Happy 70th Birthday Ras Rojah

Many know Roger Steffens from his video lectures/tours about Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, or from his “Reggae Beat” radio show and magazine. Steffens co-hosted Reggae Beat on KCRW from 1979 until 1987, and Reggae Beat International from 1983 until 1987, which was syndicated internationally to 130 stations.  He has toured to many parts of the globe to give his lectures and multi-media presentation on the Life of Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. He has also contributed to countless music anthologies as a writer and photographer.  But to many of us, Roger is know for his generosity, kindness, and willingness to share with reggae fans his rare audio and video gems that fill his massive reggae archives. If fate or luck or whatever works your way, it’s a beautiful day if you get to visit his archives. (Big thanks to his wife Mary for putting up with all us fanatic fans)

Please read wikipedia for more information on Roger and visit his site Roger Steffens Reggae Archives, because roger’s life is so  full of interesting achievements and people he has met I can’t write about it all here. Two interesting things many reggae fans don’t know about Roger is how he saved George Segals ass at the climax of movie Rollercoaster (he was the radio technician that jammed the bombers signal) or that he was close friends with fellow veteran and one of my favorite comedians/actors John Ritter.  His mind seems like a steel trap, ready to open and share his memories.  I remember a comment my brother made after I took him to meet Roger at his house. He said “Roger is like a encyclopedia. He knows everything”.

The list of visitors to his house and archives is testament to the importance of his knowledge and massive rare collection. I love that all the members of Bob Marley’s band the Wailers have visited, plus a countless list of other artists and reggae fans. The real topper and probably Roger’s most important visitor to him was Rolling Stone guitarist and reggae lover Kieth Richards. A Rolling Stone in your house….Wazzza!!!

I have not been to Roger’s archive since he moved from his old house by Echo Park.  Back in college, I  would visit him with my arms full of double tape decks.  I am happy to have donated some material to his archive knowing that he will share it with folks around the globe.   I treasure the time I got to spend chillin’ and learning about Jamaican music history, and hearing his stories about interviewing people like Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, and Lee Perry.  Give thanks to Roger for all he has done to promote Jamaican Music all these years.

Happy EarthStrong to ya Rojah!!

Here is a special Tribute Video I made.

With Carlos Santana

With Lee Perry

With The Meditations

With Cedella Booker

Rog & CC Smith

With Familyman Barrett

With Joseph Hill and Sangie Davis

With Judy Mowatt and Marcia Griffiths of the I-Three

King Tubby Upset The Upsetter Out of Print LP Rip

Record date : 1981

Album style : roots, dub

Playlist :
Crucial Dub
Hot Steppers In A Dub
Dubbing The Controls
Racka Macka Dub
Reggae Bus In A Dub
Village Dub
Chant Down Rub A Dub
Doind My Thing In A Dub

Great Dennis Brown LP that is basically out of print, I believe some tracks have been used on a blood and fire compilation, but this is from my LP rip.

Playlist :
Slave Driver
Open Your Eyes
Creator
A Cup Of Tea
Together Brothers
Oh What A Day
Well Without Water
Three Meals A Day
Home Sweet Home
Man Next Door

Mixing Engineer : Maxie & Sylvan Morris
Engineer : Maxie & Sylvan Morris & Ruddy Thomas

Producer : Dennis Brown

Vocals : Dennis Brown
Backing Vocals : Leroy Sibbles & Junior Delgado
Drums : Sly Dunbar & Horsemouth Wallace & Santa Davis
Bass : Bagga Walker & Flabba Holt & Lloyd Parks
Guitar : Bo Peep & Bingy Bunny & Chinna & Dennis Brown
Keyboards : Keith Sterling & Winston Wright & Franklyn Bubbler Waul & Gladstone Anderson
Saxophone : Deadly Headly
Trombone : Nambo Robinson
Trumpet : Bobby Ellis
Percussions : Ruddy Thomas & Barnabas & Sticky & Scully Simms & Flick Wilson

Studios :
Channel One (Kingston, JA) & Harry J (Kingston, JA) & Joe Gibbs (Kingston, JA)

Reblogged from Midnight Raver:

The Blue Riddim Band – Alive In Jamaica

Blue Riddim became the first American band to play Sunsplash in Jamaica. “We were voted co-’Best Band’ of the entire festival,” McLane says. “It blew me away that we blew them away. I was expecting pineapples and cantaloupes thrown at us. We’re playing these old songs, and we’re also from America, and we’re also white. It’s five o’clock in the morning, and they’re going, ‘What in the … ?’”

Record date : 1984

Playlist :
Chariots Of Fire
Smile
Feeling Soul
Cuss Cuss
Tribute To Coxsone
Nancy Reagan
There’s A Law

Blue Riddim Band – Restless Spirit

Record date : 1981

Playlist :
Come See About Me
Shoo Be Do
Restless Spirit
One Love, One Heart
Rock It Sister
Cuss Cuss
Twistin The Night Away
Oh Babe
Joke’s On You

Engineer : Prince Jammy