Ziggy Marley and the Legends featuring THE MIGHTY DIAMONDS, July 30 and 31

The Jamaican harmony trio – Mighty Diamonds, is the longest running harmony trio composed of Donald “Tabby” Shaw, Fitzroy “Bunny” Simpson, and Lloyd “Judge” Ferguson. They started back in 1969 with their hit single “Country Living” and “Hey Girl”, and still active today. Ziggy Marley, the son of the great reggae legend Bob Marley and a reggae artist as well, expressed his gratitude to the trio in a recent interview in London, saying that they are the premiere male vocal trio in reggae music. He also said that the Mighty Diamonds is one of his musical influences. With this, Ziggy Marley and fellow reggae artist Tuff Gong, will feature Mighty Diamonds in their worldwide “Salute to the Legends of Reggae” tour.

Being honored as one of the great foundation reggae artists – I-Threes, Bob Marley’s Trio (Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths, and Judy Mowatt), Toots and the Maytals, Ras Michael and others, Mighty Diamonds will perform at Del Mar Fairgrounds, San Diego, in July 30 and Hollywood Bowl, CA, in July 31, with Ziggy Marley and Tuff Gong.

Aaron Kayce, the Mystic Theatre talent buyer, answered the Northern California Rasta community’s demand by bringing legendary artists. The Mystic Theatre in Petaluma, CA, is so popular for music artists because of its classical touch and unmatched acoustics. With the Mighty Diamond’s performance on August 3 in McNear’s Mystic Theater, they couldn’t ask for more.

MIGHTY DIAMONDS SUMMER TOUR SCHEDULE:

Sat July 30: Ziggy Marley and Tuff Gong Worldwide Salute the Legends of Reggae, 

Del Mar Fairgrounds 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd, De

Sun July 31:  Ziggy Marley and Tuff Gong Worldwide Present:

Hollywood Reggae Night X (10) with special guests I-Threes (Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths and Judy Mowatt), Wailing Souls, Ras Michael Hollywood Bowl 2301 N. Highland Ave. Hollywood, CA                        

Wed Aug 3: Mystic Theatre 23 Petaluma Blvd N, Petaluma, 94952

Thurs Aug 4: Ashkenaz 1317 San Pablo Ave. Berkley, CA

Fri Aug 5:  Gaia Festival Black Oak Ranch, Laytonville CA.

Sat Aug 6: Moe's Alley. 1535 Commercial Way. Santa Cruz, CA

Sun Aug 7: Brick and Mortar Music Hall, 1710 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA.

Sat Aug 13: Rastafest Toronto, Canada

Sun. Aug. 14: Midwest Reggae Festival, Nelson, Ohio

For press and interviews, contact:  

Rani Shelah Moody

smoodytone@aol.com

(415) 312-8689

Management and Booking: 

Robert Oyugi, Ujama Productions

1107 12th St #517

Boulder, CO 80302

Office: 303-415-1352

Cell: (415) 308 5629

Fax: 1-866-249-9797

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Usually, Sumfest starts on a Thursday as a Dancehall Night. This year, the 19th annual Greatest Reggae Show on Earth had more to offer, either your preference was Bunny Wailer, Mavado, or Nicki Minaj. All the hottest artists of Kingston were present; from rising stars Chan Dizzy, Tifa, and Konshens to successful hit makers such as Spice, Assassin, and I-Octane. Fans set off fireworks and torches that radiate through the night. A glowing bonfire followed just right in the middle of the outdoor arena. The flames were a symbol of the supporters’ appreciation towards the artists and their breathtaking performances.

Khago surpassed his last year’s smash hit “Nah Sell Out”. He attempted to suppress intense rumors of rivalry between him and Octane. The last four artists in line to perform have long been involved in conflicts and rivalries. 5-star general of the Alliance Bounty Killer brighten the crowd with classical “Cross, Angry, Miserable” form, wiping out his former protégé Vybz Kartel and long-time rival Beenie Man.

Beenie surfaced to the stage with a smile on his face. He set the crowd into fever as he lashed them out with a no sweat performance. He later invited Mya to perform with him their hit “Girls Dem Sugar,” showing more discretion as he was now a married man.

