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79-541: Rototom Sunsplash is a large European reggae festival founded in 1994 in Gaio di Spilimbergo ( Pordenone , Italy), and since 2010 held in Benicàssim , a few miles north of Valencia , Spain. It attracts thousands of fans from all over the world, thanks to a cultural and musical program that lasts for up to ten days. The birthplace of the festival is the small Italian town of Gaio di Spilimbergo, province of Pordenone , in

158-513: A Little Love", "One Love", or "Three Little Birds", all written by Bob Marley, can be sung and enjoyed for their optimism and cheerful lyrics. Some dancehall and ragga artists have been criticised for homophobia , including threats of violence. Buju Banton 's song "Boom Bye-Bye" states that gays "haffi dead" (have to die). Other notable dancehall artists who have been accused of homophobia include Elephant Man , Bounty Killer and Beenie Man . The controversy surrounding anti-gay lyrics has led to

237-566: A big following on the Hawaiian islands and the West coast of the US. On the east coast upstate NY has seen a rise in original roots reggae bands such as Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad and John Brown's Body who were inspired by Jamaican reggae bands that performed in the area in the 1980s and 1990s. Matisyahu gained prominence by blending traditional Jewish themes with reggae. Compounding his use of

316-670: A certain sort of people. It was always a down-town thing, but more than just hearing the music. The equipment was so powerful and the vibe so strong that we feel it." The reggae organ-shuffle is unique to reggae. In the original version of reggae, the drummer played a reggae groove that was used in the four bar introduction, allowing the piano to serve as a percussion instrument. Reggae is noted for its tradition of social criticism in its lyrics, although many reggae songs discuss lighter, more personal subjects, such as love and socializing. Many early reggae bands covered Motown or Atlantic soul and funk songs. Some reggae lyrics attempt to raise

395-584: A complete absence of commercial sponsors, and by 2003, almost a decade after its launch, the festival had zero debt. Beginning in 2006, the festival began to receive criticism as well as some opposition from several Italian politicians after the adoption of the Fini-Giovanardi law , declared unconstitutional in 2014, which, among other things, proposed up to ten years in prison for the use of recreational drugs such as cannabis inside spaces with leisure and cultural activities. The law essentially criminalized

474-516: A concert tribute to the late Dennis Brown, who Bob Marley cited as his favorite singer. On the business side, RIAJam held events focused on reggae's employment opportunities and potential international revenue. . Reggae Month 2019 in Jamaica was welcomed with multiple events ranging from corporate reggae functions to major celebrations in honour of Bob Marley's Birthday on 6 February to a tribute concert in honour of Dennis Brown on 24 February along with

553-454: A couple of vocalists. Reggae is played in 4 time because the symmetrical rhythmic pattern does not lend itself to other time signatures such as 4 . One of the most easily recognizable elements is offbeat rhythms; staccato chords played by a guitar or piano (or both) on the offbeats of the measure, often referred to as the skank . This rhythmic pattern accents the second and fourth beats in each bar and combines with

632-411: A dedicated radio station was created, called Radio Rototom. The second year, the event attracted 3,000 festivalgoers in two days, and the numbers continued to increase during the third and fourth editions. In 1998, the festival relocated to Latisana , due to larger audience numbers and the need for a bigger space. In the summer of 1998, unable to accommodate the number of people attending the festival,

711-713: A fantastic experience opening for more established acts or in early sets at larger reggae festivals. The live experience is a major part of the American Reggae world and the presence of so many emerging bands to combine with established international acts has allowed the movement to grow in recent years. The American reggae scene is heavily centred in Southern California , with large scenes also in New York City , Washington, D.C. , Chicago , Miami , and Honolulu . For decades, Hawaiian reggae has had

790-462: A genre slower than ska featuring more romantic lyrics and less prominent horns. Theories abound as to why Jamaican musicians slowed the ska tempo to create rocksteady; one is that the singer Hopeton Lewis was unable to sing his hit song "Take It Easy" at a ska tempo. The name "rocksteady" was codified after the release of a single by Alton Ellis . Many rocksteady rhythms later were used as the basis of reggae recordings, whose slower tempos allowed for

