Historian - Reggae Music is Alive

[Jangle]

Chronixx is one of the best Reggae practitioners coming out of Jamaica in recent years:

Beat & A mic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLWuFUrVzac

They Don't Know

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGM3UZX518I

Here Comes Trouble

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfeIfiiBTfY

Rastaman Wheel Out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxh0...=RDNxh0O-MLHWE

Spirulina

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiQcGUUVPuY

[Historian]

Re: Reggae Music is Alive

Chronixx is one of the best Reggae practitioners coming out of Jamaica in recent years

Thank you for this most welcome thread, Jangle!

By the way, to set the record straight, I have never doubted that reggae is alive! I also posted my praise of Chronixx sometime last year (if I remember correctly, it was in a thread started by Tilla). I admire Chronixx not only because of his obvious vocal talent, but also because of his approach to Jamaican music and his obvious objective of keeping alive a very important (some may say most important) aspect of our culture.

In addition, the use of the Jamaican dialect in our music remains of major importance to me, which is another thing I admire about Chronixx and most other Jamaican recording artists. Even Jamaican artists who sing other genres, for example Brick & Lace, proudly showcase our dialect and our ways of expression.

So, put simply, I am a huge fan of recording artists like Chronixx, Tarrus Riley, Gyptian, Chris Martin, Richie Stephens, Tanya Stephens, Etana, Queen Ifrica, Kris Kelli, Tessanne Chin, Diana King, Morgan Heritage, and a host of others! Do not confuse my criticisms of current (particularly post-1990s) developments in dancehall music with anything else. I am a reggae -- and, in general, Jamaican music -- lover to the core, hence my constant posts over the years on this aspect of our culture.

By the way, your thread is about Chronixx, and so here is my all-time favorite Chronixx recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vofff0Ei3kk

I love everything about “Smile Jamaica”: the extended metaphor, the arrangement, the quality of the singer’s voice, the musicians’ contribution; in fact, the entire production.

Respect, boss!

[Jangle]

Histy, I know you know your music. Take note of this reggae song which will be nominated for Song of the Year. Mark my words.


Rude by Magic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIh2...=RDPIh2xe4jnpk

[Historian]

I Love It!

Histy, I know you know your music. Take note of this reggae song which will be nominated for Song of the Year. Mark my words.


Rude by Magic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIh2...=RDPIh2xe4jnpk

Respect again for yet another wonderful music post, Jangle! And yes, I fully understand why you feel that it “will be nominated for Song of the Year.” To be honest, I share your opinion on this.

Those Canadians (the band Magic) are not joking as far as reggae is concerned! But then again, others have more than adequately demonstrated that Jamaican musicians long ago lost our monopoly of authentic reggae performances! From the 1970s with the studio work of musicians like New York’s Eric Gale to the 1990s with people like the Canadian singer Snow (remember the massive hit, “Informer”?) to the 21st century with artists like Matisyahu (“King Without a Crown,” etc.), the California group No Doubt (“Underneath It All”), and countless others in between and after, it is obvious that foreigners can play authentic reggae.

By the way, Magic’s “Rude” reminds me of No Doubt’s “Underneath It All”!

Now, I hope readers of my previous post above will understand why I emphasized the importance (to me) of the role of our local dialect and colloquialism in Jamaican reggae music. (To be fair, the majority of reggae artists display pride in our dialect, etc.) We lost our reggae and ska music several decades ago as many foreign musicians mastered the intricacies of our rhythms, and so today the only thing that makes it predominantly Jamaican is our accent, dialect and native forms of expression. Nothing else, not even the themes!

Sadly, despite my expressed wishes, we actually lost the dialect and the Jamaican-expression aspects a long time ago as well (lol). Just two nights ago this fact again hit me as I listened to the popular reggae singer from Dominica, Nasio Fontaine.

[Gamma]

hmmmmm ...... and we lose that...we do not have much else.

i wonder what the Belgian philosphy is on Flemish ....

[TDowl]

Why the radio stations don't feature “Smile Jamaica”? Anyhow who knows where the Trade winds blow...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBniS1HMYiY

[Islandman]

I am hoping to catch him Friday night at Sumfest, if all goes according to plan.

He is developing his skills and his catalog nicely. Looks like he is getting steady work on the road too.

[Jangle]

The "new" categorization in music right now is EDM or Electronic Dance Music. This really not a new form of music but more the American music industry finding a new way to market music. It is really just Disc Jocks remixing hits on electronically driven dance/house/rave/techno beats. The biggest names out there right now is Calvin Harris, Avinci, David Guetta, Afrojack, Swedish House Maffia and Daft Punk. They are taking the music to next level and introducing all genres of music to the younger generation. Today, when you hear a song, you can't tell if the singer is black, white or Chinese, and the genres are blurred because of the beats. Take for instance the mega hit "Wake me Up" which is Bluegrass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y_KJAg8bHI

Now the new trend in Reggae and Dancehall music is EDM. The biggest names in Reggae/Dancehall EDM are Major Lazer and Skrillex. They are dipping into the vast catalogue of old school reggae music and remixing them into hits. Some of our older, even less popular reggae singers are finding a new lease on life in the music industry because of them, whilst our younger Dancehall artistes are realizing that they are reaching bigger audiences without changing their styles or dialect. Even the soca artistes are catching the EDM wave.

Examples:

Major Lazer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxD_7S7bl8k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zCoCa6b6cU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HgpnX6QUQY

Skrillex
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eJDTcDUQxQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGpzGu9Yp6Y
Take notice of the number of views.

[Historian]

Peter, This Was Jangle's Post

Histy, I know you know your music. Take note of this reggae song which will be nominated for Song of the Year. Mark my words.

Rude by Magic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIh2...=RDPIh2xe4jnpk

Peter, note the date that Jangle introduced us to “Rude” by the Canadian group Magic (see his second post in this thread). Jangle’s post was made July 3, 2014.

Next I’ll let you see Mo’s thread, which was made quite a while AFTER Jangle’s.

[Historian]

For HL

Peter, note the date that Jangle introduced us to “Rude” by the Canadian group Magic (see his second post in this thread). Jangle’s post was made July 3, 2014.

Next I’ll let you see Mo’s thread, which was made quite a while AFTER Jangle’s.

Just trying to make sure that you see this post, HL.

[Peter R]

I never doubted you in the least!