Reggae Reflections

Peace Reggae Fans and Friends,

Just getting back from several weekends over touring with The Legendary Itals, Keith Porter, Kada Porter, and Darren Porter. The first place we landed was Kalamazoo MI. This was a great outdoor festival with other great performers such as the Blue Riddim Band. The band included myself on guitar, Chris (peanut) Whitley on keys, Brent Finlen on Drums, and Englishman Briscoe on bass. Took about 11 hours to get there from DC, but the drive was safe and we arrived in the morning of the show date. As we arrived, the hotel rooms were not ready yet, but we got to hang out and talk with some of the bands that performed the day before. After hanging out with Blue Riddim Band and others, we got into our rooms and rested. About 4pm we got back up and headed over to the venue. It was a nice outdoor spot ready for the Itals to be the crowning of the festival. As we arrived, the crowd was ready for the band and welcomed us with heavy applause. We began the set with 2 instrumentals, and as the crowd was getting more and more hot for the sounds of the Legendary Itals, we began the intro medley. After several song intros, Keith, Kada, and Darren arrived on the stage and began to mash up the crowd with all the hits, beginning with Call Dread Name, Action, Rastafari Chariot, Farewell, and the songs just kept coming and the crowd was in a frenzy. As we continued through the list of Itals hits, the crowd were becoming more and more satisfied with the full length show of original roots Jamaican reggae. We played JAH Glory as an encore and ended with the crowd chanting for more, so we had to appease and performed the biggest hit, In a Dis Ya Time. The crowd gave a lot of love as Keith, Kada, and Darren left the stage. We finished up the set and said our good byes to a very thankful crowd. Thank you Kalamazoo!

Sons of Legends Tour Featuring Kenyatta Hill, Andrew Tosh, and Kymani Marley
9/6/2011 HSBC San Paulo, Brazil
by Greg Ward

* I'm here in San Paulo, Brazil to perform as the guitarist for The Sons of Legends Tour featuring Andrew Tosh(son of Peter Tosh) as well as Kenyatta Hill(son of Joseph Hill), and also on the same bill with his own band was Kymani Marley(son of Bob Marley).
**First I want to say thanks to my bredren, friend, and mentor, "Peanut" Chris Whitley who brought me on this tour and has quite frankly been responsible for connecting with alot of great people in my musical journey, The Abyssinians, The Itals, Junior Marvin, Everton Blender, Kenyatta Hill, Andrew Tosh, Kymani Marley, the list goes on. I couldn't give enough thanks. Big up Nut.

9/5/2011 Arrived in Brazil 9am & Rehearsal Day
The band travelled together from the U.S. northeast coast. After arriving at airport at 9am, we went to the hotel and met up with Kenyatta. We all rested until 1pm when we went to rehearsal. Andrew showed up with his manager a little while after we arrived. First we rehearsed Andrew's set. From the start of the rehearsal it felt good to know everyone had the basic foundation together, so we just needed to tighten some loose ends. When everyone was comfortable with the set and arrangements, we ordered food and then began Kenyatta's set rehearsal. About half way through, the food arrived, so we took a break. Alot of us were dissapointed in the chinese food we ordered. Lol. We asked for mixed vegetables with rice on the side. Mixed up in translation, we got vegetable fried rice. After an all day rehearsal, we were looking forward to something more substantial, but so it goes. Finished eating and continued rehearsal. After about another hour, everyone was comfortable with both sets. We forwarded to the hotel and rested. Enough good storied told during the rehearsal and van rides between places.

Our Hotel, San Paulo.

9/6/2011 Performance day
After breakfast of pineapple, guava, coffee, and pastries, we stroll to the lobby and Kymani Marley and crew have arrived. We enjoy the greetings, and small exchanges. We decide to go out in the sunshine and walk around a little. There wasn't much in the way of shops around, but what there was we checked out. A bakery, newstand, little woman's clothes shop, and a smoothie shop. Lol. Not a whole lot for some reason, we were in a new business district.

3pm arrives and we head to venue for soundcheck. The venue is very nice, called the HSBC. Holds 5000 I believe. We hang around and get sound check done. Yatta and Virgo(Kymani's camp) make sure the sound is on point. We head back to the hotel to rest. On the way we witness the shantytown of SanPaulo, or at least one shantytown. Looks rough, it's a hard thing to think about. Although we only saw from a distance across the highway, it is tough to see.
Showtime...

8:30pm we leave for the venue...

9pm. Arrive and see plenty of people there for the event. We go upstairs and relax in the dressing room before showtime which is 10:30pm. Promoters bring us everything we could ask for and enjoy. Lol. Okay, maybe not everything, but enough herbs, a little beer, and food nice. Seen? I decide to go explore a little and watch the opening group, a Brazilian reggae group with female lead singer...plenty of harmonies still. They sounded good. As they closed up there set, we prepare mentally for Kenyatta Hill of Culture.

