Burning Spear (Winston Rodney), one of the world’s most well-known and enduring roots reggae artists, will play at the Rootsyardd Dub and Night Market at Skallywag Bay in Chaguaramas on November 16.
After moreworld’s most well-known and enduring roots reggae artists than 20 years, the 79-year-old reggae icon returns to Trinidad with the Burning Band as part of the One People tour.
- Advertisement -
This event called The Gift of Sound, is powered solely by Rootsyardd.
As the local and regional reggae community prepares for what is seen as a once-in-a-lifetime stage spectacle, there is a great deal of excitement leading up to Spear’s eagerly anticipated appearance.
Burning Spear has won two Grammy Awards: the coveted Best Reggae CD award in 2000 for Calling Rastafari and the Jah Is Real CD in 2009. He has received 12 Grammy nominations in all.
Over the past fifty years, he has made an unparalleled musical contribution that is acknowledged for having paved the path for several current reggae performers.
The St. Ann, Jamaica-born foundation artist is well-known across the world for early 1970s singles including Slavery Days and Marcus Garvey, which are still well-liked by all reggae lovers.
After releasing more than 25 albums, Spear is still a major influence in the reggae scene. He just finished a historic tour of the US and Africa for his 2024 album No Destroyer.
He has received praise as a musician, spiritual leader, community figure, and teacher.
According to Burning Spear’s official biography, he had a pivotal meeting with Bob Marley that could have influenced his development as an artist.
Spear and Marley both resided in the parish of St. Ann.
“The way the whole thing came about is that I found myself moving along up in the hills of St Ann’s and I ran into Bob at the same time. And Bob was going to his farm. The man was moving with a donkey and some buckets and a fork, and cutlass and plants.”
He added, “We just reason man-to-man and I-man say wherein I would like to get involved in the music business. And Bob say, ‘All right, just check Studio One.’”
Spear recorded Burning Spear and Rocking Time, his first two iconic albums, there.
Reggae musician Jah Defender, whose most recent album, Chant Down Babylon, was produced by King Stoney and 85db Records, will join the cast alongside the famous Spear.
The Nyahbinghi Drummers will also join veteran crooners Wadi Gad and Tafari Wisdom.
The classic Black Chariot will be Rootsyardd’s permanent selector that evening, with Cutchie Sounds, Solid Rock, and Negus Hi-Fi serving as guest selectors.
Since its founding six years ago, Rootsyardd Dub has regularly hosted night markets with dub, rock, and roots music played exclusively on vinyl using analog speakers.
For Jude Patrick, the director of Rootsyardd, and all its ardent admirers, Burning Spear’s music is very important.
Skallywag Bay opens its gates at 4 p.m., and the performance starts at 9 p.m.
Islandetickets.com and the Rootsyardd box office in Skallywag Bay both sell tickets.
Friday and Saturday from noon to midnight, Sunday from noon to ten o’clock, and Wednesday and Thursday from noon to ten o’clock are the opening hours for the box office.
