Nor Cal legends Ridim play three live tracks from The Catalyst & Keystone Berkeley in MD #20 Parts 1 & 2. Two of Ridim’s principals, yardies Larry MacDonald & Jahmai, speak along with Virgin Islander Ani on the history of roots reggae & Jamaican musicians living in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1970s. Another 33 years ahead Midnight Dread goes deep & comes up with full coffers. The week’s reggae Calendar includes a doublebill of Toots & Third World live at The Old Waldorf in San Francisco & Zellerbach Auditorium across the bay on the campus at UC Berkeley. Discs, Wheels & Sports is moving their reggae wares to a new location near Lake Merritt. M Al’s reggae sound studio is open for biz nearby downtown Oakland. Listen to the ripples of reggaemylitis’ invasion into the bay music scene. Amazing advance vinyl pressings from Black Uhuru & Pablo Moses round out this well-charged radio program.
Larry McDonald plays three key Ridim tracks from an upcoming limited edition vinyl release and goes into great detail on the musicians. Mac also talks at length about the just closed Broadway musical REGGAE, Michael Butler’s followup to HAIR starring Phillip Michael Thomas with music by Max Romeo & Ras Karbi who also appears in the ambitious stage play. Michael Kamen, producer of The Wall by Pink Floyd who went on to produce Jah Malla’s first album for Atlantic around this time, was Music Director for REGGAE. Key times for reggae & culture. Sans the wonderful live Ridim “Wadasosa” selection from end of Part One, here’s the entire Larry Mac interview:
“The medal on my neck was won in the 1970 Festival competition. I came to US in 73. It was in the Daily Gleaner so my guess is that they own the copyright. Their morgue would have quite a bit of stuff on me.”-Larry McDonald:
Dreadcasting & streaming liquid musical jewels with daily 21st Century Midnight Dread programs at 12am including deja views often heard in Wendt’s Best of All Worlds slot when noon is high. Become conscious with the indigenous sounds of Native Son Rising curated by Doug everyday at 6am (all Pacific Times). Explore more Midnight Dreadness here.
