Heads High

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!