Now! - Island Stage Magazine

Transcription

M A G A Z I N E
Katchafire
The Green
Irie Love
Lion Fiyah
Maoli
Jboog
‘BOOM! BAHNG!’
House of
Shem
Kana Kiehm
Common
Kings
Fiji
MAY/JUNE 2015 EDITION
WWW.ISLAND-STAGE.COM
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CONTENTS
TO DO:
Support Reggae
Music
PLAN YOUR
FEATURES
REGGAE
.08 JBOOG Interview
FESTIVAL TRIP!
15. KATCHAFIRE Interview
23. THE GREEN Interview
WAA GWAAN
REMINDER:
30. NEW RELEASES
LIVE LIFE TO THE
FULLEST!
Live in Love
SPOTLIGHT ARTISTS
34. IRIE LOVE
38. LION FIYAH
42. HOUSE OF SHEM
45. MAOLI
47.KANA KEIHM
49. COMMON KINGS
52. Fiji
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Letter From the Editor
Greetings from Island Stage Magazine!
We are excited to celebrate our Polynesian brothers and Sisters in this edition,
who are representing the Music in a big way!
The culture, commoradory and collaborations taking place are bringing about a
Unity and the core message that is Reggae Music - LOVE
Mixing HipHop, R&B and Reggae Riddims, artists are creating a harmonic vibe
that is extremely pleasing to fans around the globe.
We are happy to introduce you to some of these artists. Although some of them need no introduction at all! JBoog’s
conversation with Shelah Moody is, well ‘BOOM BAHNG’! Also The Green spoke to some friends of ours, Michael
Weinstein and Christie Welch while at a show in Dallas recently. That was fun!
Maliika Walker spoke to lead singer Logan Bell with Katchafire in NYC, and we are highlighting rising artists Irie
Love, Maoli, Lion Fiyah, House of Shem and Kana Kiehm and Fiji. Get to know these artists! We know you will
Love them!
There are plenty of festivals coming up and Island Stage will be there to highlight many of them for you. Plan your
get away now!!
The Team and I would like to give thanks to you for supporting Island Stage Magazine. Please share with everyone
you know! We always appreciate your feedback as well. Tell us what you would like to see in the magazine! We
welcome your ideas and input. Simply go to http://www.island-stage.com/
subscribe/ and click on ‘content submission’
We hope your summer is Spectacular!!!! See you Soon!
Susan Underwood & Team Island Stage
Jerry Afemata
AKA:
J Boog
©Lee Abel Photography www.reggaeportraits.com
J Boog Interview
By Shelah Moody
“Pacific Island reggae music has improved race
relations between blacks and island cultures by
creating a meeting place where commonalities
are shared through beats, themes, culture, and
an ideology of freedom. Because islanders and
blacks represent minority cultures and an almost
invisible political presence in government and selfdetermination, there are many shared values and
issues.”-- Kathryn Waddell Takara, Ph.D.
Indeed, singer/songwriter named Jerry Afemata, aka J
Boog, is perhaps the only artist who has been able to
bridge the gap between reggae, soul, rock, hip hop and
Pacific Island music. The son of a Samoan chief, who
was born and raised in Long Beach, CA, has created
a worldwide movement, thanks to innovative albums
such as Hear Me Roar (2007), Backyard Boogie
(2011), Live Up (2013) mixtape My Diamond Life
(2013) and his collaborations with Peetah Morgan and
Mac Dre.
“Artists like J Boog, Fiji and Common Kings have
broadened the spectrum for Pacific Island artists and
are making their mark through the reggae world,” said
San Francisco based DJ Jah Yzer, who produced “My
Diamond Life” in collaboration with J Boog’s record
label, Washhouse Hawaii, Inc.
Dr. Kathryn Waddell Takara, author, publisher, and
retired professor of Ethnic Studies at University of
Hawaii at Manoa, witnessed the rise of the jawaiian
movement, led by artists such as Butch Helemano,
Ooklah the Moc, Marty Dread, Ho’aikane and Dread
Ashanti.
According to Takara, African inspired music, specifically
reggae, has shared with and influenced contemporary
Hawaiian attitudes and music in many ways, orally and
visually.
“Both are predictable as international heart beats
reflecting island culture, undercurrents of similar
beats and rhythms, a sense of collective identity, and
a transforming struggle for freedom,” said Takara. “In
their lyrics, reggae and jawaiian promote concepts
of freedom from a colonial and class mentality of
otherness, and overflow with local expressions of
inner and outer feelings of community, color, nature,
and resistance”.
“From music to culture, reggae’s influence, especially
on adolescents and young adults, can be seen
manifested in symbols of colors (red, gold, green,
black), fashion, and loose baggy styles that spill
over to status styles of dance, hip hop, visual icons
and emblems on flags and clothes, and in the early
labeling of jawaiian as a special kind of Hawaiian
reggae music. In it, the musicians share affinities,
acknowledge influences, rhythms, melodies, and love
for reggae, an expanded understanding of Rastafari
and its metaphor for collective freedom, spirituality,
and in the islands an awareness of Hawaiian
sovereignty.”
