rglent@blackherbals · M A G A Z I N E MAY/JUNE 2015 EDITION Jboog ‘BOOM! BAHNG!’ Katchafire...
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WWW.ISLAND-STAGE.COM M A G A Z I N E MAY/JUNE 2015 EDITION Jboog ‘BOOM! BAHNG!’ Katchafire The Green Irie Love Lion Fiyah Maoli House of Shem Kana Kiehm Common Kings Fiji
Transcript of rglent@blackherbals · M A G A Z I N E MAY/JUNE 2015 EDITION Jboog ‘BOOM! BAHNG!’ Katchafire...
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M A G A Z I N E
MAY/JUNE 2015 EDITION
Jboog‘BOOM! BAHNG!’
Katchafire
The Green
Irie Love
Lion Fiyah
Maoli
House of
Shem
Kana Kiehm
Common
Kings
Fiji
TO DO:
PLAN YOUR REGGAE
FESTIVAL TRIP!
REMINDER:
LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST!
CONTENTS
FEATURES.08 JBOOG Interview
15. KATCHAFIRE Interview
23. THE GREEN Interview
WAA GWAAN30. NEW RELEASES
SPOTLIGHT ARTISTS34. IRIE LOVE
38. LION FIYAH
42. HOUSE OF SHEM
45. MAOLI
47.KANA KEIHM
49. COMMON KINGS
52. Fiji
Live in Love
Support Reggae
Music
Follow Island Stage
@IslandStage
Follow Reggae Reflection
Advertise With Us Today!
‘Where The Islands Come To Play’www.island-stage.com
Letter From the EditorGreetings from Island Stage Magazine!
We are excited to celebrate our Polynesian brothers and Sisters in this edition, who are representing the Music in a big way!
The culture, commoradory and collaborations taking place are bringing about a Unity and the core message that is Reggae Music - LOVE
Mixing HipHop, R&B and Reggae Riddims, artists are creating a harmonic vibe that is extremely pleasing to fans around the globe.
We are happy to introduce you to some of these artists. Although some of them need no introduction at all! JBoog’s conversation with Shelah Moody is, well ‘BOOM BAHNG’! Also The Green spoke to some friends of ours, Michael Weinstein and Christie Welch while at a show in Dallas recently. That was fun!
Maliika Walker spoke to lead singer Logan Bell with Katchafire in NYC, and we are highlighting rising artists Irie Love, Maoli, Lion Fiyah, House of Shem and Kana Kiehm and Fiji. Get to know these artists! We know you will Love them!
There are plenty of festivals coming up and Island Stage will be there to highlight many of them for you. Plan your get away now!!
The Team and I would like to give thanks to you for supporting Island Stage Magazine. Please share with everyone you know! We always appreciate your feedback as well. Tell us what you would like to see in the magazine! We welcome your ideas and input. Simply go to http://www.island-stage.com/subscribe/ and click on ‘content submission’
We hope your summer is Spectacular!!!! See you Soon!
Susan Underwood & Team Island Stage
©Lee Abel Photography www.reggaeportraits.com
Jerry AfemataAKA:
J Boog
J Boog InterviewBy Shelah Moody
“Pacific Island reggae music has improved race relations between blacks and island cultures by creating a meeting place where commonalities are shared through beats, themes, culture, and an ideology of freedom. Because islanders and
blacks represent minority cultures and an almost invisible political presence in government and self-determination, there are many shared values and
issues.”-- Kathryn Waddell Takara, Ph.D.
Indeed, singer/songwriter named Jerry Afemata, aka J Boog, is perhaps the only artist who has been able to bridge the gap between reggae, soul, rock, hip hop and Pacific Island music. The son of a Samoan chief, who was born and raised in Long Beach, CA, has created a worldwide movement, thanks to innovative albums such as Hear Me Roar (2007), Backyard Boogie (2011), Live Up (2013) mixtape My Diamond Life (2013) and his collaborations with Peetah Morgan and Mac Dre.
“Artists like J Boog, Fiji and Common Kings have broadened the spectrum for Pacific Island artists and are making their mark through the reggae world,” said San Francisco based DJ Jah Yzer, who produced “My Diamond Life” in collaboration with J Boog’s record label, Washhouse Hawaii, Inc.
Dr. Kathryn Waddell Takara, author, publisher, and retired professor of Ethnic Studies at University of Hawaii at Manoa, witnessed the rise of the jawaiian movement, led by artists such as Butch Helemano, Ooklah the Moc, Marty Dread, Ho’aikane and Dread Ashanti.
According to Takara, African inspired music, specifically reggae, has shared with and influenced contemporary Hawaiian attitudes and music in many ways, orally and visually.
“Both are predictable as international heart beats reflecting island culture, undercurrents of similar beats and rhythms, a sense of collective identity, and a transforming struggle for freedom,” said Takara. “In their lyrics, reggae and jawaiian promote concepts of freedom from a colonial and class mentality of otherness, and overflow with local expressions of inner and outer feelings of community, color, nature, and resistance”.
