Greetings! We’re back in the building once more!

Those that know will have seen that this Sunday’s session in Brick Lane is a strictly Reggae affair. DJ-wise, we come correct with that original bass music as standard. Confession is good for the soul though, so we admit to being a little shy on the live reggae tip – until now. Truthfully speaking, it’s not that we’re reluctant to showcase reggae acts, rather that there’s a distinct lack of fresh, reggae-tinged blood rising from the underground. Talking to the youth, the reason is simple: there aren’t enough role models visibly pushing the roots sound and as a result, aspiring artists aren’t viewing reggae music as a viable option. We’ll leave that discussion for another time, but for now, we’re introducing CONNIE & DI MAN DEM who’ll be bumping the live slot this Sunday.

Many will know Connie from her previous work with Heads High. What we didn’t tell you, is that before and during her stint with the Heads, she’s recorded and performed with some serious players in both the purist reggae scene, and its various chopped, sampled and looped step-siblings. Who here can say they’ve held down studio sessions with LEE PERRY and DAMIAN MARLEY and in the same breath relate tales of late night vocal booth excursions for ROOTS MANUVA and CONGO NATTY? Connie has dealt with all of these but be warned, she’s far more than the sum of her collaborations and along with her well seasoned band of musicians, she’s dropping some heat on the people dem. We’ll let her explain….

HH: How did the CONNIE & DI MAN DEM project come about?

CB: I had recorded some songs before for THC Muzik, a Jamaican label who the people may know from its association to Turbulence’s hit ‘Notorious’. They were also involved in the Rise Up documentary which was recently featured by the BBC. I actually featured in that as part of my previous band Rootz Underground but that’s a story for another time. Having moved to the UK since, I decided to bring the recordings to life and got a band together as a result. It wasn’t quite so simple, but that’s the edited version!

HH: What brought you to the UK?

CB: Apart from following my artistic dream, I was studying also – a Masters degree in Applied Theatre.

HH: You’ve amassed some pretty well respected connections between the UK and Jamaica. Lee Perry, Damian Marley, Roots Manuva, Congo Natty, Mad Professor…that’s quite a list! How were the studio sessions with Lee Perry?

CB: It was awesome! He is a true professional. He worked me to the bone though – we did seven or eight hour sessions with no breaks. Pretty tough on the voice. he knew exactly what he wanted, very specific. He’s famous for his eccentricities, but he wasn’t like that at all, apart from the mirror on his cap.

HH: He had a mirror on his cap?

CB: Yes. I didn’t ask any questions. But apart from that, the session was normal – just intense!

HH: Did you respect his work before you worked with him?

CB: Yeah definately. I had huge respect for Lee Perry. All that early work he did with Bob Marley, and so many other Jamaican artists, and the sound he managed to squeeze out of the Black Ark. He’s a living legend.

HH: Sticking with jamaican artists. Which singers or deejays work do you respect and have any of them had an influence on your sound?

CB: I like a lot of the old-school foundation artists. Toots & The Maytals, Desmond Dekker, I love the deejay thing too – the rhythm of it. I’m a dub poet too, so I’m really into the rhythmic delivery of words. Deejay-wise I love the sounds from the 80s right up to the present day. Yellowman, Shabba Ranks, Bounty Killer they all feature on my playlists! Going back to dub poetry, i’m heavily influenced by guys like Mutabaruka, Mikey Smith and Linton Kwesi Johnson. Poetry within a reggae construction is deep.

HH: Talking about Mutabaruka, my sources tell me that you were responsible for a poetry renaissance in Kingston before you left and Mutabaruka assisted you. Is that true?

CB: Yes. That’s true. Towards the end of the 90s, I had a great love for poetry, but the scene in Kingston was really lacking. Poetry events were few and far between. To combat that, I mobilised a vibration, got all my friends together and made it happen. We started it off in my apartment, when it grew we moved it to my garage and when it got too big for that we started renting spaces to host events. It was called ‘Voices: Spoken Word In Action’. Tha action part was important because it wasn’t just about empty talk, we were about using the words as an ignition to action.

HH: And Mutabaruka’s involvement?

CB: Yes man. We worked like Bonnie & Clyde. He was the DJ and I was the hostess. He faithfully came to every event to share his vibes and his music. It was great because people were coming for poetry and we had this icon of Jamaican dub poetry selecting the music.