On Oct. 11, 2014, J Boog and his band, Hot Rain
performed at one of his favorite venues, The
Mezzanine in San Francisco. He may be quiet and
humble during a one on one interview and photo
session, but when he takes the stage, just move out
the way and let the Boogie Man do his thing! Armed
with a robust, expansive vocal range, the charismatic
J Boog is able to emulate everyone from Beres
Hammond to Gregory Isaacs to Ina Kamoze.
Last year, J Boog launched his online clothing and
memorabilia show www.Jboogshop.com. During
the show, I squeezed my way through the sold out
crowd to purchase a pair of J Boog socks; one said
Boom! and the other said Bahng! Unfortunately,
Boom followed its normal sock path by getting lost in
the dryer!
©Lee Abel
Shelah: Welcome back to San Francisco. I heard
that you sell out the Mezzanine every time you come
through. How does it feel?
J Boog: It feels great! It’s a blessing San
Francisco always comes out and it’s one of our
favorite places to play. I love the energy of the
crowd and the diversity of ‘Frisco’. A lot of people
really appreciate the music and we are thankful
for that. It is gonna be a great night at the
Mezzanine!
Shelah: What J Boog songs are the people gonna
scream for tonight?
J Boog: They’re gonna scream for a lot of songs—
“Sunshine Girl,” “Every Little Thing,” “Smoking
Bomb Bud.” Hopefully, during the whole set they
will scream.
Shelah: I hear that you mixed it up on stage at the
2014 Sierra Nevada World Music Festival with Tarrus
Riley.
J Boog: Yes, we got on stage with Tarrus Riley.
We actually had some off days and we didn’t
know what we were gonna do, so we decided
to pack up the truck and go to Sierra Nevada to
kick back. We wanted to see some of the acts
out there, like Raging Fyah; we have seen them
before. We had a great time meeting up with
our family, Morgan Heritage, Dean Fraser and
everybody. It was just a whole mix of fun and
vibes.
Shelah: What was it like growing up in Compton?
Were you raised in a Polynesian community there?
J Boog: No, I grew up in the ghetto. I’m glad that
I was raised the way I was. I’m thankful to my
mom and dad for keeping our household intact
and giving us their teachings and their wisdom.
Based on teachings that we got from our parents,
©Lee Abel Photography
Photo left: Lee Abel www.reggaeportraits.com JBoog & Tarrus Riley
we try to keep it simple and stay humble and try to
represent our family well.
Shelah: How often do you get back to your ancestral country,
Samoa?
J Boog: My parents go to Samoa more than I do. They
always go back and forth. We got to perform out there a
couple of times and it was really amazing, to see people out
there going wild over some reggae music. I’m just glad that
we are one of the (bands) to take the music out there.
Shelah: Are you received as a chief or a king when you go to Samoa?
J Boog: Nah, not like a king, just like everybody else, I’m just there.
Shelah: Tell us about your latest recordings.
J Boog: “My Diamond Life” is a mix tap that we did with DJ Jan Yzer. We put a lot of songs together a
while back. We have a new album in store, we’re gonna start working on it and getting it ready to drop
this year. After we leave here, we are getting ready for the Collision tour with The Green and Eli-Mac.
Shelah: What do you think of the diversification of reggae music, with Polynesian, Latin and white reggae bands now
on the scene and headlining major festivals?
J Boog: I think it’s a great scene; the way reggae is spread out. You can go pretty much anywhere in
the world and hear reggae music. I think it’s a beautiful thing. We can never forget where reggae came
from—Jamaica. We are just another branch, trying to spread the music and the love.
Shelah: You have a lot of tattoos. Which one is the most meaningful?
J Boog: Probably all of them (laughs). I have a whole arm piece done by my brother Joel; he has a shop
in Berkeley. It has to do with family and safe guidance. There is a treble clef in the middle and my family
on the side.
Shelah: Who are your musical influences, vocally and otherwise?
J Boog: Growing up, I was into a whole lotta stuff. I was influenced by reggae for sure—Bob Marley,
Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs. I was also influenced by Axel Rose of Guns & Roses as well as Sublime,
Megadeth and Metallica. I was also influenced by west coast rap—Snoop and Nate Dogg and Warren G.
Bone Thugs & Harmony had a huge influence on me.
Island Stage Magazine
Katchafire ~ Reggae from New Zealand
Maliika: How are you liking NYC so far? This is your
first visit here correct?
by Maliika Walker
Logan: Yes it is. We are loving it so far. We
were at Sirius Radio yesterday and spotted Nick
Jonas in the lobby.
Reggae is one of the most dominant forms of music in
New Zealand. The 1979 Bob Marley & The Wailers
concert has been credited with helping spread the
popularity of reggae across the country, as well as
influencing some of the most prominent reggae bands
from there. Reggae also influenced the growth of the
Rastafari way of life among the Maori people. The use
of marijuana has also increased since the introduction
of Reggae in New Zealand.
Maliika: ‘Frisk Me Down’ is the first song I heard
from you and remains one of my favorites. It is so
relevant everywhere. Did a particular incident inspire
the lyrics to this song?
Logan: It was inspired directly by discrimination.