“From music to culture, reggae’s influence, especially on adolescents and young adults, can be seen manifested in symbols of colors (red, gold, green, black), fashion, and loose baggy styles that spill over to status styles of dance, hip hop, visual icons and emblems on flags and clothes, and in the early labeling of jawaiian as a special kind of Hawaiian reggae music. In it, the musicians share affinities, acknowledge influences, rhythms, melodies, and love for reggae, an expanded understanding of Rastafari and its metaphor for collective freedom, spirituality, and in the islands an awareness of Hawaiian sovereignty.”
On Oct. 11, 2014, J Boog and his band, Hot Rain performed at one of his favorite venues, The Mezzanine in San Francisco. He may be quiet and humble during a one on one interview and photo session, but when he takes the stage, just move out the way and let the Boogie Man do his thing! Armed with a robust, expansive vocal range, the charismatic J Boog is able to emulate everyone from Beres Hammond to Gregory Isaacs to Ina Kamoze.
Last year, J Boog launched his online clothing and memorabilia show www.Jboogshop.com. During the show, I squeezed my way through the sold out crowd to purchase a pair of J Boog socks; one said Boom! and the other said Bahng! Unfortunately, Boom followed its normal sock path by getting lost in the dryer!
©Lee Abel
Shelah: Welcome back to San Francisco. I heard that you sell out the Mezzanine every time you come through. How does it feel?
J Boog: It feels great! It’s a blessing San Francisco always comes out and it’s one of our favorite places to play. I love the energy of the crowd and the diversity of ‘Frisco’. A lot of people really appreciate the music and we are thankful for that. It is gonna be a great night at the Mezzanine!
Shelah: What J Boog songs are the people gonna scream for tonight?
J Boog: They’re gonna scream for a lot of songs—“Sunshine Girl,” “Every Little Thing,” “Smoking Bomb Bud.” Hopefully, during the whole set they will scream.
Shelah: I hear that you mixed it up on stage at the 2014 Sierra Nevada World Music Festival with Tarrus Riley.
J Boog: Yes, we got on stage with Tarrus Riley. We actually had some off days and we didn’t know what we were gonna do, so we decided to pack up the truck and go to Sierra Nevada to kick back. We wanted to see some of the acts out there, like Raging Fyah; we have seen them before. We had a great time meeting up with our family, Morgan Heritage, Dean Fraser and everybody. It was just a whole mix of fun and vibes.
Shelah: What was it like growing up in Compton? Were you raised in a Polynesian community there?
J Boog: No, I grew up in the ghetto. I’m glad that I was raised the way I was. I’m thankful to my mom and dad for keeping our household intact and giving us their teachings and their wisdom. Based on teachings that we got from our parents,
©Lee Abel Photography
Photo left: Lee Abel www.reggaeportraits.com JBoog & Tarrus Riley
we try to keep it simple and stay humble and try to represent our family well.
Shelah: How often do you get back to your ancestral country, Samoa?
J Boog: My parents go to Samoa more than I do. They always go back and forth. We got to perform out there a couple of times and it was really amazing, to see people out there going wild over some reggae music. I’m just glad that we are one of the (bands) to take the music out there.
Shelah: Are you received as a chief or a king when you go to Samoa?
J Boog: Nah, not like a king, just like everybody else, I’m just there.
Shelah: Tell us about your latest recordings.
J Boog: “My Diamond Life” is a mix tap that we did with DJ Jan Yzer. We put a lot of songs together a while back. We have a new album in store, we’re gonna start working on it and getting it ready to drop this year. After we leave here, we are getting ready for the Collision tour with The Green and Eli-Mac.
Shelah: What do you think of the diversification of reggae music, with Polynesian, Latin and white reggae bands now on the scene and headlining major festivals?
J Boog: I think it’s a great scene; the way reggae is spread out. You can go pretty much anywhere in the world and hear reggae music. I think it’s a beautiful thing. We can never forget where reggae came from—Jamaica. We are just another branch, trying to spread the music and the love.
Shelah: You have a lot of tattoos. Which one is the most meaningful?
J Boog: Probably all of them (laughs). I have a whole arm piece done by my brother Joel; he has a shop in Berkeley. It has to do with family and safe guidance. There is a treble clef in the middle and my family on the side.
Shelah: Who are your musical influences, vocally and otherwise?
J Boog: Growing up, I was into a whole lotta stuff. I was influenced by reggae for sure—Bob Marley, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs. I was also influenced by Axel Rose of Guns & Roses as well as Sublime, Megadeth and Metallica. I was also influenced by west coast rap—Snoop and Nate Dogg and Warren G. Bone Thugs & Harmony had a huge influence on me.
©Lee Abel Photography www.reggaeportraits.com
Katchafire ~ Reggae from New Zealand
by Maliika Walker
Reggae is one of the most dominant forms of music in New Zealand. The 1979 Bob Marley & The Wailers concert has been credited with helping spread the popularity of reggae across the country, as well as influencing some of the most prominent reggae bands from there. Reggae also influenced the growth of the Rastafari way of life among the Maori people. The use of marijuana has also increased since the introduction of Reggae in New Zealand.
