Dub and Reggae» tour

Dub Lounge International, Acorn Project, and the Fabulous Party Boys CD release party

dubman — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 02:58:12 +0000

Acorn Project, Dub Lounge International, and the Fabulous Party Boys are hosting a tour kick-off and CD release party at Seattle’s Nectar Lounge on Friday April 29th, 2011. I’m in NYC so I can’t make it, but check ‘em out if you’re in the area!

The show is celebrating 2 events in the Seattle-area indie music scene – the release of Dub Lounge International’s 3rd album, Behold and the beginning of Acorn Project’s spring tour. The event promises a fun mix of rootsy music and dance tunes to get you moving. DLI, for example, has featured Ezra Tosh (cousin of Peter Tosh), Winston “Flames” Jarrett, and Puddu Dawes (from Revelutionary Dream Band) on their past albums.

When: Friday, April 29.
At Nectar Lounge, 412 North 36th St in Seattle, WA (map)
Doors open at 9pm.
Tickets are $7 in advance, $10 at the door.
Venue phone: (206) 632-2020.

About the acts

Dub Lounge International pays homage to the traditional forms of roots reggae, rocksteady, and live dub music as it was originally played and heard. Their blend of organic roots fulfills fans of many traditional Jamaican music genres. This event will mark their return from a West Coast tour and will be the CD release party for their 3rd album, Behold.

Bellingham, Washington’s Acorn Project are kicking off their spring tour with this show. Acorn Project boasts deep electro-funk grooves and sonic instrumental exploration, interlaced with a provocative indie-rock songwriting ability. A staple on the touring circuit of the Pacific Northwest, the group spent the past 3 years expanding their region and is a recognizable touring machine on the West Coast, British Columbia, through Colorado and the Southwest.

The Fabulous Party Boys are a young quintet of University of Washington music school veterans. They’ve been tearing up venues around the state with their brand of jazzy, experimental funk. They are not one to be missed.

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Collie Buddz Playback Tour

dubman — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 21:44:20 +0000

Collie Buddz is on a US tour this spring with New Kingston and Los Rakas. The tour supports his new Playback EP, which is also available as a >free Playback download.

Collie Buddz will be joined by EPMD, Los Rakas, Goapele, Taj Weekes and Adowa, Tidal Waves, Black Ghandi, and New Kingston at various stops along the tour.

Collie is good about releasing many free reggae music downloads to his fans, so get out to a show and support him!

Collie Buddz 2011 tour dates

Friday, March 18, 2011: Venue222 @ Austin, Texas; Collie Buddz performing at South By Southwest alongside EPMD, Los Rakas and Goapele.; Get Tickets
Saturday, March 19, 2011: Flamingo Cantina @ Austin, TX; Collie Buddz performing at South By Southwest alongside Taj Weekes and Adowa, Tidal Waves, and Black Ghandi.; Get Tickets
Sunday, March 20, 2011: House Of Blues @ New Orleans, LA; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Wednesday, March 23, 2011: Floyd’s Music Store @ Tallahassee, FL; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Thursday, March 24, 2011: The Social @ Orlando, FL; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Friday, March 25, 2011: Revolution @ Fort Lauderdale, FL; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Saturday, March 26, 2011: State Theatre @ St. Petersburg, FL; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Sunday, March 27, 2011: The Venue @ Gainesville, FL; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Wednesday, March 30, 2011: Music Farm @ Charleston, SC; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Thursday, March 31, 2011: Lincoln Theatre @ Raleigh, NC; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Friday, April 1, 2011: The NorVa @ Norfolk, VA; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Saturday, April 2, 2011: Recher Theatre @ Towson, MD; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Sunday, April 3, 2011: State Theatre @ State College, PA; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Tuesday, April 5, 2011: Higher Ground @ Burlington, VT; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Wednesday, April 6, 2011: Club Soda @ Montreal, QC; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Thursday, April 7, 2011: Paradise Rock Club @ Boston, MA; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Friday, April 8, 2011: Stone Pony @ Asbury Park, NJ; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Saturday, April 9, 2011: Theatre of the Living Arts @ Philadelphia, PA; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Tuesday, April 12, 2011: Opera House @ Toronto, ON; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Wednesday, April 13, 2011: Town Ballroom @ Buffalo, NY; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Thursday, April 14, 2011: Cambridge Room @ Cleveland, OH; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Friday, April 15, 2011: Newport Music Hall @ Columbus, OH; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Saturday, April 16, 2011: Blind Pig @ Ann Arbor, MI; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas
Sunday, April 17, 2011: Lincoln Hall @ Chicago, IL; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Tuesday, April 19, 2011: The Waiting Room @ Omaha, NE; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas
Wednesday, April 20, 2011: Fox Theatre @ Boulder, CO; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Thursday, April 21, 2011: Bluebird Theatre @ Denver, CO; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Friday, April 22, 2011: Bell Up Aspen @ Aspen, CO; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Saturday, April 23, 2011: Aggie Theatre @ Fort Collins, CO; Collie Buddz on tour with New Kingston and Los Rakas; Get Tickets
Friday, June 17, 2011: Boonville, CA; Collie Buddz performing at the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival. Acts include Rebelution, Anthony B, Indubious and more!; Get Tickets
Saturday, June 18, 2011: Boonville, CA; Collie Buddz performing at the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival. Acts include Rebelution, Anthony B, Indubious and more!; Get Tickets
Sunday, June 19, 2011: Boonville, CA; Collie Buddz performing at the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival. Acts include Rebelution, Anthony B, Indubious and more!; Get Tickets