I wrote that song in a jail cell the night I was
arrested. I got arrested for breaking a liquor
ban in my hometown. I don’t go out much
where I live because I am usually playing a live
gig somewhere in the world. I came home and
all of a sudden it was illegal to have an open
liquor bottle in the street. I went to a club back
home and I knew the bouncer, but I was not told
that it was now illegal to carry an open bottle in
the street. A cop saw me and he just got out of
the car, no warning, just cuffed me right away
and put me in the back seat. The bouncers from
the clubs in the area ran towards the cop car in
an effort to stop the arrest. All of my friends
had open bottles but he just singled me out. I
happened to be one of two young men of color.
Katchafire is one of the most popular bands from
New Zealand. The band started as a Bob Marley
tribute band in the late 90’s. Katchafire started
as, and remains a family affair. Some of the band
members include a father Grenville Bell (lead guitar)
and two of his sons Logan Bell (lead vocals, rhythm
guitar), Jordan Bell (drums, vocals). A few other
band members have been with the band since it’s
inception. In 2002 the band scored the highest selling
single in the country that year, Giddy Up. Their debut
album, The Revival, went double platinum in New
Zealand by selling in excess of 30,000 copies. The
band is one of the hardest working bands out of New
Zealand, performing hundreds of shows a year. They
even record on the road while touring. Katchafire has
released three additional albums since their debut
release including their highest charting album in New
Zealand, On the Road Again. VP Records released
their greatest hits collection, Best So Far, in 2013.
The group released a new single in October of last
year entitled Down With You and will be releasing
additional new music this year.
Maliika: I read the band started as a Bob Marley
tribute band. What was it about him that inspired
you?
Logan: I just get more inspired the more I learn
about him. It’s about more than just music for
us. His legacy is just unbelievable. Catch a Fire
was the first reggae album that reached us in
New Zealand. That album was our induction
to reggae music. We wanted to revive reggae
music and the amazing feeling we got when we
Here is my conversation with the band’s lead singer,
Logan Bell.
Issue 10 May/June 2015
PAGE
16
KATCHAFIRE
heard it and present that to the world. So Uncle
Bob is a real big thing in my home country.
New Zealand loves reggae music and the reggae
music scene is pretty much based around Bob
Marley. We really don’t know much about the
other classic great artists in reggae, just Bob
Marley.
signing a traditional record contract. All routes
are currently being explored.
Maliika: How did you transition from a Bob Marley
tribute band to who you are today, a band world
renown in your own right?
Maliika: Your first studio album was released in 2003
and achieved double platinum status. That had to be
an amazing feeling. Take us back to what it was like to
record the album.
Maliika: I only have one request. Can you make sure
the next release is available in the U.S. and Europe?
Logan: That is the goal. (with a hint of laughter)
Logan: It was a pretty natural transition.
Myself and Jamie Ferguson (saxophone player)
were the main writers on the first two albums.
We were already in the process of writing songs
and we were covering great reggae music at the
same time. So we were learning how to write
reggae music from the greats by covering their
songs. Over the years we included more of our
own songs in our playlist. As the years past, we
included less cover songs in our playlists. Let’s
look at tonight’s show for example; we only
included two cover songs.
Logan: We recorded that album over a two-year
period. The first few songs that were recorded
by the band were as a result of us winning
a talent search where the prize was $5,000
of recording time in a studio. We recorded
two songs from those sessions, Giddy Up and
Bounce. Those songs sat on the shelf for about
8-10 months then a label contacted us to release
them. Giddy Up was a best selling single back
home and we were off from there. Some may
say our success at home was overnight but
we were already a cover band for three to five
years. There was a huge hole in the market for
reggae music back home and were able to fill it
and ad our own flavor to it.
Maliika: I noticed that VP Records released Best So
Far. How is your relationship with them progressing?
Logan: We were just testing the waters with VP
Records. VP contacted us to put this album out.
We were happy with the support and response
we received. No decision has been made yet
about how we are releasing our new album.
They were actually here tonight.
Maliika: I was not aware that there was a reggae
scene in New Zealand. What is the reggae scene like
in New Zealand today versus when you first started
performing as a band?
Logan: They are starting to embrace Caribbean
reggae more back home a little more but we
have our own version of reggae also. Back
home reggae is one of the top genres of music
embraced by radio. Reggae also attracts more
audiences to live shows. In fact the largest
music festivals back home are all centered
Maliika: Many artists are releasing their music thru
there own labels. Are you guys exploring this route
as well?
Logan: It’s possible that we will look for
distribution for our next album instead of
PAGE
18
around reggae music. The number of reggae
bands has increased substantially versus when
we first started out. There was us and maybe 2
other bands, now there are over 100. So if that
is not a form of flattery I don’t know what is.
We love being a part of the reason why so many
people have been inspired to start a reggae
band.
sometime next year. We are about halfway
through recording it. We are on the road the
most of the year but we travel with a studio on
the bus. No fear.
Maliika: When I played a few of your songs for some
people from the Caribbean, they liked the message
and the feeling they got from the songs. How does
that make you feel?
Logan: That’s great. That makes us feel
validated. We have been met with some mixed
reactions from the Caribbean but once they find
out the we are men of culture too they embrace
us more. I’ve had conversations with Family
Man from The Wailers and he calls us South
Pacific Swing because it’s not Roots Reggae. We
are performing reggae, and our music still has
an island feel because we are from an island in
New Zealand. I believe people connect with the
island feel in the music.