Katchafire is one of the most popular bands from New Zealand. The band started as a Bob Marley tribute band in the late 90’s. Katchafire started as, and remains a family affair. Some of the band members include a father Grenville Bell (lead guitar) and two of his sons Logan Bell (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Jordan Bell (drums, vocals). A few other band members have been with the band since it’s inception. In 2002 the band scored the highest selling single in the country that year, Giddy Up. Their debut album, The Revival, went double platinum in New Zealand by selling in excess of 30,000 copies. The band is one of the hardest working bands out of New Zealand, performing hundreds of shows a year. They even record on the road while touring. Katchafire has released three additional albums since their debut release including their highest charting album in New Zealand, On the Road Again. VP Records released their greatest hits collection, Best So Far, in 2013. The group released a new single in October of last year entitled Down With You and will be releasing additional new music this year.
Here is my conversation with the band’s lead singer, Logan Bell.
Maliika: How are you liking NYC so far? This is your first visit here correct?
Logan: Yes it is. We are loving it so far. We were at Sirius Radio yesterday and spotted Nick Jonas in the lobby.
Maliika: ‘Frisk Me Down’ is the first song I heard from you and remains one of my favorites. It is so relevant everywhere. Did a particular incident inspire the lyrics to this song?
Logan: It was inspired directly by discrimination. I wrote that song in a jail cell the night I was arrested. I got arrested for breaking a liquor ban in my hometown. I don’t go out much where I live because I am usually playing a live gig somewhere in the world. I came home and all of a sudden it was illegal to have an open liquor bottle in the street. I went to a club back home and I knew the bouncer, but I was not told that it was now illegal to carry an open bottle in the street. A cop saw me and he just got out of the car, no warning, just cuffed me right away and put me in the back seat. The bouncers from the clubs in the area ran towards the cop car in an effort to stop the arrest. All of my friends had open bottles but he just singled me out. I happened to be one of two young men of color.
Maliika: I read the band started as a Bob Marley tribute band. What was it about him that inspired you?
Logan: I just get more inspired the more I learn about him. It’s about more than just music for us. His legacy is just unbelievable. Catch a Fire was the first reggae album that reached us in New Zealand. That album was our induction to reggae music. We wanted to revive reggae music and the amazing feeling we got when we
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©Lee Abel Photography www.reggaeportraits.com
KATCHAFIRE
heard it and present that to the world. So Uncle Bob is a real big thing in my home country. New Zealand loves reggae music and the reggae music scene is pretty much based around Bob Marley. We really don’t know much about the other classic great artists in reggae, just Bob Marley.
Maliika: How did you transition from a Bob Marley tribute band to who you are today, a band world renown in your own right?
Logan: It was a pretty natural transition. Myself and Jamie Ferguson (saxophone player) were the main writers on the first two albums. We were already in the process of writing songs and we were covering great reggae music at the same time. So we were learning how to write reggae music from the greats by covering their songs. Over the years we included more of our own songs in our playlist. As the years past, we included less cover songs in our playlists. Let’s look at tonight’s show for example; we only included two cover songs.
Maliika: I noticed that VP Records released Best So Far. How is your relationship with them progressing?
Logan: We were just testing the waters with VP Records. VP contacted us to put this album out. We were happy with the support and response we received. No decision has been made yet about how we are releasing our new album. They were actually here tonight.
Maliika: Many artists are releasing their music thru there own labels. Are you guys exploring this route as well?
Logan: It’s possible that we will look for distribution for our next album instead of
signing a traditional record contract. All routes are currently being explored.
Maliika: I only have one request. Can you make sure the next release is available in the U.S. and Europe?
Logan: That is the goal. (with a hint of laughter)
Maliika: Your first studio album was released in 2003 and achieved double platinum status. That had to be an amazing feeling. Take us back to what it was like to record the album.
Logan: We recorded that album over a two-year period. The first few songs that were recorded by the band were as a result of us winning a talent search where the prize was $5,000 of recording time in a studio. We recorded two songs from those sessions, Giddy Up and Bounce. Those songs sat on the shelf for about 8-10 months then a label contacted us to release them. Giddy Up was a best selling single back home and we were off from there. Some may say our success at home was overnight but we were already a cover band for three to five years. There was a huge hole in the market for reggae music back home and were able to fill it and ad our own flavor to it.
Maliika: I was not aware that there was a reggae scene in New Zealand. What is the reggae scene like in New Zealand today versus when you first started performing as a band?
Logan: They are starting to embrace Caribbean reggae more back home a little more but we have our own version of reggae also. Back home reggae is one of the top genres of music embraced by radio. Reggae also attracts more audiences to live shows. In fact the largest music festivals back home are all centered
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around reggae music. The number of reggae bands has increased substantially versus when we first started out. There was us and maybe 2 other bands, now there are over 100. So if that is not a form of flattery I don’t know what is. We love being a part of the reason why so many people have been inspired to start a reggae band.
