The reporter and the reggae stars.

By George Sydney Abugri

Title: The Passion of Music and Culture.

Number of pages: 94

Author: Joel Savage

Publisher; Adwinsa Publications

Reviewed by: George Sydney Abugri

Belgium-based freelance journalist Joel Savage has spent several years meeting and interviewing some of the world’s most famous reggae musicians and artistes of other genres: Lucky Dube, Joseph Hill, Manu Dibango, Andrew Tosh, { son of the late Peter Tosh, Femi Kuti {son of the late Anikpola Kuti},Julian Marley{ son of the late Bob Marley}, Dean Fraser, U-roy, Anthony B, Johnny Clarke, Tutu Poane and several others,

The result is the recently released book, “The Passion of Music and Culture.” The book manages to incorporate the author’s account of events at various musical concerts which paraded the reggae stars in the stars’ views about music as a tool for the promotion of culture.

The author reports on the concerts and his interviews with the stars under chapters with headings such as “The exotic performance of Lucky Dube”, “Fatinga the woman freedom fighter turned musician”, “My encounter with Lucky Dube”, “Face to face with Joseph Hill”, “Andrew Tosh brings his father {Peter Tosh} on stage”, “With Julian Marley at the HOVE Life Festival”, “Tutu Poane performs at Manu Mundo festival.”

‘Femi Kuti sings against Obasanjo and corrupt politicians, ‘Face to face with the reggae U-roy”, ‘Roots rock reggae group, Wyya”, “Gregory Isaacs steals the hearts of the ladies”, “I am back to entertains my fans-Alton Ellis”, “Junior Marvin entertains the fans”, and “Interview with Anthony B”

“The passion of music” comes with photographs of the author in various poses with the reggae stars

The author’s traces the traditional roots of reggae from the famous artists’ point of view and tries to determine the sources of inspiration of the artistes that so easily distinguishes their music from the work of artists in other musical genres.

Savage recalls how Gregory Isaac took to the stage with his numerous all-time hits such as “Night nurse”, “Mr. Brown”, “Black liberation struggle”, “Diplomatic Fools”, “Not the way”, and “Hard drugs”, without showing signs of slowing down in spite of his age.

Thrilled beyond measure by Isaacs’s stage craft and performance, a lady in the audience presents him with bouquet of rose flowers where upon, Isaacs composes a song there and then for the lady: “Rose flowers presented to Gregory.”

One of the author’s most memorable encounters was with the legendary Joseph Hill of Culture.

“It was about11.30 pm. The stage was set. From nowhere emerged Joseph Hill in military boots. Backed by Alfred Walker and Telford Nelson Joseph Hill began to play.

The venue was so jam-packed with fans Savage recalls, that there was barely any space to dance in, but that did not stop the fans from dancing their hearts out.

“Joseph Hill tried to retire after an hour and a half and a breath-taking performance but the possessed fans refused to allow him to leave the stage. Hill played three more tunes b before finally leaving the stage.”

Savage narrates his encounter with the late South African reggae legend Lucky Dube in Antwerp: “The air-conditioned bus carrying South African reggae musician Lucky Dube and his manager David Jacobs arrived at the festival grounds. There was a group playing and Lucky Dube had to await his turn.

He sat in the bus for some time and then came down wearing a leather cap over his dread locks. I followed him and said “Sir, I have an appointment to interview you.” “Who did you ask for the interview?”, Lucky asked. I told him Ells, one of the coordinators of the festival had.”

In his interview with reggae veteran Johnny Clarke, the author observes that reggae music is fast changing and asks Clarke’s opinion about the rhythms of reggae musicians of the younger generation.

Clarke replies that the style and rhythm of reggae is changing because every young reggae musician wants to come up with reggae music that is special and unique to him and his talent as an artiste.

The reggae veteran thinks it is alright for the younger generation of reggae musicians to come up with new styles of reggae and for reggae musicians of the older generation to stick to roots.

The author reports a memorable meeting with Dean Frazer who has worked with many reggae legends including the late Bob Marley. Savage says he first heard of Dean Fraser while in Munich, Germany in 1988 and never dreamt of ever meeting the artiste but Fraser went to Antwerp to play at the Open Air Theater in July 2006 and the author met him for an interview.

The author concludes that development of R and B, reggae, salsa and calypso by African-Americans, Africans, and Africans in Europe, South America and the Caribbean, has led to African music dominating the music scene around the globe

In the author’s view, the Western world is attracted to black music because it lends itself as a medium and tool for universal expression. He notes how schools of African music, workshops and theaters are now common in Europe and America.”

“Europeans and Americans are exploring African rhythms, traditional culture and traditions. At international concerts it is common to see Europeans and Americans take to the satge to express their love for African music” the author notes.

“The Passion of Music and Culture is the second book by Savage, the son of a veteran Ghanaian journalist. His first book, “ An African in Antwerp” which narrates the experiences of the African immigrants in Belgium has been fairly successful.

There are textual, structural and lexical flaws in the book, which hopefully will be corrected in a second edition, otherwise the book is a fairly good read and should be of interest to lovers of reggae music.

The book is available at Methodist Book Depot, Makola, Accra, Presbyterian bookshop, Makola, EPP Books, opposite Trade Fair Center Accra, Challenge Bookshop- Kokomlemle, University bookshop, Legon, Beginners Bookshop, Ashalley Botwe or Tel:0277186546/0249659195 {www.sydneyabugri.com}