869-637: A jazzy pop style. Other 7" singles to appear in Jamaica around this time were covers of popular American R&B hits, made by Kingston sound system operators to be played at public dances. Meanwhile, Jamaican expatriates started issuing 45s on small independent labels in the United Kingdom, many mastered directly from Jamaican 45s. Ska arose in Jamaican studios in the late 1950s, developing from this mix of American R&B, mento and calypso music . Notable for its jazz-influenced horn riffs, ska

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948-684: A number of European artists and bands drawing their inspiration directly from Jamaica and the Caribbean community in Europe, whose music and vocal styles are almost identical to contemporary Jamaican music. The best examples might be Alborosie (Italy) and Gentleman (Germany). Both Gentleman and Alborosie have had a significant chart impact in Jamaica, unlike many European artists. They have both recorded and released music in Jamaica for Jamaican labels and producers and are popular artists, likely to appear on many riddims . Alborosie has lived in Jamaica since

1027-697: A partnership with Lee Gopthal 's Trojan Records in 1968, which released reggae in the UK until bought by Saga records in 1974. Reggae's influence bubbled to the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts in late 1972. First Three Dog Night hit No. 1 in September with a cover of the Maytones ' version of " Black and White ". Then Johnny Nash was at No. 1 for four weeks in November with " I Can See Clearly Now ". Paul Simon 's single " Mother And Child Reunion " –

1106-696: A pattern in which the surdo bass drums (four of them at minimum) divided themselves into four or five interlocking parts. In the state of Maranhão , in northeastern Brazil , reggae is a very popular genre. São Luís , the state capital, is known as the Brazilian Jamaica. The city has more than 200 radiolas , the name given to sound teams formed by DJs and sound systems with dozens of powerful amplifiers stacked. Reggae in Maranhão has its own characteristics, such as melody and dance style, as well as having its own radio and television programs. In 2018,

1185-687: A presence in Veracruz , Mexico . The most notable Jarocho reggae group being Los Aguas Aguas from Xalapa . Some of the most popular reggae groups across Latin America come from the Southern Cone, such as the Chilean band Gondwana , and the Argentinian band Los Cafres. The Puerto Rican band Cultura Profética is also widely recognized in the region. Hispanic reggae includes three elements:

1264-571: A row". Reggae as a musical term first appeared in print with the 1968 rocksteady hit " Do the Reggay " by the Maytals which named the genre. Reggae historian Steve Barrow credits Clancy Eccles with altering the Jamaican patois word streggae (loose woman) into reggae . However, Toots Hibbert said: There's a word we used to use in Jamaica called "streggae". If a girl is walking and

1343-566: A softer and more commercial sound.Other reggae artists who enjoyed international appeal in the early 1980s include Third World , Black Uhuru and Sugar Minott . The Grammy Awards introduced the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album category in 1985. Women also play a role in the reggae music industry personnel such as Olivia Grange, president of Specs-Shang Musik; Trish Farrell, president of Island/Jamaica; Lisa Cortes, president of Loose Cannon; Jamaican-American Sharon Gordon, who has worked in

1422-619: A sold-out concert by 2019 Reggae Grammy nominated artiste Protoje for his A Matter of Time Live held at Hope Gardens in Kingston on 23 February. In November 2018 "reggae music of Jamaica" was added to the UNESCO 's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity the decision recognised reggae's "contribution to international discourse on issues of injustice, resistance, love and humanity underscores

1501-616: A specific religious topic, or simply giving praise to God ( Jah ). Other common socio-political topics in reggae songs include black nationalism , anti-racism , anti- colonialism , anti-capitalism and criticism of political systems and "Babylon" . In recent years, Jamaican (and non-Jamaican) reggae musicians have used more positive themes in reggae music. The music is widely considered a treasured cultural export for Jamaica, so musicians who still desire progress for their island nation have begun focusing on themes of hopefulness, faith, and love. For elementary children, reggae songs such as "Give

