John Radanovich - Music writing

Jazz Cuba, Latin Jazz, Salsa Louisiana Reggae • Jimmy Cliff • Ziggy Marley	Reggae Music
Jimmy Cliff Fantastic Plastic In 2002 Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics and reggae legend Jimmy Cliff quietly booked time at Abbey Road studios in London. The pair planned to produce Cliff?s first full record in four years, and Cliff wanted to give it a characteristically Cliffian title: “Fantastic Plastic People.” When word of the recordings got out, Stewart?s phone began to ring. In the end, so many music superstars got included that the original title didn?t seem so appropriate. Ultimately, the quiet little recordings contained as many celebrities as a week?s worth of Simpsons episodes. From his tour bus somewhere in America, Cliff admitted that “I didn?t really intend to have all the guests,” and yet “the musical direction [still] came out the way I would have liked it to.” The renamed “Black Magic” is soon to be released in the US on the independent Artemis label. Musical guests include Annie Lennox on... – article continues – download pdf
Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers Like the Caribbean Négritude poets Aimé Césaire and Léopold Senghor, Ziggy Marley and his siblings see their music as a vehicle for social protest and asserting the value and dignity of African culture in the Americas. Just as their famous parents did, they feel their music as no less than prophesy, vital to the survival of the black man and ultimately that of all mankind. If one member of the family is troubled, goes their moral reasoning, the entire family is also unbalanced. They also continue the tradition of the late Bob Marley in practicing Rastafarian beliefs. The Melody Makers consist of sisters Cedella and Sharon on vocal harmony; Ziggy on lead vocals and guitar; Stephen on vocals, drums and as DJ. They rely on various studio players to round out their productions. Recording since 1979, the group has sold millions of records and won several Grammys. Often in the past, they tended to prefer a reggae sound of more highly produced rock and hip hop than contemporary reggae. This sound has produced huge hits with "Conscious Party," "Look Who's Dancin'," and "One Bright Day” among others. Although the major innovations in reggae had been dancehall and stylee, both strongly influenced by American hip hop, the young Marleys have only dabbled in these offshoots. – article continues – download pdf

Louisiana
Reggae
• Jimmy Cliff

• Ziggy Marley

Reggae Music

Jimmy Cliff
Fantastic Plastic

In 2002 Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics and reggae legend Jimmy Cliff quietly booked time at Abbey Road studios in London. The pair planned to produce Cliff?s first full record in four years, and Cliff wanted to give it a characteristically Cliffian title: “Fantastic Plastic People.” When word of the recordings got out, Stewart?s phone began to ring. In the end, so many music superstars got included that the original title didn?t seem so appropriate. Ultimately, the quiet little recordings contained as many celebrities as a week?s worth of Simpsons episodes.

From his tour bus somewhere in America, Cliff admitted that “I didn?t really intend to have all the guests,” and yet “the musical direction [still] came out the way I would have liked it to.” The renamed “Black Magic” is soon to be released in the US on the independent Artemis label. Musical guests include Annie Lennox on... – article continues – download pdf

Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers

Like the Caribbean Négritude poets Aimé Césaire and Léopold Senghor, Ziggy Marley and his siblings see their music as a vehicle for social protest and asserting the value and dignity of African culture in the Americas. Just as their famous parents did, they feel their music as no less than prophesy, vital to the survival of the black man and ultimately that of all mankind. If one member of the family is troubled, goes their moral reasoning, the entire family is also unbalanced. They also continue the tradition of the late Bob Marley in practicing Rastafarian beliefs.

The Melody Makers consist of sisters Cedella and Sharon on vocal harmony; Ziggy on lead vocals and guitar; Stephen on vocals, drums and as DJ. They rely on various studio players to round out their productions. Recording since 1979, the group has sold millions of records and won several Grammys. Often in the past, they tended to prefer a reggae sound of more highly produced rock and hip hop than contemporary reggae. This sound has produced huge hits with "Conscious Party," "Look Who's Dancin'," and "One Bright Day” among others. Although the major innovations in reggae had been dancehall and stylee, both strongly influenced by American hip hop, the young Marleys have only dabbled in these offshoots. – article continues – download pdf

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