We are bringing you good music in 2015. Stay
tuned.
Maliika: The song ‘Irie’ always puts me in an Irie
mood whenever I hear it, but does the song have a
double meaning?
Logan: Two of my favorite things, herb and
loving, so the song does have a double meaning.
My wife swears that is her song. I like for
people to listen to my music and get their own
interpretation.
http://www.katchafire.co.nz
Maliika: I love On The Road Again. When can fans
expect your next release?
Logan: We are going to stagger release a few
singles and look to release the next album
PAGE
19
Grenville Bell
Katchafire
© Lee Abel www.reggaeportraits.com
www.reggaereflection.com
The Green
© Mason Rose
The Green formed on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i, in 2009. The
group began as a vehicle for six different members of
Hawai‘i’s tight-knit music scene to record a few songs
and have a bit of fun along the way. Their self-titled
debut album, released in 2010, earned both critical
and commercial acclaim, and was awarded iTunes Best
Reggae Album of the Year.
Afterwards, the band jumped on a plane to the
mainland and started a heavy touring cycle. On the
strength of their debut album, The Green struck a
record deal with ground-breaking independent reggae
label Easy Star Records to record their sophomore
album, Ways & Means. Ways & Means hit #1 on
the iTunes and Billboard Reggae charts and the band
embarked on more intense touring; supporting acts
like Rebelution, Iration, SOJA and Damian Marley.
They also played at acclaimed festivals including Vans
Warped Tour, Wakarusa, Sierra Nevada World
Music Festival and California Roots Festival.
Despite all the time spent away from home, Hawai‘i
never left the band’s day-to-day life on the road. In
almost every state, the band met Hawaiian ex-pats,
driven away from their home state for reasons both
economic and social. The Green’s concerts became
a place where Hawaiian natives could gather and for
one night, share a bit of Aloha spirit from the Pacific
islands they call home.
Island Stage caught up with The Green at a recent
show in Dallas, Texas. Here is our conversation with JP
and Caleb.
Interview by: Christie Welch and Michael Weinstein
What are some of the life changes you all went
through since the 2010 release of The Green?
JP- Mostly we’ve been on the road more than
we’ve ever been. It started from that album. I
guess the biggest change is just living on the
road and touring as much as we do. We still
© Mason Rose
try to put the same amount of energy and love
into the music, but touring does a lot to you. It
teaches you a lot and you come across so many
different musicians and artists. It’s very much a
learning experience no matter what level you’re
on. Definitely just learning continuously and
trying to further our dreams.
Caleb: We’ve been to Japan, Guam, Canada, and
New Zealand. We just got back from Tahiti. We
were there for a week and it was our first show
in Tahiti and we were excited to experience
that.
How do you feel about actually performing in front of
an audience that doesn’t even speak your language?
Caleb- We started touring in 2010. Our first tour
was with Iration in the States for a West Coast
and East Coast tour. We started off in California
then Colorado, and Seattle, then made our way
over to Chicago, Minneapolis and all the way
to New York, Boston, and Florida. That was our
first time touring all over the United States.
Caleb: That’s pretty surprising, you know. It’s
French Polynesia. They all speak French over
there. My fiancé has family from Tahiti. They
come to Oahu where I am from and they come
to Kaui ,Hawaii and spend their winters there.
I’ve met a lot of people from Hawaii that have come
through on the Reggae scene and I have to tell you
the sound is a little different from the West Coast and
East Coast and I have to say it’s one pleasant sound.
How long did you tour with Iration?
Caleb: It was a month tour. We did the East
and West Coast and then we recently toured
with them this past summer on the Count Me In
tour with Rebelution, Iration and Stick Figure.
It was a fun tour.
JP. Thank you. You know it all comes from
Jamaica like you know Bob and his boys started
all that, and everyone has their own take on it.
And we appreciate it all too.
Have you been anywhere overseas?
Do you see The Green doing any collaborating with a
Jamaican artists?
JP: Yeah, The Green has been to Japan and New
Zealand. We are trying to get to Europe.
JP: Yeah, we’re very close to Jamaicans. The
Marleys have showed us a lot of love and have
invited us to do a bunch of festivals and tours
with them. It’s a work in progress to bridge the
gap between Jamaican and American Reggae
because you know it’s very personal for them.
Out there Jamaica is their culture. If Reggae
music wasn’t called Reggae music it would
probably be called Jamaican music, you know
what I’m saying so the respect factor is real
big with the Jamaicans. They really want to
see that you respect where the music comes
from. We relate a lot with that because we’re
What’s it like overseas?
JP: Well everywhere is different. Japan is a
very special place on its own. New Zealand and
Australia are a lot like Hawaii. There is a lot of
Polynesian influence out there and it’s hard to
really explain how it is. Every state is different
in some kind of way. We understand now how
independent Texas is and how much people from
Texas value how special Texas is. It relates a lot
to Hawaii and how we feel about Hawaii. And
everywhere is special for its own reason.
