By Shelah Moody Photos by Lee Abel “Music is service, so we live in service continually,” said conscious reggae singer Jesse Royal. On Oct. 5, the “Modern Day Judas” singer, his dynamic Jamaican band and his younger brother DJ Justus, of the Ft. Lauderdale based group Firm Music, brought positive vibes to the Independent…
SusanOctober 13, 2021
Written By Maliika Walker “Come out the water is safe, no need for testing. If you come out to late, we lose Investments.” Taj Weekes, Crisis Taj Weekes has returned to the music scene with a new album opus reflecting on the events affecting the world today titled, Pause. This album is the…
SusanSeptember 14, 2021
Getting to know Carlos Vives! Island Stage first learned about Carlos Vives in 2020 after Ziggy Marley shared his featured collaboration with Vives on the track "El Hilo" from Vives recent album release, Cumbiana. We caught up with Carlos for a quick Q & A. With more than 20 million albums sold worldwide, Carlos Vives…
devadminMarch 17, 2021
By Island Stage Staff Cover photo © Danny Clinch Now that you’ve met Skip Marley, meet one of his musical partners and one of the female leaders of the millennial movement of Jah people, H.E.R. The Grammy nominated singer/songwriter/musician rode to the top of the music charts with Marley this year with their seductive record…
devadminAugust 19, 2020
Cover photo ©Jack McKain Skip Marley Island Stage interview By Shelah Moody ”Slow down, youth man, slow down Slow down, young girls, slow down” -Burning Spear, “Creation,” “Rasta Business” ”The smallest change in perspective can transform a life.” --Skip Marley Slow down. This may be the catch phrase of the current pandemic culture. While the…
devadminAugust 17, 2020
Grammy Nominated Singer/Songwriter Releases Solo Album Interview By Shelah Moody Straight out of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, vocalist Kumar Bent is gearing up to make a huge impact with his first solo album, “Kulture Walk,” releasing May 1st . In the midst of the Coronavirus Pandemic, the former Raging Fyah frontman and his family are sheltering…
devadminApril 29, 2020
By Jen Cheshire Roots rock reggae band Pepper is currently touring with Iration, Fortunate Youth and Katastro, and promoting their new album “Local Motion”, to be released on June 28th. The video of the first single released from the album, “Warning” ft Stick Figure, which was produced by Stick Figure, engineered by Johnny Cosmic, and…
devadminJune 10, 2019
By Shelah Moody Olivia Newton John. The Bee Gees. Air Supply. Add rising star Natalli Rize to the list of innovative and powerful musical movements to arise from Australia. The dreadlocked, Melbourne born singer/songwriter/producer describes her style of music as rebel frequencies, which influenced the title of her latest album. Rize describes her style as…
devadminFebruary 10, 2019
Maliika Walker “To be merciful and forgiving is his promise, so, never deny his guarantee.His love for us is broader than the universe, and as a father, he don't show partialitySo, who am I but to exalt his name.” Papa- Julian Marley Julian Marley will be releasing his fourth studio album on January 25th titled…
devadminJanuary 7, 2019
Interview by Jen Cheshire Cookie The Herbalist, real name Stefano Raschi, is to be counted as one of Switzerland’s most prolific, successful and relevant reggae and dancehall artistes. Thanks to his powerful and energetic performances and his characteristic voice, his live shows are favorites in Europe and abroad. Recently I caught up with Cookie…
devadminDecember 17, 2018
By Shelah Moody Third World Founder Discusses Musicality and New Album Produced by Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley
It does not have a title or a release date, but you can bet your last money that it will shoot to the top of the reggae charts. It’s a project that brings together…
devadminOctober 25, 2018
“You've taken on a lie, when falsehood became your alibi. You've taken to deceive the very ones you once told to believe. You’ve taken to defend anyone who’ll bring you money in the end. Taken out to war couldn’t get what you were wishing for.” Taj Weekes & Adowa, The Lie Taj Weekes and…
devadminOctober 23, 2018
By Shelah Moody They don’t call him the professor for nothing. Two weeks before the Sept. 21 release his 14th full-length album, “Groundation: The Next Generation,” Island Stage sat down with Harrison Stafford, the band’s brilliant lead singer, producer and lyricist at a local café in Oakland, CA. As the former Sonoma State University…
devadminSeptember 21, 2018
Sista Irie interviews Harrison Stafford of Groundation about the "Next Generation" album and features the tracks "My Shield" and "Father and Child"
devadminSeptember 20, 2018
Interview and photos by Rock NRobins If you have never been backstage at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado then you don’t know what massive is. If you aren’t awed by the physical setting, then you might be impressed by the sheer numbers of iconic talent that have performed there over the decades. From…
devadminSeptember 3, 2018
By Shelah Moody The Green perform Sunday, May 27 at the California Roots Festival, Monterey, CA, www.californiarootsfestival.com. I first fell in love with reggae music on the island of Oahu in the late eighties. I remember hearing Bob Marley and the Wailers--really hearing them on someone’s boom box pre-sunset on Waikiki Beach. I…
devadminApril 25, 2018
Interview by Maliika Walker Photos by Angela Kay Photography Etana is The Strong One. I remember when I witnessed seeing her image for the first time, the video for Wrong Address. I immediately was drawn to her soulful voice and have been a fan since that day ten years ago. Each album release brings forth…
devadminMarch 8, 2018
Part One Of Maliika Walker's Interview I witnessed my first Soundclash on the Welcome to Jamrock Cruise in 2015. I always fashioned myself a “roots” girl but witnessing my first soundclash led me to research the Soundclash movement and such greats as David Rodigan, Kilimanjaro, Stone Love, Mighty Crown and Tony Matterhorn. I recently saw…
devadminJanuary 3, 2018
A note from Dutty: I am Dutty Bookman, a thinker, an instigator, a family man. I am deeply affected by the human condition and I always seem to be working on ways to improve it for future generations. I have idealistic visions of life and what it should be, and I am learning to balance…
devadminAugust 17, 2017
By Shelah Moody Kabaka: Noun: The traditional king of Buganda, a region and former kingdom of southern Uganda.-dictionary.com. Pyramid: Noun (in ancient Egypt) a quadrilateral masonry mass having smooth, steeply sloping sides meeting at an apex, used as a tomb. (in ancient Egypt and pre-Columbian Central America) a quadrilateral masonry mass, stepped…
devadminJune 25, 2017