FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR PR INFO CONTACT:
Ras Danny:
jahfori@comcast.net / 503 860 8647
ANNOUNCING:
LEGENDARY FORMER LEAD SINGER
FOR BLACK UHURU
JUNIOR REID andTOURING PIONEERS REGGAE ANGELS
Also: Trinity Soundz & Small Axe
PRESENTED BY
CONSCIOUS PRODUCTIONS and
HIGHER REASONING REGGAE TIME
APPEARING IN PORTLAND, OR, THURSDAY APRIL 28, 9 PM
@ Conan’s Pub, 3862 SE Hawthorne - 503 234 7474
$12 advance tickets at
Jackpot Records, downtown
Jackpot Records, Hawthorne
New Born Tribe, NE MLK & Fremont
One of Jamaica's top artists and first reggae Grammy award winner Junior Reid, along with the San Francisco Bay Area's Reggae Angels will be touring major cities in the western US and Canada from mid-April through May, 2005. The band is an amalgamation of musicians from Junior Reid's One Blood Band from Kingston, JA, and Reggae Angels players from San Francisco. Reid is touring to support his latest release, Rasta Government (JR Recordings). Several of Reid's hits such as "One Blood", "Mashing up the Earth" and "Fit You Haffi Fit" have risen to anthem status worldwide. Junior Reid first won the hearts of people around the world as the lead vocalist for Black Uhuru. He has matured and gained strength as an artist performing internationally as well as producing other artists in his One Blood recording studio in Kingston, Jamaica.
Junior Reid is known as the man who replaced Michael Rose in Black Uhuru. But the story begins earlier than that, with Junior getting his initial inspiration from a tough upbringing in West Kingston's notorious Waterhouse district. It was there in the politically turbulent mid-'70's that he recorded his first-ever single, 'Know Myself' at the age of 14 for the late Hugh Mundell, released in the U.K by Greensleeves. He then went on to form his own band, the Voice Of Progress, and after a local hit with 'Mini-Bus Driver' the group scored local success with an album of the same name. On the demise of the band he recorded a number of tunes for Sugar Minott's Youth Promotion label, enjoying considerable popularity with tracks such as 'Human Nature', 'A1 Lover' and the evergreen 'See How Me Black See How Me Shine', an uplifting and proud statement which became an anthem to the ghetto youth whom Junior increasingly championed.
By the time Sugar released the resultant album, Junior himself had moved on; transferring his talents to King Jammys studio on St Lucia Road where his fast-growing success rose yet another notch. 'Boom Shacka Lacka' was his first UK hit and led to another exceptional album which Greensleeves put out to critical acclaim. After a number of fine singles - which included 'Youthman', 'Bank Clerk', 'Sufferation', 'Give Thanks And Praise' and 'Higgler Move' his chance of a wider audience came with the offer of replacing Michael Rose in Black Uhuru - not that this news pleased all of his loyal band of fans who felt he would be pressurized into making more commercial music.
They shouldn't have worried; 'Fit We Haffe Fit' was a resounding success, and was written by Junior as were the following singles 'Conviction Or Fine' and 'Great Train Robbery' which the press described as "one of the most acclaimed reggae crossover records ever". Originally demoed in his fledging JR studio, 'Great Train Robbery' was eventually produced by Arthur Baker, received massive airplay and put Junior firmly on the world map. Always a strong follower of Black Uhuru, and with a not dissimilar vocal style, Junior slipped into Rose's shoes with ease and the collaboration on his first Uhuru-period album 'Brutal', was well received by the media. Though the familiar Uhuru sound prevails with Ducky Simpson and the late Puma Jones' vocals strong on harmonies, five songs were written by Reid and provide a fresh lyrical energy.
Two years and two albums later the relationship between Uhuru founder member Simpson and Junior became strained, partially as a result of the latter's increasing interest in producing material for himself. Back as a solo act he lost no time in capitalizing upon his new-found fame. Coldcut's 'Stop This Crazy Thing' which he guested on in 1987 went Top 20 throughout Europe and once again exemplified Reid's vibrant personality to the full.
Summer of 1988 saw the release in Jamaica of Junior's first solo project following the break-up with Uhuru. The album was entitled 'One Blood' and the single of the same name was a resounding hit in Jamaica, New York and the UK, where it was remixed by Paul 'Trouble' Anderson and released world-wide on Big Life/Mercury Records. Both 'One Blood' and 'Long Road' won nomination at the prestigious Caribbean Music Awards with the former winning the Jamaica Music Industry (JAMI) Awards for Best Album, Best Single, Best Song and Most Conscious Lyrics. Junior also received the Rockers Award that same year.
These successes were followed by the official opening of the One Blood Recording Studio, with Junior producing artists like Ninjaman, Johnny Osbourne, Baby Wayne and White Mice via the JR label. Further recognition came his way with the UK Top 40 hit 'Shine Eye Gal' in 1992, a song originally recorded by Black Uhuru with Michael Rose which Junior re-voiced in a techno style alongside former Coxsone duo The Ragga Twins. Previously a guest vocalist with pop group the Soup Dragons, he'd scored a very credible Top 4 position with the song 'I'm Free'; again increasing his growing international profile. With shows across the globe in countries like Japan, Bermuda and England, Junior Reid has proved a durable and popular entertainer on the world stage and after winning performances in Jamaica at the Montego Bay Superfest, the Reggae Fiesta in Portland and the Linstead Festival, he played a full European tour alongside Sugar Minott, the 809 Band (which included legendary JA saxophonist Dean Fraser) and dub poet Mutabaruka in the autumn of 1993.
'Visa' was released by Greensleeves to coincide with the tour. It was his first studio album in a number of years and featured the massive dancehall hit 'All Fruits Ripe' as well as the former singles 'Friend Enemy' and 'Cry Now' and a storming combination with Dennis Brown and Gregory Isaacs entitled 'It's Not A One Man Thing'. With his incisive, almost prophetic lyrics and unstinting support for the ghettoman cause, Junior Reid remains a roots artist of great power while managing to distinguish an already burgeoning international reputation.
Within the last year, the Reggae Angels completed a 50-city tour with Andrew Tosh (son of Reggae iconPeter Tosh), a 21-city tour with Junior Reid, a 9-city tour with the Abyssinians and a 9-week tour covering North America and Canada co-billed with Everton Blender. Over the last decade, they have been touring regularly, bringing their spiritually uplifting message to the people. People love them. Lyrically their music affirms such qualities as generosity, balance and gratitude. The Reggae Angels have one of the most extensive discographies of any American Reggae band. Now touring with their 13th and latest release - Make Blessings, the Reggae Angels should not be missed when they come through your area.