HH:Moving to the UK, you’re affiliates include Congo Natty, Banana Klan/Roots Manuva and on the digi roots side of things Dougie Wardrop and the Top-A-Top label. How did you adapt to the contrast between Jamaica’s reggae scene and the reggae/bass music scenes in Britain?

CB:I’ve always appreciated variety so I welcomed the difference to be honest. I’m the type of person that as long as the music is produced to a certain standard, I’m with it, regardless of what genre it falls into. It was wonderful jumping into the UK sound and working with it. In reality, the Jamaican and UK sounds are coming from the same place, the same thing. The only difference is the soil in which that seed is grown. I can still carry my vibration and drop it same way. The link is always there.

HH: Talking about the Connie & Di Man Dem project, how do you feel about it and how does it compare to being a solo artist or backline member to someone else’s project?

CB: The project is a work in progress. In comparison to being a solo artist, it’s not easy leading a band. Having seven different personalities, including your own to balance and organise. So far Jah has guided it and i’ve been blessed with highly talented individuals who carry that energy to the reggae music and message which i’m presenting. Right now we’ve reached a synergy and great things are happening.

HH: What do you say to the purists, such as myself whose old-school conceptions are challenged by your music and band line-up?

CB: I would say come with an open heart. If you love music, and appreciate it’s construction then you’re going to find something in it for you. We come with a certain vibration. We’re not trying to appeal to purists, there are people there to do that already. We’re taking this roots reggae thing and bringing our vibes to it. I’m bringing my culture and my light and my band, they’re multicultural and their bringing their vibes and their light. What happens on stage is we mix it up in a nice pot and serve it up!

HH: The lyrics in your music are pretty powerful. Is there a particular message you’re trying to convey?

CB:Life to me is unity, love, health and standing up for your beliefs. Those things are what my music is about. There’s love and romance in there, there’s politics and polytricks, its all in there. The principles of life is the principles of the music – that’s how it must be.

HH: What does the future hold for Connie & Di Man Dem?

CB: We’re hitting the studio as we speak. Working on our debut EP. I’ve also got an album which I recorded in Jamaica thats soon to be released too. We’ve been doing a lot of club gigs recently and this summer the festivals are looking good so the future is bright.

HH: Lastly, we’re looking forward to having you perform for us this Sunday, but in the meantime, can you leave us with a mini-chart of your top three all time reggae favourites?

CB: That’s a tough one but sure…..

(After much deliberation)

1. Prophecy – Fabian

2.Trailer Load a Girls – Shabba Ranks

3.Handsworth Revolution – Steel Pulse

So, it would seem all roads lead to Heads High this Sunday for a banquet of beats, bass and lyrics with meaning. Check the flyer below for details….it’s going to be nice!

This Friday 11th June, fans of real black music are going to feel nice. The OKRA project has teamed up with Adesose Wallace’s Ibile and Dalston’s Passing Clouds venue to bring the people a night of tone, taste and texture spanning Africa, the Caribbean and South America.

Representing Africa, 11-strong outfit Ibile hit the stage with a serious blend of Afrobeat, Highlife and raw West African drums. For better or worse, there has been an exponential rise in the number of Afrobeat/Afro-Funk/Highlife bands in the capital over the last few years but be warned, Ibile is the real deal. If you read the excerpt from our interview with him, you’ll know that Adesose Wallace is as authentic as they come. He’s played with Geraldo Pino, the James Brown of Afro-funk, and the inspiration for Fela Kuti to transform his Hi-Life Jazz sound into Afrobeat. Ade has also worked with Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba and a host of other African music legends and to this day, teaches West African rhythm and song to students countrywide – basically, he’s real.

Representing the Caribbean, OKRA presents Ras Happa and the Harambe Drummers throwing down a live set of pounding Jamaican roots drums and dance. Long before reggae music warmed its first amplifier and rumbled it’s first speaker cone, the island of Jamaica danced to the beat of Nyabinghi, Kumina and Revival drums. Rhythms and dances which are so powerful, they still emerge in the beats and sequenced movements of the freshest bashment dancehalls. Unfortunately, the dancehall didn’t assimilate the spirit of the culture with quite the same vigour…..that’s where we come in. To compliment proceedings Duke Etienne and Suga Kan’n keep it raw, roots and occasionally, savage with a DJ selection linking the past with the buzz of the afro-future.

Representing South America, Otto Nascarella takes a pause from the rootical, tropical funk of his Saravah Soul project to throw down a scorching selection infused with his Brazillian roots.