PAGE
25
from an island and we have some of the similar
struggles. Everyone interprets Reggae how they
want. But to us, Jamaicans are the godfathers
of Reggae and I feel like we should be able to
be one with them. If you are playing Reggae,
it sounds weird but you should probably be
able to pass the test. It means a lot of different
things to different people, but it’s very personal
for the Jamaicans.
and we kind of just tried to go with her vibe and
her inspiration and it’s just an idea. There’s so
much we can do with music, that we just try to
entertain any kind of options we have. And she
has that kind of influence and we just rolled with
it. There’s a lot of things on The Green’s table
that we are trying to figure out, but jewelry is
just one of the first.
Caleb: Our keyboard player /vocalist, Ikaika’s
girlfriend owns a jewelry line called Pulama
Jewelry originated in Hawaii and she actually
designed these. The collection is inspired by
our song “Power in the Words” The song is on
our latest Album “Hawaii 13”. It’s talking about
words, knowing what you say and the effect of
anything you say to anybody in the world.
So tell me a little bit more about Reggae Music and
how it’s changed since the roots of Reggae from
Jamaica. I know you’ve played with New Kingston. Is
there a collaboration with any Jamaican artists coming
around anytime soon that you know of?
Caleb: We hope so. We are planning to go into
the studio in the summer, early summer then we
plan to go on tour hopefully in July and then an
album is the next plan.
You’ve had three albums and two singles come out.
What is the prospect for the next release? What are
you working on?
Do you have any people in mind that you are going to
collaborate with? Maybe New Kingston?
JP: Well we are trying to make an impact with
our releases. We want to win a grammy and
we want to do the best we can. So we are
constantly recording and just getting songs
together, and building a library. When we are
ready to release it will happen. We don’t really
have anything set, but it will happen soon.
JP: We’ve worked with New Kingston a bunch.
Everything is a possibility, that’s the thing. The
Reggae community is so small that the options
are there and we don’t really know who we want
to work with, we just want to continue what
we’ve been doing and if we run into a Jamaican
artist that makes sense then we’ll do it. We’re
open to anything.
I like that you mention the Grammy. You know
coming from the Reggae scene in Dallas, it’s kind
of small over here compared to the West Coast and
everywhere else. It’s really small out here compared
to other genres. It’s endearing to know there is
a future out there and there is a big humungous
imagination out there for all of us.
You have a Jewelry line and its called The Green Girl
Jewelry. Can you tell me more about it?
JP. The Green Girl Jewelry was formed by
Ikaika, our keyboard player’s girlfriend. She has
a jewelry line called Pulama, which is in Hawaii.
A lot of the shells and things you find on the
beach will become jewelry. That was her thing
PAGE
26
JP: The only reason we can speak like that is
because we feel we’ve done Reggae justice. We
feel we’ve lived the Reggae dream and we are
entitled to anything that Reggae is about. I don’t
know, it’s a touchy subject. It depends who you
ask, because the Jamaicans have always won
the Reggae Grammy. It’s always been a Marley
thing and it’s always been a Jamaican thing and
we respect that to the fullest, but at the same
time we are an American Reggae band and the
top slot for a Reggae band is to win a Grammy
and that’s just what we want to do, with all due
respect.
JP: That’s what kind of makes us who we are,
is that we are all independently our own person.
Zion has a very blues background, very rock and
roll. And Caleb’s very R&B and love [style], old
school Motown kind of style. We are all over
the place. I love electronic music. I just love fat
sounding electronic stuff. Ikaika the keyboard
player, he’s into traditional Hawaiian and we
just kind of draw from different styles. That’s
who The Green is.
Caleb: Hopefully by the end of the year, but
if not maybe spring of next year. But we are
definitely releasing a single before the end of
the year.
Caleb: We are a band of many genres. We
listen to everything. Zion is really into Blues and
Soul. I’m really into UB40, Maxi Priest, Lovers
Rock Reggae, Jazz, Dennis Brown, Gregory
Isaacs, and Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, he’s a
Hawaiian performer from back in the 90s. He
passed away in the 90s and he’s pretty much a
Hawaiian legend. I respect him very much. And
Kealii Reichel, he’s a Hawaiian musician.
On March 10th of this year, the US Senate was
pushing a bill for legalization. Where do you stand on
that?
One last fun question. I noticed that you had some
Lone Stars. Is that just the special going on? What
kind of beer do you drink on tour?
JP: Well obviously we embrace the culture and
the entire vibe that Marijuana is and it’s really
pretty ignorant if you can’t see how simple it is
for it to work among us humans. It brings a lot
of positive. It’s hard to really say what it should
be, but we’ve been smoking weed our whole life
and there’s no harm as long as it’s controlled in
a proper way. If you look at Denver, we smash
it! Hopefully we can all learn from them.
JP: We request the local IPA. That’s our thing.
So, we’ll drink the local IPA no matter where
we are. We are very big beer fans. We are still
just trying to catch up on the beer culture. It’s
pretty intense out here . Everyone has their own
take on it. We appreciate the culture though.
Caleb: We are stoked that it is finally being
negotiated.
Caleb- I like Sweetwater. I’m not sure if that
is from Texas. My favorite right now is Rogue
Smoky Porter.
When is the next release going to happen?
Did you find any local IPAs around here that you like
the best?
What type of music do the band members listen to,
individually or as a group?
