Feature Stories
Every now and again there's a story that needs to be told. Easy Star finds those stories and brings them to you every month. Interviews, Biographies and One on Ones with your favorite artists and movers in the Reggae Scene.

This Month's Feature:
Jah Shaka In Session
A look at the legend by Judy S. Hecker

When legendary UK soundman Jah Shaka came to NY for two Sunday sessions in late June, Friday’s NY Times highlighted the Central Park Summerstage afternoon session, mentioning the two International bands performing, and adding, as almost an afterthought, “with Jah Shaka, a reggae DJ.” Calling Shaka a reggae DJ is like calling the Beatles a British pop group.

Though celebrated in the UK, Europe and beyond, Shaka’s still not widely known in the US. But if his name isn’t familiar, his musical influence is, especially if you check for dub or drum ‘n bass. Even if you believe Lee Perry invented reggae and Mad Professor dub, and their joint albums rule, check out Shaka (he’s done an album with Professor too).

Jah Shaka––Rastaman, Selector, Producer, Musician––has inspired legions: transplanted West Indians, Rastas seeking spiritual food, disaffected white kids, and dub’s leading creators. They rammed Shaka sessions because he played the deepest roots music imaginable, including his famous dubplates. Unless Shaka was introducing a tune or D. Brown intoned “Shaka the Warrior,” people didn’t know who or what, but went crazy trying to find out anyway.

Shaka came to England from JA as a youth. He aka’d himself after mighty warrior king Shaka Zulu, and by the late 70’s had become one of the UK’s top sounds. MORE>>


CD and Record Reviews
The following reviews are of solid reggae albums that will complement any record collection. Every month members of our staff review current releases and what we consider reggae classics to produce a comprehensive catalog of reggae recordings. This Month's featured Reviews: Choose an Album from the pull down Menu below to read more reviews.

This Month's featured reviews
Click on a link below to read the review.

:: Junior Kelly /Love So Nice
:: Gregory Isaacs /Private Lesson
:: Diana King /Think Like a Girl
:: Junior Kelly /Love So Nice
:: Gregory Isaacs /Private Lesson
:: Diana King /Think Like a Girl




REVIEWS & FEATURES

:: More CD Reviews
:: More Concert Reviews
:: More Features

:: Blood and Fire Sound System: An Interview with Steve Barrow

:: The New Traditionalists: Hepcat Keeps Ska Alive for the Next Generation

:: If Selecta Was Your Trade: An Interview with Ras Kush of the Black Redemption Sound System

:: Lyrical Liberator: An Interview with Nasio Fontaine

:: Culture Session: An Interview With Morgan Heritage by Judy Hecker

:: The New Message From the Meditations: An Interview With Meditation Ansel Cridland by Judy Hecker

:: Sumfest 98: Report of the Premier Reggae Festival by Tony Rankin and Sister Cindy

:: Excerpt from Reggae Routes by Kevin O'Brien Chang and Wayne Chen

:: Excerpt from Black Culture, White Youth: The Reggae Tradition From JA To UK by Simon Jones

:: Excerpt from Reggae Bloodlines: In Search of the Music and Culture of Jamaica by Stephen Davis