CLAUDIUS LINTON @ echoplex

dubclubmar1010

A Night of Roots and Culture

RAS MICHAEL and the Sons of Negus
mixed by Scientist

with special guests:
All Star Sabar Orchestra

and a acoustic set from:
Claudius Linton

Ras Michael was born George Michael Henry in Kingston, Jamaica. He grew up in the Rastafarian community in the ghettos of Kingston. He is known throughout the world as a reggae vocalist and Nyabinghi drum specialist whose style is the heartbeat of roots reggae.

In the early 60′s, Ras Michael formed the Sons of Negus, a rastafarian group of drummers and singers who had grown up in the tradition of burra drumming, one of the few surviving remnants of their African heritage. In Jamaica, the burra and kumina drums first sounded to celebrate the religious and social gatherings of the African people in Jamaica. Gradually, the Rastaman took over, beating the drums at their prayer meetings, or groundations. While Ras Michael’s music is drawn from an amalgam of biblical and African chants, he distinguished himself from the other drummers in the early Rastafarian movements by forging the connection between the traditional hand drums and the modern electric instruments used in commercial music, thereby taking his message of equal rights and unity from a few scattered communities in Jamaica’s parishes out to the entire world.

Ras Michael has worked, recorded and performed with some of the most legendary musicians in the world, including Peter Tosh, Lee Perry, Burning Spear, Stevie Wonder and Roberta Flack. He performed with Bob Marley at the One Love Peace Concert in Jamaica in 1978. Later that year, Marley was asked what he thought of Ras Michael. “Ras Michael is a roots master and a Nyabinghi specialist” he said. “He tells it like it is.” Ras Michael has recorded more than 24 albums over the years, including the memorable Kibir Am Lak (Glory to God) , Rastafari Dub featuring Peter Tosh, Robbie Shakespeare, and Earl “Chinna” Smith , Love Thy Neighbor ),and Zion Train .His tune “None Of Jah Jah Children No Cry” is a reggae anthem. Ras Michael is one of the founders and president of the Rastafarian International/Marcus Garvey Culture Center in Los Angeles, and and he continues to tour internationally .”The music is spreading” Ras Michael says, “and the people are getting more of an understanding. Without the one drop hard-core reggae music, without the Nyabinghi drop, reggae would not be reggae and have no true identity. It brings the elders, it brings the old man, it brings the young guys, it brings the ghetto people, the uptown people, downtown and suburbs…everyone, with true expressions of themselves, so it is reality.”

The All Star Sabar Orchestra is a young group of musicians recently arrived in LA from Dakar , Senegal where they were frequent performers in the nightclubs and cultural gatherings of that African capitol. Composed of 5 percussionist/vocalists , their music is a modern urban take on traditional styles. They rap in the Wolof language over intricate and fiery drumming in the “Bayefaal” mode.

At the mixing board for both of the bands will be the dubmaster Scientist. The late King Tubby is generally recognized as the father of Dub music, the style of reggae known for heavy drum and bass tones and wild reverb and echoes. Scientist was Tubbys apprentice and learned at his side, mixing reggae records from the age of 13 onwards. Many of Scientists albums are dub classics , such as “Scientist Rids The World of the Evil Curse of the Vampires”. With him at the controls the bass will be in the place!

@ Echoplex
1154 Glendale Blvd
(Main Entrance is through Alley)
Los Angeles, CA 90026

9pm / $5 BEFORE 10PM, $12 AFTER / 21+

Share: