GMRF LINEUP 2024

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Mike Love is a musician devoted to revolution through sound. Born in O’ahu, Hawaii to a family of musicians, Mike has used music as a conversation for as long as he can remember. He comes from a unique convergence of influences, yet all are bound by their common ambition to inspire positive change in the world. He releases his music independently on his own Love Not War Records label, and his sound, while rooted in the spirituality and message-based music of roots reggae, fuses a variety of influences including progressive and classic rock, soul, blues, flamenco, jazz, classical, and more.Mike’s songs possess wisdom and seek to instill change, whether it be regarding issues of the environment, animal cruelty, or personal growth.They are about being conscious and mindful as human beings living among so many other life forms on this beautiful planet. For Mike, music is a form of healing, learning, and growing.

Kenyatta Hill’s career began the day his father’s ended. Joseph Hill, singer and songwriter for the legendary Jamaican vocal trio Culture, collapsed and died while on a 2006 tour of Europe. To the amazement of promoters, fans and critics alike, Kenyatta stepped onstage and delivered electrifying performances time and again - nineteen shows in all - until the tour was complete. This was unheard of in any genre of music at any time. Kenyatta gave of himself so totally – as his father had for so many years – that the two seemed to become one, the eerily similar voices and the vibes igniting the critics and yielding a new reggae mantra “magic, not tragic!”

At the Ranny Williams Center in Kingston Jamaica at the memorial concert for his father, Kenyatta’s performance with Culture was the highlight in a star studded night and garnered him the rousing support of the hard-to-please Kingston reggae audience. Kenyatta went on to front Culture in a series of performances in the US, Caribbean, Brazil, Argentina and Peru, again leaving audiences amazed and delighted.

For Mihali, music behaves much like a living being. It grows, it matures, and it changes with a sentient consciousness and with whims of its own. And just like music, the Vermont-based singer, songwriter, guitarist, and co-founder of rock outfit Twiddle continues to evolve, using his gift as one of the strongest modern-day songwriters, guitarists and performers to bring healing vibes and unforgettable songs to the world. 

SunDub is a testament to the power of inclusion, diversity and unity— their music and community rallies around the concept that we are strongest when people of different backgrounds can work together to create positive change. These core values are showcased on SunDub’s first release, “Burden of Love,” which has since amassed millions of streams and whet the appetites of listeners around the world for their next release. In a world that is dominated by watered-down distillation of reggae, SunDub aims to honor the roots of Jamaican music while offering their unique ability to combine soul and funk sophistication into their art. 

Mighty Mystic is considered as one of the leaders in the U.S. Reggae scene and labeled by many as one of the more prolific artists to develop outside of Jamaica. He has gripped the scene with ferocious conviction and an uncanny ambition worthy to be mentioned among the greats. He has gone from being a fan of reggae music to being a contributor to the art. Mighty Mystic came on the scene in 2006 after scoring his first international hit with the song “Riding on the Clouds.” However, it wasn’t until the release of his first album “Wake up the World” (2010) that he became a household name. “Wake up the World” boasted several standouts, such as “Revolution,” “Riding on the Clouds,” “Original Love,” and “Slipped Away” with appearances from reggae icon Shaggy and roots rocker Lutan Fyah. 

Equilibrium depends on music. Body, mind, and soul move in a perfect harmony together. Synapses fire and hearts thump in time like a drumbeat. In this respect, the right tune sung at the right moment works like the best kind of natural medicine. Maine-based singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Coyote Island—a.k.a. Mike O’Hehir—recognizes and reveres the restorative potential of songcraft. Mixing folk, reggae, pop, world, cumbia, and psychedelia, he stirs up a sonic elixir meant to invigorate and inspire.

The Meditations are a reggae vocal harmony group from Jamaica formed in late 1974. They recorded their first hit single 'Woman is Like a Shadow' in 1974 at Channel One Recording Studio. They released several studio albums, their debut was "Message From The Meditations", while their latest is "Jah Always Find A Way". After more than 40 years, they are still recording music and performing in the world. Founder Members: Ansel Cridland, Danny Clarke and Winston Watson.

BACKED BY SUNDUB

Like so many Jamaican artists, singer Carlton Livingston was first exposed to the joys of music in church. Born in 1962 in St. Mary, Jamaica, Livingston sang in choirs and in an informal harmony trio (which later morphed into Knowledge) before entering the music business in earnest when he recorded "The Tale of Two Cities" in 1978 at Channel One. He eventually ended up working with several of the top Jamaican producers, including Coxsone Dodd, Winston Riley, Sly and Robbie, Clive Jarrett, and King Jammy, among others. His signature song, "100 Weight of Collie Weed," was a huge island hit in 1984, and was the feature song on the subsequent album Fret Dem a Fret. Livingston recorded sparingly thereafter, finally releasing Emotions in 1994. Four years later Livingston had an international hit when he recut his earlier "Rumours" track, this time with Shabba Ranks on board and production by Bobby Digital. Currently, Livingston makes his home in the U.S. and continues to record and perform at his own pace.

Dub Apocalypse is an instrumental dub reggae band from Boston, MA. Band members are Tommy Benedetti-drums,Van Martin-guitar,Johnny Trama-guitar,Aaron Bellamy-bass,and Timo Shanko-sax/bass.  The band came together in 2007, led by drummer Tommy Benedetti and guitarist, Johnny Trama.Tommy Benedetti is one of the founding members of American Reggae Pioneers,John Brown's Body. He brings a wealth of experience from the reggae/dub scene to the table,having recorded albums for the legendary Shanachie Label,John Zorn's Tzadik Label (mixed by Bill Laswell),and is currently with John Brown's Body on Easy Star Records.  This history is combined with almost 2 decades of International touring,as well as backing some of the giants of Jamaican music,including The Meditations and Justin Hinds.
    Guitarist Johnny Trama adds a soulful blues touch to the Dub Apocalypse signature sound.Trama has spent time on the road with the great Ron Levy, BB King's organ player, as well as many other regional rock and soul/r&b acts.  Not long after Dub Apocalypse came together, longtime friend Timo Shanko entered the fold.A dual threat on both bass and saxophone,Shanko is a veteran of the blues and free jazz scene.He spent many years on the road with Blues legend, Eddie Kirkland, as well as with G. Love and Special Sauce. Shanko is also a prolific composer,and his improvisational stylings are an integral part of the Dub Apocalypse sound. Although DA started out as more of a collective,in the past few years the lineup has solidified with the addition of bassist Aaron Bellamy and guitarist Van Martin. Bellamy is a longtime fixture in the Boston funk scene,and in combination with Benedetti ,they form the deep,militant sound at the core of Dub Apocalypse.
    Originally hailing from Chicago,Van Martin rounds out the lineup on guitar. Martin has much touring experience as well, including appearances with Bernie Worrell and Big Daddy Kane. His sonic textures,adventurous playing and songwriting have helped Dub Apocalypse take their sound to a new level. The DA sound is an evolving mix of original compositions and their own interpretations of classic Jamaican and UK songs and dub plates. Heavy hitting drum and bass grooves set the table. A twin guitar attack, with Trama's rhythmic anchor,and Martin's dub sonics, swirl in and out in tandem. These pieces, combined with Timo Shanko's Coltrane inspired sax approach, give Dub Apocalypse a sound that is truly their own.
    The band has appeared at many clubs and festivals throughout New England.They've won a Boston Music Award,were named "One of 10 Local Acts You Need To Hear Now" by The Improper Bostonian,and have one of the most popular and longest running weekly residencies in Boston.Dub Apocalypse released their first cd, "Road To Oblivion" in March 2015.The cd release will be followed by an International release on vinyl through Mnemonic Dojo Records out of the UK.

The Brighton Beat's influences range from Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, to modern cutting-edge NYC Jazz with a heavy helping of classic New Orleans brass band Funk. Performing up and down the East coast since 2010, the band has developed a style of performance that uniquely engages the audience and is fun for the whole family. Positive, uplifting, danceable music is a trademark of The Brighton Beat sound. Instrumental songs that feature room for the horn section to improvise anchor the band's set, but the show often includes guest vocalists, audience participation, group sing-a-longs and even the occasional circus act.

VPAL recording artist Soul Rebel Project are two time winners of the Boston Music Award's international artist of the year. SRP has shared stages across America to European Reggae Festival Rototom Sun Splash with legends The Wailers, Sean Paul, Toots and the Maytals, Damian Marley, Barrington Levy, Kenyatta Hill, Freddy Mcgregor, Lee Scratch Perry, Kabaka Pyramid, Skatalites, JBB, Yellowman, Stick Figure, The Movement,  Iration, Fortunate Youth, New Kingston, Redman and Methodman and many more as they've worked with world renown reggae record label VP Records.

The Medicinals are an 8-piece band from Rochester, NY that was forged out of a mutual love and respect for Reggae music. The band is led by singer/songwriter Dylan Savage (of Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad), and features choice live selections from his original catalog. Currently The Medicinals live set includes “Live & Travel” and “Nice Feeling” which were both featured on the CBS show “Hawaii 5-0” and Netflix's “Bloodlines”. In addition to this, Dylan has had the honor of having his original music with GPGDS debut at the number one spot on the official PMC “Reggae Billboard Chart” numerous times.

Kotoko Brass melds the beautifully complex traditional drumming of Central Ghana, the sturdy bass and keyboards of the Caribbean, and the joyous horns of New Orleans to forge a sound the Boston Globe has described as “propulsive, infectious party music.” The band began when brothers Ben, a performer, scholar, and educator of Ghanaian drumming, and Brian Paulding, a longtime trombone player in Boston’s reggae scene, joined forces. Ben fortified the percussion section with Attah Poku and Kwame Ofori, two master percussionists from Ghana. The rhythm section of M’talewa Thomas (bass), Dillon Zahner (guitar), Yusaku Yoshimura (keyboards), and saxophonist Andy Bergman, fill out veteran rhythm and horn sections.