PAGE
27
Official Website
© Mason Rose
‘WAA GWAAN’
New Album - ACOUSTICALEVY Available Everywhere May 5th!
Go to Soundcloud
Island Stage
Artist
Spotlight
Irie Love
Irie Love
(her birth-given name) is a Hawaiian R&B Reggae
singer, songwriter and performer.
She was born and raised in Kailua, Honolulu County,
Hawaii.
Irie Love first gained notice as one of the finalists on
the “Brown Bags to Stardom” competition in Honolulu,
Hawaii in 1999. She was signed by John Iervolino (one
of the judges in the competition) onto his record label,
Quiet Storm Records.
Irie was featured as the only new artist on his world
music compilation entitled Roots Music Volume 2:
Private Beach Party for which they used her likeness to
promote the album.
In 2000 Irie moved to Los Angeles, California and in
2002 she booked a tour as a back-up singer for the
artist Pink. She continued as a back-up singer for
the next three years singing for such artists as Dave
Hollister and Chaka Khan. In 2006 she moved to
Kingston, Jamaica to pursue a solo career in reggae
music.
Love was introduced to the reggae group Morgan
Heritage in Jamaica in December 2006. In 2007,
Morgan Heritage signed Irie Love to their production
company Gedion Music. She immediately began
touring the world as their opening act alongside
their younger brother Laza. She also sang backup
for Morgan Heritage touring the United States, the
Caribbean, central and South America, Africa, Europe
and the UK.
In October 2008, Love released her first EP entitled
Ehiku. In January 2009, she released her 1st
international album in Japan entitled “The Life of
Love”. Irie Love has also been featured on several
compilation albums such as The Biggest Reggae
One-Drop Anthems 2008 and Coconut Island
Vol.1 and Unseen Famili Compilation Vol.1, all of
which are available on iTunes.
Love is currently living between Hawaii, Los Angeles
and London performing and recording with her mentor
Salaam Remi, Lee Francis, Fiji and several other
producers. Her 2012 singles It Is Wut It Is featuring
Fiji, My Love and Let It Fly ft Peetah Morgan of
Morgan Heritage all charted at #1 in the Hawaiian
Reggae Charts. Her single My Love is also currently
featured on Hawaiian Airlines in-flight entertainment.
Her album THIS IS IRIE LOVE was released
worldwide on October 9th, 2012 and went straight to
top 50 on iTunes USA.
She also currently has a 3 album deal with JVC Japan.
Her first album with them was released on November
26th, 2012.
Irie Love will be launching a kickstarter campaign May
4, 2015 which will be available for search under IRIE
LOVE: My 2nd Independent Album. She is asking
for help from the people to finish her album by end
of summer. Her last album was created and recorded
over a 7 year span in 5 countries.
This is Irie Love dot com
Irie recently began mentoring kids in Hawaii’s
charter schools through the Mana Maoli project
‘Mana Mele’ along with her “Empower the Youth”
campaign which she began working on in 2010. Her
latest music video for her UK single, ‘Step Up’ was
featured on Campus Nation Music Spotlight and Elite
Muzik featured video. Her latest duet single ’Better
Than Love’ with Christopher Ellis, produced by the
legendary Damian Marley, featured on his ‘Set Up
Shop’ compilation, is climbing the charts on Hawaiian
radio.
Irie also has a food blog at irielovesfood.com. Her
team is developing into a TV show and it will feature
guest chefs, her favorite recipes, health tips and live
music all in one episode. She plans to air the pilot on
her youtube channel in the fall of 2015.
Don’t forget that Love’s kickstarter launch date is
May 4! Be a part of the mission to uplift the hearts
and minds of humanity through the power of positive
music! The project My 2nd Independent Album,
Music Video & Tour by Irie Love Look for the
campaign link inder this title May 4th! https://www.
kickstarter.com
LION FIYAH
© DMadx
LION FIYAH
A prolific recording and performing artist from Kalihi
Valley, Hawaii, Lion Fiyah is signed to Wash House
Music Inc. Native Hawaiian, Portuguese, Filipino,
Chinese, Spanish, and English ancestry, and with his
faith and life works in JAH RASTAFARIHaile Selassie
I, he reaches and relates to many faces and shades
of people as well as many walks and disciplines of
life. LION has been playing music from the age of 10,
performing classical piano music to contemporary
Hawaiian. LION caught the Reggae Fever almost
simultaneously when he first heard the Jamaican DJ’s
Capleton and Sizzla in the early 90’s, besides the
foundation artists of the likes of Bob Marley, Dennis
Brown, Jimmy Cliff, and Gregory Isaacs just to name
a few. LION has been performing in the Reggae circuit
since 2005, in Hawaii and abroad. Since 2011 LION
has been performing on tours across the USA with
Polynesian superstar JBOOG, including the Backyard
Boogie Tour and the Give Thanks Tour covering nearly
all 50 states.
LION FIYAH’s music is fervent with songs of Praise,
worship, love, and forgiveness. It cries for justice as
the necessary road to peace. The theme of ROYALTY is
always encompassed in his musical endeavors and he
certainly does not bow down to homogenous sounds.
Vocally and lyrically dynamic, energetic and fiery,
LION FIYAH dominates his stages with passion and his
fans are always left well satisfied.