Maliika: When I played a few of your songs for some people from the Caribbean, they liked the message and the feeling they got from the songs. How does that make you feel?
Logan: That’s great. That makes us feel validated. We have been met with some mixed reactions from the Caribbean but once they find out the we are men of culture too they embrace us more. I’ve had conversations with Family Man from The Wailers and he calls us South Pacific Swing because it’s not Roots Reggae. We are performing reggae, and our music still has an island feel because we are from an island in New Zealand. I believe people connect with the island feel in the music.
Maliika: The song ‘Irie’ always puts me in an Irie mood whenever I hear it, but does the song have a double meaning?
Logan: Two of my favorite things, herb and loving, so the song does have a double meaning. My wife swears that is her song. I like for people to listen to my music and get their own interpretation.
Maliika: I love On The Road Again. When can fans expect your next release?
Logan: We are going to stagger release a few singles and look to release the next album
sometime next year. We are about halfway through recording it. We are on the road the most of the year but we travel with a studio on the bus. No fear.
We are bringing you good music in 2015. Stay tuned.
http://www.katchafire.co.nz
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Grenville BellKatchafire
© Lee Abel www.reggaeportraits.com
© Mason Rose
The Green
© Mason Rose
The Green formed on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i, in 2009. The group began as a vehicle for six different members of Hawai‘i’s tight-knit music scene to record a few songs and have a bit of fun along the way. Their self-titled debut album, released in 2010, earned both critical and commercial acclaim, and was awarded iTunes Best Reggae Album of the Year.
Afterwards, the band jumped on a plane to the mainland and started a heavy touring cycle. On the strength of their debut album, The Green struck a record deal with ground-breaking independent reggae label Easy Star Records to record their sophomore album, Ways & Means. Ways & Means hit #1 on the iTunes and Billboard Reggae charts and the band embarked on more intense touring; supporting acts like Rebelution, Iration, SOJA and Damian Marley. They also played at acclaimed festivals including Vans Warped Tour, Wakarusa, Sierra Nevada World Music Festival and California Roots Festival.
Despite all the time spent away from home, Hawai‘i never left the band’s day-to-day life on the road. In almost every state, the band met Hawaiian ex-pats, driven away from their home state for reasons both economic and social. The Green’s concerts became a place where Hawaiian natives could gather and for one night, share a bit of Aloha spirit from the Pacific islands they call home.
Island Stage caught up with The Green at a recent show in Dallas, Texas. Here is our conversation with JP and Caleb.
Interview by: Christie Welch and Michael Weinstein
What are some of the life changes you all went through since the 2010 release of The Green?
JP- Mostly we’ve been on the road more than we’ve ever been. It started from that album. I guess the biggest change is just living on the road and touring as much as we do. We still
try to put the same amount of energy and love into the music, but touring does a lot to you. It teaches you a lot and you come across so many different musicians and artists. It’s very much a learning experience no matter what level you’re on. Definitely just learning continuously and trying to further our dreams.
Caleb- We started touring in 2010. Our first tour was with Iration in the States for a West Coast and East Coast tour. We started off in California then Colorado, and Seattle, then made our way over to Chicago, Minneapolis and all the way to New York, Boston, and Florida. That was our first time touring all over the United States.
How long did you tour with Iration?
Caleb: It was a month tour. We did the East and West Coast and then we recently toured with them this past summer on the Count Me In tour with Rebelution, Iration and Stick Figure. It was a fun tour.
Have you been anywhere overseas?
JP: Yeah, The Green has been to Japan and New Zealand. We are trying to get to Europe.
What’s it like overseas?
JP: Well everywhere is different. Japan is a very special place on its own. New Zealand and Australia are a lot like Hawaii. There is a lot of Polynesian influence out there and it’s hard to really explain how it is. Every state is different in some kind of way. We understand now how independent Texas is and how much people from Texas value how special Texas is. It relates a lot to Hawaii and how we feel about Hawaii. And everywhere is special for its own reason.
Caleb: We’ve been to Japan, Guam, Canada, and New Zealand. We just got back from Tahiti. We were there for a week and it was our first show in Tahiti and we were excited to experience that.
How do you feel about actually performing in front of an audience that doesn’t even speak your language?
Caleb: That’s pretty surprising, you know. It’s French Polynesia. They all speak French over there. My fiancé has family from Tahiti. They come to Oahu where I am from and they come to Kaui ,Hawaii and spend their winters there.
I’ve met a lot of people from Hawaii that have come through on the Reggae scene and I have to tell you the sound is a little different from the West Coast and East Coast and I have to say it’s one pleasant sound.
JP. Thank you. You know it all comes from Jamaica like you know Bob and his boys started all that, and everyone has their own take on it. And we appreciate it all too.
Do you see The Green doing any collaborating with a Jamaican artists?
