upcoming

Anthony B and Jahdan Blakkamoore

What:

Bonus Productions presents Anthony B and Jahdan Blakkamoore Thursday, January 21, at Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St in Arcata. Doors open at 10 p.m. Cost is $30 at the door and $25 advanced tickets at Morningstar in Arcata The Works in Arcata and Eureka, and is 21 and over.

Like his hero, Peter Tosh, the most revolutionary of the Wailing Wailers, Anthony B is an uncompromising Pan Afrikanist, in the tradition of Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jamaica’s first national hero and the founder and leader of the largest Afrikan organization ever, the Universal Negro Improvement Association and Afrikan Communities League, U.N.I.A. and A.C.L. The traditional route of most Afrikan singers is via the church and Anthony B is no exception. Growing up in Clarks Town in the parish of Trelawny (a parish noted for the heroic Afrikan freedom fighters, the Maroons, who defeated the English military), his Revivalist grandmother and Seventh Day Adventist mother, immersed him in the singing, call and response and clapping mechanics of rural Jamaica. In this rural environment that Afrikan culture is best found and preserved in Jamaica, not Kingston nor urban St. Andrew. Like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, The Maytals, Justin Hinds & The Dominoes, Twinkle Brothers, the Clarendonians and countless other Jamaican Stars, Anthony B honed his vocal skills in the church and school choirs and then entered the secular world.  Late 1997 his second worldwide album “Universal Struggle” was released and again excellence is consistent. The album is one of the best in Reggae for 1997 and 1998. Lyrically, thematically and rhythmically versatile, the album encapsulates Afrikan consciousness and the Peter Tosh-like deliveries and clarity of vocals are indelibly present throughout. He was the most devastating deejay at Reggae Summits 1997, at Catherine Hall in Montage Bay, Jamaica - a consummate performer. Anthony B, indeed another Reggae king in full musical swing !! The new album entitled “Suffering Man” released by Tad’s Record Inc, has been acclaimed to be his best album yet!!!

A vocalist extraordinaire, Jahdan Blakkamoore is as comfortable over classic roots-style reggae as he is over cutting edge dance hall and tropical dub step riddims. Hip-hop heads might recognize the Boot Camp affiliate from his verse on Smiff N Wessun’s “Sound Bwoy Burreill.” Originally coming up in the Boot Camp Clique, Jahdan’s career took a pretty radical left turn when he collaborated with 77Klash on the Matt Shadetek-produced “Brooklyn Anthem.” The viral success of that tune led to further collaboration with Shadetek and his Dutty Artz partner DJ/Rupture, who decided to tap Jahdan’s melodic dance hall croon for their label’s first release. The resulting EP, We Are Raiders, features grime-influenced production from Shadetek and even a cumbia beat courtesy of Chancha Vía Circuito of Buenos Aires’ Zizek crew; it will soon be followed by a proper artist album with more all-star production from Maga Bo and Modeselektor, not to mention guest vocals from U.K. grime king Durrty Goodz. When it comes to NYC’s burgeoning tropical bass sound, Jahdan is pretty much runnin’ tings.

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