Good Vibez Entertainment is honored to host three nights of the Roots Empress, Dezarie, plus the ferociously talented Luna Angel, to the greater Bay Area July 27, 28 & 29!
Roots empress Dezarie blessed the reggae community with the deliverance of her second album, "Gracious Mama Africa,” in 2005 and is now set to release her latest cd “Set the Flame” this July in conjunction with her summer tour. Expect a fire to erupt from within this young St Croix woman when she takes the stage!
As the Number 1 selling Female Reggae Artist in America (FYA & Gracious Mama), Dezarie is a singer of unrivaled abilities. Her mesmerizing soothing vocals counteract with sharp, caustic and forceful chants to create a sound that resonates on all wavelengths. The strength of her convictions and her sense of purpose manifests itself in deep and powerful lyrics. Her singing voice feels like a combination of Erykah Badu's smoky coolness, Lauryn Hill's strength and insightfulness, and Dido's elfin airiness. Frankly, her lyrics prove as thoughtful and provocative as any male singer out there, at times reminiscent of Midnite’s own master wordsmith Vaughn Benjamin.
After receiving Atlanta's "Best New Female Reggae Artist" award in 2001, Dezarie returned to her native island of St. Croix. Since that time, she has been working closely with Midnite, the players of instruments on her two latest albums and backing her on her tours. On the last tour Dezarie teased the crowd with a song or two from her forthcoming album including “Set the Flame” which really moved the crowds! Set to a baseline that resembles "Judgment Come", Dezarie calls on the audience to put up their lighters and "Bun down injustice, oppression, hatred and segregation" before ripping into the song lyrics:
"Moral corruption with vice in all form. Erase true morals of the young ones. Mis-education, brainwashing. White as snow Clorox to the mind. Unemployed and hunger. It's a game being played on the chessboard that all those in power created. Food shortages and financial panics. Organized crime war tactics.... Disgust is too nice of a word to describe how I feel about them. So set the flame. Set the flame. Set the flame."
Make no mistake about it Dezarie has arrived. Standing firm with fiery lyrics, an incredible voice and impassioned beliefs Dezarie is sure to ‘Set The Flame’ throughout the Four Corners of the earth for years to come.
Ikahba is the latest artist to emanate from the roots caldron currently bubbling on the island of St. Croix. His debut album 'Troddin To Zion" was released in January of this on the Afrikan Roots Lab record label. Like all ARL releases, "Troddin" features the preeminent roots band, Midnite, laying down some wicked bass lines and rhythms. Add a heavy dose of conscious lyrics along with Ron Benjamin's unique engineering skills and you've got the recipe for another cruzial album.
What distinguishes Ikahba is his ability to intersperse his cool soothing vocals (that many people find similar to Tenor Saw) with some chanting in which Ikahba throws down lyrics fierce and hard. This is perhaps best illustrated on the song "Wha Happen To Dem".
After crooning for about a minute over the "Maintain" riddim, Ika rips into some serious chanting:
"What an abomination now dem come ya so fe bring, de youths and dem borning mutated, a pure vampire warmonger is what dem come ya breeding."
Fellow Afrikan Roots Lab recording artist Mash joins Ikahba on the selection "Dem Skylarkin", with Dezarie sharing vocals on the title track. The outstanding harmonies and subtle background vocals give the entire album an 'easy-listening' roots feel to it, yet the lyrics are piercing and spellbinding.
Luna Angel brings her celestial birth name to bear on Move with Me, her debut album of personal, spiritual and political songs that reflect the talent and insight of an old soul on young shoulders. Luna writes irresistible pop melodies and soulful reggae rhythms, and her cool enchanting vocal summons up other modern pop chanteuses like Sade, Erikah and Alicia.
Born to a longtime musical family - a Jamaican mother and a French father in Marin County, California – Luna’s uncle is Junior Marvin who is the lead guitarist for the legendary Bob Marley’s Wailers band. She worked with her first group, the I-Rise Band and later attended the Jazz School in Berkeley. Backed by her own five-piece band, Luna was soon opening for major reggae artists including not only the Wailers, but also Toots and the Maytals, Third World, Buju Banton and Michael Franti to name a few. Every song on Move with Me has been written, co-produced, and arranged by Luna. Containing elements of reggae, R&B, jazz and a spice of dancehall; and some tunes that were composed in her teens. “Many of the songs are very old,” she says, “but when it was time to record them, we tried to put a new flavor on them. It’s like they’re old, but they’re completely new interpretations.” Talking about the songs on her debut album, Luna is confident and deliberate. With the title track “Move with Me” for example, “I just took my guitar and started strumming,” she recalls. “For me to write a song,” Luna confides, “I usually have to find a nice chord progression and, once I find it, it just starts spilling out.”
Luna Angel is poised for a serious long-term career in the pop and world music arena. “Music comes with evolution,” Luna observes, “I feel I will continue to grow with the music that I love so much.” Look out for Luna Angel on an airwave near you!
Three nights of the Roots Empress
DEZARIE
Plus Bay Area favorite, Luna Angel
Thursday, July 27
Mystic Theater – 23 Petaluma Blvd. Petaluma, CA 94952
$18 advance, Doors 8:00pm, 18 & over
Friday, July 28
Santa Cruz Vet’s Hall - 846 Front Street, Santa Cruz
$18 advance / $22 door, Doors 9:00pm, All Ages
Saturday, July 29
Studio Z - San Francisco, CA
$17 advance / $20 door, Doors 9:00pm, 18 & over
For more show info go to:
www.goodvibezmusic.com or call 831-421-9523
For press inquires, contact:
Amy Shapas
So You Can
831-479-0711 ph
831-479-4242 fax
soyoucan@sbcglobal.net
www.soyoucan.com
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