You can find more tour information and latest Collie Buddz news at his official site, here.

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More Artists Announced for the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival 2011

dubman — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 05:25:51 +0000

Sierra Nevada World Music Festival has announced that they’ve added Vusi Mahlasela, Brigadier Jerry, The Cables, Duane Stephenson, Saritah, and Jah Love Sound System to this year’s lineup.

The Sierra Nevada World Music Festival is pleased to announce that Vusi Mahlasela, Brigadier Jerry, The Cables, Duane Stephenson, Saritah and Jah Love Sound System have been added to the ever-growing list of artists performing at the festival’s 18th annual gathering taking place June 17-19 at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds located in Boonville, California. These artists join Midnite, Anthony B, the other dozen artists that were confirmed to perform earlier this month.

Vusi Mahlasela was born in Lady Selbourne, Pretoria in 1965 and grew up in Mamelodi, a township famed as a cradle of culture which has produced many of Black South Africa’’s greatest musicians and writers. By the age of seventeen, Vusi was a seasoned performer. He had soon tired of singing cover versions of popular songs and discovered that he had a flair for composition and begun to write his own music and lyrics. He found himself drawn to themes with social and political significance and he became much in demand at political rallies and cultural events. Over a musically and socially consequential career, South African singer-songwriter and poet-activist Vusi Mahlasela has successfully followed his muse and continued to give back to his country. – More

While his introduction to an American audience probably came from his 1985 release of “Jamaica Jamaica” on the RAS label, the Brigadier Jerry had been building a major following in Jamaica by appearing live on the mike, first on the original King Stur Gav Hi-Fi system and later over the Twelve Tribes’ Jah Love Muzik Sound System and releasing occasional singles for the local market. One thing about Brigadier Jerry, he chats pure consciousness on the mike, even when the prevalent vibe in the dance was slackness. A longtime member of the Rastafarian Christian sect “Twelve Tribes of Israel”, Briggy takes every opportunity to teach the youth about righteous runnings and has recorded many tracks pointing out the error of certain ways. -

With the classic recordings “Baby Why” and “What Kind of World” the legendary Jamaican harmony vocal group The Cables secured their place in music history. The Cables burst on the scene in 1965, when Ska music was the rage. Founded by lead vocalist Keble Drummond, along with harmony singers, Vince Stoddart and Elbert Stewart, The Cables released “Ska Days” in 1966. But it was in 1968 when the group rocketed to stardom when Clement “Sir Coxsone” Dodd took them into Studio One recording studios. The Cables brought with them the lyrics and the upbeat, lilting melody of “Baby Why”. Over the years persistent demand for the group has resulted in The Cables reuniting for numerous international festivals. Today, the group is a quartet, consisting of original members as well as Owen “Bobby” Dockery, tenor, who joined the group in 1971.

