Rasta Ron Givens

As a kid, I loved watching Gilligan’s Island. I mean, what a ridiculously nutty show.

And don’t try to tell me you didn’t love it either, because I know you did!

It’s funny because the crew of the S.S. Minnow were said to have been marooned on that tiny desert isle… With two hotties and plenty of ganja ( my version )

But wtf does marooned mean? Where the hell did that word come from?

Are you thinking what IM thinking?

I was hanging out with my man, Bunny Mystic one night, and we were just reasoning about the history of Jamaica. He was talking about some African warriors that escaped the British and had magical fighting powers.

….yes, magical fighting powers

The Maroons, he explained, were master guerilla warfare experts, and were so good at what they did, the British thought they could materialize in trees, slit their throats, and then disappear!

This is where “marooned” came from?!?!?!

It is a true story indeed. The Maroons were runaway slaves who unified themselves to fight their oppressors, and they did so brilliantly.

Maroons also played a major role in the countries of Brazil, Suriname, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Cuba, and Jamaica.

The story of  the Maroons is a very interesting one, and I invite you to take a look at these resources about them:

• History of the Maroons ( video )
• Wikipedia on Maroons
• The Maroons
• History of The Accompong Maroons

Enjoy!

One of the coolest reggae bands I have played with is Ishmael and the Peacemakers.

Ishmael and the Peacemakers is led by ( you guessed it! ) Ishmael. He is a reggae drummer, songwriter and lyricist from Barbados.

Ishmael Sealy was the drummer for the Killer Bees from Austin Texas, as well as for the BlackSheep from Philly/DC. He really made a name for himself with those bands.

Most top reggae musicians know exactly who he is when you mention his name.

Since I mention Ishmael so much in previous posts, it should be no surprise to you that he was a heavy influence in my development as a drummer. When I first started playing with him, he pointed out a lot of intricacies about reggae music that I had no idea existed before.

Things such as:

• The major differences between different types of reggae beats
• Varying tempos between songs
• Song structure
• Roots, culture and history
• Being creative without sacrificing the basics
• .. the list goes on and on

All these things have stuck with me over the years and continue to help me along the way.

Take a listen to Ishamel’s wicked song called “Burning Van”.

Aside from being a great musician, Ishmael is a great human being. You can learn a lot from his music as well as from him personally.

I invite you to become a friend of his:

• Peacemaker Facebook Page
• Peacemaker Myspace Page

Peace!

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word skank? We all know the answer to that one.

Believe it or not, “skank” has an entirely different meaning in reggae music.

It is the signature upbeat sound that defines reggae and gives it it’s UP feeling!. Listen to the guitar in this video:

The skank defines reggae. It’s an element that gives reggae music an energetic and “happy” feeling.

Those “up” rhythms can be played in unison by the guitar, hi-hat and keyboards in order to give it an even more powerful and uplifting sound.

For some reason, I can listen to a good groove with skank for HOURS on end.

Skank is also a form of dance common to reggae, ska, dub, and many other types of music.

For all you guitarists out there, check out my Matisyahu. See if you can pick out the skank in this cut.

Skank it up, y’all!

One day, a co-worker of mine, Amanda, asked me how I was doing.

“Irie!” I replied…

“What the…?” was her answer….

…and the convo rolled on about about the meaning of the word irie.

I forgot that many people don’t know what irie meant, so I figured I would take a few moments to explain this cool little word to ya.

Irie ( pronounced EYE-ree ), is a state of mind. It’s a state where everything is at peace within, and your mind is full of joy.

No wonder, when someone smokes ganja, they say they feel irie.

Irie, is a jamaican/patois word, that can mean a lot of things, but it’s always something very positive and respectful.

Check out urban dictionaries many different meanings for irie.

My life was as it’s most irie when I was living in San Diego, playing reggae drums and living in a little beach town. I was playing with Ishmael and the Peacemakers, and the album we were promoting was called, “Feel ‘N Irie”.  <— take a listen to the first track, and you will begin to understand the wonders of irieness.

I hope you have an irie day.

Peace!

I have said in the past that combining reggae with other forms of music is my holy grail. I have done it before to varying degrees of success, but I have not yet gotten my vision completely fulfilled.

A bass player I know by the name of Marc Greenstein of HEAD recently turned me on to a band that has certainly fulfilled their vision, and their name is Skindred.

Now a lot of reggae purists, or people who simply don’t like heavier forms of music will not like this band at all, but I DO

I grew up listening to all types of music, so I always like to hear ( and play ) hybrid forms of reggae.

When I heard and saw these guys, I must say, I was definitely blown away!

Tell me what you think!