Mavado, who just returned from foreign visits, was next in line performing “Fly Again” and “Delilah.” The crowd was more thrilled as he took off his new gear then threw them to the crowd, bearing the true Gully style: barefoot with cut-off jeans and a tank top.

Approaching daybreak was Worlboss aka Vybz Kartel giving much shine to Gaza Empire artists such as Popcaan, Sheba, Vanessa Bling, and new recruit Tommy Lee. His former protege Jah Vinci made his solo debut on the Sumfest. Kartel later said, “As one gone, another one born.”

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Alborosie or Alberto D’Ascola in real life is a rising reggae star who follows a similar path from the greatest musical legends before him. He’s a promising young musician touring around the world and soon to mature as an icon in the music industry. His latest albums are “Escape from Babylon to the Kingdom of Zion” – released in 2010 (much of a sequel for his “Escape from Babylon” album in 2009) and “2 Times Rebellion” that was just released this year.

Born in Sicily Italy (1977), he got lots of attention from people as a prodigy. At a young age, he was able to play several instruments including piano, guitar, bass and drums. He got into numerous bands until he formed the reggae band ‘Reggae National Ticket’ at the age of 15. In 1993, the band signed up with BMG Records Italia and sold an unexpected 200, 000 copies years after.

With the interest of Black culture and origin, Alborsie shared the stage with other reggae bands in Jamaiica – Sunsplash 99’ and Sumfest 2000. He finally moved into the island with hopes of fully immersing himself to the culture, people, and the music he love. It was difficult at first since he left all his possessions when he moved out from his band in Italy. He found a decent job as a mixing engineer that ended up meeting Jon baker – Gee Street Records founder, who made him a house engineer and producer for Geejam Records. Working at Geejam gave him an opportunity to work with several international artists like UB40, Mario, and Angie Stone.

After years of collaboration with local and international reggae artists, Alborosie was ready to make a name for himself as a reggae artist. ‘Soul Pirate’ released in 2008 was his first solo album. It talks about his love, passion, and journey to Jamaica. “Herbalist” – the first single from the album, was an international hit and played continuously on the airwaves. It topped the charts for weeks but created a controversy because of its explicit lyrical and visual content. “Kingston Town” and “Call up Jah” also made an impression that Alborosie is on his way to the top. The songs got up to the MTV Italy and European reggae charts as the greatest summer anthems of 2007.

Alborie has been touring for the past years to continue his journey on becoming an icon for reggae music. His 2011 Summer Tour has just begun starting out in Espoo, Finland Iglesias, Italy on July 16.


Discography

• Soul Pirate (2008)
• Escape from Babylon (2009)
• Escape from Babylon to the Kingdom of Zion (2010)
• Alborosie, Specialist & Friends (2010)
• Dub Clash (2010)
• 2 Times Revolution (2011)

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Showcasing reggae music with the taste of various musical influences, Mad Caddies sets a unique vibe in the industry. The band has been touring in US, Canada, Europe, Japan and Australia for years. ‘Keep it Going’ – a 14 track album, is the band’s latest album released in 2007. With the association of the Grammy Award winning producer Wayne Jobson, the 5th full track album release became a huge success. It definitely took the listeners on a journey of Jamaican musical dancehalls to the mainstream music scene. 

The summer of 1995 was the time when high school buddies – Chuck Robertson, Carter Benson, James Malis and Todd Rosenberg, started the group under the name ‘The Ivy League’. The coast of California certainly is a beautiful place to enjoy under the sun but as the band got serious, they kept their noses off surfing routines by locking up in a barn. Focusing on their music, the band was able to release studio albums – ‘Quality Soft Core’ in 1997 and ‘Duck and Cover’ in the early 1998, under a new name. Mad Caddies went to existence after the record deal with Honest Don’s Records to avoid confusion since another band also went under the same moniker.  A year later, drummer Todd Rosenberg left the band. Since then, the band lineup fluctuated from time to time but it never changed the way Mad Caddies create music – in 2002, Benson left the band and Mark Iverson had to go in 2006.

The band has toured around the world countless times including Warped, Euro, and US tours in the late 90’s until 2003. EPs, live records, and full length albums were also produced within the band’s touring dates. In 2007, the band sold limited edition DVD albums and EPs.