Singer/songwriter Duane Stephenson greatly impacted upon Jamaica’s musical landscape with the release of his stunning introductory album “From August Town” on Cannon/VP Records in early 2008, demonstrating that the heartfelt lyrics, sincere vocals, insightful commentaries and deeply rooted spirituality that made roots reggae a global force lives on in the 21st century. Following the release of “From August Town” Duane performed on several major stage shows across Jamaica, including Reggae Sumfest and the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival and toured throughout North America, Europe and the Caribbean with Dean Fraser, the celebrated saxophonist and leader of the Blak Soil Band that supports Tarrus Riley, as well as the producer of “From August Town”.

South Korean born and raised in Western Australia, Saritah is a hard-working independent artist who has built a solid fan base across the country. Her releases to date include the debut album ‘Gratitude’, ‘These Days/You’re The One’ EP and most recently the extremely successful, inspiring and relevant album Ancient Forward. On Ancient Forward, positivity and affirmations sit organically beside the serious. Driving rhythm sections and programmed beats give way to space and melody; earthy textures create a worldly yet intimate album that for the listener, is a joy to hear. It is an album that flows and ebbs in a dynamic, colourful style that Saritah has cemented, as her own. An accomplished recording, it confirms Saritah as one of Australia’s most talented and exciting artists, with something to say.

Jah Love Sound began in 1974, but it wasn’t until the early ’80s, when selector Ilawi teamed up regularly with Brigadier Jerry, that the sound started to take off with the masses. It is the product of two musical inspirations coming together, taking parts of “Jah Mik” and “Jah Love Sound” to create “Jah Love Sound.” They were the best combination as selector and dj around at that time. Jah Love Sound (aka Jah Love Muzik system) was run by the Christian Rastafarian sect, the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Now based in New York City, Jah Love Sound continues to bring its unique brand of conscious Rastafarian roots music to the people both in local clubs throughout the area as well as at festivals world-wide. Look for them in the dancehall on Friday night.

Additional artists confirmed for Sierra Nevada World Music Festival 2011 include:

Toots & The Maytals
Steel Pulse
Rebelution
Midnite
Anthony B
Horace Andy
Vusi Mahlasela
Collie Buddz (who recently released his Playback EP as a free music download.)
Pablo Moses
I-Octane
Romain Virgo
Brigadier Jerry
The Cables
Duane Stephenson
Kora
Rupa & The April Fishes
Saritah
Taj Weekes & Adowa
Indubious
Jah Love Sound System

SNWMF is a 3-day Summer Solstice and World Peace celebration that promotes conscious music – music with a message of peace, unity and brotherhood that transcends divisions of race and culture. With 2 stages, an authentic ‘late-night’ Jamaican dancehall, international arts & crafts, a massive food court and an extensive schedule of children’s activities, Sierra Nevada has something to offer people of all ages.

Early Bird Tickets Almost Gone – Less than 100 discounted ‘Early-Bird’ Tickets to SNWMF 2011 are still available. These may be purchased online and via mail order through February 28th or until all Early Bird tickets are sold, whichever comes first. At the current pace, we anticipate that all Early-Bird Tickets will be gone before the end of this weekend, so if you want to purchase tickets to SNWMF 2011 at a discount, make sure to place your order right away. As always, children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Limited on-site camping is also available for festival goers.

The Sierra Nevada World Music Festival typically features dozens of the finest reggae and world music bands, and 2011 will be no exception, as many addition artists will be added in the coming months. For additional information, please log onto www.snwmf.com, or call the hotline at (916) 777-5550.

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Collie Buddz Playback EP free reggae music download

dubman — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:36:50 +0000

Collie Buddz has returned to the music scene with a bang, making every track of his latest EP, Playback, available as a free download from his website. Originally released on January 18, 2011, Playback kicked off with Holiday, the first reggae single. The initial response to Playback was overwhelmingly positive, including strong support from NYC Hot 97′s DJ Enuff and Jamaica ZIP 103′s ZJ Elektra.

The Bermuda reggae singer Collie Buddz kicked off his career with his 2007 eponymous release, Collie Buddz, which debuted at the #1 position on the Billboard Reggae charts and hit the top 100 overall. It seems success is treating young Mr. Buddz very well – not only does his new 7-track album boast catchy melodies and excellent production values, it’s available for free to all of his loyal fans and the new listeners who want to hear the latest from one of reggae’s rising sons.

