Easy Star All Stars @ Jefferson Theater, Friday April 1

Supporting their to-be-released, brand new album, First Light, Easy Star All Stars crucially grace the stage at Charlottesville, VA's Jefferson Theater on this Friday, April 1st.

After three uncompromisingly original takes on classic rock masterpieces (Dub Side Of The Moon, Radiodread, and Easy Star's Lonely Heart's Dub Band), this time it's all originals. From the Originators, Easy Star Records.

Opening, labelmate Cas Haley and Hawaii's The Green.

...and there will be a ticket giveaway during this Friday's session of "Reggae Vibrations", 2-4PM, Eastern.

See you there.

Better Tomorrow

"Sounds And Pressure" - Prince Buster - MP3
"City Of The Weak Heart" - Earl Zero - Life Goes In Circles [Pressure Sounds]
"Better Tomorrow" - Richie Spice - Book Of Job [VP]
"Sonny's Lettah" - Linton Kwesi Johnson - Independant Intravenshan [Island]
"Battering Down Sentence" - Bunny Wailer - Reggae Greats: Strictly For Rockers [Mango]
"Leaving Babylon" - Bad Brains - Babylon Central [ESL]
"Turbulence" - Dub Is A Weapon - Vaporized [Harmonized]
"No Worry Your Mind" - Pato Banton - Positive Vibration [Pato Banton]
"Trod The Hard Road" - The Green - The Green [SHD]
"So Much Trouble In The World" - Bob Marley & the Wailers - Survival [Island]
"Us And Them" - Frankie Paul/Easy Star All Stars - Dub Side Of The Moon [Easy Star]
"The Wicked" - Reggae Boys - 7" 45RPM [Amalgamated]
"Dystopia" - Bill Laswell - Version 2 Version: A Dub Transmission [ROIR]
"Wild Goose Chase" - Steel Pulse - World Crisis [Elektra]
"Natural Progression" - ASWAD - MP3
"Slave" - Lucky Dube - Slave [Shanachie]
"Watching The Wheels" - Matisyahu - Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur [Warner Brothers]
"Ai Bod Dub (To Be Dub)" - Llwybr Llaethog - Mewn Dub (In dub) [ROIR]
"All Night 'Til Daylight" - Jacob Miller - Dread, Dread [Liberty]
"Cool It" - Keith & Tex - Stop The Train [Trojan]
"Just Tell Me" - Toots & the Maytals - Trojan Rocksteady Box [Trojan]
"This Feeling" - Carlton & the Shoes - Love Me Forever [Studio One]
"S.W.A.L.K." - Mikey Dread - Best Sellers [RYKO]
"Earth Rightful Ruler" - Augustus Pablo - Earth Rightful Ruler [Message]

Hope For Japan

"Illiterate Dub" - Blue Riddim Band - Tribute [Rougher]
"Sounds& Pressure" - Prince Buster [MP3]
"No Nuclear (Holocaust) War" - Peter Tosh - No Nuclear War [EMI]
"Tribulation" - Bim Sherman - Tribulation [Pressure Sounds]
"Nuff Respect" - Nahki [MP3]
"Until We Burn In The Sun" - Bedouin Soundclash [MP3]
"King Of Kings" - Jimmy Cliff - Anthology [Universal]
"Master Plan" - Willie Williams - Armagideon Time [Studio One]
"Standing Firm" - Jacob Miller - ...Meets The Fatman Riddim Section [EKO]
"Dub #5" - Mute Beat [MP3]
"Dawn Is Breaking" - Dry & Heavy - Full Contact [BSI]
"Ethiopian Feeling" - Cimarons - PeopleSay [Esoldun]
"Don't You Know" - Pioneers [MP3]
"Bag A Wire Dub" - King Tubby - X-Ray Music [Blood and Fire]
"Cockney Translation" - Smiley Culture - A Fashion Statement [RAS]
"Police Officer" - Smiley Culture - Mash Up the Place [Rhino]
"Rondo Mondo" - Edward II - Wicked Men [Rhythm Safari]
"The World Is Like A Mirror" - Josey Wales - No Way No Better Than Yard [Greensleeves]
"JD3" - Bill Laswell - Roots Tonic Meets Bill Laswell [ROIR]
"Black Stick Rock" - Blue Riddim Band - Tribute [Rougher]
"Weather Report" - The Tennors - Ba Ba Boom [Trojan]
"Leaving On The Train" - Keith & Tex - Stop The Train [Trojan]
"Live It Up" - The Natives - Trojan Rocksteady Box [Trojan]
"Willow Tree" - Alton Ellis - Ba Ba Boom [Trojan]
"In Paradise" - Jackie Edwards and Julie Anne - Tighten Up 5 & 6 [Trojan]
"Can't You See" - Ken Boothe - Trojan Rocksteady Box [Trojan]
"Happy Reggae" - Prince Buster - The Message [Prince Buster]
"Time Has Come" - Slim Smith - Trojan Reggae: The Golden Years