The Mad Caddies’ talented crew of musicians is so diverse, giving reggae a touch of jazz, rock, swing, punk, and country music. With Chuck’s amazing voice (although he loves to smoke and drink a lot!), Mad Caddies was able to inject a unique brand of music around the world.  The current lineup of the band consists of the front man Chuck Robertson (vocals/guitars), Sascha Lazor (guitars/banjo), Keith Douglas (trumpet/back-up vocals), Eduardo Hernandez (trombone), and Dustin Lanker (keyboards). The band’s original drummer – Todd Rosenberg, reunited with the band along with his childhood buddy Graham Palmer to take on bass guitars.

Discography

• Consensual Selections (2010, compilation album)
• Live @ Munich Backstage Germany (2007, live album)
• 2007 Tour EP (2007)
• Keep it Going (2007)
• Songs in the Key of Eh! (2004, live album)
• Just One More (2003)
• Rock the Plank (2001)
• The Holiday Has Been Cancelled EP (200)
• Duck and Cover (1998)
• Quality Soft Core (1997)

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Formed in 1998, Groundation (the name came from the struggle to invite everyone on the same level to educate each other and ignore hierarchy) has been creating a unique sound of reggae music for years. The internationally known band started in the underground music scene, showcasing their music from Jazz, Fusion, and Dub influences. Composed of Harrison Stafford (guitarist/singer/composer), Marcus Urani (keyboards), Ryan Newman (bass), David Chachere (trumpet), Kelsey Howard (trombone), Jason Robinson (sax), Mingo Lewis Jr. (percussions), Te Kanawa Haereiti (drums) and singers Stephanie Wallace and Kim Pommel, the nine-piece band is considered one of the most outstanding reggae bands in the world. For years, the band has toured for over 4 continents and 30 countries, being hailed as a world-wide reggae movement that's still active today. They are also about to start another world-wide tour this coming September.

The roots reggae band started out in Sonoma County in Northern California. With the association of SSU (Sonoma State University) Jazz Program, the band came up with their very first original studio album under the band's name - 'Groundation - Young Tree'. In 2000, the addition of horn players David - a jazz player from San Francisco, and Kelsey - North Bay based trombone player, spiced up a whole new band repertoire. Much have been said to the changes of the bands line up - as an effect, the band has a rich music context that everyone is so amazed of. 

The world-wide tour of Groundation has created a global community that's still growing nowadays. Their live performances are truly epic, with 45,000 audiences in Morocco, 10,000 in Brazil, and 15, 000 at the Summer Jam concert in Germany. The band also shares the stage with great reggae artists in US reggae festivals - fans followed the group for shows especially in own California.

The combination of reggae music to social awareness issues is truly one of Groundation's ingredients for success. With the commitment of sharing their messages throughout the globe, the band is headlined in music magazines, shows, and festivals. For 12 years, the band was able to produce 7 albums including the latest 'Here I Am' - the band's sixth full-length studio release. It features the reggae icons - The Congos and Pablo Moses, in a collective story that people can relate to.

In July 2011, Groundation will be performing at the Festival de Casablanca in Casablanca, Morroco. To end the band's summer tour, they'll be performing for two days in Dour, Belgium and one will be held at New York. California will be the place to jump-start Groudation's Building an Ark World Tour in September featuring roots reggae artists such as Kevin Kinsella - former member of John Brown's Body.

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One of the leaders of the reggae dancehall movement, Sizzla Kalonji or simply Miguel Orlando Collins in real life emerged as a promising reggae artist in the late 90’s for his songs about love, faith, and advocacy. He gained popularity not only from his chart-topping singles but also from his controversial topics on homosexuality and western oppression.

Born on April 17, 1976 and raised by Rastafarian parents, Sizzla grew up with principles from the Bobo Ashanti branch of the Rastafari movement. He studied mechanical engineering in Kingston, Jamaica but he ended up with gigs for the Caveman Hi-Fi sound system. After honing his talents and making his own style of music, he was able to make a name for himself as a local performer. In 1995, he was able to deliver his message to a much bigger crowd as he released his first single with Zagalou label. A series of singles came after teaming up with “Bobby Digital” Dixon but his success isn’t that solid until he was recommended to producer Philip “Fatis” Burrel by the Jamaican saxophonist Dean Fraser. “Burning Up”, his first LP materialized later that year after releasing singles “Judgement Morning”, “Blaspheme”, “We Uh Fear”, “I’m not sure”, “Life’s Road” and “The Gun” – a Shadowman duet.