JP: Yeah, we’re very close to Jamaicans. The Marleys have showed us a lot of love and have invited us to do a bunch of festivals and tours with them. It’s a work in progress to bridge the gap between Jamaican and American Reggae because you know it’s very personal for them. Out there Jamaica is their culture. If Reggae music wasn’t called Reggae music it would probably be called Jamaican music, you know what I’m saying so the respect factor is real big with the Jamaicans. They really want to see that you respect where the music comes from. We relate a lot with that because we’re
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from an island and we have some of the similar struggles. Everyone interprets Reggae how they want. But to us, Jamaicans are the godfathers of Reggae and I feel like we should be able to be one with them. If you are playing Reggae, it sounds weird but you should probably be able to pass the test. It means a lot of different things to different people, but it’s very personal for the Jamaicans.
So tell me a little bit more about Reggae Music and how it’s changed since the roots of Reggae from Jamaica. I know you’ve played with New Kingston. Is there a collaboration with any Jamaican artists coming around anytime soon that you know of?
Caleb: We hope so. We are planning to go into the studio in the summer, early summer then we plan to go on tour hopefully in July and then an album is the next plan.
Do you have any people in mind that you are going to collaborate with? Maybe New Kingston?
JP: We’ve worked with New Kingston a bunch. Everything is a possibility, that’s the thing. The Reggae community is so small that the options are there and we don’t really know who we want to work with, we just want to continue what we’ve been doing and if we run into a Jamaican artist that makes sense then we’ll do it. We’re open to anything.
You have a Jewelry line and its called The Green Girl Jewelry. Can you tell me more about it?
JP. The Green Girl Jewelry was formed by Ikaika, our keyboard player’s girlfriend. She has a jewelry line called Pulama, which is in Hawaii. A lot of the shells and things you find on the beach will become jewelry. That was her thing
and we kind of just tried to go with her vibe and her inspiration and it’s just an idea. There’s so much we can do with music, that we just try to entertain any kind of options we have. And she has that kind of influence and we just rolled with it. There’s a lot of things on The Green’s table that we are trying to figure out, but jewelry is just one of the first.
Caleb: Our keyboard player /vocalist, Ikaika’s girlfriend owns a jewelry line called Pulama Jewelry originated in Hawaii and she actually designed these. The collection is inspired by our song “Power in the Words” The song is on our latest Album “Hawaii 13”. It’s talking about words, knowing what you say and the effect of anything you say to anybody in the world.
You’ve had three albums and two singles come out. What is the prospect for the next release? What are you working on?
JP: Well we are trying to make an impact with our releases. We want to win a grammy and we want to do the best we can. So we are constantly recording and just getting songs together, and building a library. When we are ready to release it will happen. We don’t really have anything set, but it will happen soon.
I like that you mention the Grammy. You know coming from the Reggae scene in Dallas, it’s kind of small over here compared to the West Coast and everywhere else. It’s really small out here compared to other genres. It’s endearing to know there is a future out there and there is a big humungous imagination out there for all of us.
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JP: The only reason we can speak like that is because we feel we’ve done Reggae justice. We feel we’ve lived the Reggae dream and we are entitled to anything that Reggae is about. I don’t know, it’s a touchy subject. It depends who you ask, because the Jamaicans have always won the Reggae Grammy. It’s always been a Marley thing and it’s always been a Jamaican thing and we respect that to the fullest, but at the same time we are an American Reggae band and the top slot for a Reggae band is to win a Grammy and that’s just what we want to do, with all due respect.
When is the next release going to happen?
Caleb: Hopefully by the end of the year, but if not maybe spring of next year. But we are definitely releasing a single before the end of the year.
On March 10th of this year, the US Senate was pushing a bill for legalization. Where do you stand on that?
JP: Well obviously we embrace the culture and the entire vibe that Marijuana is and it’s really pretty ignorant if you can’t see how simple it is for it to work among us humans. It brings a lot of positive. It’s hard to really say what it should be, but we’ve been smoking weed our whole life and there’s no harm as long as it’s controlled in a proper way. If you look at Denver, we smash it! Hopefully we can all learn from them.
Caleb: We are stoked that it is finally being negotiated.
What type of music do the band members listen to, individually or as a group?
JP: That’s what kind of makes us who we are, is that we are all independently our own person. Zion has a very blues background, very rock and roll. And Caleb’s very R&B and love [style], old school Motown kind of style. We are all over the place. I love electronic music. I just love fat sounding electronic stuff. Ikaika the keyboard player, he’s into traditional Hawaiian and we just kind of draw from different styles. That’s who The Green is.
Caleb: We are a band of many genres. We listen to everything. Zion is really into Blues and Soul. I’m really into UB40, Maxi Priest, Lovers Rock Reggae, Jazz, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, and Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, he’s a Hawaiian performer from back in the 90s. He passed away in the 90s and he’s pretty much a Hawaiian legend. I respect him very much. And Kealii Reichel, he’s a Hawaiian musician.
One last fun question. I noticed that you had some Lone Stars. Is that just the special going on? What kind of beer do you drink on tour?
JP: We request the local IPA. That’s our thing. So, we’ll drink the local IPA no matter where we are. We are very big beer fans. We are still just trying to catch up on the beer culture. It’s pretty intense out here . Everyone has their own take on it. We appreciate the culture though.
Did you find any local IPAs around here that you like the best?