Sublime News: Lost Video Footage of Bob Marley...

...from early footage in the 70s reappears.

Better News: the Queen Mum

...was a Ska lover.

Sad News: Smiley Culture, R.I.P.

UK reggae great Smiley Culture passes.

Catastrophe in Japan

Ras Rizla was at the controls of "Reggae Vibrations", yesterday (I don't think there's a playlist to post)... a link to his show is at the Tape Vault.

But, my absence didn't include playtime... nor much serenity. The details of the enormous earthquake and tsunami that racked northern Japan was a sobering reminder of the fragility of human life on a planet whose scope and savagery far exceeds ours. That they live in one of the most active and dangerous regions for such activity, and have planned and built their infrastructure with those concerns means that the toll of devastation and life could have been even more momentous.
But, that is cold comfort to those lost, their families, the immense wreckage and uncertainty of what will come to pass.

We all share this planet... and share in the tragedies when they occur.

If you are able, please show support for the aid agencies that are lining up to bring some measure of support to the Japanese people at this dark and terrible time.

Here are a few ways to extend some help amid the suffering:

American Red Cross/Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief

The Salvation Army

Doctor Without Borders (Médecins sans Frontières)

...and other organizations, found at The Huffington Post.

Must see... Reggae on the BBC

Reggae Britannia

Worth an hour-and-a-half of your life.

Everywhere Is War

"Sounds And Pressure" - Hopeton Lewis - Roots Of Reggae: Rock Steady [Rhino]
"WAR/H.I.M. UN Speech Oct 4, 1963" mashup (YouTube)
"War" - Bob Marley & the Wailers - Rastaman Vibrations [Island/Tuff gong]
"Wicked A Go Fight" - Mighty Diamonds - Heartbeat Reggae [Heartbeat]
"War Party" - Eddy Grant - Killer OnThe Rampage [Portrait/ICE]
"Rhyfel (War In Baghdad Isn't My Bag Daddio)" - Llwybr Llaethog - Mewyn Dub (In Dub) [ROIR]
"Cool It" - Keith & Tex - Stop The Train [Trojan]
"Tribal War" - George Nooks - MP3
"Downpressor Man" - Peter Tosh - Honorary Citizen [Columbia]
"Run To The Rocks" - Keith & Tex - Stop The Train [Trojan]
"Eve Of Destruction" - Luciano - Reggae Pulse 5 [Sanctuary]
"The Earth Dies Screaming" - Ken Boothe - UB40 Presents The Fathers of Reggae [Virgin]
"Yalla Yalla" - Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros - Yalla Yalla EP [Mercury]
"Never Get Weary" - Toots & the Maytals - Knock Out! [Mango]
"None Shall Escape The Judgment" - Johnny Clarke - Trojan Explosion! [MOJO]
"Natty Champion" - Prince Far I - Sucker Punch [Trojan]
"Aid Travel With A Bomb" - Ranking Ann - Heartbeat Reggae [Heartbeat]
"Fixing A Hole" - Max Romeo - Easy Star's Lonely Heart.s [Easy Star]
"Rule The Nation" - U-Roy - Original DJ [Caroline]
"Fat Boy" - Keith & Tex - Stop The Train [Trojan]
"I Like Your World" - Gayelettes - Guns of Navaronne/Ride Your Donkey [Trojan]
"Ramble Dub" - Blue Riddim Band - Tribute [Rougher Records]
"Work" - Bob Marley & the Wailers - Uprising [Isand/Tuff Gong]
"Hold Me Tight" - Dave Grant - Bubbalon By Bass [Darlene Crawford]