The flyer is here. We hope you can join us…

After an inexcusably long hiatus, the Duke drops some fresh gems on y’all. Detroit House, Hip Hop, Raw Roots music from Africa to the Caribbean? It’s all here:

Duke Etienne Podcast #15

Tracklisting

John Roberts//White
Chez-N-Trent//All about You
Bookworms//African Rhythms
Donaeo//Riot Music (Shy FX Mix)
Marcé//Ca Ca Ye (Frankie Francis Edit)
Georgia Ann Muldrow//Jina Langu Ni Afrika (my Name Is Afrika)
Brittany Bosco//Black Keys
Will – I – Am//Money
Pal Joey//Breakin’ Necks
House Shoes//The Makings
Georgia & Dudley//Shine On
Dabrye//I’m Missing You
Reggie B//Spoken Lenny
Flying Lotus//Quakes
Jay Electronica//Exhibit A (Transformations)
Fatima//Higher
Black Joy Edits//Edit 10
Red Earth Collective ft. Manasseh//Hard Times Dub
Vincent Taylor//Living A Lie
Connie Bell//Vampires
Midnite//Enter
Nneka//Africans
Baloji//Karibou Ye Bintou

Still waters run deep and Connie Bell is no exception. While most of us know her for keeping things together as Heads High’s host and vocalist in chief, not many know that the end of ‘09 saw more than a few late night studio excursions by our favourite Jamaican songstress.

Her cover has officially been blown now as the first of many products of those sessions hits the streets in the form of the awesome ‘Vampires’ on UK Roots imprint ‘Top-A-Top”. Riding a fresh reimagining of a classic Lee Perry rhythm, Ms Bell gets raw on those who choose to take without giving. With a dangerous dub on the flip to seal the deal, it’s all about supporting music of substance in 2010…

Cop the freshness here….And if you missed her first release for the label, here’s what could have been yours…

“… HOLD TIGHT! don’t ever give up in the fight,
GRACE! can only come into the sight,
SOUL POWER! it ignites like the sun…”

(Slum Village, Fantastic Vol.2, 2000)

As we approach the date of one of hip-hop’s greatest losses, updated merchandise, fundraisers and J Dilla anniversary events are spilling out from all corners of the globe. This is not only to commemorate someone who is often referred to as one of the greatest hip-hop producers of all time but also to raise awareness of lupus, the fatal disease that unfortunately claimed his life on 10th Feb 2006 (3 days after his 32nd birthday).

“Systemic lupus erythematosus SLE or lupus, is a chronic autoimmune connective tissue disease that can affect any part of the body. As occurs in other autoimmune diseases, the immune system attacks the body’s cells and tissue, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage.

SLE most often harms the heart, joints, skin, lungs, blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and nervous system. The course of the disease is unpredictable, with periods of illness (called flares) alternating with remissions. The disease occurs nine times more often in women than in men, especially between the ages of 15 and 50, and is more common in those of non-European descent.”

(www.wikipedia.org)

Find out more about lupus and what you can do to make a difference on J Dilla Project’s MySpace which has a variety of links and info.

In saying all this, there is still a genius of a producer who’s work requires celebration and his legacy, continuation. Here are three dope suggestions as to how to we can all participate in making it happen:

1. The J Dilla Foundation. After being shut down for some years, the J Dilla Foundation was relaunched this year by Ma Dukes aka Maureen Yancey. Their mission is to encourage ‘progressive music education’ in schools and to ’support music enthusiasts with the tools they require to become successful within the entertainment industry.’

2. The Doctor’s Orders Presents J-Dilla Changed My Life. This is tonight at Kings Cross’ Scala. Contributing a minimum of £5 at the door will go to both the J Dilla Foundation and Lupus UK. This event will be pretty rammed but you can expect all the Dilla classics and extras. Massive vibe with the most Jay Dee die-hard, party harders from all over the UK. If you would like to make further donations, there will be all kinds of merchandise being sold there too.

3. There have been numerous Jay Dee re-workings and remixes building up to his anniversary, however the best contribution I’ve heard so far is from the stuff that the Roots have put together. It must be pretty hard attempting to re-work the ultimately skillful re-worker; however refreshingly for us, they took on some of his rarer beats. Obviously as very close friends of the artist (especially ?uestlove), their genuine and personal renditions are tasteful and beyond magnificent. Click here to listen. (A personal favourite is ‘Make em NV‘)

Fan-tas-tic!

J Dilla MySpace

Roots reggae is a deep thing. Despite virtually no mainstream support, it has managed to survive and reach out to a global audience for nearly 40 years. This Friday, the mighty Johnny Clarke steps out to bless the people with his outstanding vocal talents at Dalston’s much-loved Passing Clouds.