Click here for dates and information about Collie Buddz’s Playback tour.

Listen to Collie Buddz Playback EP

Playback has a generally mellow feel, the perfect soundtrack to a laid back afternoon or weekend morning. It forecasts the warmer weather that so many Collie Buddz fans are waiting for, with tracks like Hope, featuring guest vocals from Demarco.

But Playback‘s sunny, casual sound belies the effort that Collie Buddz put into it, having spent 3 years crafting every track. “The EP was entirely written, recorded and engineered in Bermuda with my brother Smokey at Harper Digital Studios,” Collie once explained. He had help from some top-ranked producers including Supa Dups and Baby Dee.

You can hear the tracks before you download them here (JavaScript-enabled browsers only):

Official music video for Playback EPK

Playback EPK is the first single from the new Playback EP.

The official music video for Holiday from Playback

Holiday is the 2nd single from Collie Buddz Playback EP. The video was directed by Jeff Pliskin and edited by Collie Buddz himself. The artist filmed the track on location in Bermuda, in advance of the release of the EP. This is a great track to relax to after a long day of work.

Get the Collie Buddz Playback free music download

Collie Buddz has made Playback available as a free music download from 2 links off of the official Collie Buddz website. The main music download link is here. The second free music download link is here.

These free music links to download the Playback EP come direct from the official Collie Buddz website, so you can be sure they’re safe.

The total download is 77MB so a high-speed internet connection is preferred for downloading the tracks. There are no requirements for downloading the free music tracks – no giving up your email address or anything else.

This isn’t the first free Collie Buddz music download that has come our way – last summer Slightly Stoopid shared 4 free music tracks to download, one of which was a remix of Collie Buddz’s Come Around (the other 3 are tracks from Slightly Stoopid and Cypress Hill). Collie Buddz recently wrapped up the Slightly Stoopid Legalize It 2010 summer tour with Slightly Stoopid and Cypress Hill. He’s also done some solo touring, launched a new official website last year, and kicked off his own radio station, Vibe 103. “The pieces are all falling into place, allowing me to focus on doing what I love most, making music,” explains Buddz.

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Free single download from Signal Path – Bitcrush My Heart

dubman — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 04:33:21 +0000

Signal Path has made the first electronica / dubstep / glitch single from their upcoming EP, The Prosaic Fades, available as a free download on their website.

The track, Bitcrush My Heart, is Ryan Burnett’s first release from Signal Path’s full year, 4-part series of EPs. The 4-minute single previews their March 20 release of The Prosaic Fades with new experimental music inspired by the group’s live performances, acoustic instrumentation, and raw improvisation. This release marks a new direction for Signal Path, mixing vocals and sonic experimentation with a different songwriting style. It kicks off with a sample from the Verbal Yes track on Imaginary Lines (a previous Signal Path release) and then diverges to follow a completely new direction.

Bitcrush My Heart lyrics

you don’t have to read my lips
just to know what i’m saying
and our eyes can see right to our souls
when i look to you…

More downloads from Signal Path

Signal Path has also promised to release a free EP on the first day of each new season throughout the year – The Prosaic Fades is only the beginning.

The release supports their upcoming roster of live shows as they tour the American Midwest.

You can see Signal Path’s tour dates and get more free downloads here.

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Signal Path Winter Tour

dubman — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 04:17:54 +0000

Signal Path, the indie dubstep / glitch trio from Denver, Colorado, has announced upcoming dates for their winter tour.

The tour supports the March 20, 2011 release of their next album, The Prosaic Fades. The Prosaic Fades features Ryan Burnett on guitar, synths, production, and vocals; Damon Metzner on acoustic drums; and Matt Schumacher on electric and upright acoustic bass. It will be the first of 4 new studio EPs that Signal Path will release in 2011. Album artwork was provided by Rick Messer.

Download the free single

In support of the tour, Signal Path has released a free single, Bitcrush My Heart. You can download the track at the Signal Path website.

Subsequent free downloads will follow on the 1st day of each new calendar season.

