Ras Midas

Artist Information

Biography

RAS MIDAS
Jamaican born RAS MIDAS, composer, author, singer, producer and performer has professionally produced dynamic Reggae and World Music since 1974. Inspired by the growing acceptance and demand of his music in the United States since his two last releases, "Loving Vibration" and "Confirmation", Ras Midas is ready to make even more of an impact on the American market with his album called "Reaching Out" (2006). This album contains some of this dynamic artist's greatest compositions yet with titles like "Crazy World", "World of Catastrophe" and "One Step At A Time." According to prestigious Paris magazine ROCK & FOLK, Ras Midas’ music is “...a new, unique, clear, perfect, crystal sound, interwoven to challenge fashions and times.”

"FIRE UP" is Ras Midas' newest, lastest album, released summer 2010, "FIRE UP" is available now and blazing up the place! This album establishes the strong foundation on which Ras Midas stands on, a firm rasta man in roots, rock reggae music. Tunes with titles, "Rasta Revolution" and "Nuclear Graveyard" create a tone that speaks and spreads the consciousness to all of humanity.

"FIRE UP" features twelve original tracks, this new album is the trademark of Ras Midas' classic, contemporary roots rock reggae sound. The very strong and powerful message of social justice, love, unity and consciousness on all of his albums has remained unchanged over three decades.

With his smooth, rich, captivating vocals and positive lyrics for the entire family, this Jamaican virtuoso draws his inspiration and themes from the daily life of the common people. His powerful rhythms with vibrating drums and bass, his burning solo guitar and keyboard percussion, punctuated by background vocals, gives "FIRE UP" a special aura.

As- a solo artist RAS MIDAS’ first international hit was a Reggae World Beat release “Kude-A-Bamba”, a song recorded in English and Swahili for Island Records which sold half a million copies worldwide. The first Jamaican artist to record Reggae in French, his “Rastaman In Exile” earned an Album of The Year award and a Bilingual Hit Song, “Too Long In The Wind/Tout Temps Dan Le Vent.” Subsequent albums were distributed by French labels AZ International and Celluloid, including the popular single, “Can’t Stop Rastaman Now.” The 1979 release of his album “Rain & Fire” with Harry J. Records of Kingston, Jamaica and Island Records and later works have included Marcia Griffiths, The I-Threes, Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare. These works have established Ras Midas as one of the original roots, rock reggae songwriters, composers and singers of the Bob Marley era. On this new project he has forwarded to his roots with a smooth touch of powerful rhythms and lyrics in a revolutionary delivery.

A European and African sensation since the beginning of his solo career, RAS MIDAS has distinguished himself by consistently delivering high-energy performances, positive lyrics and music for the entire family. This Jamaican virtuoso draws his inspiration and themes from daily life. His rhythms, vibrating bass, his keyboard percussion, sometimes punctuated by background vocals, gives RAS MIDAS' music a special aura.

Instrumentation

Ras Midas - Lead Vocals
Herb Daly - Bass / Background Vocals
Cedric Angila - Drums
Johnny Dread - Keyboards / Background Vocals
Benny Torres - Guitar
Steven Robinson - Keyboards / Background vocals

Discography

Albums:
"Fire Up" (2010) JML Records
"Reaching Out" (2008) JML Records
“Confirmation” (2000) JML Records
“Loving Vibration” (1998) JML Records
“Stand Up Wise Up” (1986) Celluloid
“Rastaman In Exile” (1982) Disc AZ
“Rain & Fire” (1979) Island Records /
Harry J. Records
“Kudea-A-Bamba” (1978) Island Records /
Harry J. Records
“Reflections” (1976) Island Records /
Harry J. Records
“Cover Me” (1974) Trojan Records