1580-482: A track which he recorded in Kingston, Jamaica with Jimmy Cliff 's backing group – was ranked by Billboard as the No. 57 song of 1972. In 1973, the film The Harder They Come starring Jimmy Cliff was released and introduced Jamaican music to cinema audiences outside Jamaica. Though the film achieved cult status, its limited appeal meant that it had a smaller impact than Eric Clapton 's 1974 cover of Bob Marley's " I Shot

1659-663: A week-long festival which used to take place in Osoppo , Italy , until 2009, is now held in Benicassim , Spain , and gathers up to 150,000 visitors every year. In Iceland reggae band Hjálmar is well established having released six CDs in Iceland. They were the first reggae band in Iceland, but few Icelandic artists had written songs in the reggae style before their arrival on the Icelandic music scene. The Icelandic reggae scene

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1738-463: Is 1968's " Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da " by the Beatles . The Wailers , a band started by Bob Marley , Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer in 1963, is perhaps the most recognized band that made the transition through all three stages of early Jamaican popular music: ska, rocksteady and reggae. Over a dozen Wailers songs are based on or use a line from Jamaican mento songs. Other significant ska artists who made

1817-471: Is characterized by a quarter note walking bass line, guitar and piano offbeats , and a drum pattern with cross-stick snare and bass drum on the backbeat and open hi-hat on the offbeats. When Jamaica gained independence in 1962, ska became the music of choice for young Jamaicans seeking music that was their own. Ska also became popular among mods in Britain. In the mid-1960s, ska gave rise to rocksteady ,

1896-502: Is common for reggae to be sung in Jamaican Patois , Jamaican English , and Iyaric dialects. Reggae is noted for its tradition of social criticism and religion in its lyrics, although many reggae songs discuss lighter, more personal subjects, such as love and socializing. Reggae is deeply linked to Rastafari , an Afrocentric religion which developed in Jamaica in the 1930s, aiming at promoting pan-Africanism . Soon after

1975-794: Is expanding and growing at a fast rate. RVK Soundsystem is the first Icelandic sound system , counting five DJs. They hold reggae nights in Reykjavík every month at clubs Hemmi og Valdi and more recently in Faktorý as the crowd has grown so much. Osoppo Osoppo ( Friulian : Osôf ) is a comune (municipality) in the Regional decentralization entity of Udine in the Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia , located about 90 kilometres (56 mi) northwest of Trieste and about 25 kilometres (16 mi) northwest of Udine . Osoppo borders

2054-430: Is this slower tempo, the guitar/piano offbeats, the emphasis on the third beat, and the use of syncopated , melodic bass lines that differentiate reggae from other music, although other musical styles have incorporated some of these innovations. Reggae drummers often involved these three tips for other reggae performers: (1) go for open, ringing tones when playing ska and rocksteady, (2) use any available material to stuff

2133-471: The Coachella festival , after Chronixx in 2016. The UK was a primary destination for Caribbean people looking to emigrate as early as the 1950s. Because of this, Caribbean music in the United Kingdom , including reggae, has been popular since the late 1960s, and has evolved into several subgenres and fusions. Most notable of these is lovers rock , but this fusion of Jamaican music into English culture

2212-623: The Reggae Museum of Maranhão was inaugurated, the second reggae museum in the world (after Jamaica ), with the objective of preserving the state's reggae cultural history. In the United States, bands like Rebelution , Slightly Stoopid , Dirty Heads , and Iration are the leading bands in a growing genre. Other bands like The Movement, The Elovaters, Artikal Sound System, Soja, Fortunate Youth, Hirie, Common Kings and Tribal Seeds have enthusiastic followings and typically provide

2291-661: The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity . Reggae en Español spread from mainland South American Caribbean from Venezuela and Guyana to the rest of South America. It does not have any specific characteristics other than being sung in Spanish, usually by artists of Latin American origin. Samba reggae originated in Brazil as a blend of samba with Jamaican reggae. Reggae also has

