Slideshow: Michael Franti at Mission High School

April 24, 2005

Bambu Station at Ashkenaz

By Monica Espiritu 4/21/05

Jalani Horton of Bambu Station; photo by Adebo Thomas

Some reggae pundits regard St. Croix band Bambu Station the next Midnite. But Bambu Station sounds and feels nothing like Midnite. Its message is more accessible to the general reggae listening audience unlike Midnite’s sometimes esoteric and enigmatic lyrics. In addition, they rely less heavily on thudding bass lines and offer more intricate guitar riffs than Midnite yet the vibe is still utterly driving. The two bands sound and feel completely different.  Read more... (877 words + 4 images)

In Memoriam: Fazel Predergast

4/5/05

A young Fazal Prendergast

Fazal Prendergast, the band leader and guitarist of the reggae group, Yellow Wall Dub Squad, died in a tragic car accident on the afternoon of Friday April 1, 2005. He had performed the night before at the Soma Arts Center in San Francisco, California, backing Don Carlos and Sister I-Live.  Read more... (857 words + 3 images)

Cd Reviews: The Boot Box, April 2005

4/29/05

Various: roots of dub funk 4: rise of the eclectic dread, Tanty Records, 2004

www.tantyrecord.com

Rating: A

This is a delightful oddity–not quite amateur night at the reggae Dub Club, but almost. Hopeful dublicators from practically all over the world, including some established pros, had apparently sent their best efforts to Tanty Records to try to make the “next installment” of a series of dub disks. Fourteen of those best efforts made the final cut and roots of dub funk 4 is the result.  Read more... (3235 words + 9 images)