Signal Path winter tour dates

Upcoming Signal Path winter tour dates include a return to Chicago, 2 shows with Boombox, and 4 nights back home in Colorado.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

8pm Doors / 9pm Show / 18+

2720 in St.Louis, MO

With Goodness Gracious and 18andCounting

Tickets are $10 (+$3 minor surcharge)

Friday, February 11, 2011

9pm Show / 21+

Double Door in Chicago, IL

With Archnemesis

Tickets are $12 (+$2 surcharge)

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Newport Music Hall in Columbus, OH

With BoomBox

Tickets are $15 + $5.25 surcharge

Sunday, February 13, 2011

8pm / All ages

Magic Stick in Detroit, MI

With BoomBox

Tickets are $15

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Doors 8pm / Show 9pm

Belly Up in Aspen, CO

Tickets are $6 (+$3 minor surcharge)

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Samana Lounge in Vail, CO

Tickets $5

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Three20South in Breckenridge, CO

Tickets

Saturday, February 19, 2011

City Hall (part of Westword’s Artopia) in Denver, CO

Tickets start at $25

Use the password ‘signalpath’ for discounted tickets!

About Signal Path

For almost a decade, Signal Path continues their nearly decade-old mission to expand live electronic music performance. Tens of thousands of fans have downloaded their music and countless artists have been influenced by their forward-looking attitudes. Signal Path has played almost every major US festival and continues to build awareness around the world.

Signal Path’s sound bends musical genres and deep melodic ideas around a core of unrelenting rhythm and massive low-end. They create a depth and intricacy of sound that become more commanding every time it’s heard, and by blending live instrumentation into their production they create a live experience that is as beautiful as it is intense. Born in the unlikely mountain enclave of Missoula, Montana, Signal Path has released 7 albums to date.

The viral success of 2009’s Clash amongst fans was almost beyond belief, and the overwhelming support elevated the band to a level of national prominence they’d never experienced. With packed out concert halls nationwide and an album streamed and downloaded a hundred thousand times, Signal Path suddenly found themselves back at the forefront of a scene they had once helped pioneer.

You can download Clash from Signal Path here, for free.

After the success of Clash and 2 of the most successful national tours in their history, Signal Path permanently relocated to Colorado to complete their next full-length studio album Imaginary Lines.

Signal Path released their Imaginary Lines album in September 2010 as a free download from their website, www.signalpathmusic.com. The release boasted improved production, an immersive musical experience, and catchy rhythms, treating fans to their finest work to date.

You can download Imaginary Lines from Signal Path here, for free.

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Damian Jr. Gong Marley biography

dubman — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 05:26:10 +0000

Damian “Junior Gong” Marley is one of Bob Marley’s children and a successful reggae musician whose most recent album, Distant Relatives, a collaboration with hip hop artist Nas, has earned him widespread critical acclaim and commercial success. Damian currently continues his life-long musical career, living between Miami, Florida, and Kingston, Jamaica. He continues the practice of Rastafari, records and produces music, and tours.

Damian Robert Nesta Marley was born on July 21st, 1978 in Kingston, Jamaica to his mother Cindy Breakspear and father Bob Marley. Cindy Breakspear was Jamaica’s Miss World in 1976.

Damian Marley was raised in a Kingston suburb by both Cindy and Rita Marley, along with 12 siblings; 10 on his father’s side and 2 on his mother’s side. As a teenager, Damian performed with musical group The Shepherds alongside Shiah Coore (son of Cat Coore of Third World) and Yashema Beth McGregor (daughter of Judy Mowatt of the I-Threes and Freddie McGregor). The group had moderate success in Jamaica, performing at the Reggae Sunsplash music festival in 1992, but ultimately disbanded.

After leaving The Shepherds, Damian turned to deejaying (the Jamaican equivalent of rapping), and in 1993 releases his debut single Deejay Degree, on his family’s Tuff Gong label. He followed it the next year with his release of Sexy Girls on My Mind for the Main Street label and in 1999 released School Controversy, a song featured on the Epic/Sony Wonder compilation Positively Reggae. The compilation raised money and awareness for the Leaf of Life Foundation, an organization assisting children who are HIV positive. Although he was only a teenager, Damian Marley was selected as the spokesperson for Positively Reggae, and was introduced to the international press and public.