2370-510: The civil rights movement and the Black Soul movement, and especially the Jamaican independence movement since the 1960s and its messages in reggae and Rastafari. Thus, the sudden popularity of reggae music and musicians in Bahia, Brazil, was not the result of the effects of the transnational music industry, but of the need to establish cultural and political links with black communities across

2449-464: The hazzan style, Matisyahu's lyrics are mostly English with more than occasional use of Hebrew and Yiddish . There is a large Caribbean presence in Toronto and Montreal , Canada , with English and French influences on the reggae genre. Canadian band Magic! 's 2013 single " Rude " was an international hit. In 2017, Toots and the Maytals became the second reggae-based group to ever perform at

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2528-418: The ska and rocksteady of 1960s Jamaica, strongly influenced by traditional Caribbean mento and calypso music , as well as American jazz and rhythm and blues . Ska was originally a generic title for Jamaican music recorded between 1961 and 1967 and emerged from Jamaican R&B, which was based largely on American R&B and doo-wop. Rastafari entered some countries primarily through reggae music; thus,

2607-513: The "double skank" guitar strokes on the offbeat. Reggae developed from ska and rocksteady in the late 1960s. Larry And Alvin's "Nanny Goat" and the Beltones' "No More Heartaches" were among the songs in the genre. The beat was distinctive from rocksteady in that it dropped any of the pretensions to the smooth, soulful sound that characterized slick American R&B, and instead was closer in kinship to US southern funk, being heavily dependent on

2686-472: The 'bang" has a very dampened, short and scratchy chop sound, almost like a percussion instrument. Sometimes a double chop is used when the guitar still plays the off beats, but also plays the following eighth-note beats on the up-stroke. An example is the intro to " Stir It Up " by the Wailers. Artist and producer Derrick Harriott says, "What happened was the musical thing was real widespread, but only among

2765-481: The Americas that had faced and were facing similar sociopolitical situations. Musically, it was the bloco afro Olodum and its lead percussionist, Neguinho do Samba , that began to combine the basic samba beat of the blocos with merengue, salsa, and reggae rhythms and debuted their experimentations in the carnival of 1986. The new toques (drumming patterns) were labeled "samba-reggae" and consisted basically of

2844-517: The Maytals, Lloyd Knibb from the Skatalites, Winston Grennan , Sly Dunbar , and Anthony "Benbow" Creary from the Upsetters . The bass guitar often plays the dominant role in reggae. The bass sound in reggae is thick and heavy, and equalized so the upper frequencies are removed and the lower frequencies emphasized. The guitar in reggae usually plays on the offbeat of the rhythm. It

2923-524: The Police 's 1978 debut album, Outlandos d'Amour , laid down the template for the basic structure of a lot of rock/reggae songwriting: a reggae-infused verse containing upstrokes on guitar or keyboards and a more aggressive, on-the-beat punk/rock attack during the chorus. The end of the 1970s featured a ska revival in the UK. By the end of the 1970s, a revival movement had begun in England, with such bands as

3002-489: The Rastafarian movement appeared, the international popularity of reggae music became associated with and increased the visibility of Rastafari and spread its gospel throughout the world. Reggae music is an important means of transporting vital messages of Rastafari. The musician becomes the messenger, and as Rastafari see it, "the soldier and the musician are tools for change." Reggae has spread to many countries around

3081-548: The Reggae Compassionate Act, in a deal brokered with top dancehall promoters and Stop Murder Music activists. They renounced homophobia and agreed to "not make statements or perform songs that incite hatred or violence against anyone from any community". Five artists targeted by the anti-homophobia campaign did not sign up to the act, including Elephant Man, TOK , Bounty Killa and Vybz Kartel . Buju Banton and Beenie Man both gained positive press coverage around

3160-498: The Rototom club in 1994. The name Sunsplash was taken from what was then the world’s biggest reggae event, Reggae Sunsplash , held annually in Jamaica since 1978, and discontinued in 1998. The event lasted the entire weekend of 2 and 3 July, with a lineup of 14 artists, including Africa Unite , Almamegretta , and Buju Banton . The first edition of the festival attracted a thousand people, mostly musicians and producers. In addition,