10:30pm Kenyatta Hill
We take to the stage and make sure all the equipment was right. Everything was nice so the announcer came forward. After announcing the group in Portuguese, we began with an instrumental of a Skatalites tune, Rockford Rock. After a nice vibe got started, we played the opening tune of "the Message", an original Kenyatta Hill tune speaking about his father, Joseph Hill coming to him in a vision telling him to continue the work that he took up years ago of chanting righteous reggae music for the people. The set continued into "Iron Sharpen Iron", another classic hit. As the set moved forward with high energy and all the hits such as "See Dem A Come" and "JAH Rastafari", Kenyatta stopped to speak about the significance of the event. He talked about how the three singers, Kenyatta, Andrew, and Kymani came together for the celebration and recognition of their fathers legacies, the hard work and sacrifice that their fathers put forward along with many others to pave the way for this reggae music to be what it is today in the world. It was truly the beginning of a touching night. As Kenyatta finished up his set with wonderful Culture catalog favorites such as "Two 7's Clash" and I'm not Ashamed", the crowd showed their love as they called for an encore and was appeased by a fantastic rendition of Kenyatta's original tune "Marijuana", which speaks about the beneficial and healing properties of Cannabis. Kenyatta leaves the stage and the band closes the song to a thrilled crowd, anticipating a night of reggae highs. Big up Kenyatta.

11:30pm Andrew Tosh
We remain on the stage as Andrew is introduced. The first tune is clicked off, "Pick Myself Up". Andrew comes out and the band has to wheel the song and begin again, the crowd is so hype. The song begins and immediately the crowd is mesmerized as Andrew continues to sound like his father, singing classic Tosh song one after another...."Rastafari Is" , "Equal Rights" "Downpressor Man" "Coming in Hot"...plus the herb songs "Bush Doctor" and "Legalize it". As the set moved forward, Andrew then came with the classic reggae version of Chuck Berry's "Johnny B Goode". Just when the crowd could barely contain themselves, Andrew summoned the revolutionary classic "Get up Stand Up" The band played most of the songs including this just like the original Peter Tosh Live DVD. Andrew sounded just like his dad and the crowd was ecstatic. Big up Andrew.

12:30pm Kymani Marley

The crowd could hardly believe there was more to come... Kymani and crew took to the stage and closed the show out perfectly. Bringing classic Marley tunes to the table such as "No Woman No Cry", "Is this Love", and "I shot the Sheriff", Kymani showed his love and respect of this father's music. He also brought forward his own original tunes which had a modern hip hop and rock flavor which the crowd was quite pleased with. As the Marley set came to a high energy close, the son of Bob Marley called out his brothers Andrew Tosh, Son of Peter Tosh, and Kenyatta Hill, Son of Joseph Hill for a last encore collaboration of The Wailers, "One Love". You could feel the vibe in the crowd, the chilling feeling of how wonderful of a moment this was...to see the Sons of Legends come together to continue the legacy their father's set forth on, to bring the people a message of hope, love and positivity.

Kymani Marley and me before they hit the road..

The Guitar Squad...lol. Left to Right...Daniel(Kymani Marley's guitarist), Brian(Kymani Guitar), Me(Andrew Tosh and Kenyatta Hill guitarist)

Irie local cats I hung out with in Daniel's room, jamming. Igor on left...I forget my friend to the right's name...soon come.

left to right...Josh, Me, Henry

Fletcher(Kenyatta Hill and Andrew Tosh drummer), Bassie(Kymani's crew), Me

Kymani's bassie and me

yatta and soundman getting it right..

Big up Kenyatta Hill, Andrew Tosh, Kymani and crew, the crew I rolled with; Peanut, Roops, Darryl "D-Trane", Fletcher, all the promoters and people involved in Brazil, the city of San Paulo and big up Brazilian people! I made a lot of great new friends in Brazil. I look forward to keeping in touch and visiting again. Blessed love. -Greg Ward

driving around san paulo

Andrew Tosh and Greg Ward

Fletcher, D-Trane, and Roops

Andrew Tosh and Roops, bassist of Kenyatta and Andrew

Fletcher, Roops, Peanut, Darryl

Kenyatta Hill, Peanut, and myself

Virgo, Kymani's soundman and Peanut, Kenyatta's roadmanager and keyboardist and Andrew's keyboardist

Big up my Brazilian friends....

The Sons of Legends was surely a classic show to remembered in history as these current leaders in the Reggae movement did their fathers proud as the crowd was nourished by the feast of classic Marley, Tosh, and Joseph Hill songs that has fed the hearts of so many over the years. They also showcased their own songs proving that in this generation, reggae breathes today as strong as ever, as their is always the need for music that stands for and strengthens the people.