MORGAN HERITAGE "STRICTLY ROOTS"

The legacy of reggae vocalist Denroy Morgan has been passed on to his sons, who have performed as Morgan Heritage since 1991. While its mellow, R&B-influenced vocals and Rastafarian lyrics have been compared to Garnett Silk, the group has continued to pave its own musical path. The band's many hits include "Let's Make Up," "Tell Me How Come," "Set Yourself Free," "Mama and Papa," and "Protect Us Jah." Initially an octet featuring eight of Morgan's 29 children, Morgan Heritage began recording in the early '90s. Although they attended school in Springfield,
Massachusetts, they spent their weekends in their father's recording studio in Brooklyn. Their debut single, "Wonderful World," was produced by their father and released in 1991. An album, Growing Up, followed shortly afterward. The first break for Morgan Heritage came the following year when they performed at Reggae Sunsplash. Their performance was so impressive that MCA offered a recording contract almost as quickly as they were off the stage. Their first album for MCA, Miracle, released in 1994, was a major disappointment as the album clung to mass market reggae formulas. Touring the Ivory Coast in 1995, Morgan Heritage rediscovered their musical roots. Toward the end of the year, the group traveled to Jamaica to record their next album. Recording during the day with Lloyd "King Jammy" James and at night with Bobby "Digital" Dixon, the group took a major leap forward. Shortly after releasing their second album, Protect Us Jah, in 1997, Morgan Heritage were reduced to a five-piece. In addition to Una Morgan (born 1973), the group included keyboardist/vocalists Peter Morgan (born 1977) and Roy "Gramps" Morgan (born 1975), rhythm guitarist Nakhamyah "Lukes" Morgan (born 1977), and percussionist Memmalatel "Mojo" Morgan (born 1981). Don't Haffi Dread from 1999 and More Teachings from 2001 continued to carry the roots reggae torch while Three in One from 2003 broadened their sound a bit with a guest appearance from the alt-rock band Good Charlotte. Full Circle from 2005 featured the massive Jamaican hit "Tell Me How Come" and was followed a year later by the live album Live: Another Rockaz Moment. Mission in Progress arrived in 2008 with the singles "Raid Rootz Dance" and "Love You Right." The 2009 compilation The Journey Thus Far rounded up their hits, while their 2013 effort Here Come the Kings featured the single "Perfect Love Song" along with a guest appearance from Shaggy. Shaggy returned for 2015's Strictly Roots which was released by the band's own label CTBC (Cool to Be Conscious). The album also featured appearances from J. Boog, Chronixx, Bobby Lee of SOJA, plus solo artist and son of Gramps, Jemere Morgan. MORGAN HERITAGE  
 

RONNIE EARL AND THE BROADCASTERS "GOOD NEWS"

On Good News Ronnie Earl is joined by The Broadcasters, his band of over 25 years, to create a mostly instrumental album of spellbinding intensity and deep soul that will satisfy his growing legion of fans. Earl’s eighth album for Stony Plain Records shows, once again, the deep respect and knowledge he has for his peers and mentors. Along with a majority of original tunes, he is honored to record “Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke, “Blues for Henry” co written with Hubert Sumlin, and the Junior Wells composition “In the Wee Hours.” “Runnin’ In Peace,” which closes the album, features suppliant lyrics written by Ilana Katz Katz, who was near the finish line of the Boston Marathon when the first bomb exploded on April 15, 2013. A Brief History Legendary blues guitarist Ronnie Earl was born Ronald Horvath, in Queens, New York, on March 10, 1953. He didn’t pick up his first guitar until twenty years later, beginning a musical journey that took him to the sides of some of the most respected and talented blues musicians in the world. Inspired by Muddy Waters, T-Bone Walker, B.B. King, Freddie King, Otis Rush, Big Walter Horton and The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Ronnie quickly developed his six-string skills, playing with an intensity that hasn’t cooled in more than 35 years of playing. RONNIE EARL AND THE BROADCASTERS
 

EUFORQUESTRA "FIRE"

Eufórquestra (pronounced yoo-FOHR-keh-struh, think euphoria+orchestra) is energy and rhythm personified. An ever-evolving sound that has been influenced by music from all over the world with an emphasis on funk, pocket and groove. For over a decade the band has been igniting dance floors across the country, blending the roots of funk, soul, afrobeat, reggae and dub to create a sound that “explodes, dances and melts in your ear with sheer bliss"Eufórquestra’s fifth full-length record, FIRE, was produced by Kyle Hollingsworth (of The String Cheese Incident) and captures the passion and musical maturing of these road warriors. Over the course of 14 tracks, the band takes you on an hour-long adventure that will touch your heart and mind, and keep your fingers and toes tapping. A handful of special guests, including Elliot Martin (John Brown’s Body), Gabriel Mervine and Kim Dawson (The Motet) and Mr. Hollingsworth himself, put their own touches on the band’s already cohesive sound that is “tight and engineered to a fine, funky precision.” (Jeremy Frazier; Chicago Jam Scene) The result is a record that is distinctly modern, maintaining one foot in the future and firmly planting in the musical roots traditions of the past. With almost 1,000 shows under their belt, Eufórquestra shows no sign of stopping. A perpetually heavy tour schedule keeps the band and fans happy, as performing live in front of an audience has always been the band’s top priority. As noted in a live show review by Grateful Web, “...the boys seem to play like the apocalypse will happen at any second and they want to die doing what they do best...” EUFORQUESTRA
 

