I can't figure out how to add a "Now Listening" section to this blog, so I'm just going to start adding them here...
Alpha Blondy's
Jerusalem is a great reggae album from the 80s that I listened to a lot back in my Santa Cruz years. Alpha Blondy was a very talented reggae artist from the Ivory Coast who sang in English, French, Arabic, and some African languages. I don't think he was Rasta, but used a lot of Christian and Muslim imagery in his message.
I remember the first time I heard the title track, "Jerusalem." I think it was on KUSP or one of the alternative Santa Cruz stations. I was sitting in my car in the driveway of the apartment where Katie and I lived the Live Oak neighbourhood. This tune starts off really slow and meditatively....then falls into a reggae beat. At the time I thought I was listening to a Christian radio station, and I remember thinking, "Damn, it's about time those Christians got into some good reggae." Later, probably in 1988, Katie and I drove up to San Francisco to see Alpha Blondy play at the Fillmore. I bought a t-shirt and kept it for years until it finally disinigrated. That night, on the way home driving down Highway 1, we stopped at some midnight beach.
I haven't kept up with Alpha Blondy over the years. I heard he spent some time in Bellvue with some mental troubles. I think he's still around though.
I love rootsy reggae from the 1975-1985 era. Almost all the reggae albums I originally had from this period I picked up used at Logo's Bookstore in Santa Cruz, California -- at first mostly based on the cover art alone. I found some great music. Sadly, a lot of it isn't available digitally (and my albums all melted in the hot sun one summer ....).
Burning Spear's Chant Down Babylon is a revolutionary collection of this reggae band's best work. Conscious lyrics, conscious rhythm, conscious beauty and vibe.
I know the word "prophet" has been overused--mostly misused actually. But I wouldn't hesitate to apply it to this man. Bob Marley wasn't necessarily any more holy than the rest of us, but his words, music, and positive vibration has helped to wake up millions of people and called us to live life in a better, more loving way. That's a prophet in my book. Happy birthday Bob Marley.
