News & Updates — dub

Peace & Rhythm's Studebaker Hawk is back to make you move at Northampton's newest spot to get down, Sevenstrong! This Saturday, Feb 18, 10pm-2am. Disco, funk, boogie, and killer jams from around the world! FREE admission, records start spinning at 10PM! Sevenstrong 7 Strong Ave Northampton MA 01060

Review by DJ Bongohead There’s a lot of pretenders out there when it comes to contemporary instrumental Afro-funk and Afro-Latin inspired music, but when a band knows their stuff, well, as Fela Kuti used to say, “Who no know go know,” and one thing I know: Jungle Fire is 100% legit, pura candela, mofongo funk. If the percussion section can’t turn on a dime or do tight breaks, if the brass is limp or out of tune, if the bass has no tumbao, if the players don’t know their roots or let the orishas take them, well then don’t bother...

Good news! Dave Noonan's new island-jazz ensemble is playing their third ever concert this Saturday at The Root Cellar, our Greenfield MA home base venue. We had the group for their debut concert as part of our Peace & Rhythm Presents weekly series last summer/fall and the results, musically and crowd-wise, have been quite pleasing for the first two shows. This group is a collection of some of the finest musicians in the region and their blend of Ernest Ranglin-inspired jazz, Marvin Gaye-inspired soul and roots reggae is quite a flavorful recipe. This time out they present a special Bob...

Nephew of the great Cachao, bassist for Buena Vista Social Club and an incredible musician on all fronts, Orlando "Cachaíto" López was part of the great López musical family in Cuba, son of composer Orestes López. He came from a lineage of over 30 bassists. He helped create the descarga in the '50s and played in Orquesta Riverside. Cachaíto made one classic self-titled record on World Circuit that mixed Cuban son with funk, descargas with Mingus, dub with jazz. Also hear his work he did on Angá Diaz's album Echu Mingua. Here's a short film shot for his album, produced...

One of my favorite voices in reggae, Dennis Emmanuel Brown was hugely popular on the island of Jamaica and beyond. Starting as a "Boy Wonder", he was nationally known by the time he was 12. "Money In My Pocket" and "Westbound Train" were big hits in '72 and '73, before Brown finished college. In '75 he started his DEB label and in '76 recorded "Wolf & Leopard" with Lee Perry at the Black Ark. By the late '70s Brown was a big name in the UK. He sang lovers rock in his later years. One of my favorites, with Sly...