Now just because I play in a REGGAE band doesn't necessarily mean we listen to it ALL THE TIME! Granted my Samsung Galaxy 3 is loaded with a 5 day reggae playlist BUT I also have some jazz, soul, latin jazz, and comedy stuff to keep the drive from getting monotonous! So without further ado here's Volume 1 of my tour playlist!
I was fortunate enough to be able to play with these cats a year ago in El Paso for a private party for The West Texas Food Bank. Really great musicians and genuine guys, I bought their live album on bandcamp and it's absolutely a must have for the road, it makes time pass and I've never gotten tired of listening to them driving in the afternoon or after a gig or even playing this at the after party drinking some beers.
Keeping with the California music The Expanders are probably one of my favorite reggae bands out there and you can download the entire album Old Time Something Come Back Again for FREE!!
I have their self titled album and this album on constant standby when we have a set break and have to pump some music through the PA. I was introduced to them through Chris Murray (later on in the list) and played with them at The Knitting Factory in Hollywood, CA years back when they had a project called The Guys Three. Their harmonies are tighter than spandex on Sophia Vergara and their music is straight up roots reggae done right!
Quantic Soul Orchestra "The Conspirator (Main Theme)"
Pandora turned me on to Quantic Soul Orchestra, I think I made a Dap Kings station or Mark Ronson station... any who they're funky and soulful and this track makes driving feel like I'm in a Steve McQueen movie when I'm actually tired as hell driving from Socorro, NM to Albuquerque late at night after the gig, eyes barely open.
Belleruche "Minor Swing"
My good friend Doug sent me this song years back and holy shit it was the dopest shit I listened to that year! Maybe it has something to do with the trombone introduction and the break beat rhythm but this track from Belleruche is definitely my favorite!
Wild Belle "Keep You"
Yeaah Natalie Bergman is drop dead gorgeous and her vocals are smoky/sexy/mysterious I jam this every once in awhile at set break to keep the chulas at the bar dancing. The video is mad dope too very hip and all their videos have that kind of style to them way out there hipster but not too hipsterish that you want to vomit out your soy pumpkin spice latte MAH- KEY-AH-TOE.
I'm really fortunate enough to have played a few shows with Chris and he's the downest to earth most chillest guys I've met and his music always keeps me positive when shit is deep. If you have never heard of Chris Murray do yourself the favor and goto his Facebook Page and LIKE IT!
Alton Ellis "Breaking Up"
The majority of my phones music is old reggae/ska/rocksteady music, I just love oldies ;) I also like reggae music BBM (Before Bob Marley). Don't get me wrong I LOVE BOB but I can also get behind some Alton Ellis, Dennis Brown, Delroy Wilson, Ken Boothe etc... and I love playing this song, not only because the bass line is grooving, it's also easy for me to play piano and sing it.
The Black Seeds "So True"
New Zealand has some really great reggae bands coming out of it like Black Seeds and Fat Freddy's Drop I just like the laid back island feel of this song, another song sent to me by Doug via Spotify.
Ray Barretto "Quitate La Mascera"
I like adding the latin jazz to my playlists to break up the reggae/ska monotony and this song has that amount of high energy to do it, awesome horn lines and amazing vocals! When it comes to thinking up horn lines I like to fall back on Ray Barretto his band just smokes with rhythmical heat!
Ska Cubano "Babalu"
Lastly to mix the Reggae/Ska and Latin nothing does it more fittingly than Ska Cubano! If you need some background information check out their wiki link here. A few years back a friend of mine lent me the Putamayo Afro Latin Party CD and it's one of my top 10 favorite albums I have on my iTunes playlist! This is my coffee when shit's late at night and everyone's asleep drunk or just lazy, I blast this on the radio and no one can get mad at it!!
So there's 10 of Volume 1 of my "Road Trip Music (Touring Musicians Edition) I'll see if I can find time to write down Volume 2 later on but I think this is a good first shot at it!
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