyrics. backing with lyrics boasting about the many qualities of the 12. Probably the most classic sound effect endorsement of a hot vocalist’s particular sound system. track to be heard in a sound system or live reggae performance, 8. Vocalist (spelled out, not abbreviated) who “chats” over an more than lasers or echoes, usually provided (sometimes ad instrumental backing, not to be confused with American term for nauseam) by an audience member (one word, no space). “.” 14. Sound system crew member who actually chooses and plays 9. Technique by which all live reggae band members will hit the records. simultaneously on a certain rhythmic pattern, simulating a sound 16. Command that the record be spun back to its beginning system gimmick where the volume is rhythmically lowered and point for a start over - sure to get the crowd going wild on a big raised. track. “_____ and come again!” 11. The b-side of a 7-inch 45 in JA. 17. Bass, drum and echo-heavy musical backing style common 13. “_____ and come again,” commanding a start-over. to the sound systems of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, before things 14. “_____,” Command to the band to bring the volume way went digital. down, usually to ensure that the crowd will overstand the lyrics. 18. A live band hitting together on the first beat and resting 15. Traditional term for “chatting” over an instrumental track, the remaining three beats, another way to enhance lyrical usually used in reference to pioneers like U-Roy. overstanding; also the given name of the classic rhythm (one word, no space). Answers on Page 80

Reggae Festival Guide 2010 65 Festival Runnins 7 • Exodus to Escoheag Reggae 14 • South Bend Reggae/ 27-28 • Jefferson State Music September Festival World Music Festival Festival and Hemp Expo West Greenwich, RI South Bend, IN Selma, OR 3-5 • Foundation Reggae Festival exodustoescoheag.com michianareggae.com stateofjefferson.org O Burgo-Culleredo, A Coruña, Spain foundationreggaefestival.org 13-14 • Ya Maka My Weekend 14-15 • Windsor Reggae 27-28 • Uprising Reggae Festival Rock Island, IL Festival Bratislava, Slovakia, Slovenia 3-5 • Lafayette Reggae & yamakamyweekend.com Windsor, Ontario, Canada uprising.sk Cultural Festival windsorreggaefest.com Lafayette, LA 13-15 • Mid West Reggae Fest 28 • Reggae on the Rocks lafayettereggaeandculturalfestival.com Garrettsville, OH 19-21 • Calgary International Morrison, CO MidWestReggaeFest.com Reggae Festival 11-12 • Hempstalk Festival Calgary, Alberta, Canada 28 • Seen Festival Portland, OR 13-15 • Mystic Mountain ReggaeFest.ca Berkeley, CA hempstalk.org Reggae Bash maxpages.com/seen2000 St. Damien, Quebec, Canada 20-22 • Ottawa Reggae Festival 12-18 • Guatemalan/Mayan myspace.com/mysticmountainreggaebash Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 28-29 • Olympia Hemp Fest Gathering of the Peacemakers ottawareggaefestival.com Olympia, WA Santiago Atitlan, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala 13-15 • Northwest World olyhempfest.com onelovepress.com Reggae Festival 21 • Chicago Reggae Festival Marcola, OR Chicago, IL 29 • Dubwise Carnival Festival 17-19 • Earthdance nwwrf.com chicagoreggaefestival.com London, UK Laytonville, CA myspace.com/dubwiseofficial earthdancelive.org 13-15 • Ostroda Reggae Festival 21-28 • Rototom Sunsplash Ostroda, Warminsko-mazurskie, Poland Benicassim, Castellon, Spain 29 • Irie Reggae Festival 25 • Taste of the Caribbean positive.pl rototomsunsplash.com Long Beach, CA Houston, TX iriefest.net 14 • Norwalk Reggae & Blues 22-3 • Nordic Reggae Week 25-26 • Las Vegas Good Karma Festival Christiania, Copenhagen, Denmark 29-4 • Gathering of the Peacemakers Festival Norwalk, CT grandmystic.com Asheville, NC Las Vegas, NV norwalkreggaebluesfest.com onelovepress.com legendsofrastareggaefestival.com For more information about a festival, simply go to our website at www.ReggaeFestivalGuide.com

RAS WORD Puzzle answers Puzzle on Page 65

DOWN 11. VERSION 8. DUBWISE 2. SINGJAY 13. WHEEL 10. DIBBIDIBBI 3. 14. SOFT 12. AIRHORN 4. JUGGLING 15. TOASTING 14. SELECTOR 5. COMEDOWN 16. REWIND 7. DUBPLATE ACROSS 17. RUBADUB 8. DEEJAY 1. CLASH 18. ONEDROP 9. MIX 6. PULLHAUL

I TO I: a Who dat? Answers Puzzle on pages 50-51 1. Photo L / 2. Photo D / 8. Photo A / Jack Radics 3. Photo H / Wailing Souls 9. Photo G / Etana 4. Photo C / Pat Kelly 10. Photo I / Rootz Underground 5. Photo B / Sister Carol 11. Photo F / Yami Bolo 6. Photo K / Mighty Diamonds 12. Photo J / David Rodigan 7. Photo E / Stranger Cole

80 Reggae Festival Guide 2010