Caleb- I like Sweetwater. I’m not sure if that is from Texas. My favorite right now is Rogue Smoky Porter.
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© Mason Rose
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Island Stage Artist
Spotlight
Irie Love
Irie Love
(her birth-given name) is a Hawaiian R&B Reggae singer, songwriter and performer.
She was born and raised in Kailua, Honolulu County, Hawaii.
Irie Love first gained notice as one of the finalists on the “Brown Bags to Stardom” competition in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1999. She was signed by John Iervolino (one of the judges in the competition) onto his record label, Quiet Storm Records.
Irie was featured as the only new artist on his world music compilation entitled Roots Music Volume 2: Private Beach Party for which they used her likeness to promote the album.
In 2000 Irie moved to Los Angeles, California and in 2002 she booked a tour as a back-up singer for the artist Pink. She continued as a back-up singer for the next three years singing for such artists as Dave Hollister and Chaka Khan. In 2006 she moved to Kingston, Jamaica to pursue a solo career in reggae music.
Love was introduced to the reggae group Morgan Heritage in Jamaica in December 2006. In 2007, Morgan Heritage signed Irie Love to their production company Gedion Music. She immediately began touring the world as their opening act alongside their younger brother Laza. She also sang backup for Morgan Heritage touring the United States, the Caribbean, central and South America, Africa, Europe and the UK.
In October 2008, Love released her first EP entitled Ehiku. In January 2009, she released her 1st international album in Japan entitled “The Life of
Love”. Irie Love has also been featured on several compilation albums such as The Biggest Reggae One-Drop Anthems 2008 and Coconut Island Vol.1 and Unseen Famili Compilation Vol.1, all of which are available on iTunes.
Love is currently living between Hawaii, Los Angeles and London performing and recording with her mentor Salaam Remi, Lee Francis, Fiji and several other producers. Her 2012 singles It Is Wut It Is featuring Fiji, My Love and Let It Fly ft Peetah Morgan of Morgan Heritage all charted at #1 in the Hawaiian Reggae Charts. Her single My Love is also currently featured on Hawaiian Airlines in-flight entertainment.
Her album THIS IS IRIE LOVE was released worldwide on October 9th, 2012 and went straight to top 50 on iTunes USA.
She also currently has a 3 album deal with JVC Japan. Her first album with them was released on November 26th, 2012.
Irie Love will be launching a kickstarter campaign May 4, 2015 which will be available for search under IRIE LOVE: My 2nd Independent Album. She is asking for help from the people to finish her album by end of summer. Her last album was created and recorded over a 7 year span in 5 countries.
This is Irie Love dot com
Irie recently began mentoring kids in Hawaii’s charter schools through the Mana Maoli project ‘Mana Mele’ along with her “Empower the Youth” campaign which she began working on in 2010. Her latest music video for her UK single, ‘Step Up’ was featured on Campus Nation Music Spotlight and Elite Muzik featured video. Her latest duet single ’Better Than Love’ with Christopher Ellis, produced by the legendary Damian Marley, featured on his ‘Set Up Shop’ compilation, is climbing the charts on Hawaiian radio.
Irie also has a food blog at irielovesfood.com. Her team is developing into a TV show and it will feature guest chefs, her favorite recipes, health tips and live music all in one episode. She plans to air the pilot on her youtube channel in the fall of 2015.
Don’t forget that Love’s kickstarter launch date is May 4! Be a part of the mission to uplift the hearts and minds of humanity through the power of positive music! The project My 2nd Independent Album, Music Video & Tour by Irie Love Look for the campaign link inder this title May 4th! https://www.kickstarter.com
LION FIYAH
© DMadx
© DMadx
LION FIYAHA prolific recording and performing artist from Kalihi Valley, Hawaii, Lion Fiyah is signed to Wash House Music Inc. Native Hawaiian, Portuguese, Filipino, Chinese, Spanish, and English ancestry, and with his faith and life works in JAH RASTAFARIHaile Selassie I, he reaches and relates to many faces and shades of people as well as many walks and disciplines of life. LION has been playing music from the age of 10, performing classical piano music to contemporary Hawaiian. LION caught the Reggae Fever almost simultaneously when he first heard the Jamaican DJ’s Capleton and Sizzla in the early 90’s, besides the foundation artists of the likes of Bob Marley, Dennis Brown, Jimmy Cliff, and Gregory Isaacs just to name a few. LION has been performing in the Reggae circuit since 2005, in Hawaii and abroad. Since 2011 LION has been performing on tours across the USA with Polynesian superstar JBOOG, including the Backyard Boogie Tour and the Give Thanks Tour covering nearly all 50 states.
LION FIYAH’s music is fervent with songs of Praise, worship, love, and forgiveness. It cries for justice as the necessary road to peace. The theme of ROYALTY is always encompassed in his musical endeavors and he certainly does not bow down to homogenous sounds. Vocally and lyrically dynamic, energetic and fiery, LION FIYAH dominates his stages with passion and his fans are always left well satisfied.