3239-533: The Sheriff " which made it onto the playlists of mainstream rock and pop radio stations worldwide. Clapton's "I Shot the Sheriff" used modern rock production and recording techniques and faithfully retained most of the original reggae elements; it was a breakthrough pastiche devoid of any parody and played an important part in bringing the music of Bob Marley to a wider rock audience. By the mid-1970s, authentic reggae dub plates and specials were getting some exposure in

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3318-636: The Specials, Madness, the (English) Beat, and the Selecter. The Specials' leader and keyboardist, Jerry Dammers , founded the 2 Tone record label, which released albums from the aforementioned racially integrated groups and was instrumental in creating a new social and cultural awareness. The 2 Tone movement referenced reggae's godfathers, popular styles (including the genre's faster and more dance-oriented precursors, ska and rocksteady), and previous modes of dress (such as black suits and porkpie hats) but updated

3397-483: The UK on John Peel 's radio show, who promoted the genre for the rest of his career. Around the same time, British filmmaker Jeremy Marre documented the Jamaican music scene in Roots Rock Reggae , capturing the heyday of Roots reggae . While the quality of Reggae records produced in Jamaica took a turn for the worse following the oil crisis of the 1970s, reggae produced elsewhere began to flourish. In

3476-544: The UK, and there have been a number of European artists and bands drawing their inspiration directly from Jamaica and the Caribbean community in Europe. Reggae in Africa was boosted by the visit of Bob Marley to Zimbabwe in 1980. The 1967 edition of the Dictionary of Jamaican English lists reggae as "a recently estab. sp. for rege ", as in rege-rege , a word that can mean either "rags, ragged clothing" or "a quarrel,

3555-444: The bass drum so that it tightens up the kick to a deep, punchy thud, and (3) go without a ride cymbal, focusing on the hi-hat for timekeeping and thin crashes with fast decay for accents. The guitar in reggae usually plays on the off beat of the rhythm. So if one is counting in 4 time and counting "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and ...", one would play a downstroke on the "and" part of the beat. A musical figure known as skank or

3634-525: The cancellation of UK tours by Beenie Man and Sizzla. Toronto, Canada has also seen the cancellation of concerts due to artists such as Elephant Man and Sizzla refusing to conform to similar censorship pressures. After lobbying from the Stop Murder Music coalition, the dancehall music industry agreed in 2005 to stop releasing songs that promote hatred and violence against gay people. In June 2007, Beenie Man, Sizzla and Capleton signed up to

3713-568: The club moved to the municipality of Zoppola in the same province. At this point, the Rototom Club was divided into three rooms, each playing different genres of music: rock, pop, and rap in one; another played reggae and African music; and the last one dedicated to electronic music. Over the next nine years, the club hosted performances by the Ramones (1993), Massive Attack (1998), Bad Religion , NOFX , Suede , and Soulfly ; legends like

3792-450: The drum's emphasis on beat three to create a unique sense of phrasing. The reggae offbeat can be counted so that it falls between each count as an "and" (example: 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and ... , etc.) or counted as a half-time feel at twice the tempo so it falls on beats 2 and 4. This is in contrast to the way most other popular genres focus on beat one, the "downbeat". The tempo of reggae is usually slower than both ska and rocksteady . It

3871-635: The dynamics of the element as being at once cerebral, socio-political, sensual and spiritual." The term cod reggae is popularly used to describe reggae done by non-Caribbean people, often in a disparaging manner because of perceived inauthenticity . Boy George has been described as “one of the great cod reggae artists of all time.” Stylistically, reggae incorporates some of the musical elements of rhythm and blues (R&B), jazz , mento , calypso , African, and Latin American music, as well as other genres. Reggae scenes consist of two guitars, one for rhythm and one for lead—drums, congas, and keyboards, with