MONTY ALEXANDER "HARLEM KINGSTON EXPRESS" VOL.2 THE RIVER ROLLS ON

In a career spanning five decades, pianist Monty Alexander has built a reputation exploring and bridging the worlds of American jazz, popular song, and the music of his native Jamaica, finding in each a sincere spirit of musical expression. In the process, he has performed and recorded with artists from every corner of the musical universe and entertainment world: Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ray Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Clark Terry, Quincy Jones, Ernest Ranglin, Barbara Hendricks, Bill Cosby, Bobby McFerrin, Sly Dunbar, and Robbie Shakespeare, among others. Born on D-Day (June 6, 1944) and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, he took his first piano lessons at age six, although he is largely self-taught. As a teenager, he witnessed concerts by Louis Armstrong and Nat “King” Cole at Kingston’s Carib Theater. These artists had a profound effect on Alexander’s aspirations. He formed Monty and the Cyclones in the late 1950s and also recorded on sessions with the musicians who would catapult Jamaican music to international recognition as The Skatalites (Bob Marley’s first backing band). Alexander and his family came to the United States at the end of 1961. Less than two years later, while playing in Las Vegas with Art Mooney’s orchestra, he caught the eye of New York City club owner Jilly Rizzo and his friend, Frank Sinatra. Rizzo hired the young pianist to work in his club, Jilly’s, where he accompanied Sinatra and others. There he met Modern Jazz Quartet vibraphonist Milt Jackson, who hired him and eventually introduced him to former Charlie Parker collaborator and legendary bassist Ray Brown. Alexander recorded and performed with the two jazz giants on many occasions. Jazz’s greatest luminaries welcomed Alexander to their “musical fraternity” in the mid-1960s. Among these earliest enthusiasts for his playing were none other than Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Miles Davis. MONTY ALEXANDER
 

ROBIN BANKS "MODERN CLASSIC"

A master of tone and phrasing, Robin Banks has a vocal style, strength and clarity that has been compared to Etta James and Dinah Washington. But match that with the charisma and boldness of a Tina Turner and you'll understand why Robin Banks has the world on a string!Robin Banks has her roots deeply dug. Born in Canada a mere 50 miles from Detroit, then transplanted to Dallas, and then Jamaica, Banks is a diverse, international artist who is clearly comfortable with Jazz, Classic R&B, Soul, even Reggae. She’s often lauded for her captivating live performance, her confident ability to connect and affect each member of her audience, her sincerity and certainly her authenticity. Robin Banks has established herself as a fearless, female force in International Blues circles recording and performing with the likes of Duke Robillard, Doug James and a long list of legendary Texas, West Coast and Chicago musicians. A powerful songwriter as well, Tom Hyslop of Blues Revue Magazine was quoted as saying Banks writes compositions "that lyrically echo the song craft of Cole Porter and the Gershwins". ROBIN BANKS
 

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MICHAEL ZIGON "WIPE THE PAST FROM YOUR EYES"

Michael Zigon is an L.A based Musician who incorporates Blues,Funk.R&B,Bluegrass,Folk and Psychedelic Rock in to his sound. When asked about his eclectic style of music Michael had this to say. "I never listened to one type of music. I was always jumping from style to style. I remember when I was eleven or twelve I went in to my local record store with my mom. I asked the store keeper for a Blink 182 CD and after he got it for me I asked him for a Grateful Dead album. I remember the shop keeper just laughed saying "ok Blink 182 and Grateful Dead I've never sold those together". " but thats what I love about music you can make it anything you want it to be and it is impossible to be wrong because there is no right way to do it". As you can see Michael approaches his music in a way that nobody gets left out. there is something for everyone. MICHAEL ZIGON

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ALIFIC "ECHOES FROM THE SOUL"

Il produttore è artista Brendan Dane è l'ala prottetiva, componente degli Alific. Dane ha vissuto a San Diego per sei anni, dove ha suonato in una band reggae locale chiamata Stick Figure. All'inizio del 2011, si  trasferi a Washington dove egli divenne un esponente importante sulla scena sia dell'elettronica che anche del downtempo, momento nella quale il suono reggae-dub e DJ. iniziò ad evolversi. Il risultato recente è un album di base reggae, ma non solo, "Echoes From The Soul" di 14 canzoni, scritto e prodotto da Dane insieme ad un nutrito numero di eccellenti collaboratori, tra cui Scott Woodruff e a seguire Kevin Bong e Frank Mitchell, per la Jr. Thievery Corporation. Tra i brani di spicco: Echoes From The Soul, Up To Me, Live Up, Fat Drops, The Cost, Feet To The Breeze e Madness con featuring Frank Mitchell Jr.  ALIFIC

THE GREEN "HAWAI'I '13"