Languages: English, French, Swahili
Album Distribution: Europe, Africa, Caribbean Basin, North America, South America
Singles/Hits: “Confirmation” – Album nominated for 2000 Grammy Award
“Kudea-A-Bamba” – 45 RPM
“Can’t Stop Rastaman Now” – 45 RPM
“Too Long In The Wind/Tout Long Temps Dan Le Vent” – 45 RPM
Tours/Festivals:
EURPOE: England, Holland, Belgium, West Germany, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Russia
AFRICA: Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Morocco
SOUTH AMERICA: Brazil, Venezuela, Surinam
NORTH AMERICA: Highlights include: Vermont Reggae Festival, Grand Rapids Sunsplash, No. Michigan Funsplash, Utah State Fair Park Coliseum, “Reggae Under the Stars” – Murray Amphitheater, Forest Meadows Amphitheater, Hopi Civic Center, Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, University of Utah Mayfest, C.S.U. Fresno, Reed College, Snow College, University of Montana, Idaho State University, No. Arizona University, "Jamaica My Weekend" Reggae Festival, Monterey Bay Reggae Festival, North Western Reggae Festival, 2005 Calabash Awards Performance (recipient), 45 minute TV Performance on "Musician's Weekly" on Comcast Cable, Gathering of the Peacemakers-Santa Cruz, CA

Professional Affiliations:
National Association of Recording Artists and Science – 2000 to present
BMI/Broadcasting Music Incorporated – 1996 to present
ASCAP/American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers, U.S.A. – 1986-1996
MCPS/Mechanical Copyright Protection Society, London – 1990
PRS/Performing Rights Society Ltd., London – 1976-1985

Publishing: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cypress, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, U.S.A.

Biographical: Born in Clarendon, Jamaica and educated in England. Began musical career in England and France at the age of 16. Recorded albums in Jamaica with some of reggae's finest musicians.

Links

• Facebook
• Last.fm
• MySpace
• Twitter

Audio

• Reaching Out
  Listen  
• Rasta Revolution
  Listen  
• Fire Up
  Listen  
• Come Back Darling
  Listen  
• Nuclear Graveyard
  Listen  

Lyrics

• CAN'T STOP RASTAMAN NOW
• BLOOD IN THE SKY
• PUSHING INSIDE
• KUDE A BAMBA
• STAND UP WISE UP
• RAIN AND FIRE
• ONE STEP AT A TIME
• WOMEN STRUGGLE

Video

Blood In the Sky

Photo Gallery

Press

• Rasta Man In Exile [+ Show ]
  

  When reggae singer Ras Midas came back to Jamaica after the first visit to the Santa Cruz he now ca...When reggae singer Ras Midas came back to Jamaica after the first visit
  to the Santa Cruz he now calls home, he couldn't quite believe the
  parallels.
  
  "I told my auntie, I said, 'Auntie Belle, there's a place in America
  called Santa Cruz, just like this one here in Jamaica. And the people
  are all very nice there. It was the first place in the U.S. where they
  looked at me not as someone special or different, but as just one of them.'"
  
  That was in 1982, and shortly thereafter, Ras Midas moved to the Santa
  Cruz in California. And after more than 25 years of touring around the
  world, he has always come back here. He and his band Root Awakening play
  Saturday at Moe's Alley.
  
  Midas is one of the most prominent reggae musicians to ever call Santa
  Cruz home, yet many of his local friends and neighbors are likely
  unaware of his place on the world stage. Now 50, Midas was an
  international star while still a teenager. In 1974, at the age of 16, he
  recorded sessions with the producer Harry J. in Jamaica, and with the
  help of Chris Blackwell -- the famed founder of Island Records who
  helped propel Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff, among others, to international
  fame -- Midas released the single "Kude-A-Bamba," which sold half a
  million records worldwide and reached No. 1 in several countries in
  Africa and Europe.
  
  "In Africa, they call me the 'Kude-A-Bamba' man," he said in the living
  room of his Eastside home. "If I go to Africa or Brazil and don't play
  that song, people won't leave until I do."
  
  By his own account, Midas grew up in an idyllic setting in rural
  Jamaica. Born Kutta Neville Nembhard, he was given the name "Ras Midas"
  by his grandmother, who was an herbal healer. The name has nothing to do
  with the tale of King Midas and his golden touch, but is instead an
  African word that roughly translates to "the power of the rain."
  
  He was reared in a tight-knit village where "if you walked down the
  street and you don't say hi, people everywhere will tell you that you
  are rude, to show some respect." Music, he said, was everywhere, from
  African drum rhythms handed down by elders, to American pop and blues
  music from the radio. Young Midas loved Count Basie, Elvis Presley and
  Bobby "Blue" Bland.
  