In 1996 Damian Marley collaborated with his older brother Stephen Marley to release his first album, Mr. Marley, while still in high school. The album featured upbeat dancehall-style songs, many of which were co-written by Stephen and Damian. The Marley brothers recorded the album at the Marley Music 48 track-recording studio. Included on this album is the infamous track, Me Name Jr. Gong, in which Damian tells of his nickname, derived from his father’s nickname “Tuff Gong”. “Tuff Gong” also became the name of the label created by Bob Marley in the mid-60′s (before he signed with Island Records), an independent record label still in existence, controlled by the Marley family, and part of Damian’s future musical career. Me Name Jr. Gong held the number 1 slot in Hawaii for many weeks.

Damian Jr. Gong Marley’s next album, Halfway Tree was produced by Stephen Marley and released in 2001 by Marley Boyz productions. The album’s title was both a reference to the Halfway Tree area of Kingston, where the privileged rich and the desperate poor geographically meet (a theme common in Damian’s music) and the fact that his father is from the ghetto and his mother is from uptown, leaving Damian like a bridge between the two. In this musical expression, Damian mixed hip-hop and dancehall styles with fantastic results; the album received a great deal of critical acclaim. Both Stephen and Damian are awarded praise and recognition for this project, including the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album, a category not added to the Grammys in the mid-1980s.

2004 was a big year for Damian Marley. In addition to participating in the 27-city Bob Marley Roots, Rock, Reggae Festival tour with his four brothers, Ziggy Marley, Julian Marley, Stephen, and Ky-Mani Marley, Damian released the hit single Welcome to Jamrock, a song released on the Tuff Gong label that makes a big splash on the commercial scene.

In December of 2004, Damian performed with brothers Stephen and Julian in Stephen’s music video Traffic Jam on Stephen Marley’s Mind Control album, which goes on to win the 2008 Grammy award for Best Reggae album. In the same year, Damian also records a tune called Ganga Bus with Cypress Hill (from the Till Death Do Us Part album), appears on the song Get a Light by Snoop Dog (from Tha Blue Carpet Treatment album), creates songs with both Method Man and Redman, and is featured on the Gwen Stefani remix Now That You Got It, amongst many more amazing collaborations.

Welcome to Jamrock enjoyed a great deal of commercial success and led to Damian Marley signing with Universal Records, with whom he released the Welcome to Jamrock album in 2005. This album blended even more musical styles than Damian’s previous work, incorporating elements of reggae, R&B, and hip-hop, and reached the charts in each of those genres. The album also reached as high as number 7 on the Billboard top 200 albums. Welcome to Jamrock received a Grammy award for Best Urban/Alternative performance, and the album won Damian and Stephen yet another Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2006.

Damian also appeared on the song Girlz ‘Round the World with Morgan Heritage on their album Full Circle. The 2006 Ben Harper tour landed Damian on many famous stages including Central Park, New York and further touring takes him to the Osheaga Festival in Montreal. Damian appeared at Bonnarroo Music Festival, headlined the Peace Fest in Trinidad, performed on the PBS show Austin City Limits, and the list goes on…

Most recently, in May of 2010, Damian Marley collaborated with Nas to release the Distant Relatives album and joint tour.

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As We Enter video – Damian Marley and Nas latest from Distant Relatives

dubman — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:51:01 +0000

Here’s the video of Damian “Junior Gong” Marley and Nas‘s first single from the Distant Relatives album – As We Enter.

Click here for full details of the album and this summer’s Distant Relatives tour.

Thanks to Giant Step for the lead.

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Damian Marley and Nas Distant Relatives 2010 tour

dubman — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 05:29:10 +0000

Reggae royalty Damian “Junior Gong” Marley and hip hop star Nas are teaming up again for their summer 2010 Distant Relatives tour, supporting their co-created album of the same name.

Distant Relatives is the hotly-anticipated reggae / hip hop crossover album that is the result of a long collaboration between Marley and Nas. Although Nas and Damian Marley have toured together in the past (most recently in their 2009 Distant Relatives pre-release tour and again in a Distant Relatives promo show and interview in Washington DC in December), this is their first album together.