With the release of the second Burrel produced album “Praise Ye Jah” and Dixon produced album “Black Woman & Child” in 1997, Sizzla really became one of the best dancehall reggae artist throughout the globe. Sizzla’s hot streak of chart topping hits, from “Like a Mountain”, “Kings of the Earth”, “Babylon Cowboy”, to the Luciano duet “Building a Better World”, created a strong bond with Burrel. In 1998, Sizzla received his first nomination as the MOBO Awards’ Best International Reggae Artist of the Year. He was also feature in magazines, earning a place in the Top 100 Albums of the Year. Sizzla received his second MOBO nomination a year after. Controversies arose in 2004 as Sizzla was barred from entering countries and performing live concerts. Advocating violence against homosexuals in some of his songs, some of Sizzla’s concerts were cancelled after protests of Stop Murder Music Canada coalition, and other anti-violence movements in Spain, and UK.

Crossing different styles of reggae, Sizzla was able to release over 45 solo albums and 15 compilation albums. After years of performing and recording hits, he started his own record company which is the collaboration with Koch Records and Damon Dash Music Group – the Kalonji Records

The early 2010 gave Sizzla an opportunity to perform at the 86th birthday celebration of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. Months later, he was given a farm in the country where he can permanently stay as a citizen. Despite of all the controversies in his life, Sizzla remains committed in creating reggae music for the new generation.

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San Diego might not be a place where reggae music is appreciated the most. The guys in Tribal Seeds know that very much but it didn't matter a lot. With the love for the natural vibe of the Caribbean, Steven Jacobo (vocals/guitars) and his brother Tony-Ray Jacobo (keyboards), formed a reggae group in 2004 with talented musicians John Wegener (bass), Marc Munoz (guitars) and Tony Navarro (percussions). The band shares music influences like Pepper, 311, SOJA, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Bob Marley to create a flavorful yet empowering music across the nation.

Both raised playing musical instruments and reggae (there were plenty of times when their parents blasted the house with reggae music), Steven and Tony were inspired with the strong message in the music their family love the most. By the time they've improved their musical abilities, forming a reggae became possible. Despite of different musical influences, the band was able to have a strong reggae foundation. 

It wasn't hard for the band to embrace the true nature of reggae music. They were able to create an art form for rebel music enthusiasts with the refreshing rock vibe in a roots style reggae rhythm. With Steven working on the lyrics and the rest of the band on musical production, Tribal Seeds success came unexpectedly early. After three years of touring in North America, Mexico, Guam, and Hawaii with other reggae artists like Matisyahu, Stephen Marley, The Wailers, Gregory Isaacs, Rebelution, and SOJA, the band released their very first album "Tribal Seeds" under their own label. In the 2008 San Diego Music Awards, the Tribal Seeds got their very first music award - Best World Music. It was also picked by iTunes as the Best of 2008.

"The Harvest" was their second album released in 2009. Earning the number five spot on the Billboard Reggae Charts, it was definitely a successful follow-up album (where most bands have a hard time doing it). It consists of fourteen original tracks, written and produced by the band itself - as usual, Steven did the writing. The album was recorded and mixed by Alan Sanderson at Signature Sounds Studios in San Diego. Erik Lobson at Universal Marketing did the mastering.

One character that Tribal Seeds are very proud of is that they're still young and flexible with given work conditions - like extended music tours. Yes, the band is still to mature - that's why their fans are still expecting more changes (better ones) in the future. With the involvement of some members of the band with other music artists, they are soon to showcase a more unique repertoire with the mix of blues, rock, punk, funk, and fusion - like every music style in history does to adapt in the new generation. 

Download Tribal Seeds' Album Here

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Clifton George Bailey III or the famous Capleton these days, is a native of St. Mary, Jamaica who known for his religious views and reggae music. He gained his international stardom in the 90’s with his songs “Bumbo Red”, “Woman Me Lotion”, and “Number One on the Look Good Chart”.