3950-658: The event, to the point that it was forced to move from Italy to Spain. In 2015, the organizers obtained full judicial acquittal on all charges of having permitted drug consumption. In 2010, Rototom Sunsplash moved one more time, to its current location, the beach resort town of Benicàssim in Spain. After the final event in Osoppo on 12 July 2009, the festival organizers went in search of a new venue. After seven months of touring various regions of Spain, in February 2010, an agreement

4029-457: The father of Afrobeat , Fela Kuti , and reggae greats such as Burning Spear , Steel Pulse , Black Uhuru , Inner Circle , U-Roy , Yellowman , Itals , The Meditations , Junior Reid , Linton Kwesi Johnson , Misty in Roots , The Gladiators (band) , Pablo Moses , Shaggy (musician) , and Buju Banton , among many others. The Rototom Sunsplash festival was born as a self-financed project at

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4108-492: The first time, the festival was broadcast internationally via live stream on Italy's Arcoiris TV. It was also here that the "Italian Reggae Awards" were first organized. The director of the Jamaican Reggae Sunsplash , Rae Barret, was invited to choose from the best Italian bands at the festival, in order to become the first group to represent Italy at the festival in Jamaica. Reggae National Tickets took

4187-630: The following municipalities: Buja , Forgaria nel Friuli , Gemona del Friuli , Majano , San Daniele del Friuli , Trasaghis . Osoppo hosts a large fortress, now an historical attraction. It played a large role in the defense of Venice against the Austrians in the late 1850s during the time of the Italian Unification of Italy . It was shortly after one of the main battles at this fortress that Leonardo Andervolti composed his treatise, Meritorious Champions of Italian Independence ,

4266-402: The guys look at her and say "Man, she's streggae" it means she don't dress well, she look raggedy. The girls would say that about the men too. This one morning me and my two friends were playing and I said, "OK man, let's do the reggay." It was just something that came out of my mouth. So we just start singing "Do the reggay, do the reggay" and created a beat. People tell me later that we had given

4345-475: The honour that year, and this launched the solo career of Alborosie , the band's vocalist. In the summer of 2000, Rototom Sunsplash moved its headquarters once more, this time to Osoppo . This move was crucial to the festival's growth from an Italian musical celebration to a major European event. Within the 250,000 m of the Rivellino Park in Osoppo, the festival assumed the dimensions that it retains to

4424-503: The incorporation of the Spanish language; the use of translations and versions based on known riddims and background music; and regional consciousness. It is a medium of rebellious contestation rising from the underground. Hispanic reggae is related to rap, sharing characteristics that can be found not only in the social conditions in which they developed in the region but also in the characteristics of social sectors and classes that welcome them. Brazilian samba-reggae utilized themes such as

4503-486: The independent reggae music industry. Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding made February 2008 the first annual Reggae Month in Jamaica. To celebrate, the Recording Industry Association of Jamaica (RIAJam) held its first Reggae Academy Awards on 24 February 2008. In addition, Reggae Month included a six-day Global Reggae conference, a reggae film festival, two radio station award functions, and

4582-806: The late 1970s and early 1980s, the UK punk rock scene flourished, and reggae was a notable influence. The DJ Don Letts would play reggae and punk tracks at clubs such as The Roxy . Punk bands such as the Clash , the Ruts , the Members and the Slits played many reggae-influenced songs. Around the same time, reggae music took a new path in the UK; one that was created by the multiracial makeup of England's inner cities and exemplified by groups like Steel Pulse , Aswad and UB40 , as well as artists such as Smiley Culture and Carroll Thompson . The Jamaican ghetto themes in

4661-576: The late 1990s and has recorded at Bob Marley's famous Tuff Gong Studios. Since the early 1990s, several Italian reggae bands have emerged, including Africa Unite, Gaudi , Reggae National Tickets, Sud Sound System , Pitura Freska and B.R. Stylers . Reggae appeared on the Yugoslav popular music scene in the late 1970s, through sporadic songs by various rock acts, most prominently by new wave bands Haustor , Šarlo Akrobata , Aerodrom , Laboratorija Zvuka , Piloti , Zana , Du Du A and Grupa I . In

