Garance Reggae Festival

The Garance Reggae Festival takes place July 27th to July 30th, 2011 in Bagnols-sur-Cèze dans le Gard, France and is headlined by Burning Spear!

Not only is this city a perfect vacation spot, but it will be host to some of the most awesome Roots Reggae and Reggae artists the world has ever seen.  Below is information about who's performing.  If you're in France, make sure you're there!

Performers:

BURNING SPEAR
JIMMY CLIFF  MIDNITE  GYPTIAN  THIRD WORLD
TIKEN JAH FAKOLY  DANAKIL  SLY+ROBBIE FEAT. JUNIOR REID
TONY REBEL  QUEEN IFRICA  LUTAN FYAH  JUNIOR KELLY
THE ABYSSINIANS  KEN BOOTHE  HORACE ANDY  JOHNNY CLARKE
CLINTON FEARON  TWINKLE BROTHERS  PRESSURE  PROTOJE
STUDIO ONE REVUE feat. KING STITT  PRINCE JAZZBO
DILLINGER  WILLI WILLIAMS  DAWN PENN
WINSTON FRANCIS  LONE RANGER  ALPHEUS  JIM BROWN
CARLTON LIVINGSTON  SOUL STEREO SOUND SYSTEM
NATTY  KAYAMANGA

DUB STATION CORNER :
JAH SHAKA  KING JAMMY'S LIVE SET   IRATION STEPPAS
GUSSIE P   PRINCE LIVIJAH   MAKI BANTON   YT
CARL MEEKS  SANDEENO  JAHTARI  HUGHIE IZACHAAR
STEPPIN FORWARD  LION YOUTH  T.i.T
OBF  BLACKBOARD JUNGLE

For more information, log on to http://www.garancereggaefestival.com/

 

Roots Reggae Represented by Switzerland’s Premiere Artist Elijah!

You are going to LOVE this song because it resonates on so many levels!  Let's first begin
with the 'story!'

The story is that Elijah is a Reggae artist from Switzerland who has a passion for the music.
So passionate is he that he entered competitions, promoted his craft and developed himself to the point that creating the music came, and comes as naturally as breathing!

To build upon the vibes in his music, Elijah and his team ventured to Jamaica to record with the legendary Bobby Digital as well as John John, son of the legendary King Jammy's.  The result of working with these two greats is the Reggae chune "Do Good In Life" which is so certified HOTTT, the chune will be on repeat.  Here's what he says!:

"do good in life and jah bless you twice / I have
a loaf make we share the slice / me love the fresh
mango outta tiger yard / him have a lot of love
to give though his life is hard  / mih see him as
a bredrin right from start / on the battlefield of
/ life he carries love inna him heart …."

Once you take in those lyrics over an authentic roots riddim with a bassline that drives the chune, you will be hooked like a child to candy.  Don't listen to us, listen to Elijah!  Click on the link below:

>>>Elijah - Do Good in Life<<<

 

►►► Throwback Thursday! ►►► Agony in the Big Belly!

Greetings!

 

The dictionary defines Agony as prolonged pain.  Dancehall defines Agony as one of the

hottest riddims to come out of the year 1987!

 

Produced by King Jammy's the riddim was clearly computerized, and heavily bass driven

with a computer touch.  It featured Admiral Bailey's "Big Belly Man" and the 'boom' chune

which named the riddim, "Agony" by Pinchers!

 

Back in the days, many women felt that if a manhad a big belly, it meant that he was financially well off, and could provide for her.  This in turn caused many men to want to have a big belly to demonstrate what they have, causing Admiral to DJ about the 'big belly' not in the context of a literal belly, but in the context of having fat pockets! Can you imagine if that was still the standard today?!  Hands down Sky Juice would be the man, and he is!  :)

 

On another note, I spoke to Pinchers earlier this year, who said that next to "Bandelero," "Agony" was by far his most popular with female fans.  He said they love to hear him balance the lyrics'100% of love she want 100 % of love / no 70 - 30 love / she nuh waan no 50 - 50 love...' with the 'dutty' bassline, and I have to agree!

 

Broadcasting at 320kbps, catch a few cuts on the Agony riddim produced by King Jammy's

here:

 

 

Agony Riddim - King Jammy's

 

Do Remember!

 

 

►►► Throwback Thursday! ►►► The Princess!

Greetings!

 

The name Sara (minus the letter 'h' at the end)

is the Hebrew word meaning Princess!  In Dancehall

and Reggae, we have Selector Princess from

Atlanta, and thanks to King Jammy's we have

the riddim called 'Sara!'

 

Built in 1987, the riddim played primarily off

of the computerized 'trill,' the bassline and the

skank.  Though the riddim was simple, it was

powerful when combined with artists Frankie

Paul, Gregory Isaacs, Leroy Gibbons and

Pinchers.  All artists ensured rub-a-dub in the

dance, especially the basement parties where

walls got 'beat up' when the selector touched

the riddim!

 

Sample some deadly lyrics from Pinchers: 

Loving that you're searching for yuh buck up

on dih right young man...

 

Broadcasting at 320kbps, catch cuts from the

Sara riddim here:

 

P.S.  If you were just getting to a dance and heard

this bassline beating from outside, you knew you

were in the right place!  :)

 

 

Sara Riddim - King Jammy's - 1987

 

 

 

►►► Classic Friday! ►►► Fresh and Hold A Fresh - What's The Difference?!

Greetings!

 

For today's Classic Friday, we have two versions of one

riddim from two amazing producers!  Is it Fresh, or Hol

A Fresh, or both?  It's Both!

 

In 1987, Winston Riley recorded Red Dragon and

the infamous chune 'Hol A Fresh' for his Techniques

label.  He also produced Flourgon's 'Hol A Spliff'

where Flourgon says "all who nuh smoke from mawnin

run go bill ah spliff...!"

 

In 1987, Lloyd 'King Jammy's' James built the 'Fresh'

riddim which also flattened Dancehall!  Both versions

of the riddim were most popular from that time, often

featured in documentaries and movies, the riddim feels

good and makes the listener move.  The artists on the

riddim felt the vibes based on their performances!

 

Shabba Ranks chune "Hold A Fresh" led the pack for

the Jammy's production.  Additional artists include Admiral

Bailey, Dominique, Leroy Gibbons with the hit chune

"Four Season's Lover," and Lt. Stitchie making this riddim

a HITTTTTTTT!

 

The difference between the two riddims is the Riley production

is a slower tempo, while the Jammy's version is faster.  The lead

single from Red Dragon focuses on men holding a fresh, while

the Shabba version focuses on women holding a fresh.

 

Both versions of riddim makes one look back at yester-year

when women wore huge gold earrings and rings to match, men

wore huge gold chains, Kangol hats, and rags in back pocket. 

Classic!  People went to dances to meet a boyfriend or girlfriend,

and one selector usually played the entire night.  Lawd ... dih

sweetness!

 

Broadcasting at 320kbps, catch the Fresh riddim, and one

chune from the Hold A Fresh riddim here:

 

 

Fresh and Hol A Fresh Riddims

 

This riddim is being played on www.Reggae4Us.com