Lion Fiyah’s anticipated album SALUTE THE CROWN is to be released under WASH HOUSE MUSIC Inc in May 2015. Including tracks with reggae great Peetah Morgan, legends Jr Reid and FIJI, and superstars JBOOG and Perfect Giddimani just to name a few. GUARANTEED to be an INSTANT CLASSIC with tracks produced by Wash House Music, MaxwellSmart for The Network, King Jimmy’s Rumble Rock Recordz, Greenstone Productions, and Morgan Heritage.
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© Island Livity
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‘Salute the Crown’
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HOUSE OF SHEM
HOUSE OF SHEMHouse Of Shem is an Aotearoa (New Zealand) based harmony trio comprised of Carl Perkins and his two sons Te Omeka Perkins and Isaiah Perkins who are each multi instrumentalist and producers.
Formed 2005 in the rural area of Whanganui, aThe band embodies elements of roots reggae, pacific reggae and traditional maori music with relatable song-writing that connects powerfully with not only New Zealand and Australia audiences, but reggae listeners globally attracting fans from all areas of the world.
Since bursting onto the music scene with their debut album Keep Rising in 2008, House of Shem has released three very successful Albums and built a rapidly growing loyal fan base. Working with Grammy award winning engineers on two albums Errol Brown (Bob Marley, Burning Spear) and James Caruso(Damian Marley, Nas, Stephen Marley) and mixing at Tuff Gong Studios, Jamaica shows how dedicated House of Shem in presenting quality product to the world.
Having obtained two Platinum and Gold albums, Carl Perkins has also been inducted into the New Zealand Music hall of fame with former band, The Herbs.
House Of Shem was the first ever Reggae band in Aotearoa (New Zealand) to debut at number one on the day of release for their album “Island Vibration”
”Hailing from Aotearoa, New Zealand HOUSE OF SHEM will once again deliver Raggamuffin fans and unforgettable performance with their rare mix of power and harmony within their own unique blend of traditional and contemporary reggae styles, do doubt giving the legends of reggae a run for their money.”
Raggamuffin Festival liveguide.com.au
“As far as NZ reggae bands go, House of shem would be one of the best, and they have proven that with this second album. Fans will not be disappointed, it is as good, if not better, than their first.” ISLAND VIBRATION review by Fili - mightyape.co.nz
House of Shem’s last album “Keep Rising” was also their debut and it got them worldwide acclaim and fans, as it was easily considered one of the top reggae albums to EVER come out of New Zealand, alongside Katchafire and Fat Freddys Drop’s revolutionary debut albums. BEST OF REGGAE bestofreggae.blogspot.co.nz
Video-’Thinking About You’
Island Stage Magazine
Issue 10 May/June 2015 www.island-stage.comPAGE43
Maoli (meaning “Native”in Hawaiian) started in Maui with Glenn Awong, a 14-year-old with a passion for music, and Kana Akiu-Corpuz. In their sophomore year, the aspiring vocalist and bassist began writing original music at the encouragement of their high school teacher. It was also during this time that Glenn started recording demos of his songs. By the time he reached his senior year, Glenn was ready to share his music with a greater audience.
In 2005, Glenn and his band at the time, “No Boundaries”, won a Battle of the Bands competition on the island of Maui. With numerous performances already under his belt, Glenn then formed Maoli in 2007 with a new lineup of talented musicians, including bassist, Kana.
Maoli took the islands by storm in 2008 with their debut album entitled, “Groovin”having one hit after the next (“No One”, “Write Me A Letter”, and “So Incredible.”) This was the groundbreaking album that established Maoli as a premiere Hawaiian Island Reggae recording band.
In 2010, Maoli did it again with their 2nd release, “Rock Easy”, featuring another treasure trove of #1 hits: “Breaking My Heart”, “Whisper”and “Rock Easy”. Their 3rd album, “Arise”took to a national and international audience exploring Maoli’s love for various genres of music. “Blew it”,“Something About Your Love”and “Time To Get Over”are a few of the hits that display the diversity this album has become known for.
Maoli’s road to success continued as they toured the islands and the world promoting their very own unique Island sound. In 2012 Maoli welcomed new band member, guitarist & vocalist, Nu’u Sing-Kahalehau. Nu’u hails from a background of musicians, including
his father, Shane Kahalehau otherwise known as “Hawaiian Homeboy”. But Nu’u isn’t a stranger to Maoli, as his talents were also featured on the “Rock Easy” album. Now, the boys their latest EP “One Eighty”and a 4th album to follow. Original songs will be penned by the band’s founder and leader Glenn Awong as well as Nuu Sing-Kahalehau; as new musical and life influences inspire these talented men. Prepare for smashin’, new music coming soon. Staying true to their roots as their style continuously evolves and they spread their sound to a city near you!
