One Big Bowl of Reggae and Soul, Please

Frank Fitzpatrick 07/16/2012

Over lunch the other day, my friend Jeannie, an incredible writer and healer in her early 70’s and a huge classical music fan, said that the two most powerful musical forces for her were Beethoven and Reggae. What’s interesting about her choices is how much they both have such global appeal.

Reggae, a long time musical staple in my diet, filled the night air and rocked the crowd at the Hollywood Bowl last night with Tuff Gong‘s Legends of Reggae night. The evening featured Ziggy Marley, Toots Hibbert (of Toots and the Maytals), Maxi Priest and Freddie McGregor. It is hard to beat the feeling that comes from sharing the Rhasta vibe and dancing to the insatiable reggae rhythms with thousands of smiling faces under a star-filled summer sky. It is also always a pleasure to hang with Ziggy and other legendary musicians and artists dedicated to uplifting the spirit of the people through their music.

Only a few days earlier, I was enjoying another amazing musical night in the Bowl – immersed in the beautiful soulful sounds of an eclectic and inspiring mix of artists gathered for KCRW’s World Music Night. Headlining the evening was acoustic soul master Ben Harper. In addition to his heart resonating performances, Ben took some time to share his own story and his gratitude for being one of three generations in his family to perform on that stage. Other highlights from Ben’s show were the numbers where he was joined by his musical friends, including the Dixie Chicks‘ Natalie Maines, Rickie Lee Jones and Leon Mobley of Innocent Criminals fame.

The most profound and lasting memory for me from both these evenings, however, was when Ben performed “Where I Could Go” acapella AND without a mike, to a full house of over 12,000 mesmerized fans. This was a first in my 25 years of seeing shows at the Bowl. Ben’s silky voice resonated through the hearts and souls of everyone in the audience, even those half way up the mountain and the creatures in the surrounding hills and trees.

We were already well primed by the time Ben took the stage. Taking me back to my Motown roots was newcomer Fitz and the Tantrums – high energy, fun-loving Soul at it’s finest. Opening the night was the beautiful guitar work of Vieux Farke Touré. I had had the pleasure of meeting Vieux a few months early, when he was working with Idan Raichel, and was really happy to see him get the deserving spotlight at such a great venue.

It is a pretty amazing slice of human experience to be bathed by soulful vibrations of conscious artists and musical legends from around the globe, dining and dancing with friends old and new and surrounded by the natural beauty of the mountains and trees, all under a glorious star-filled sky. I am forever in awe of the power of music to bring people from all walks of life together in harmony and to connect them to their inner selves, to each other and to the world around them. One more bowl of Reggae and Soul please.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVXFP89EeqU&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]