Coming together as Kotoko Brass feels like a superpower. When the traditional Ghanaian percussion and driving drum set grooves meet the steady rhythm section and jubilant horn melodies, we can’t help but dance. Now, after over a year of sharing our sound and energy with audiences across New England, we have seen just how infectious this energy is.

While each member plays an equal and vital role in Kotoko Brass, the drums are at the heart of the band. The tradition of Asante drumming is intimately intertwined with dance in West Africa, and our audiences experience that first-hand. That instinctual link between drumming and dancing exists in nearly all indigenous traditions, and it informs the harmony and melody in all of our music.

At its core, our music is a celebration of tradition, diversity, and unity. While our compositions are influenced by and emerge from the rich culture and heritage of the Asante Kingdom of central Ghana, they are brought to life by a group that spans age, ethnicity, and nationality. The wealth of our varied musical experience serves not only as an endless well of inspiration, but as a vital opportunity to broaden the depths of our communication as humans.

In 2016 he had his major break out single, "Rasta Can't Fade" which propelled him to a status of sharing stages with the likes of Jah9, Kabaka Pyramid, Ibamar and more stars. The video for the single quickly amassed a 100k views in its first week on Reggaeville.com.
“In 2019, after opening for Jah 9, I connected with her bass player Jah D (David Goldfine). I flew to Florida, and we recorded my new album called “Reflections". It is about my journey, and at that time I was feeling a little defeated and was trying to get to know myself more. On this album I choose to discuss my journey… the things I have seen and felt: the break-ups, the make-ups and all the other ups and downs I had experienced through my work, being a father, musician, and Black businessman. The first single from the album is also titled ‘Reflection’.
My most recent single release was also produced by Jah D called ‘Were Groovin ’. Its message is that if you don’t go through struggles, you can’t find glory. “Struggle makes it right; if you don’t have a reason to stretch out your hand to God, you don’t do it.”
“Reggae is a genre based on a vibe, an aura, a frequency that transmits messages through our inner ear and being. A message that reminds us of who we are. Because of the struggles that I went through, I wanted to make music that helps others, especially the youth… to create music that help others find the light in the darkness that they might find themselves in.”

Amy Wachtel, better known as The Night Nurse, has been loving, promoting and playing conscious reggae music since the early 1980’s. She was the founder and editor of the Reggae Route section of CMJ’s bi-weekly tip sheet, the New Music Report for close to a decade. Writing about reggae and touching base with US & Canadian DJs who had regular reggae programs, opened up a large network of colleagues, contacts and connections for her. “Rockers Arena” made its radio debut in 1983-4 on WBAU-FM, Adelphi University’s radio station, and was a Monday night fixture there into the early 90’s. Amy’s passion for Roots Reggae music, and its message of Solidarity, Unity, Justice, Equal Rights, Truth and One Love led to various jobs from marketing, promoting, dj-ing in clubs and on the air, mc-ing concerts, doing publicity for record companies and artistes, writing bios and reviews, among other things. She was on the well-known Caribbean station WNWK 105.9FM in the mid-90’s and brought “Rockers Arena” to internet-based store front Soho station Radio Lily. Her moniker - the Night Nurse - is an ode to one of Reggae’s most beloved singers, Gregory Isaacs, who’s song of the same name is a perrenial favorite among reggae lovers. Amy also feels that reggae is a “soothing, healing” music, and she herself is much more of a Night person.

Uniting community through music events since 2007, BOSS ROOTS began with sponsored reggae parties hosted by resident DJ John DeCarlo - an internationally nominated producer and touring musician having performed & recorded with countless artists (the Skatalites, Derrick Morgan, Westbound Train, Mighty Mystic and many more) in top venues across 17 countries.  

The label rebranded in 2014 to feature a rotating cast of bands & DJs following sold out concerts along with residencies and festival & club appearances.  John was recently invited to join a group of world-class influencers at several Baby Bathwater Institute private island events in Croatia (featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc. magazines), curating soundtracks, performing original music and DJ sets until sunrise alongside members of Pretty Lights, Break Science, STS9 & more. 

SATTA ...
"a Rebelutionary Sound filled with Conscious, Positive & Uplifting Messages.... Embedded in Riddims that will Move One & All!

This Sound blends 'Ital Music' coming from the Virgin Islands, Trinidad, Jamaica, Africa, Europe, NYC, Cali, VT and Conscious Artists Worldwide! Each tune is selected, mixed and Dubbed by Machu with an aim to Cultivate a Global Unity through Word, Sound & Power... bringing each member of our audience to new heights. Alongside Machu are his family of SATTA SOUND singers, who chant and freestyle over the tracks, providing the audience with live, exclusive, never been heard before sounds! Recently Satta Sound has been performing with live African Drums, Melodica and Bass. Horns have also been used to give the audience the full treatment. SATTA SOUND is a mobile force of Jah Works... Internationally INI Ready for Battle .. And RastafarI Music is our Weapon!