4740-485: The latter half of the 20th century, phonograph records became of central importance to the Jamaican music industry, playing a significant cultural and economic role in the development of reggae music. "In the early 1950s, Jamaican entrepreneurs began issuing 78s" but this format would soon be superseded by the 7" single, first released in 1949. In 1951 the first recordings of mento music were released as singles and showcased two styles of mento: an acoustic rural style, and

4819-567: The leap to reggae include Prince Buster , Desmond Dekker , Ken Boothe , and Millie Small , best known for her 1964 blue-beat/ska cover version of " My Boy Lollipop " which was a smash hit internationally. Notable Jamaican producers influential in the development of ska into rocksteady and reggae include: Coxsone Dodd , Lee "Scratch" Perry , Leslie Kong , Duke Reid , Joe Gibbs and King Tubby . Chris Blackwell , who founded Island Records in Jamaica in 1960, relocated to England in 1962, where he continued to promote Jamaican music. He formed

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4898-479: The lyrics were replaced with UK inner city themes, and Jamaican patois became intermingled with Cockney slang. In South London around this time, a new subgenre of lovers rock , was being created. Unlike the Jamaican music of the same name which was mainly dominated by male artists such as Gregory Isaacs , the South London genre was led by female singers like Thompson and Janet Kay . The UK Lovers Rock had

4977-781: The mid-1980s appeared Del Arno Band , often considered the first Yugoslav band whose sound was primarily reggae-oriented, remaining one of the most notable reggae acts on the post-Yugoslav music scene. The first homegrown Polish reggae bands started in the 1980s with groups like Izrael . Singer and songwriter Alexander Barykin was considered the father of Russian reggae. In Sweden, Uppsala Reggae Festival attracts attendees from across Northern Europe and features Swedish reggae bands such as Rootvälta and Svenska Akademien as well as many popular Jamaican artists. Summerjam , Europe's biggest reggae festival, takes place in Cologne , Germany , and sees crowds of 25,000 or more. Rototom Sunsplash ,

5056-464: The movement in these places is more stamped by its origins in reggae music and social milieu. The Rastafari movement was a significant influence on reggae, with Rasta drummers like Count Ossie taking part in seminal recordings. One of the predecessors of reggae drumming is the Nyabinghi rhythm , a style of ritual drumming performed as a communal meditative practice in the Rastafarian life. In

5135-419: The musical elements of rhythm and blues, jazz, mento (a celebratory, rural folk form that served its largely rural audience as dance music and an alternative to the hymns and adapted chanteys of local church singing), calypso , and also draws influence from traditional African folk rhythms. One of the most easily recognizable elements is offbeat rhythms; staccato chords played by a guitar or piano (or both) on

5214-440: The offbeats of the measure. The tempo of reggae is usually slower-paced than both ska and rocksteady. The concept of call and response can be found throughout reggae music. The genre of reggae music is led by the drum and bass. Some key players in this sound are Jackie Jackson from Toots and the Maytals, Carlton Barrett from Bob Marley and the Wailers , Lloyd Brevett from the Skatalites , Paul Douglas from Toots and

5293-407: The organizers decided to move it to Latisana Marittima , in the province of Udine . At this point, Rototom Sunsplash became a proper outdoor festival, with three stages and complementary cultural areas capable of absorbing thousands of attendees. From the previous year's 8,000, audience numbers grew to 20,000 in 1998. The event stretched to four days, with more acts and sideshows than ever before. For

5372-463: The political consciousness of the audience, such as by criticizing materialism , or by informing the listener about controversial subjects such as apartheid . Many reggae songs promote the use of cannabis (also known as herb , ganja , or sinsemilla ), considered a sacrament in the Rastafari movement . There are many artists who utilize religious themes in their music – whether it be discussing

5451-595: The present. The duration of the festival was first extended to eight days, then later nine and finally ten days in total. An average of 150,000 people from around the world converged on this small Italian town for ten consecutive editions. Apart from a greater number of musical stages than ever before, the festival now included numerous side events and workshops, including conferences; capoeira, percussion, and African dance lessons; spaces for meditation; as well as areas with creative workshops for children. Rototom Sunsplash continued to fund itself solely through ticket sales, with

