Following in his fathers illustrious steps, Bob’s eldest son Ziggy is returning with his fifth album, Fly Rasta, that comes out on 14th April via Tuff Gong records. Although he might not have the worldwide adoration and all time classic records enjoyed by his father, he has made consistently great records and recently recieved his 6th Grammy award (yes, sixth!) for ‘Ziggy Marley in concert’.
As ever with Ziggy, he brings plenty of influences to bear alongside his straight up reggae and he continues over the course of the new record to lyrically call for people to come together and treat mother earth with respect.
To that end, he’s created an enviable environment himself to record in. Working with producer Dave Cooley (J Dilla / Madlib), Marley surrounded himself with a who’s who of musicians, including U Roy and the Melody Makers providing vocals, drummers Stephen Ferrone (Tom Petty, Slash, Eric Clapton, Johnny Cash), Brian MacLeod (Tears For Fears, Pink, Christina Aguilera, Stevie Nicks),Motown stalwart James Gadson (Bill Withers, Randy Crawford, Martha Reeves, Quincy Jones), plusRock Deadrick. The guitarists were Lyle Workman (Beck, Frank Black, Todd Rundgren), Takeshi Akimoto (Yellow Magic Orchestra, Taj Mahal) and Ian ‘Beezy’ Coleman and bassists Abraham Laboriel (Al Jarreau, Donald Fagen, Lalo Schifrin, Michael Jackson, Ray Charles) Dave Wilder (Big Daddy Kane, De La Soul, Mary Jane Girls, Barrington Levy), Guy Erez (Gypsy Kings, Alan Parsons project) and Pablo Stennett. Keys came courtesy of Zac Rae (Lana Del Rey, Gary Clark Jnr), David Palmer (Cake, Lindsey Buckingham), Brian LeBarton (Beck, Jamie Lidell, Feist), Mike Hyde (Burning spear, Eek a Mouse, Luciano) and George Hughes.
From the album, Marley is previewing the title track ahead of its release. It’s a brass heavy, straight up reggae track, featuring some calling from the brilliant U-Roy, and a chorus that will melt your…well everything, with Marley and the Melody Makers answering eachother to gorgeously sunny effect.
Ziggy Marley arrives in London in April to play an exclusive headline show at Electric Brixton on April 14th, and you can get tickets here