Lion Fiyah’s anticipated album SALUTE THE CROWN
is to be released under WASH HOUSE MUSIC Inc in
May 2015. Including tracks with reggae great Peetah
Morgan, legends Jr Reid and FIJI, and superstars
JBOOG and Perfect Giddimani just to name a few.
GUARANTEED to be an INSTANT CLASSIC with tracks
produced by Wash House Music, MaxwellSmart for
The Network, King Jimmy’s Rumble Rock Recordz,
Greenstone Productions, and Morgan Heritage.
© DMadx
© DMadx
<---Click to purchase
‘Salute the Crown’
Click below “Love Love’
video
© Island Livity
HOUSE OF SHEM
HOUSE OF SHEM
Raggamuffin Festival liveguide.com.au
House Of Shem is an Aotearoa (New Zealand) based
harmony trio comprised of Carl Perkins and his two
sons Te Omeka Perkins and Isaiah Perkins who
are each multi instrumentalist and producers.
“As far as NZ reggae bands go, House of shem would
be one of the best, and they have proven that with
this second album. Fans will not be disappointed,
it is as good, if not better, than their first.” ISLAND
VIBRATION review by Fili - mightyape.co.nz
Formed 2005 in the rural area of Whanganui, aThe
band embodies elements of roots reggae, pacific
reggae and traditional maori music with relatable
song-writing that connects powerfully with not only
New Zealand and Australia audiences, but reggae
listeners globally attracting fans from all areas of the
world.
House of Shem’s last album “Keep Rising” was also
their debut and it got them worldwide acclaim and
fans, as it was easily considered one of the top reggae
albums to EVER come out of New Zealand, alongside
Katchafire and Fat Freddys Drop’s revolutionary debut
albums. BEST OF REGGAE bestofreggae.blogspot.
co.nz
Since bursting onto the music scene with their
debut album Keep Rising in 2008, House of Shem
has released three very successful Albums and
built a rapidly growing loyal fan base. Working with
Grammy award winning engineers on two albums
Errol Brown (Bob Marley, Burning Spear) and James
Caruso(Damian Marley, Nas, Stephen Marley) and
mixing at Tuff Gong Studios, Jamaica shows how
dedicated House of Shem in presenting quality
product to the world.
Video-’Thinking About You’
Having obtained two Platinum and Gold albums, Carl
Perkins has also been inducted into the New Zealand
Music hall of fame with former band, The Herbs.
House Of Shem was the first ever Reggae band in
Aotearoa (New Zealand) to debut at number one on
the day of release for their album “Island Vibration”
”Hailing from Aotearoa, New Zealand HOUSE OF
SHEM will once again deliver Raggamuffin fans and
unforgettable performance with their rare mix of
power and harmony within their own unique blend of
traditional and contemporary reggae styles, do doubt
giving the legends of reggae a run for their money.”
PAGE
43
pacificislandroots.com
Maoli
(meaning “Native”in Hawaiian) started in Maui with
Glenn Awong, a 14-year-old with a passion for
music, and Kana Akiu-Corpuz. In their sophomore
year, the aspiring vocalist and bassist began writing
original music at the encouragement of their high
school teacher. It was also during this time that Glenn
started recording demos of his songs. By the time he
reached his senior year, Glenn was ready to share his
music with a greater audience.
In 2005, Glenn and his band at the time, “No
Boundaries”, won a Battle of the Bands competition
on the island of Maui. With numerous performances
already under his belt, Glenn then formed Maoli
in 2007 with a new lineup of talented musicians,
including bassist, Kana.
Maoli took the islands by storm in 2008 with their
debut album entitled, “Groovin”having one hit after
the next (“No One”, “Write Me A Letter”, and “So
Incredible.”) This was the groundbreaking album
that established Maoli as a premiere Hawaiian Island
Reggae recording band.
In 2010, Maoli did it again with their 2nd release,
“Rock Easy”, featuring another treasure trove of #1
hits: “Breaking My Heart”, “Whisper”and “Rock
Easy”. Their 3rd album, “Arise”took to a national
and international audience exploring Maoli’s love
for various genres of music. “Blew it”,“Something
About Your Love”and “Time To Get Over”are a few
of the hits that display the diversity this album has
become known for.
his father, Shane Kahalehau otherwise known as
“Hawaiian Homeboy”. But Nu’u isn’t a stranger to
Maoli, as his talents were also featured on the “Rock
Easy” album. Now, the boys their latest EP “One
Eighty”and a 4th album to follow. Original songs
will be penned by the band’s founder and leader
Glenn Awong as well as Nuu Sing-Kahalehau; as new
musical and life influences inspire these talented
men. Prepare for smashin’, new music coming soon.
Staying true to their roots as their style continuously
evolves and they spread their sound to a city near
you!
Maoli’s road to success continued as they toured the
islands and the world promoting their very own unique
Island sound. In 2012 Maoli welcomed new band
member, guitarist & vocalist, Nu’u Sing-Kahalehau.
