SUNDAY, JULY 20, 2014 AT 7:00 PM
KCRW’s World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl continues with the 13th annual Reggae Night on Sunday, July 20 at 7:00 PM, featuring the legendary Jimmy Cliff returning to the Bowl with his soulful roots reggae and classic hits such as “Many Rivers to Cross,” “The Harder They Come” and “Wild World.” Joining Cliff is reggae’s biggest crossover dancehall reggae artist Shaggy and original Black Uhuru member Don Carlos with his group, The Dub Vision Band.
Grammy-winning musician, actor, singer, songwriter, producer and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmy Cliff is still going strong in a career that has spanned almost five decades and has earned him Jamaica’s highest honor, the Order of Merit. Cliff recently released his first studio album in seven years, Rebirth, produced by punk icon Tim Armstrong (Rancid). “The album is about my rebirth as an artist and as a man, but also about the rebirth of the world,” says Cliff, whose 1970 “Vietnam,” dubbed by Bob Dylan as “the greatest protest song ever written,” served as a centerpiece in Paul Simon’s acclaimed 2011 tour, the performer citing it as his original inspiration to record “Mother and Child Reunion” with Cliff’s band in Jamaica. While Rebirth is named for what Cliff perceives as his own artistic revival, the reggae pioneer has never really been away, working with a who’s-who of other rock legends over the years, including the Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello and Annie Lennox, while his songs have been covered by the likes of Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, Cher, New Order and Fiona Apple. His patented sweet tenor is the most recognizable voice in reggae along with his only fellow Jamaican Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, Bob Marley. Last year, Cliff made a triumphant appearance at the Bonnaroo festival that put him back on the pop music map. His future plans include more acting roles – including a possible sequel to groundbreaking 1972 filmThe Harder They Come which starred Cliff and prominently featured his music – as well as continuing to write songs inspired by the classic soundtrack. “I have not become the artist I believe I am,” he told Rolling Stone last year. “I’m not done at all.”
In 1993 Shaggy exploded on the music scene with his debut album, Pure Pleasure. He followed up with Boombastic in 1995 and earned a Grammy award for Best Reggae Album. The album also topped Billboard’s Hot 100 and the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum. In 2000 Shaggy released one of the best-selling reggae albums of all-time,Hotshot, which was certified Diamond worldwide and Platinum six times in the United States. In 2002 Shaggy released Lucky Day, then Clothes Drop in 2005, and Intoxicationin 2007, for which Shaggy received a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album. In 2012, Shaggy also received a Grammy nomination for his tenth studio album, Summer in Kingston. His latest album was released in December 2013 – a collaboration album, “Sly & Robbie Presents Shaggy, Out of Many, One Music” which features Neyo, Beres Hammond, Konshens, Taurus Riley, Coco Tea, Joe, Morgan Heritage, Tessanne Chin, Chronixx, Jimmy Cozier and Damian Marley. In addition to an immensely successful two-decade career, Shaggy has devoted his time and celebrity to philanthropy. In 2008, he developed the Shaggy Foundation, which hosts an annual charity event from which the proceeds are donated to the Bustamante hospital to help defray the cost of medical equipment. To date, the Shaggy Foundation has been instrumental in raising over one million dollars for the hospital.
Don Carlos (born Euvin Spencer) was raised in Waterhouse, Kingston, Jamaica and started his singing career in 1965. In 1972, Don joined Black Uhuru as one of the original members. After splitting with the group, Don pursued his solo career, releasing the acclaimed albums Suffering, Them Never Know Natty Dread Have Him Credential,Raving Tonight, and Just A Passing Glance, and touring in Europe, North and South America, Africa and the Caribbean. The late ‘80s and early ‘90s saw a successful reunion of Black Uhuru. Since the late ‘90s, Don has returned to his solo career and released the albums 7 Days A Week and Live in San Francisco. His latest album, Changes, includes collaborations with Slightly Stoopid, Million Stylez, Groundation, and Ponto de Equilibrio. Don Carlos continues to tour the world with The Dub Vision Band.
Nestled snugly in the Hollywood Hills, the Hollywood Bowl is the largest natural amphitheater in the United States. Seating nearly 18,000 patrons, the Bowl has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its official opening in 1922; outdoor concert performances each summer feature classical, jazz, and world music presented by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. To this day, $1 buys a seat at the top of the Bowl for many of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s concerts. The Bowl’s summer music festivals have become as much a part of a Southern California summer as beaches and barbecues, the Dodgers and Disneyland. The Bowl grounds themselves ‒ one of Los Angeles County’s most renowned parks ‒ are open year-round for visitors to enjoy free of charge.