ZonaReGGae podcast

Blessings!

Wid a bit delay, but here we come wid last week ZonaReGGae radiosession!

Dis year’s 100% Brand New selection show finally arrives! Something I always enjoy doing at least once a year, was possible at last

Featuring only never played tunes pon di show, almost everything on dis week’s session is also Brand new! So sit back and enjoy!

[Another TOP download action month – nearly 700! – our bandwidth is over till 10^th November:/ So, DOWNLOAD dis and some previous session @ ALTERNATIVE DOWNLOAD LINK!]

-New tunes on the show forwarding some Roots,Dub & Revival vibes from: Queen Omega, Cornadoor, Doobie Sounds & Formulla, Dan-I-Locks, Hatman, Abassi All Stars or Celt Islam!

BIG Highlights on the session for new releases from:

-Ras Zacharri and the debut album Herbs Man!

Released past September by Shem Ah Bored Records, Herbs Man is Ras Zacharri affirmation as one the new Jamaican Roots rising stars.

After some great European cooperation, especially alongside British crew Roots Garden Records, here is the debut release, featuring also some great combination alongside Luciano, Natty King and Gregory Issacs!

+ INFOS @
RAS ZACHARRI

&
SHEM AH BORED RECORDS 

-Matic Horns, and definitely the BEST Roots Revival release of the year: Increase The Peace!

Following the tradition of legendary horns players like Vin Gordon, Rico Rodriguez or Don Drummond, Henry ‘Buttons’ Tenyue a.k.a. Matic Horns is one of the most talented trombonist ever!

After the little heard debut album for Gussie P. 400 years, dis bright musicians whom played alongside some of the biggest, Jamaican and british, Roots reggae artists, releases his new work, Increase the Peace! Bringing back huge roots reggae riddims togheter wid legends like Sly & Robbie, Roots Radics or Mafia and Fluxy, Increase the Peace also features renowned producer Mike Brooks!

Surely 2009 Best instrumental release! Blow Mr. Hornsman Blow!

+ INFOS@
MATIC HORNS

-Almost coming to the streets and all underground soundsystem sessions, is French collective Webcam Hi-Fi debut CD/LP, Livity is My Temple! Schedule for beggining of November, dis 1^st full release presents a string of new Roots and Heavy Dub riddims produced by Tube Dub Sound Records frontman FreDread.

A showcase style release, wid Dub versions alongside vocal ones from artists like: Horace Martin, Tony Roots,Joseph Cotton, Parvez & Madu, Roberto Sanchez or Dan I!

Another long awaited Outernational Dub & Reggae music release!

+ INFOS@
WEBCAM HI-FI

Electronic basslines universe, current surprise, comes wid the 2^nd album from north-American Liquid Stranger, Intergalactic Slapstick!

Featuring the Bass as the central point of his productions, Liquid Stranger is already one the recent times, biggest innovators inna Dubstep/Reggae grooves merging style.

Released past 16^th October, the new album journeys through downtempo, Dub, Steppers and Dubstep, always enhanced wid Liquid Stranger own drill’n’bass touch! Full wid voices all over the set, special guests are Warrior Queen, Deeyah and Brother Culture!

Another original release from Canadian label Interchill Records!

+ INFOS@
LIQUID STRANGER
&
INTERCHILL RECORDS

Plenty more brand new stuff playing dis week, but the greatest of them takes the form of weekly new releases highlight; finally featuring Groundation’s new album – Here I am!

More than just a Modern Roots Reggae group, Groundation is today, a reference all over the world, standing for creativity in dis music style.

After 10 years of constant innovation and development, Groundation released last June, their 6^th original album, Here I am, a genuine Ode to humanity’s presence and importance as a whole, at the beginning of dis troubled century.

Rather than repeating the formula (or one of the many!) that the group created in any one of the previous albums, Here I Am breathes to a new sound,  and demonstrates a new phase of group life, this time creating a genuine collective sound, where, just like in their extraordinary live performances, where each element have, naturally, their own space, to give their best and unique contribution!

The Group's core trio Harrison Stafford, Ryan Newman and Marcus Urani, are now accompanied by new elements: David Chachere (trumpet), Kelsey Howard (trombone), Dr. Jason Robinson (saxophone), Mingo Lewis Jr. (Congas), and Tekanawa 'Rufus' Haereiti on drums, perhaps the greatest highlight in dis 'new' line up, bringing a natural jazzy Groove into the riddim section.

Novelties don´t stop here, and we can now listen to female voices, Kim Pommel and Stephanie Wallace, leaving their unique position as backing vocals, and stepping forward in tunes like the title track Here I am, So Blind or Not so Simple.

Jamaican reggae legends like percussionist Sticky Thompson, sweet voiced Pablo Moses, and The Congos original trio, are Here I Am special guest stars; once again matching in perfection, Harrison Stafford’s intriguing voice, that even comes up just as backup on tunes like Time Come, where The Congos show us why they are, probably, the best Jamaican vocal trio of all time!

Musically, the  rhythmic construction in Here I am is superb, keeping the classic Roots Reggae base that always passionate the group; but also bringing a obvious return to their jazz origins, marked by the presence of Groundation’s  first-ever instrumental theme in a album, Walk Upright, or by the jammin’ style of Not so Simple!

Being obviously an album for Groundation’s fanatic (like any other from the group will certainly be!), Here I am is not for purists, somewhat showing an attempt to break musical barriers, and both, open the musical horizons of the Jamaican music purist, as well  the ones to everyone else!

And if the music is unique by its elaboration, Here I Am and Groundation stand out once again, by the exquisite lyrical originality.

Without falling into clichés and still straight to the point, Harrison Stafford lyrics , are here simultaneous  given to: the System, which seems to want to squeeze anything it can until the inevitable end of its sovereignty; and every one of us, calling for hope, and urgency of a true and real Union and community amongst all of us……Run the Plan, By All Means, Blues Away or You Can Profit, are some of the brightest, truthful and emotive Groundation lyrics ever!

Closing the set, simplicity of the complex well present in the tune Golan to Galilee, over a unique cry out for union, where all the voices get together to chant:

‘From Golan to Galilee/Onto Jerusalem
that´s what I want to see/ All Love and unity
stretching through creation/As far as the Eye can see

I Rasta, I Rasta, I Rasta, I Rasta’

If for many, Here I Am, is not Groundation’s best release ever, we can certainly say that it´s till now, the groups best musical momentum, originality above everything, and in many instants, capable of bringing all the strength and creativity that the group displays live on stage!  

The journey follows wid their alert Tours around the world; and great news for the year 2010; with the announcement of another dubwise chapter from Dub Wars series!

And the release of Holding on to Jah, one of the most awaited documentaries about Jamaican music history, co-produced by Harrison Stafford!

Check the links for a taste of what to expect

+INFOS@
GROUNDATION
&
GROUDATION MUSIC
&
HOLDING ON TO JAH

Hope you enjoy dis session as much as we did! A all month of new releases coming on the way for November, so keep on checking us back!

Give thanks for all the support!

Hayah Love!

I-Rick

Playlist available @

ZonaReGGae 28 OCT 2009