Nu’u hails from a background of musicians, including
PAGE
46
KANA KIEHM
Kana Kiehm
A dynamic young artist from the USA’s East Coast
who is bringing conscious feel good music to the
world. Born in a small town in North Carolina, it
was in church that his parents quickly recognized his
deep connection with music. They made sure he was
involved in church choirs and praise teams throughout
his school years and that he was nurtured musically.
Born into a multicultural family with roots from Hawaii,
Kentucky, California, and Korea, Kana’s musical style
is as unique as his background. He blends his soulful
acoustic, singer-songwriter style with roots reggae,
dub and jazz. While he has been playing guitar since
the fifth grade, it wasn’t until high school that Kana
began to write and produce original songs. His lyrics
are consistently positive and encouraging with an everpresent message of love. Although Kana is known for
his smooth lover’s rock sound, he has plenty heavy
hitting songs speaking out against matters of social
injustice.
While studying audio engineering in Orlando, Florida
Kana connected with many talented local musicians
and cut his teeth preforming with live bands all over
Florida and Georgia. His most recent studio EP (selftitled/Zion’s Garden Entertainment/0ct.2013) was
recorded with the help of Christian Cowlin of the
UK. Christian is a renowned musician and sound
engineer who toured as keyboardist for The Original
Wailers. Christian has also worked with many other
great international reggae acts such as ASWAD, Jr.
Marvin, and The House of Shem. In recent months
Kana has provided support for several of reggae’s
greats including Midnite, Warrior King, The Green, The
Expanders, Rootz Underground, Hot Rain, and J Boog.
This year Kana will be playing dates all over the east
coast with likely west coast stops in California and
Colorado. With more new music being released this
summer, Kana is quickly gaining momentum and is
sure to keep you in good supply of conscious roots
music. Be on the lookout for this dynamic artist!
Common
Kings
COMMON KINGS
With the current success of reaching over 350,000
single downloads, partnered with a live performance
matched to none (recently showcased as a supporting
act on Justin Timberlake’s 20/20 World Experience
Tour), Common Kings looks to keep the momentum
alive while preparing for their first Album drop in fall
of 2015.
Common Kings’ style and music is a collection of
inspirations orchestrated into an array of head rocking
beats, feel good vibes, and emotional fever. Their
crazy, fun-loving attitude compliments Common
Kings’ live sound, producing phenomenal pop hits with
rock, reggae, and R&B influences. These influences
originate from each band members love for various
genres, and widespread knowledge of music.
Common Kings “Kingdom Come” Acoustic
The majority of Common Kings were born in the
South Pacific, and raised in Orange County, California.
Growing up with households full of colorful personality
and vibrant passions for music, Common Kings’
members naturally grew up forming individual musical
paths. This musical journey involved mimicking and
listening to artists such as Van Morrison, Stevie
Wonder, Geourge Benson, Jim Croce, Michael Jackson,
The Who, Led Zepplin, Gypsy Kings, Earth Wind and
Fire, Bob Marley and more. The culmination of these
musicians explains exactly who the Common Kings
are.
Where everything comes to a point is through lead
singer Sasualei “Jr King” Maliga. Jr King is perhaps
one of the most powerfully impressive vocalists
amongst today’s leading artists. Born with this
untrained raw-talent, Jr King’s singing ability seems
boundless, as he amazes listeners with a wide range
of belting notes and soulful passion. His humble
demeanor off-stage needs no introduction as to when
the band is rocking out on-stage creating a young,
wild, and free atmosphere.
PAGE
50
Fiji
BORN GEORGE BROOKS VEIKOSO
Fiji is one of the biggest polynesian artists of our time.
His golden voice and musical blends have launched
him on the world stage as a pioneer of the Pacific
Island Sound… .. A fusion of classic reggae, HipHop, R & B and Jazz set Fiji apart as a performer. His
unique style defies the idea of categorizing artists into
a single genre of music, giving Fiji widespread appeal
and capturing his array of musical influences.
For those that love Hawaiian-style Hip Hop, Fiji
offers established fans his recognizable energy and
remarkable personality. Newcomers to his music
embrace his smooth voice and exotic sound.
Previous albums Evolution and Born and Raised
brought successful unique island style to the
mainstream, launching Fiji as the one of the most
recognized Polynesian artist in the world. Gratitude
included hits like “Smokin Session” and “She’s Da
Bomb.” co-written by Fiji, as well as a remake of Otis
Redding’s “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay,” Songs
from the album were heard on Bay Watch Hawaii and
MTV’s Real World Hawaii. Transition carries on Fiji’s
tradition of soulful voices and appealing sounds.
His latest release, Independence Day, has made the
greatest impact on the pacific and west coast music
scene….. Fiji has successfuly captured the beauty and
allure of the island life through his music. In 1998, he
earned the Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Male Vocalist
of the year and Entertainer of the year, solidifying
his place among Polynesian fans and introducing his
sound to a wide audience of listeners. Embracing
the Polynesian style, he has introduced music lovers
around the world to his own take ..ting edge island
music. ..
© Lee Abel www.reggaeportraits.com
PAGE
53
Island Stage would like to thank
the following people. Without their
contributions, this issue would not have
been possible.
Empress K - Reggae Reflection
Maliika Walker
Lee Abel
Shelah Moody
Michael Weinstein
Christie Welch
Kizzy Riske

Now! - Island Stage Magazine

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