I The Green sono tornati con il loro nuovo album tanto atteso, "Hawai'i '13". E' il terzo album in studio della band, ed è stato registrato e mixato con Danny Kalb (Ben Harper, Beck e Jack Johnson) principalmente nella Costa Mesa, CA, e a Hurley Studios. "Il talento e la creatività che esce dalla band è sempre molto più forte di minuto in minuto, e il nuovo album cattura quasi, in maniera splendida questa nuova crescita", dice Easy Star, co-fondatore della Records Eric Smith. Il sia chitarrista che cantante Zion Thompson spiega che, "Danny è stato uno dei pochi ingegneri della miscelazione, cosi abbiamo avuto il nostro secondo album, sempre con lui. Siamo rimasti molto soddisfatti con il suo lavoro su questo progetto, e la sua decisa atmosfera generale sembrava quella giusta, così gli abbiamo chiesto di essere il nostro uomo principale di questo album, ed i risultati sono abbastanza magici ". Il sestetto continua cosi a salire verso l'alto della fiorente scena reggae statunitense. THE GREEN

BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS "LEGEND REMIXED"

Chi non ricorda questo album di Bob Marley & The Wailers, ormai storico ed entrato nella leggenda, e che da solo rappresenta quello che è stata la musica Reggae. Un album sacro, tanto è vero che la Universal Music Enterprises ripensandoci ha scelto meticolosamente alcuni dei nomi più brillanti e più diversificati nel campo musicale, e ha fatto poi cantare ad ognuno minuziosamente, ogni brano del suddetto album nelle proprie versioni uniche. La lunga lista di artisti remix include RAC, Jim James, Thievery Corporation, Pretty Lights, Photek, i figli di Marley e altri sette. Il Remix è una bella miscela tra i vari stili elettronici, stili reggae e dub-esque, che dovrebbe prendere gli ascoltatori in viaggio. Quindi, sedetevi, rilassatevi e godetevi uno degli album più conosciuti e rispettati della storia musicale. BOB MARLEY REMIXED

FAT FREDDY'S DROP "BLACKBIRD"

Fat Freddy’s Drop è una band di  ben sette musicisti neozelandesi di casa a Wellington, il cui stile musicale è stato cosi fortemente e certamente caratterizzato, come in una qualsiasi combinazione di dub, reggae, soul, jazz, rhythm and blues e techno. Originariamente era una jam band formatasi negli anni novanta, da musicisti provenienti da altre bande in Wellington. Sono noti per le loro performance live improvvisati. Le citate canzoni del loro album sono versioni raffinate, che suonano negli anni dal vivo in Nuova Zelanda e in tour all'estero. Fornitori di anime, sono in procinto di prendere il volo ancora una volta con l'imminente uscita mondiale del nuovo album "Blackbird" il 24 giugno 2013. E' il terzo album della band, ed è stato scritto e registrato presso Baie, il loro studio. E' il suono di Baie, la camera stessa, l'atmosfera del luogo e le prestazioni, che possono ottenere fuori, le canzoni e le strutture sono aperti e indisciplinati, "solo come nei nostri spettacoli dal vivo", dicono. Ci sentiamo totalmente a casa fondendo insieme questo mix diabolico, da discoteca, rootsy dub, blues, soul e funk elettronico. Anche sè indisciplinati, sono divertenti, intelligenti e brillanti a modo loro.  FAT FREDDY'S DROP

WE ARE THE FIRE INSIDE YOUR MIND "TROPICAL GROOVES AND AFROFUNK INTERNATIONAL VOL.2"

Questo è il secondo volume della serie delle selezioni Tropicali, con perfette scanalature Afrofunk della International Soundsystem DJ di Parigi. E' il seguito di 'Dis Is Good For You', la compilation dall'anno scorso, uno dei Best-Seller della Parigi DJ, dal momento che i media lo hanno trasformata in un'etichetta (ora rilascia un nuovo singolo o un album ogni settimana). Questa volta gli artisti sono stati inseriti come un'opera d'arte da Ben Hito. Fonte ipnotizzante di vera ispirazione, per presentare i brani dell'album, per poi direzionarli verso il mistico, con la musica fluiva da tutto il mondo, con un entusiasmo comunicativo. PARIS DJS SOUNDSYSTEM

THE NEXTMEN "BLOW WIND BLOW"

Nel 2003, il duo The Nextmen hanno collaborato con il cantante Dallas Tamaira aka Joe Dukie, per un certo numero di canzoni, che dovevano essere pubblicati anni fa. Tuttavia, a causa dell'etichetta discografica, non sè nè fece più niente. Per fortuna che i The Nextmen hanno riscoperto quelle loro gemme, nella recente primavera, e hanno deciso di metterli in un nuovo album: 'Blow Wind Blow", per una buona sessione inedita. Il duo hanno cosi deciso di regalare queste quattro tracce ai sostenitori, ed il risultato è stato semplicemente sbalorditivo, pieno di musica funky e reggae, per una nuova  intrigante e potente miscela.  THE NEXTMEN

THE FIRE DEPT " THE FIRE DEPARTMENT"