James Alger, Lead Singer of OneDrop To Perform Live, Saturday, February 8, 2020 Long Beach • 6 PM to 6:30 PM Band Members: James Alger - Vocals Guitar Melodica, Anders Pellmark - Lead Guitar, Mark Cutkomp - Drums, Alex Somerville - Keys, Jehua Evans - Bass, Josh Bacca - Saxophone Hometown: San Diego, CA One Drop based in San Diego, California embraces the spirit of classic Roots Reggae and Dub music with a calculated blend of R&B, Pop and Rock subtleties. A Commentary by Mitch Santell OneDrop is a fantastic band from San Diego, California. If you have not had an opportunity to see them before, you are in for a special treat this next weekend at the One Love Reggae Festival in Long Beach, California. Yes, it was a real delight to chat for a view minutes with James Alger, one of the founders, as well as the manager of OneDrop. May this interview inspire you as much as it did me!
Find One Drop Online: https://onedropreggae.com One Drop On Twitter: https://twitter.com/onedropmusic One Drop On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/OneDropMusic/ One Drop On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/OneDropMusic One Drop On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OneDropMusic
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Garret Douglas - Lead Vocals | Chris “DJ Irey” Garcia – Keyboards, Producer Ricardo Ramirez – Guitar | Alex Bursztyn – Bass | Sam Ward – Drums Please make sure that you arrive early or at least on time to watch 4th & Orange perform on Friday, February 7, 2020. You are in for a special treat. Next? Check out this video form 4th & Orange titled "The Girl Next Door!" Two days ago, I caught up with Garret Douglas by telephone, who shared with me the fantastic journey of 4th & Orange and how they ended up being signed by Atlantic Records. The interview below was a personal exchange, and I sincerely hope that it inspires you as much as the band 4th & Orange inspires me here at Big Reggae Mix! A personal interview between Garret Douglas & Mitch Santell (by phone, not for broadcast). Find 4th & Orange On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/4thandorange/ Find 4th & Orange On Twitter: https://twitter.com/4thandorange Find 4th & Orange On The Internet: https://www.4thandorange.com 4th & Orange has fast earned a fervent fan following with its intoxicating hybrid of sound – an inspired and inventive strain spiced by equal parts hip-hop, pop, rock, and cool reggae. The Long Beach, CA-based outfit was co-founded by longtime friends Garrett Douglas and Chris “DJ Irey” Garcia with a goal of merging inspiration from hometown heroes, Sublime, with their own unique style to create something altogether new and utterly irresistible. Tracks like the breakthrough single, “Girl Next Door,” see Douglas’ potent storytelling fused with crafty rhythms and incandescent pop melodies, resulting in an undeniably universal pop approach. “We're a perfect example of what happens when you grow up in such a diverse place like Long Beach,” says Douglas. “Opposite sounds start to blend, stories range through so many relatable lessons, and differences are almost pushed aside completely so we can figure out how to come together and form a band that will reach almost every type of listener.” Douglas and DJ Irey’s friendship began while playing high school football, their shared passion for music providing solace from their troubled home lives. Each soon went on to forge their own path in the music industry – Douglas took on the moniker ‘Beach Boy’ and became a successful songwriter, DJ Irey a flourishing producer. The two reunited in early 2019, determined to take their decade of industry experience and put their creative energy into a project all their own. Taking its moniker from the Long Beach street corner, 4th & Orange made its official introduction by kickstarting summer 2019 with their debut single, “Girl Next Door.” Co-produced by GRAMMY® Award-nominee DJ Flict (Sublime w/Rome, Wiz Khalifa, Lauryn Hill) and Mark Pelli (Magic!, Chris Brown, J Cole), the track – joined by an equally sultry companion video, directed by Michael Garcia (O.T. Genasis, Kodak Black, Dillon Francis) and now boasting more than 2.5 individual views now via YouTube alone – arrived amidst a tidal wave of positive press attention, beginning with an exclusive premiere via Alternative Press, which wrote, “Merging pop elements with reggae in the likes of Sublime, ‘Girl Next Door’ introduces (4th & Orange’s) summery, poolside vibe along