From a very young age, Capleton showed interest in music as he sneaked out of the house to listen from some vibes brought by traveling musicians. His religious belief on the other hand was the result of his clever reasoning skill thus calling him by his friends in the name of Capleton – name of the famous lawyer in their town. At the age of eighteen, he moved from St. Mary to Kingston pursuing his dreams of becoming a dancehall deejay. Kingston is the home of popular reggae artists – it’s also a place for dancehall reggae lovers. Capleton made his way into it although he had to take some weird jobs to cover up his expenses. Years passed by and he became one of the most popular local deejays – earning him a break to the international music scene.

 Winning the audition for Stewart Brown’s African Star production in Canada made an avenue for him to perform with top dancehall reggae artists Flourgon and Ninjaman – it was also the time when he became very popular in Jamaica and secured him of a record deal with the Jamaican reggae producer Philip “Fattis” Burell. Although his first hit single “Bumbo Red” didn’t conquer the airwaves, it was overly played in dancehalls that made him even more popular. Rastafarianism changed most of his outlook in life – it was also shown in his song lyrics. With the knowledge from the writings of the Jamaican Black Nationalist leader Marcus Grey in United States, Capleton started to address Rastafarian principles and social awareness. His album “Alms House” in 1993 declared his new-found wisdom but the album he released later that year “Good So” gave him the name of a dancehall prophet.

 In 1995, Capleton showed his hip-hop influence with the “Tour” remix about the murder of his fellow dancehall reggae artists. As it topped the billboard charts, hip-hop label Def Jam decided to make a deal with Capleton to produce the album “Prophecy” – featured Wu Tang Clan’s Method Man. It was still too dancehall and reggae roots influenced to be popular in the mainstream but it was solid enough to attract more listeners. With his second Def Jam album “I-Testament”, he was able to get into the mainstream. It was a success for both Def Jam and Capleton but the question rose about his identity as a reggae artist. The change in label from Def Jam to a smaller production J&D paved way for some serious yet enlightening songs that showcased Capleton’s identity. A year later, VP records made a deal for a 17 track album “More Fire”. After years of releasing albums, Capleton toured around the US and Africa in the late 2010 and early 2011.

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A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Jah Cure or Siccature Alcock in real life is a reggae artist who had his break during the 90’s. His single named “King of the Jungle” with another artist Sizzla was a jumpstart for his career in the reggae scene. He was born in October 11th 1978 and grew up in Kingston along with his reggae influences Capleton and David House Crew – the one who named him Jah Cure because of his profound smoking of herbs that results into a certain “cured” look.

Jah Cure’s career started on small performances in pubs and hanging around studios. With Beres Hammond as his mentor, he was able to release his very first single “King of the Jungle” that gained a lot of attention from listeners. With the constant release of successful singles and growing number of fans throughout Jamaica, a car arrest in Montego Bay for gun possession, robbery and rape dragged the young artist down. In April 1999, he was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment – although he constantly stated his innocence.

While serving his sentence, Jah Cure was still getting a lot of support from his fans. With the growing number of his supporters, he’s become a folk hero. Having the access to recording instrument while in prison was a silver lining for Cure to finish what he started – to make music that’ll be appreciated by everyone. His very first album “Free jah Cure The Album The Truth” in 2000 was a major breakthrough in his career. Tracks from it are constantly heard in radio stations and some even topped the charts.

After two years, the album was backed up by “Ghetto Life”. In the year of 2005, Jah Cure released his final album inside the prison “Freedom Blues”. He was released from prison on a parole last July 2007 with high hopes of performing in live audience again. After three days, he released his fourth album “True Reflections… A New Beginning” which may have been derived from his new found freedom. At the Reggae Sundance held in Eindhoven, Holland in August of the same year, he was able to perform in front of a live audience for the very first time. It was a headlining performance that people were dying to witness. With his powerful yet unique way of singing, he was able to send the message of life, imprisonment, freedom, and hope to the crowd. It was quite a surprise too because many didn’t expect him to be at home on the stage since it was his first time – but he really did a great show for everyone.

After years from imprisonment, Jah Cure released “The Universal Cure” in US on April of 2009. By the end of 2010, his success continues with singles “Unconditional Love”.

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Tags: jah cure, jamaican, Reggae