  Then, at the age of 13, he was abruptly uprooted from Jamaica and moved
  to Birmingham, then to Manchester, England after the death of his
  grandparents to live with other relatives. Considering his age, the loss
  of those dear to him and the move from sunny Jamaica to moody England,
  it was a jarring culture shock to the young would-be musician. "That was
  the worst experience of my life," he said. But he was among the Jamaican
  immigrants that helped introduce both reggae and the Rastafarian faith
  to England, where Jamaican culture has flourished since.
  
  At the age of 14, he first met producer Harry Johnson, known in the
  business as Harry J. The producer was impressed by the young man's skill
  -- "he said that I was a good writer and it was an original melody, but
  that I needed to sing with better timing and more fire" -- but Johnson
  told Midas to come back in two years. Two years later, Midas and Johnson
  recorded "Kude-A-Bamba."
  
  
  
  That early success has allowed Ras Midas to build a strong, decades-long
  career, spanning eight albums, including his best-seller, 1982's
  "Rastaman in Exile" He is now in the studio, finalizing his latest
  recording. Midas spends much of the year away from home, touring in
  Europe, Africa and South America, spreading not only his music, but the
  Rastafarian "One Love" ethic that he holds dear. Still, it's Santa Cruz
  where he returns to charge his batteries.
  
  "This is a special place. In Santa Cruz, people are more real, more
  straight-up, more for the cause than anywhere I've ever been. If Santa
  Cruz didn't exist, I wouldn't be living in the United States."
  
  Contact Wallace Baine at 429-2427 or wbaine@santacruzsentinel.com
  .

• Performance Quotes About Ras Midas [+ Show ]
  

  QUOTES ABOUT RAS MIDAS' PERFORMANCES "Music is my only weapon, singing is my self defense" explai...QUOTES ABOUT RAS MIDAS' PERFORMANCES
  
  "Music is my only weapon, singing is my self defense" explains how wordsmith and singing economist, RAS MIDAS, makes it all seem so easy. Lyrics and music are brilliant and performances are superb.
  
  Papa Pilgrim, "Dub Massive" Magazine
  
  
  RAS MIDAS breathes fresh life into reggae music and he is doing it his own way. He makes you think. His music makes you dance. His lyrics gives you hope and people go home feeling satisfied.
  
  Paula Scully, "The Beacon"
  
  
  As the late afternoon sun was beating down on the 30,000 music fans, the heat was turned up even more when RAS MIDAS began his sizzling set for pure skanking reggae music. RAS MIDAS finished second to none. His music got a hold on me ever since!
  
  Robert Ackerman, "The International Reggae Magazine"
  
  
  RAS MIDAS has turned his own brand of reggae music into pure gold. His voice is impeccably strong and he possesses great style and charisma.
  
  Sheila Sanchez, "The Desert News"
  
  
  Strong like a lion. It's been years since I have seen RAS MIDAS live but his wiry kinetic energy and uncharacteristic delivery have stuck with me.
  
  Chuck Foster, "The Beat"
  
  
  RAS MIDAS awakened the coliseum crowd with a truly great performance!"
  
  Dagi P. Binggell, "The Desert News"
  
  
  RAS MIDAS regaled the crowd with positive, live energy and positive lyrics in the best show I've ever seen.
  
  Joe Stohel, "The Event"
  
  
  RAS MIDAS is a veritable Gandi. He has spent the last 30 years spreading the reggae message of equality and spiritualism.
  
  Peter Koht, "The Metro"
  

Setlist

90 Minute set

15 songs

Rain and Fire
Loving Vibration
Stand Up Wise Up
Reaching Out
Crazy World
Blood In the Sky
Trouble Town
Let the People Go
Kude A Bamba
Too Long In the Wind / Tout Temps Dan Le Vent

( now featuring songs from newest Album "FIRE UP" 2010)
Rasta Revolution
Fire Up
Come Back Darling
Nuclear Graveyard

Covers
Aint No Stoppin' Us Now
Lean On Jah
Midnight Hour

115 Original Contemporary Roots Rock Reggae tracks

Basic Requirements

Calendar