with their storytelling style that draws on relatable circumstances from real- life experiences.” “4th & Orange is taking this summer by storm,” raved Earmilk. “For the rest of 2019, we can look forward to the group engaging with fans and providing us with even more music, hopefully sooner than we think.” Indeed, “Girl Next Door” was swiftly followed by a string of searing summer singles, including “No More Favors,” “Junky,” and “Only You,” the latter of which finds 4th & Orange putting their quintessential SoCal pop-reggae touch on an undisputed classic, originally performed by Yazoo and since covered by a diverse array of artists that spans Enrique Iglesias and Joshua Radin to Kylie Minogue to Selena Gomez. The track premiered alongside an exclusive interview in The Hype Magazine, which wrote, “’Only You’ is a reminder that we’d better hold on to THAT ONE or at some point we’ll be reminiscing about what we let go...one of men’s biggest conversations! If you are fans of Sublime, or Long Beach Short Bus then 4th & Orange is just what the doctor ordered for your daily playlist.” Top Shelf Music said it best: “Simple, succulent, harmonized to a T — ‘Only You’ has it all...Believe us, 4th & Orange will be a household name soon. A Commentary by Mitch Santell on Family and Legacy This past week in the life of Julian Marley has been an amazing one in Los Angeles as his Father would have been 75 years of age this year. According to Billboard and the Associated Press: LOS ANGELES -- At a celebration for Bob Marley’s 75th birth anniversary, the late icon’s children — famous in their own right — gathered to tell stories about the reggae king and discuss passing the musical torch to their own children. Commentary by Mitch Santell Continued The journey of Julian Marley has a more in-depth and profound meaning to his life because, in my view, he is the culmination of the experiences that his Father went through. At 44, it shines through Julian's face. Julian Marley makes an immediate impression on you. First, not only can this guy sing, he makes you feel when you hear his songs that he is singing them just for you. Second, he goes on stage with his tall, slender frame, dominates the scene with his creative presence, and is in great physical shape. He moves at a non-stop pace, and before you know it, you are standing in the aisles dancing with him. The passion that Julian Marley has for his music is undeniable. His lyrics and musical style are infectious. When you step away from something, (in Julian's case, it was ten years) you come back stronger and more focused than ever. The video above shows Julian's passion for Reggae and his commitment to the Rastafarian movement. Want to know why Julian Marley is so mature for his age? Take a look at his comments regarding his daughter; they will provide keen insight into the man. You will understand instantly why his songwriting continues to expand. Shift happens! A Commentary by Mitch Santell On Family & Legacy This week is going to be a busy one for Julian Marley as he is considered a front runner to potentially win this year's Best Reggae Album at the Grammy Awards. Now, who believes that Julian Marley is a front runner? Well, I do - and this is my opinion. Los Angeles is unique to reggae music because it is trendy there. Most people always think of Jamaica as the number one place for reggae. From our experience here at Big Reggae Mix (streaming Top Shelf Reggae for the past five-plus years), there is a whole lot of reggae going on in San Diego. There appears to be a lot of buzz around Julian Marley (as well as his dad's legacy) because had Bob Marley been alive this year, it would have been his 75th Birthday. The only place that loves Bob Marley more than Los Angeles might just be Jamaica. The legendary Reggae performer not only influenced his entire genre, and many future genres that had yet to be invented when he was releasing music, but he influenced an entire culture by bringing the notion and aesthetics of Rastafarianism to popular culture, and while most places not located within college dorm rooms have grown out of the phase, L.A. never quite did. Mitch Santell Comments continue:
Since I posted part one of this blog posting, I have had two more people hear the opening track from "As I AM," titled "Are You The One." Both of these people, one a man and the other a woman, wanted to know if Bob Marley had released a new "uncovered track." My response was, "No, this is Julian Marley, Bob's son!" After that, we were online looking at Julian Marley's discography, videos and other tracks that Julian has released over the years. If Julian Marley Wins The Grammy Julian Marley may very well win the Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2020, or like a lot of artists, he may end up winning a Grammy in the future for some other project not related, and as we all know, we never know until Grammy Awards night. If Julian Marley Wins The Grammy, he won't be the black sheep in the family anymore because too many people are now awake to the fact that Julian sounds precisely like Bob, Yeah man RASTAFARIAN! If Julian Marley Does Not Win The Grammy NARAS may pass on Julian Marley this year, and if they do, you are going to see Julian continue to spread his RASTAFARIAN Reggae Arms into even more profound music and video projects. Another short audio clip from my 30 minute personal conversation with Julian Marley: Written by Mitch Santell One of our favorite bands here at Big Reggae Mix is the Long Beach Dub Allstars, who we had the incredible pleasure of watching and interviewing at the One Love Festival in Long Beach, California. The band is a special treat at One Love. Their newest track is Tell Me, and it has an enjoyable vibe to it. Check out the new video below and here is the link to pre-order their latest release: https://fanlink.to/_tellme Order Tickets To See LBDAS at: OneLoveCalifest.com The Band: Long Beach Dub All Stars: https://www.lbdamusic.com/ You can pick up phenominal LBDAS Merch here: https://longbeachduballstarsmerch.myshopify.com Check out the back story of this band: Order Tickets To See LBDAS at: OneLoveCalifest.com A Commentary by Mitch Santell on Family & Legacy The fact that Julian Marley is more like Bob Marley than any of his siblings is, of course, my opinion. The way to articulate how I feel is to listen to Julian's latest album, "As I Am." The two most popular songs off the record are "Are You The One" and "Broken Sail." The track that does it for me is "Cooling In Jamaica.” In my next analysis and evaluation of Julian Marley and his career, I will openly tell you what may happen to Julian Marley if he wins the Grammy for "As I Am" and what I believe could happen if he doesn't win. Julian Marley reminds me of Bob Marley because of the tonality in his voice, and while I have a deep respect for all the Marley Offspring, I get a sense that Julian is the "Blacksheep" in the Family and that is what makes him a real star in my book. In my next analysis and evaluation of Julian Marley and his career, I will openly tell you what may happen to Julian Marley if he wins the Grammy for "As I Am" and what I believe could happen if he doesn't win. Julian Marley reminds me of Bob Marley because of the tonality in his voice, and while I have a deep respect for all the Marley offspring, I get a sense that Julian is the "Blacksheep" in the Family and that is what makes him a real star in my book. Julian Marley writes music that is just like his Father. That is my take for what it’s worth. If Bob Marley (RIP) were still here, he would be smiling as he listens to "Cooling In Jamaica." To get a further understanding of Julian Marley, I share a piece from a phenomenal article written by Nick Ford. You will find the article link at the end of this quote. Julian Marley, son of the late Reggae King, Bob Marley, is on the list of nominees for the 2020 Grammy Awards to take place later this month on January 26th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Close to 10 years have passed since Julian’s last album release, which was titled “Awake”, and this is his second nomination for perhaps the most coveted award in music. This time around, ‘JuJu’, which is the moniker he often goes by, has received the Grammy nomination for his fourth full-length album, titled: “As I Am.” And he is certainly in great company as far as the list of this year’s Grammy nominees is concerned: Koffee for the album “Rapture”; “Sly & Robbie & Roots Radics for the album “The Final Battle: Sly & Robbie Vs. Roots Radics”; Steel Pulse for the album “Mass Manipulation”; and Third World for the album “More Work To Be Done”. A Commentary & Reflection on Life by Mitch Santell There is something special about having one on one time with one of the children of Bob Marley. It was only over the phone, and yet it felt like he was next door. As we enter our sixth year of Streaming Top Shelf Reggae Music at Big Reggae Mix, it is Julian Marley, who reminds me of