If you were to write a list of true school roots legends, Johnny Clarke would be somewhere near the top. Born in Whitfield Town, Jamaica in January 1955, he began his career winning the 1971 Tony Mack’s talent show, subsequently linking him up with producer Clancy Eccles. Eventually Leaving Eccles to hook up with producer Rupie Edwards, Clarke scored a clutch of hits including”Irie Feelings” the 1973 single that provided the template for the producer’s own massive success with “Ire Feelings (Skanga).”

The following year, Clarke cut a number of singles for a variety of different producers. Although he was already well-known, it was only after he joined forces with producer Bunny Lee that the singer reached his full potential. Lee,  famous for introducing the “flying cymbal” sound that swiftly became his trademark, delved into the possibilities of dub and helped inaugerate the shift from Rocksteady to the slower swing of Reggae. Together, the two men would unleash a host of unforgettable singles, opening with the massive hit “None Shall Escape the Judgement.”

Over the next two years, Johnny inundated Jamaica with hit singles including “Move Out of Babylon Rastaman,” “Rock With Me Baby“, “Enter Into His Gates With Praise“, “Too Much War”, “Joyful Festival.” and a cover of Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry,”.  The singer’s first two albums, 1974’s None Shall Escape the Judgement and the following year’s Moving Out, were both hits-heavy collections. There was little surprise when Clarke clinched the artist of the Year award in 1975 and 1976 (and then annually for another three years after that).

By 1976, the singer had come to the attention of the Virgin label’s Front Line subsidiary, to whom he now signed. The new relationship was cemented with the fabulous Authorized Version album, again produced by Bunny Lee and boasting another big hit, “Roots Natty Roots Natty Congo.” That album was masterful; Rockers Time Now was an absolute masterpiece. Lee’s house band, the Aggrovators, laid down a potent mix of roots, rock, reggae, whilst King Tubby added his raw heavy dub to the proceedings. The record remains one of the crucial releases of the roots era.

As the ’80s dawned, Clarke moved effortlessly into the age of dancehall with his Johnny Clarke meets Cornell Campbell in a New Style Collection. He left Jamaica for London town in 1983, hooking up with producer Neil “Mad Professor” Fraser and recording Yard Style, which included such crucial cuts as “Mount Zion” and “Nuclear Weapon.”. Over the rest of the decade, Clarke continued cutting excellent singles in partnership with longtime collaborator King Tubby (responsible for many of the singer’s B-sides), and more dancehall-flavored offerings with both Prince Jammy and Errol Thompson.

The reason I just dropped the paragraphs above is simple – the man’s contribution deserves to be recognised. Follow the links, listen to the music (if you don’t already know it) and know that if you miss this Friday’s session, you be missing something special.

Oh, did I mention that the Red Earth/Soothsayers crew will be in the house to lay down the backing tracks…..or that yours truly is spinning inna roots and culture style throughout the evening? You know what to do…info is below:

Those of you who have been with us for more than a minute will remember that we’ve appeared more than once alongside the mighty Will Stepper. Unfortunately, I learned yesterday that Will is no longer with us having passed away this Monday.

Revered in the roots scene for his distinctive brand of sweet yet melancholic vocals, Will aka Creation Stepper first hit the wax as part of the Fred Lock & The Creation Steppers outfit on their 1982 cut ‘Love and Only Love’. Although he continued to record, he’s best known for his mic work with UK roots soundsystems Jah Tubbys, Dubateers and Keety Roots.

Anyone who remembers the Dj session he played with us at Herbal a couple of years back or his energetic live show at Passing Clouds know that his unique tone and infectious personality will be sorely missed…

RIP Stepper. Our thoughts are with you on the next stage of your journey…

Capoeira has its roots in Africa. Africans brought their dances, rituals and musicality to Brazil, and motivated by the need to be free from slavery and their ’senzalas’ (slave quarters) capoeira was born. At once serious and playful, dance and fight, spiritual and profane the uniting element behind the art from ancient to present is it’s drive for freedom.