Island Stage Magazine
Issue 10 May/June 2015 www.island-stage.comPAGE46
KANA KIEHM
Kana KiehmA dynamic young artist from the USA’s East Coast who is bringing conscious feel good music to the world. Born in a small town in North Carolina, it was in church that his parents quickly recognized his deep connection with music. They made sure he was involved in church choirs and praise teams throughout his school years and that he was nurtured musically. Born into a multicultural family with roots from Hawaii, Kentucky, California, and Korea, Kana’s musical style is as unique as his background. He blends his soulful acoustic, singer-songwriter style with roots reggae, dub and jazz. While he has been playing guitar since the fifth grade, it wasn’t until high school that Kana began to write and produce original songs. His lyrics are consistently positive and encouraging with an ever-present message of love. Although Kana is known for his smooth lover’s rock sound, he has plenty heavy hitting songs speaking out against matters of social injustice.
While studying audio engineering in Orlando, Florida Kana connected with many talented local musicians and cut his teeth preforming with live bands all over Florida and Georgia. His most recent studio EP (self-titled/Zion’s Garden Entertainment/0ct.2013) was recorded with the help of Christian Cowlin of the UK. Christian is a renowned musician and sound engineer who toured as keyboardist for The Original Wailers. Christian has also worked with many other great international reggae acts such as ASWAD, Jr. Marvin, and The House of Shem. In recent months Kana has provided support for several of reggae’s greats including Midnite, Warrior King, The Green, The Expanders, Rootz Underground, Hot Rain, and J Boog.
This year Kana will be playing dates all over the east coast with likely west coast stops in California and Colorado. With more new music being released this summer, Kana is quickly gaining momentum and is sure to keep you in good supply of conscious roots music. Be on the lookout for this dynamic artist!
Common Kings
Island Stage Magazine
Issue 10 May/June 2015 www.island-stage.comPAGE50
COMMON KINGS Common Kings’ style and music is a collection of inspirations orchestrated into an array of head rocking beats, feel good vibes, and emotional fever. Their crazy, fun-loving attitude compliments Common Kings’ live sound, producing phenomenal pop hits with rock, reggae, and R&B influences. These influences originate from each band members love for various genres, and widespread knowledge of music.
The majority of Common Kings were born in the South Pacific, and raised in Orange County, California. Growing up with households full of colorful personality and vibrant passions for music, Common Kings’ members naturally grew up forming individual musical paths. This musical journey involved mimicking and listening to artists such as Van Morrison, Stevie Wonder, Geourge Benson, Jim Croce, Michael Jackson, The Who, Led Zepplin, Gypsy Kings, Earth Wind and Fire, Bob Marley and more. The culmination of these musicians explains exactly who the Common Kings are.
Where everything comes to a point is through lead singer Sasualei “Jr King” Maliga. Jr King is perhaps one of the most powerfully impressive vocalists amongst today’s leading artists. Born with this untrained raw-talent, Jr King’s singing ability seems boundless, as he amazes listeners with a wide range of belting notes and soulful passion. His humble demeanor off-stage needs no introduction as to when the band is rocking out on-stage creating a young, wild, and free atmosphere.
With the current success of reaching over 350,000 single downloads, partnered with a live performance matched to none (recently showcased as a supporting act on Justin Timberlake’s 20/20 World Experience Tour), Common Kings looks to keep the momentum alive while preparing for their first Album drop in fall of 2015.
Common Kings “Kingdom Come” Acoustic
©Lee Abel Photography www.reggaeportraits.com
Fiji
Island Stage Magazine
Issue 10 May/June 2015 www.island-stage.comPAGE53
BORN GEORGE BROOKS VEIKOSO
Fiji is one of the biggest polynesian artists of our time. His golden voice and musical blends have launched him on the world stage as a pioneer of the Pacific Island Sound… .. A fusion of classic reggae, Hip-Hop, R & B and Jazz set Fiji apart as a performer. His unique style defies the idea of categorizing artists into a single genre of music, giving Fiji widespread appeal and capturing his array of musical influences.
For those that love Hawaiian-style Hip Hop, Fiji offers established fans his recognizable energy and remarkable personality. Newcomers to his music embrace his smooth voice and exotic sound.
Previous albums Evolution and Born and Raised brought successful unique island style to the mainstream, launching Fiji as the one of the most recognized Polynesian artist in the world. Gratitude included hits like “Smokin Session” and “She’s Da Bomb.” co-written by Fiji, as well as a remake of Otis Redding’s “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay,” Songs from the album were heard on Bay Watch Hawaii and MTV’s Real World Hawaii. Transition carries on Fiji’s tradition of soulful voices and appealing sounds.
His latest release, Independence Day, has made the greatest impact on the pacific and west coast music scene….. Fiji has successfuly captured the beauty and allure of the island life through his music. In 1998, he earned the Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Male Vocalist of the year and Entertainer of the year, solidifying his place among Polynesian fans and introducing his sound to a wide audience of listeners. Embracing the Polynesian style, he has introduced music lovers around the world to his own take ..ting edge island music. ..
© Lee Abel www.reggaeportraits.com
Island Stage would like to thank the following people. Without their
contributions, this issue would not have been possible.
Empress K - Reggae ReflectionMaliika Walker
Lee AbelShelah Moody
Michael WeinsteinChristie Welch
Kizzy Riske