The Distant Relatives tour doesn’t official begin until May 21 with the Distant Relatives kickoff show in Arcata, California, but fans can get a sneak peek of the duo’s performance on May 2 in West Palm Beach, Florida, at Sunfest. The Distant Relatives tour runs throughout the summer, ending on August 1 in Bridgeport, Connecticut at the Gathering of the Vibes festival. Additional venues of note during Damian Marley and Nas’s tour include May 28 and May 31 performances at The Wiltern and UCLA’s Jazz Reggae Festival in Los Angeles, a June 9 show at Waller Creek Amphitheatre in Austin, Texas, a June 11 performance at the wildly popular Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee, and a July 31 gig at Williamsburg Waterfront in my hometown of Brooklyn.

Many of the US shows (in May and June) will be opened by Nneka, a rising Nigerian hip hop artist. Nneka just released her US debut album, Concrete Jungle.

In late June and through most of July, Nas and Damian Marley are planning to take the tour international in a 4-week blitz of several European music festivals, including the Paris Hip Hop Festival and Germany’s Summerjam and Splash! Festival.

Ticket prices range from show to show, depending on the venue, but most shows are cost between $30 and $50 to see the duo.

Damian “Junior Gong” Marley & Nas Distant Relatives tour dates

Below are dates and venues for the Distant Relatives tour. All events are subject to change, so check when you purchase tickets.

May 2 – West Palm Beach, FL – SunFest
May 21 – Arcata, CA – Arcata Community Center
May 22 – Eugene, OR – Cuthbert Amphitheater
May 23 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo
May 25 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
May 26 – Santa Barbara, CA – University of California
May 28 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
May 29 – Las Vegas, NV – The Joint
May 30 – Valley Center, CA – Open Sky Theater
May 31 – Los Angeles, CA – UCLA Jazz Reggae Festival
June 2 – Santa Fe, NM – Paolo Soleri Amphitheatre
June 8 – Houston, TX – House of Blues
June 9 – Austin, TX – Waller Creek Amphitheater
June 11 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo Music Festival
June 12 – Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle
June 13 – Lake Buena Vista, FL – House of Blues
June 27 – Brussels, BEL – Couleur Café Festival
June 28 – Paris, FRA – Paris Hip Hop Festival
July 1 – Ardenal, NOR – Hovefestival
July 3 – Cologne, GER – Summerjam
July 4 – Gdynia, POL – Heineken Open’er Festival
July 6 – Copenhagen, DEN – Vega House of Music
July 7 – Hultsfred, SWE – Hultsfred Festival
July 9 – Frauenfeld, SWI – Openair Frauenfeld
July 10 – Montreux, SWI – Montreux Jazz Festival
July 11 – Rotterdam, NET – North Sea Jazz Festival
July 13 – Hamburg, GER – Stadtpark Open Air
July 14 – Munich, GER – Tollwood Festival
July 16 – Manchester, ENG – Manchester Academy
July 17 – Dublin, IRE – Tripod
July 20 – London, ENG – Hammersmith Apollo
July 23 – Grafenhainichen, GER – Splash! Festival
July 31 – Brooklyn, NY – Williamsburg Waterfront
August 1 – Bridgeport, CT – Gathering of the Vibes Festival

Nas and Damian Marley – Distant Relatives video trailer

Here’s a video trailer of the 2 artists, hyping the upcoming release:

Distant Relatives, reggae hip hop cultural opus

The Distant Relatives album has been in production since 2008 and after an initial release expected in the summer of 2009 is finally scheduled to see the light of day on May 18, 2010. Damian, Bob Marley’s youngest son, will join his instrumentals and distinct vocals with Nas‘s distinct lyrical stylings and beats. Marley told Rolling Stone magazine that the artists are “trying to have a sound that’s reminiscent of both of us, but not exactly like either.”

This will be Damian Marley‘s first studio reggae release in 5 years, and Nas‘s latest since 2008.

Buy Distant Relatives today.

Nas first leaked news of the Distant Relatives production at the 2009 Grammys, telling MTV that “I’m working on an album with Damian Marley. We tryin’ to build some schools in Africa with this one, and trying to build empowerment. We’re tryin’ to show love and stuff with this album. So, the record’s … all about really the ‘hood and Africa also as well.”

Distant Relatives began life as a compilation of tracks that were discarded from both artists’ previous releases, but over time they took a more ambitious approach and redesigned the work as a completely new cultural piece. In its current incarnation, Distant Relatives is a concept album that traces the roots of hip hop and reggae music and culture to a single, unified whole. The album takes a hard look at issues around the daily struggle of many Africans with tracks like Count Your Blessings. Bringing subjects of empowerment and African heritage to the fore, the album’s live recordings are dubbed with samples from African music as well. Additional tracks on the album include similarly-themed songs Only The Strong and Africa Must Wake Up.