The love-child of Abigail Clarke (Producer) and Daren Bartlett (Director), O-Zelador shoots a wide-angled gaze at Afro-Brazilian tradition using the life and experience of Capoeirista Mestre Russo as a medium. A humble figure, Russo prefers to be known as O-Zelador or ‘The Caretaker’ in reference to his self-appointed role as the guardian of the culture and integrity of Capoeira. A title which he richly deserves. If you’re looking for Russo, you’ll be guaranteed to find him every weekend at the famous ‘Roda De Caxias‘, a street Roda (capoeira circle) of which he has been the guardian for decades. Sometimes as many as three generations of capoeira players can be found at this Roda, and it provides a vital opportunity for the residents of the Baixada Fluminense to come together in spirit, dance, song and of course battle. Having survived attacks under dictatorship and hostility from the various state sanctioned academies, the Roda De Caxais is a symbol of defiance, strength and freedom to it’s participants.

Afro-Brazilian culture runs deep. O Zelador successfully communicates stories of the origins of capoeira, and its links with the Orisha worshipping Candomble ‘cult of nature’ whilst relating Russo and his family’s personal stories, lived out against a backdrop of poverty, crime and government oppression. The thread linking all these elements together is community, something we feel very strongly about…

Check out the trailer and a brief description of the Candomble religion below and if you want more, jump to the official O Zelador site here.

It sounds played out but life truly is a continuous learning curve…especially where music and culture are concerned. I wrote a piece for Shook Magazine a little while back delving into the subsonic realm of Sound-system culture in the UK. As part of my research, I talked to Mikey Dread from Channel One Soundsystem about his experiences and contributions to the scene. His story was especially interesting to me. Although he is a Roots purist in the purest sense, when the demand for Roots Reggae crashed in the early 80s he kept it moving, finding new, diverse and dare I say it, atypical crowds to enter the covenant of bass. Until then, I was completely ignorant about how he came to be where he is today, I just knew he had a great sound and he’d been playing it for a LONG time. Most of his personal story didn’t make the Shook piece but I figured if I learnt something, you might too. So here we are, presenting….Mikey Dread.

Mikey’s persona is typical of a reggae industry veteran who has achieved a lot. Quiet and contemplative, he speaks when spoken to and asserts himself through a silent air of authority rather than the incessant chatter of some of his peers. I guess that’s what 35 years of speaking though music does to you, you just don’t NEED to talk as much. Not to be confused with the late Mikey Dread of ‘Dread at the Controls’ fame, Mikey’s journey began far away from the tropical heat of his namesakes’ Kingston Town, in the altogether greyer setting of East London. I asked him how he began and this is what he said:

“I started twiddling a pre-amp from 1973. It was more of a family thing. My old man used to have a soundsystem that he brought over from Jamaica. He used to play in blues dances and houses back in the 60s and it [my interest] developed from there. It was like anything else at that time, if your Dad or your older brother had it, it would just filter down to the next generation. My older brother used to play dances in East London and I started going to the sessions or ‘Shebeens’ as we used to call them with him. We really started getting into it in ‘75, ‘76 as the whole Roots thing grew…we didn’t play the same style as my Dad though, he was playing a lot of Rocksteady, Trojan, Upsetter, Count Shelly, early Studio One, Marcia Griffiths, Delroy Wilson. They had their repertoire of music from back dem times but there was a split. When we started to play, we were looking at Aggrovators Dub albums, Prince Far-I and those type of things. We took over the mantle from the older generation but playing a new style of Reggae music”

Mikey rode the Dubwise roots revolution of the 70s spreading his Rootical dub styles across the capital. But every music has a golden age right? Hip Hop heads still get a little moist in the eye if you mention the Cold-Chillin’ Electra and Bad-Boy camps of the early to mid 90s. The spines of Electro affecionados still shiver at the mention of Cybotron circa 1980 and in years to come, some of us will be telling our kids stories about how sick Martyn sounded at Plastic and how things just aren’t the same these days.

So this is where the story gets interesting, in fact, its the reason I wanted to write this piece. When the golden age of Roots came to an abrupt halt with the death of Bob Marley and the rising popularity of the Lovers Rock/Soul scenes, most Roots operators were forced to either change their style to include more ‘popular’ selections or simply sell their equipment off and seek more gainful employment. Mikey is one of the soldiers who stuck to his guns and held onto the Roots thing. The interesting thing is how he did it…

“Soundsystem was strong up until the middle 80s but in those times Lovers Rock started really come in and man who used to dread turn jheri curl….but we stuck to what we were doing – it was always a Roots thing. It was difficult though, because even to get the tunes was hard. It was like as Dancehall became big you could go to a shop and listen to 100 tunes but only 5 of them would really be on your vibes. The crowd changed from ‘83 upwards but if you stuck on your thing, the people that came to your session knew what they’re coming for. The Roots man started to filter out but what I decided to do, instead of trying to fight the Dancehall thing, I decided to take my soundsystem to different places. Universities, Polytechnics that kinda thing. We were probably the only black people in most of those venues…..I started to blend myself in with the student unions and that’s how I started rolling.”

