The 25th Annual JazzReggae Festival at UCLA: Official | Facebook | Twitter
A week has passed and enough time has gone by to allow all the memories of a great memorial day weekend to sink deep into the cavities and secret back doors of the mind's infinite hallways. School is out for most, if not all and the weather was perfect for an afternoon of sun + music + fun. Before we get into the actual festival let's back track and explain how we got there: After repeated unanswered attempts [lost track of how many e-mails] fate would smile down upon us the weekend before the event when we met Cole and his fellow Bruins of JazzReggae Fest post interview with TruthSeekers [Shout out Santana & Crew!]. Brief introduction + exchange of contacts + a handful more e-mails = green light for Dank Radio to review the event. [Shout out to John for being instrumental in the final process] (I'm sharing this info to you all so you can get a picture of how these things work. If you have questions please ask. I'd be more than happy to explain the process.)
Back to the picturesque setting of UCLA's Intramural Field and weather.com's inaccurate forecast of 65 degrees. The sun was shining. The music was grooving. Smiles were all around. As we entered the festival grounds I can see the collegiate skills at work with everything being perfectly organized in Rome like streets and blocks all facing towards the stage. Festival logistics are something I always notice when walking into a 'new' event. As my brother [e]ccentric and I roamed the grounds checking out the various merchants we felt the flow of the open arrangement. Food, clothing, picnic blankets, herbal information, and artwork were among the various items sold or shared. (Shout outs to The Hemperors Club & Hallie @ Got Vape for the free gear!) Jeremy Sole [KCRW] was keeping the energy fun and played various hip hop and beat tunes that worked well with the crowd in attendance. Right when we were checking out the various threads of Soterik the Swedish dragons started to play...
Little Dragon : Official | Facebook | Twitter
This was my first time watching Little Dragon perform live. I missed their set during Coachella 2010. [Don't ask me where I was. I don't remember.] So to be able to witness a portion of the set center stage in the press pit was a treat. It's always great to see the audience slowly become more engaged as the day goes by. Once Little Dragon began the energy level increased significantly. The best way to put how the overall day went is to describe it as a giant swell of music. Musicians use this during their songs. Orchestras use this during their sets. Even DJs implement this to create a roller coaster of emotion. Little Dragon began the swell by warming up the crowd with Never Never.
As their set progressed they continued to increase the crowds temperature by proceeding with their tracks My Step [The crowd started a mini dance party during this track.] and Feather. The sun got so intense at one point that Yukimi covered her head with a wrap/shawl/long piece of cloth to shield her from the uv rays. The crowd coined this "Doing the Little Dragon". Yukimi, Erik, Fredrik, and Håkan treated their Los Angeles fans to two new tracks from their upcoming release. One track had a very heavy synth bass with samba like drums. I couldn't help but think of what Breakage would do if he got his hands on the track. Just as the afternoon dance party was getting underway they were done and thanked LA.
Miguel Atwood Furgeson Ensemble: Bandcamp
This gifted man never ceases to amaze me. Each time I've had the opportunity to witness his talent, I've walked away with a life changing experience and a new appreciation for music. After seeing him perform last summer at the Grand, I expected nothing less of a jam packed set performed by top notch musicians, complete with all star guests throughout.
His first guest, Coco from Quadron, warmed the hearts of all in attendance with her soothing vocals. The beats and grooves of Karriem Riggins helped tie songs together with drum breakdowns and transitions. Each song felt like a different scene from a musical picture sewn together by the sound waves of Miguel's strings. As soon as Talib Kweli hit the stage with "How You Love Me" & "Get By," everyone was on their feet with their hands in the air. Rebekah Raff added to the musical picture with the vibrations of her own strings on her harp. Pharoah Monch kept the crowd energetic, alert, and on their feet with "Shine" and "Still Standing". The sound of the ensemble performing made me wish music would always be presented in a lively form. Miguel Atwood Furgeson topped off his set by pulling Bilal out on stage to do a few songs including a rendition of Bob Marley's "Is This Love". As if that wasn't already enough, the ensemble gave us more with a tribute to two late great souls of our time: Gil Scott-Heron and Jay Dee aka J Dilla. The Miguel Atwood Ferguson Ensemble's fresh jazzy take on J Dilla's "People" gave me chills and was the cherry on top of the whole set. RIP James Yancey and Gil Scott-Heron. - [e]ccentricLupe Fiasco : Official | Video by John Liwag : Official
By this point of the day the sun had been beating down on the festivals attendees for some time now. The crowds were clamoring to get closer to the stage. They all wanted to get as close as they could for Lupe Fiasco. Unfortunately their eager ears and bodies were stopped by the dreaded yellow and blue shirts a.k.a. hired security. Even with a press pass wrist band they tried to obstruct my path to the press pit. "Hault! Turn back. You may not come any closer." [Enter favorite evil villain voice] As I flash my press wrist band they grunt, move aside, and let me pass. As I hurried to get a good spot amongst the laminate carrying huge slr camera people Lupe's band began to play. Like a true entertainer he waited for the right moment when the band's energy matched the crowds anticipation. He leaped onto the stage and proceeded to feel out the audience.
The set started with Shining Down and it was quite appropriate considering the setting. Lupe who performed at the 2007 JazzReggae Festival would later comment on the growth of the event and how much Los Angeles is better than Orange County [The crowd applauded of course]. There was never a point during his performance when the energy level decreased. At the start of the set he showered his fans with copious amounts of water to help cool them down and keep them going. Everyone was definitely in the party state of mind when Go Go Gadget Flow started playing. The thump of the bass was felt all around the grounds. People were dancing, jumping, and singing along. I even saw a little 5 yr old kid getting his Kick Push on during the set [He was wearing a CSULB baseball cap]. Lupe kept the party going with crowd favorites and moments of sincerity. You could say at times he was walking the fine line between peace and politics. He spoke his mind to an appropriate audience. Many of which are still in the age where truth and knowledge are questioned on a daily basis. As rooted deep in the Hip Hop elements, MCs will always proclaim they are the greatest amongst their peers. Lupe was not an exception and used his whole set to back up his claims. Exploring tracks that touched on lighter subjects and those with a little more controversy he reminded everyone that the most important thing is Love. No arguments from everyone at Dank Radio on that point. As the sun started to set he began to slowly wrap up his set. He let each of his band members have their own time to shine. Most artists give no more than four bars for someone to do their thing, but Lupe being in that artist state of mind let them do their thing. By the time his free style + band introduction ended he was well over 7pm. As any performer will tell you once you and the crowd are one time is never an issue. You usually can get away with anything. So he began his encore song, The Show Goes On. Here you could see even the most tired concert attendee light up with energy. Everyone's hands were up in the air and they were enjoying the closing of an amazing set. We all thought it was done, but he couldn't let us leave without Daydreamin'. Here he was well over his set time and despite having the crowd in his hands, the powers that be decided to shut off the mains. Lupe didn't let this hold him back. Like a conductor waving his hands to his crowd turned choir he led everyone in one last chorus of Daydreamin'.
Teebs + Live Painting | Described the festival as "High spirited. Lovely. Hot"
After a long fun-filled day of music and art, Eccentric and I returned to the beach as the sun set over the pacific. Good vibes and great artists left us with unforgettable memories and inspiration to last a lifetime. Four thumbs up from Eccentric and Nativity. We can't wait to return next year to see what reggae day has in store for us!
Nativity
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