Distant Relatives‘ 1st single, As We Enter, was released on iTunes on February 23, 2010. At the time of this writing, it sold 33,000 units, peaked at number 10 on the iTunes Hip Hop/Rap charts and went to number 41 on the iTunes Music charts. It also peaked at number 18 on Billboard’s Rap Digital Songs chart and number 23 on R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs.

Check out this sample from Nas and Damian Marley singing their hit As We Enter:

The album’s 2nd single, Strong Will Continue debuted on February 5 on BET’s Help for Haiti telethon. It’s a darker sound and hit download stores April 13 but wasn’t pushed for radio airtime. Here’s Damian Marley and Nas singing Strong Will Continue:

Damian Jr. Gong Marley and Nas – Distant Relatives track list

The full track list includes:

As We Enter
Tribal War (featuring K’naan)
Strong Will Continue
Leaders (featuring Stephen Marley)
Friends
Count Your Blessings
Dispear
The Promised Land (featuring Dennis Brown)
In His Own Words (featuring Stephen Marley)
Nah Mean
Patience
My Generation (featuring Joss Stone & Lil Wayne)
Africa Must Wake Up (featuring K’naan)
Ancient People (bonus track featuring Junior Reid)

Yes, a free Distant Relatives download

The album’s 3rd single is Land of Promise. It’s a recreation of the original Promised Land, which was performed by Dennis Brown. (Brown’s original singing was dubbed into this new version as well.) To get a free download of this track, enter your email address into the form below – you’ll probably also be signed up to hear more news about the album.

Damian produced most of the tracks with his older brother Stephen Marley. There are also rumors of additional production coming from Large Professor, The Alchemist, J. R. Rotem (who produced Sean Kingston once upon a time), and DJ Khalil. The album will include guest appearances by and rappers Lil Wayne and K’Naan.

Learn more about Distant Relatives

Past live Distant Relatives concerts have been well-attended and fans have raved about the performances. Nas and Damian Marley also recently spoke about the social vision of the distant relatives album, exploring the diaspora of humanity across space and music.

Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and Nas met in 1996 but didn’t build a collaborative voice until their 2005 release Road to Zion, which was a single from Marley’s Welcome to Jamrock album. Welcome to Jamrock peaked at number 7 on the Billboard 200 and has sold 764,000 albums, while Nas’s 2008 release, Untitled, took the number 1 spot on the Billboard charts and sold 463,000 albums.

You can learn more on the Distant Relatives MySpace page, which includes clips of songs from the album such as As We Enter, the first single. To visit Nas on MySpace, visit www.myspace.com/nas. To visit Damian Marley on MySpace, visit www.myspace.com/damianmarley. You can also visit the official Distant Relatives website.

The proceeds from Distant Relatives will be donated to a project in Africa, with the possibility of building a school frequently mentioned.

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Damian Marley and Nas Distant Relatives Tour live reggae performance

dubman — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 23:12:11 +0000

On Friday, May 21st, 2010, Nas and Damian “Junior Gong” Marley hit California’s Arcata Community Center for the 1st concert of their Distant Relatives Tour. Doors open at 8pm for this all ages show.

The tour is supporting the hotly anticipated Distant Relatives album that was jointly created by Damian “Junior Gong” Marley and Nas. The album will be released May 18th, at the same time as this concert, which kicks off the Distant Relatives international tour. The event will be held in California’s Humboldt County at the Arcata Community Center.

Opening and supporting acts include:

Nigerian Hip Hop artist Nneka
Ishi Dube
High Grade Sound
Selecta Prime

Presale tickets are on sale on the People Productions website. You can also get tickets at local outlets.

Nas and Damien Marley Distant Relatives Event Venue

The Arcata Community Center is at: Union St & 14th St in Arcata, California (ZIP code 95521).

Directions on Google Maps are here.

Nas and Damian Marley concert video

Listen to Nas & Damian Marley “As We Enter”

Check out this video from Nas and Damian Marley singing their hit As We Enter.

You can also hear Nas & Damian Marley sing Strong Will Continue:

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