About now I was genuinely surprised. I’d never really thought of what happened to Roots sounds in the years between the golden age and rise of new school sounds like Aba Shanti, Iration Steppas etc. Even if I had, I probably wouldn’t have considered taking the Roots dance to the University as an option. I guess that’s why i’m here writing and he’s there playing……anyway, I digress.

“Nobody was doing that on a soundsystem level. You’d see people like Misty In Roots and Aswad going into the college and University circuit but you’d never see a soundsystem. I can really say it’s me who started to take the Roots soundsystem thing to a new crowd…It was like Misty In Roots on stage, Channel One on the floor – the rest was pure white people…what do you do? Do you struggle in a Blues dance in your house with like 80-100 people or do you go play at a university where you’re playing to 800 people?….”

I wanted to know a) How the Roots people felt about this and b) How did the predominantly white university crowd related to the Channel One sound? Here’s what he said:

“The Roots people thought that Roots sounds were dead because all they were getting fed was Dancehall…this was when sounds like Saxon started coming into the realm. So it was like everybody was going to Moonshot where they used to hold the Dancehall sessions and i’d be on my way to Cardiff, Keele and all them places. Saturday night through some dark alley…..The Roots people didn’t really know where I was or what I was doing. Nobody in the Roots scene used to go to the university dances so none of them knew what I was doing…. As far as the university crowd, when they came into dances and saw big double boxes and quads, they shocked ’cause they’ve not seen anything like that before. They’re used to one man on stage with a whole heap of lights…2000 watts full of lights and two little 12 inches….we once played at Stevenage College and when we took the booking I was told there’d be another guy playing there as well…when we got there there was a man with him lights and ‘im girlfriend and whatever and ‘im tried to look swoosh. I put one big giant double box right next to him tower. When I turn on now, him a play and lights a flash like nobody’s business…when I start to play I put one b-line right under im tail, him come out and say “you know what, I think I’m gonna pack up and go home”‘

Part of the reason I wanted to tell this story is to big Mikey up for taking his scene and sharing it with a wider audience. Scenes are cliquey at the best of times and having the courage to step out and do your own thing is no small matter. His work is especially important when you consider that a lot of the audiences he played to would have contained the next generation of producers, DJs and tastemkers. He did take it to extremes though…

‘ We went into places where you’d never dream of taking a Soundsystem, I’m talking upmarket Hampstead, to a college where Margaret Thatcher’s daughter used to go to…we shook the place down…and when you look ‘pon the people, these were the the future politicians. When I think about it though, out of all the sessions we did at universities, they were the worst people in terms of behavior, they were rude! And they fought against one another in the session, but yet they’re supposed to be the leaders of the future.”

Ok, most of us know the rest of the story. The new wave of Roots Soundsystem became popular at the end of the 90s and Mikey’s Channel One sound returned to the fold at London’s biggest Dub session ‘University of Dub‘ (ironically). But far from sticking to one scene, he’s continued to bring his bass, mid and tops to crowds the world over.

That’s why I consider Mikey a true cultural ambassador. He has never diluted his sound, ethic or culture but over his career has managed to spread the vibes far beyond the original limits of the Roots scene. I’m also down with the fact that he’s not at all afraid to break new music. I hope those of you going to carnival this year stop by and pay your respects to a true Roots veteran. I’ll let him have the last word, I like the way he talks.

“Even now, you’ll see older black man come into one of my sessions and dem shock when they see it’s 80% white people. I’m like “you shouldn’t be shocked, i’ve been playing to these people for 30 years. While you went off and had pickney, woman, house and whatever and you’ve been sitting in your house with your slippers and your night-time drink I was on the road, running up and down the M1 building my Soundsystem and bringing people into what we do!…I just had the idea, ‘take Soundsystem to the white man. If Bob Marley can do it with a band then why can’t I do it with a Soundsystem?’”

Check this excerpt of a Channel One Sounday Psalms Session and click here to visit the Roots and Culture website for more rootical goodness….

If you can’t wait till carnival, you’ll also be able to catch Mr Dread in Brick Lane for his second Truman Brewery courtyard session.You can also tune in to his weekly radio show on SLR Radio 97.7FM (Sundays).