5530-496: The region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia , close to Venice . On 13 December 1991, the Rototom Cultural Association was born and with it a nightclub of the same name. It was an alternative music scene showcasing various styles from punk rock to reggae, indie, and electronic music. The name was taken from the rototom drum, and ascribed to the fact that like the drum, the club creates a variety of sounds. In 1997,

5609-644: The rhythm section to drive it along. Reggae's great advantage was its almost limitless flexibility: from the early, jerky sound of Lee Perry's "People Funny Boy", to the uptown sounds of Third World's "Now That We've Found Love", it was an enormous leap through the years and styles, yet both are instantly recognizable as reggae. The shift from rocksteady to reggae was illustrated by the organ shuffle pioneered by Jamaican musicians like Jackie Mittoo and Winston Wright and featured in transitional singles "Say What You're Saying" (1968) by Eric "Monty" Morris and "People Funny Boy" (1968) by Lee "Scratch" Perry . Early 1968

5688-598: The sound its name. Before that people had called it blue-beat and all kind of other things. Now it's in the Guinness World of Records. Bob Marley said that the word reggae came from a Spanish term for "the king's music". The liner notes of To the King , a compilation of Christian gospel reggae, suggest that the word reggae was derived from the Latin regi meaning 'to the king'. Reggae's direct origins are in

5767-641: The sound with a faster tempo, more guitar, and more attitude. Birmingham based reggae/ pop music band UB40 were main contributors to the British reggae scene throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The achieved international success with hits such as " Red Red Wine ", " Kingston Town " and " (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You ." Other UK-based artists that had international impact include Aswad , Misty in Roots , Steel Pulse , Janet Kay , Tippa Irie , Smiley Culture and more recently Bitty McLean . There have been

5846-477: The world for publicly renouncing homophobia by signing the Reggae Compassion Act. However, both of these artists have since denied any involvement in anti-homophobia work and both deny having signed any such act. Reggae has spread to many countries around the world, often incorporating local instruments and fusing with other genres. In November 2018 UNESCO added the "reggae music of Jamaica" to

5925-536: The world, often incorporating local instruments and fusing with other genres. Reggae en Español spread from the Spanish-speaking Central American country of Panama to the mainland South American country of Venezuelathen to the rest of South America. Caribbean music in the United Kingdom , including reggae, has been popular since the late 1960s, and has evolved into several subgenres and fusions. Many reggae artists began their careers in

6004-508: Was no longer just a European attraction; fans from all over the world were attending, and the Spanish-speaking venue was especially a draw for reggae aficionados from Latin-American countries. Another major selling point for the festival was its new beach location, providing a sharp contrast to its previous Alpine setting, which was usually colder and often windy and rainy. Reggae Stylistically, reggae incorporates some of

6083-522: Was reached with the city of Benicàssim, on the eastern coast of the Iberian nation. The extensive camping area made available for the event was key to the decision. The town of less than 20,000 people in the province of Castellón hosted the 17th edition of Rototom Sunsplash, and has been the festival's home to this day. The number of people attending the newly-relocated event increased with the space, to an average of 230,000 people per edition. The festival

6162-542: Was seminal in the formation of other musical forms like drum and bass and dubstep . The UK became the base from which many Jamaican artists toured Europe and due to the large number of Jamaican musicians emigrating there, the UK is the root of the larger European scene that exists today. Many of the world's most famous reggae artists began their careers in UK. Singer and Grammy Award-winning reggae artist Maxi Priest began his career with seminal British sound system Saxon Studio International . Three reggae-tinged singles from

6241-471: Was when the first bona fide reggae records were released: "Nanny Goat" by Larry Marshall and "No More Heartaches" by the Beltones. That same year, the newest Jamaican sound began to spawn big-name imitators in other countries. American artist Johnny Nash 's 1968 hit " Hold Me Tight " has been credited with first putting reggae in the American listener charts. Around the same time, reggae influences were starting to surface in rock and pop music ; one example

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