Japanese Reggae Getting More Japanese
24 July 2010 by Karin in Music [ 7 comments ]
Photo used under Creative Commons antjeverena
Here’s an interesting article from The New York Times on Japanese Reggae and how it’s becoming more Japanese…
Recently I had a discussion with someone who was arguing that consumers don’t care where reggae comes from anymore, that is, people don’t care whether reggae is Jamaican, they just care that it’s good.
I found this to be disturbing – you mean given a choice between going to a reggae concert of a Jamaican band versus an American or Canadian or Japanese reggae band the average consumer doesn’t care anymore, I protested? Apparently this is so, as long as the music is good of course.
Perhaps our reggae producers out there need to sit up and take notice…if they haven’t already….
Photo courtesy of antjeverena
while I found that NY times article to be an eye opener and interesting I still believe that Jamaica will always be the mecca of reggae.
Jamaica will always be the Reggae Capital of the world. However Jamaican producers need to start becoming more creative and put out solid Roots & Culture tunes. Enough of the same rehashed music, get creative for god sake. Bands like Midnite who hail from St Croix conctantly put out quality music. The scene in JA is becoming too R&B influence.
This Article may be on point. I am in Detroit and the featured act that is performing tonight is Calli Buddz with Cyprus Hill. The crowd draw is unreal for a non-Jamaican.
It would appear that the creativity in Jamaican born reggae is too few and far between. I am sure that it may stem from education (or the lack there of).
this looks interesting, will be picking up copy soon as its ltd ed.
UK Pogus Caesar’s new book MUZIK KINDA SWEET = it features rare archive photographs of legendary Reggae artists including: Burning Spear, Mighty Diamonds, Augustus Pablo, Jimmy Cliff, Junior Delgado, Prince Alla, Dennis Brown and a host of others – a must for all lovers of Reggae.
Punch and OOM Gallery launch Pogus Caesars’ new limited edition book , the Birmingham-based photographer celebrates iconic Black musicians.
Specially commissioned and published by Punch and OOM Gallery, the book features 95 evocative, nostalgic and largely unpublished images of musical legends including Stevie Wonder, Grace Jones, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and Augustus Pablo.
The book contains a foreword by Paul Gilroy, Introduction by Kate Pryor – Williams (Arts Council of England ) & Ammo Talwar MBE. Shot entirely in black and white on a Canon Sureshot camera purchased in the 1980’s, the photographs offer a stark alternative to the digital performance photography of today.
All books are signed, and are part of limited edition of 250. 190 Pages, A4 Paperback Monochrome, 95 Black and White plates.
ISBN-13: 978-0956674104
muzik kinda sweet on photobucket
http://photobucket.com/images/pogus%20caesar%20muzik%20kinda%20sweet/
Great info!! Thanks for sharing!
Xcellent pictures (muzikk kinda sweet) the title evoke good feelings. An all star cast of black music is covered from Jazzi b to the prince of reggae dennis brown. Pogus Caeser has an important archives.
MUZIK KINDA SWEET BY POGUS CAESAR 1st – 30th October 2011
The British Music Experience at O2 presented by the Co-operative, in association with OOM Gallery will be showcasing an exclusive exhibition of 38 rare photographs celebrating legendary black musicians working in the UK.
Using a simple camera photographer Pogus Caesar followed the musicians and singers around the famous venues producing a collection that celebrates a style of black music that brings together the UK, the US and the Caribbean.
From Stevie Wonder in 1989, Grace Jones in 2009 and Big Youth in 2011, this unique exhibition documents how black music, in its Reggae, Soul, Jazz and R&B tributaries of sound, has changed and renewed itself over the decades.
Journeying from Jimmy Cliff to Jay-Z via Mica Paris and Mary Wilson of The Supremes to David Bowie’s bass player Gail Ann Dorsey, these images conjure up an alphabet of the music of the Black Atlantic.
The photographs selected from OOM Gallery Archive are also as much about the clubs and venues, as it is about the singers, producers and musicians. The Wailers at The Tower Ballroom, Sly Dunbar at The Hummingbird Club, Courtney Pine at Ronnie Scott’s, Cameo at the Odeon Cinema, Ben E. King at the Hippodrome and Soul II Soul’s Jazzie B at BBC Pebble Mill, many venues now lost to regeneration or renewal, and only recalled through memory and imagery.
http://www.britishmusicexperience.com/muzik-kinda-