For most people, Jamaican music is synonymous with reggae. In this genre, the most famous artist is probably the late Bob Marley. For those who love roots reggae, however, no music collection is complete without Burning Spear music.
Roots reggae is a type of reggae that deals mainly with themes like Rastafarian spirituality as well as social and political issues, among them poverty and racism. Famous Jamaican artists from the late seventies, most notably Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, popularized this genre. Another one of the torchbearers of this type of music is Burning Spear.
The professional name of Winston Rodney, Burning Spear at first was the name of the group Rodney played in. It is the word 'Jomo' translated into English. The group took on this name in homage to Jomo Kenyatta, the Mau Mau Rebellion leader who became Kenya's first president after its independence from British rule.
Born in the late 1940s, Winston Rodney met Bob Marley in 1969. They both hailed from Saint Ann's Bay in Jamaica. Marley advised Rodney and fellow musician Rupert Willington to audition with Kingston-based record label Studio One. The record label soon released the pair's first single, 'Door Peep'. After signing on another band member, the group released various other singles. Among these was the hit single 'Joe Frazier (He Prayed)'. They also released their first album, 'Studio One Presents Burning Spear'.
The single 'Marcus Garvey' was released in the mid-seventies. The song calls to the Jamaican activist Marcus Garvey, who was a pioneer of Black nationalist and Pan-Africanist philosophy. Garvey is also a prophet in Rastafarianism.
Following the release of 'Marcus Garvey', the band also released 'Slavery Days'. These two songs are probably the most famous songs the group has released and are included on the album 'Marcus Garvey', one of reggae's most important albums. A studio band called the Black Disciples and featuring a bassist by the name of Robbie Shakespeare contributed to the album's almost trance-like, mellow sound. Shortly after the release of 'Marcus Garvey' the record label released 'Garvey's Ghost', a dub version of the 'Marcus Garvey' album.
However, in 1976 Rodney decided to go it alone and started using the name Burning Spear as his own name. In the late seventies he recorded the live album 'Live' with the British band Aswad. He also went on to work with other reggae greats, among them drummer Sly Dunbar and trombonist Rico Rodriguez.
In the past forty years or so, the artist has released fifty albums, first with his group and later as solo artist. Twenty-eight of these albums are studio albums, six are live albums and sixteen are compilations. In 1986 the album 'Resistance' earned Rodney his first of twelve Grammy nominations for Best Reggae Album. Two of his albums won Grammy Awards: first 'Calling Rastafari' in 2000 and then 'Jah is Real' in 2009.
Jamaica awarded Winston Rodney its Order of Distinction in 2007. Rodney now lives in New York but prefers to record in Jamaica. He still tours too, so that international audiences can experience Burning Spear music.
Roots reggae is a type of reggae that deals mainly with themes like Rastafarian spirituality as well as social and political issues, among them poverty and racism. Famous Jamaican artists from the late seventies, most notably Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, popularized this genre. Another one of the torchbearers of this type of music is Burning Spear.
The professional name of Winston Rodney, Burning Spear at first was the name of the group Rodney played in. It is the word 'Jomo' translated into English. The group took on this name in homage to Jomo Kenyatta, the Mau Mau Rebellion leader who became Kenya's first president after its independence from British rule.
Born in the late 1940s, Winston Rodney met Bob Marley in 1969. They both hailed from Saint Ann's Bay in Jamaica. Marley advised Rodney and fellow musician Rupert Willington to audition with Kingston-based record label Studio One. The record label soon released the pair's first single, 'Door Peep'. After signing on another band member, the group released various other singles. Among these was the hit single 'Joe Frazier (He Prayed)'. They also released their first album, 'Studio One Presents Burning Spear'.
The single 'Marcus Garvey' was released in the mid-seventies. The song calls to the Jamaican activist Marcus Garvey, who was a pioneer of Black nationalist and Pan-Africanist philosophy. Garvey is also a prophet in Rastafarianism.
Following the release of 'Marcus Garvey', the band also released 'Slavery Days'. These two songs are probably the most famous songs the group has released and are included on the album 'Marcus Garvey', one of reggae's most important albums. A studio band called the Black Disciples and featuring a bassist by the name of Robbie Shakespeare contributed to the album's almost trance-like, mellow sound. Shortly after the release of 'Marcus Garvey' the record label released 'Garvey's Ghost', a dub version of the 'Marcus Garvey' album.
However, in 1976 Rodney decided to go it alone and started using the name Burning Spear as his own name. In the late seventies he recorded the live album 'Live' with the British band Aswad. He also went on to work with other reggae greats, among them drummer Sly Dunbar and trombonist Rico Rodriguez.
In the past forty years or so, the artist has released fifty albums, first with his group and later as solo artist. Twenty-eight of these albums are studio albums, six are live albums and sixteen are compilations. In 1986 the album 'Resistance' earned Rodney his first of twelve Grammy nominations for Best Reggae Album. Two of his albums won Grammy Awards: first 'Calling Rastafari' in 2000 and then 'Jah is Real' in 2009.
Jamaica awarded Winston Rodney its Order of Distinction in 2007. Rodney now lives in New York but prefers to record in Jamaica. He still tours too, so that international audiences can experience Burning Spear music.
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