why I have so much passion for music and why music plays such a significant role in my life. Julian Marley went through a profound, deeply emotional spiritual shift when his Dad died of cancer. Why was it so profound? Julian Marley is a Rastafarian, and during our 30 minutes together on the phone, he hid nothing from me. The chills down my spine were real as Julian Marley admitted that he experienced his Father's death, not once but twice. Julian openly stated that living through his 11-year-old daughter's passing to the other side felt like Bob Marley dying all over again. Over the next several weeks, I will be sharing with you some of the most significant shifts in Julian's life. May these blog postings, audio clips, photographs and heartfelt disclosures inspire the passion within you to be the best person that You can Be! Order Passes Now: https://www.onelovecalifest.com
The OneLoveCaliFest is returning in February of 2020 with an unstoppable lineup. If you have not had an opportunity to attend this festival, you are in for a real treat as more top-shelf reggae bands will play at this venue than any other in Southern California in 2020. We will keep you you updated as we get closer to the event. In the meantime, here is the line up for all three days. Friday, February 7th, Saturday, February 8th, Sunday, February 9th. November 5, 2014 to November 5, 2019 5 Years Streaming Top Shelf Reggae 24/7 Loud & Proud from San Diego to the World! A Commentary by Mitch Santell on the Launch of Big Reggae Mix There can be no more significant satisfaction than bringing two creative minds together who love Reggae. Watching Scott and Errol interact at live events is an event in itself. Not only do Scott & Errol have a deep, profound passion for the reggae genre, but they are also both almost obsessive about it, and this is an excellent thing for YOU, our listener. As many of you now know, Big Reggae Mix happily celebrated our 5th year of Streaming Top Shelf Reggae 24/7 on November 5, 2019, at our Studio in San Diego to the Global Community of Reggae Enthusiasts. Now entering our 6th year on the air, I'll be sharing you some of the fantastic people stories and locations that have come across our path since our launch in 2014. From my perspective, having started as a talk radio host in 1994 then moving on to producing in 1995 and then independent Syndicating in 1996, it has been a wild journey. The world of streaming music that we live in now did not exist when I started in the radio business. Not only has the online world of music changed since the initial introduction of the iPod and iTunes, but streaming had also changed over and over again since 2014 when we first went on air. First, remember, you can always hear our stream off of our home page. All you have to do is press on the "listen button," a new window will open, you press the play button one more time, and you will hear us commercial-free. Second, if you would prefer to download an application down to play on your Smartphone (iPhone, Android, and so on), we might suggest that your first stop be radio.net. Here is the direct link for our station at radio dot net: https://www.radio.net/s/bigreggaemix Here is the APP link for Radio.net: https://www.radio.net/s/bigreggaemix/app Third, if you want to have an excellent time checking out Big Reggae Mix, visit Radio Garden online as soon as you can. The link is here: https://radio.garden/listen/big-reggae-mix/e9dzvpLj “Music knows no boundaries,” announced David Rodigan on Alborosie's debut album. “Music is an international force, an international language. From Sicily to Kingston, Jamaica, this is Alborosie. Real, authentic reggae music.” Twelve years later and the Sicilian-born Alborosie headlines festivals around the world and has earned the respect of the entire reggae industry. A talented writer, producer and multi-instrumentalist who sings as well as deejays, he’s lived in Kingston for over a decade and is now a leading light of Jamaica's resurgent music scene thanks to a series of widely acclaimed albums on Greensleeves. The latest is Unbreakable: Alborosie Meets The Wailers United, released on June 29th and that's shared with members of Bob Marley's former backing band The Wailers. Read the rest here: http://alborosie.com/about/ This is Alborosie live on stage from @BahiaFest ~ Jah Bless! A special shout out to Scott Brown for taking this video so our listeners around the world can see. |
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