Lee Jaffe Speaks On Peter Tosh (BoomShots)
Lee Jaffe was born in the Bronx but always felt right at home in Jamaica. The man who played harmonica on Bob Marley’s “Three O’Clock Roadblock” was also a great photographer who shot the cover of Peter Tosh’s 1976 solo debut, Legalize It. Many of Jaffe’s images are collected in his indispensible photographic memoir One Love: Life With Bob Marley & The Wailers. But as Tosh’s lyrics said “Half the story has never been told.” Earlier this month an exhibition of remarkable photographs and video footage shot by Lee Jaffe opened at at Dem Passwords gallery in Los Angeles. The show captures images of the Bush Doctor during the Spring of 1976, just months before the release of Legalize It and 11 years before his assassination.
Black Uhuru band leader, ex-members — Everything’s not so ‘Duckie’ (Sierra Sun)
Iconic reggae legend Black Uhuru, having performed for more than 40 years, stepped onto the stage of the Crystal Bay Club Crown Room on Sept. 11 to serenade the crowd with roots rock reggae, a genre it helped define.
Bob Marley’s mark on Neasden honoured with a plaque (Harrow Observer)
Everyone knows Bob Marley brought reggae music to the world by fronting the Wailers. But not a lot of people know that he used to live in Neasden. HANNAH BEWLEY discovers what brought the superstar to this pocket of London
Jimmy Cliff Celebrates ‘Rebirth’ at Harmony by the Bay (Activate. Metro Active)
At age 64, reggae legend Jimmy Cliff is experiencing perhaps one of the greatest bursts of artistic productivity and inspiration in all of his five decade long and counting career. Following the release of his new album, Rebirth earlier this year, the Jamaican native—who recorded his first single 50 years ago—is touring the world, including a performance at Coachella earlier this year and stop at Shoreline Amphitheatre on Saturday for the Harmony By The Bay Festival. The Shins, Tegan & Sara, Dirty Heads and Matisyahu are also on the bill.
Never Ending Jupetters refuse to die (The Daily Times)
One of Malawi’s finest reggae bands, The Never Ending Jupetters has announced a comeback on music scene following a 12-year hibernation.
The only surviving member of the five-member Ndirande-based group, famed for ‘Siyani Mabodza’ hit, John Namalima aka Nizye told The Daily Times that he has returned from the UK to the service of The Never Ending Jupetters.
“I was in the UK in search of green pastures. But Ireturned home four months ago to put the house of The Never Ending Jupetters in order. We can’t end like that,” said Nizye.
Bouncy revolution anthems on YT’s latest album (United Reggae)
For many years UK reggae artists have been criticizing the state of society with targets such as Thatcherism, racism and general economic and social policy. Back in the 80’s it was groups and artists such as Linton Kwesi Johnson, Steel Pulse and Aswad. One of the more contemporary social commentators is Ipswich son Mark Hull, better known as YT, a play with words to take a head-on approach dealing with his skin color.