Roots reggae

Infobox Music genre
name=Roots reggae
color=purple
bgcolor=white
stylistic_origins=Ska, rocksteady, early reggae
cultural_origins=Jamaica
instruments=Drums, Bass, Guitar, Vocals, Percussion
popularity= Highest in late 1970s
derivatives=Dub
other_topics=List of artists - Rastafari - Haile Selassie

Roots reggae is a subgenre of reggae that concerns itself with the life of the ghetto sufferer, Barrow, Steve and Dalton, Peter: "Reggae: The Rough Guide", Rough Guides, 1997] and the rural poor. Lyrical themes include poverty, social issues, resistance to government oppression, repatriation, and Rastafari.

The heyday of roots reggae is usually considered the latter half of the 1970s – with singers such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Max Romeo, Horace Andy and Lincoln Thompson, and groups like Black Uhuru, Steel Pulse, Burning Spear and Culture – teaming up with producers such as Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Bunny Lee, Joseph Hoo Kim and Coxsone Dodd. The experimental pioneering of such producers within often-restricted technological parameters gave birth to dub, and is seen by some music historians as one of the earliest (albeit analogue) contributions to modern dance music production techniques.

Roots reggae, having its origins in the Jamaican landscape, also became very popular in Europe in the 1970s, specially among left-wing white youths in Western Europe. [Lloyd Bradley and Dennis Morris (2002) "Interview with Bunny Wailer" in the documentary "Reggae: the Story of Jamaican Music". BBC2 2002. ] When Jamaicans turned to dancehall, a lot of black, white and mixed roots reggae bands were formed in Europe. Later on roots reggae also made its way into the United States with the mass migration of Jamaicans to New York. This took place with the reforms made to American immigration laws in the early 1960's. Along with localized traditions and food, reggae music was inevitably brought as well, contributing to the New York City soundscape. [ Marshall, Wayne: Follow Me Now: The Zigzagging Zunguzung Meme. http://wayneandwax.com/?p=137]

ee also

*List of roots reggae artists

External links

* [http://www.roots-archives.com/ Roots-Archives - Searchable database of Jamaican Roots Reggae albums from 1970 to 1985]
* [http://www.fodderstompf.com/ARCHIVES/ARTS/greg1.html A paper on the wider influence of Jah Shaka and Roots Reggae on UK music]
* [http://www.rootsreggaeclub.com Roots Reggae Club: Independent Roots Reggae website with definitions, reggae artists biographies, news, articles, updates..."]
* [http://www.uncarved.org/dub/onu/onu.html Adrian Sherwood on a "very English Roots Reggae"]
* [http://www.fodderstompf.com/ARCHIVES/ARTS/greg2.html Don Letts on the contribution of Roots Reggae to Punk Rock and English Society]
* [http://www.getunderground.com/underground/features/article.cfm?Article_ID=887 Drum and Bass and Junglist have their Origins in Roots Reggae]
* [http://www.3ammagazine.com/musicarchives/2004/nov/interview_dj_scratchy.html The Clash DJ Scratchy Explains his Roots in Punk and Roots Reggae in London]
* [http://www.reggaenews.co.uk/interviews/disciples.asp Interview with 1990s UK roots reggae band: The Disciples]
* [http://www.crosscurrents.org/murrell.htm Examining the use of psalms in Rasta lyrics]
* [http://www.strictly-vibes.com Strictly Vibes : Roots Vinyl Database]
* [http://onedropradio.mypodcast.com One Drop Radio Weekly Reggae, dancehall, lover's rock, foundation Podcast]
* [http://www.rootsreggae.info Roots Reggae Artist Information]

References