Ras Jammie and The Man Alive Band

Artist Information

Biography

Born in New York State with diverse roots from his Jamaican grandmother (Blue Mtns.) and Geechi father (James Island, South Carolina), Ras Jammie eventually migrated to Berkeley, California. From there he headed to Oregon, New Mexico, Colorado, and has lived in the Tucson, Arizona area for over fourteen years where he owns his own recording studio and music label.

The name “Rouse” comes from his father’s heritage when Britain freed its slaves and left them on James Island. The likes of jazz legends Charlie Rouse (his uncle) and Thelonius Monk (a distant cousin) also came from Geechi blood that migrated to Roxbury, Massachusetts and started an avante garde form of jazz with no particular structure, yet it flowed.

“Since the music industry is hard to break into, I had to take from the past to create the future of American reggae music,” notes Ras Jammie. “Using strong, backbone riddims of old-school Jamaican reggae and the soulful riddims of Motown, I have created my own avante garde reggae style, which makes listeners re-evaluate how reggae music should be viewed.” In between the island sounds of Third World and the in-your-face lyrics of Peter Tosh, with further influences from U-Roy and Jacob Miller, the Ras Jammie sound has been called homegrown American reggae.

Jammie does not consider himself a singer, but a storyteller. He states that: “The listener won’t be able to count any bars, but I guarantee the music is unique, yet flowful. It must be listened to as a whole to hear the true essence of the music I’m trying to get across.”

Instrumentation

Ras Jammie - Lead singer, Singer/Songwriter
Keller Hogan - Electric Bass
Troy Tuggle - Guitar/Backup Vocals
Billie Keys - synthesizers, Keys/Vocals
Various extras for larger shows - Percussion, Sax
Stix - Drums.

Discography

Ras Jammie has three full-length releases out and is recording his fourth. One single will be released in July of 2010 on a reggae compilation CD from UK Reggae Radio, and he has released a dub of his music.

* Jah People of Today (2004)
* Hungry Lion (2006)
* Thin Line (2006)
* O-Dub Meets Ras Jammie In A Lion's Den (2007), mixed by Dr. O-Dub
* "Sometimey People" on UK Reggae Radio Compilation Vol 1 (2010).

"Bump De Time" has been played quite often on local Tucson radio stations and Ras Jammie has airplay of various songs in other US states and as far away as Poland, United Kindgom, and Australia. Listen for "Mr. Collie Man" as a ringtone on Verizon phones.

Links

• MySpace

Audio

• Runnin'
  Listen  
• Bump De Time
  Listen  
• Anxiety Attack
  Listen  
• More
  Listen  
• Holy Ground
  Listen  

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Several press/radio reviews [+ Show ]
  

  ...exciting dub versions... and upbeat reggae songs Reviewer: A. Romero, World Music Central, Dec......exciting dub versions... and upbeat reggae songs
  
  Reviewer: A. Romero, World Music Central, December 13, 2007
  
  Ras Jammie has two recordings on the RoV label. O-Dub Meets Ras Jammie In A Lion's Den presents exciting dub versions of Jammie's music. The other album, Thin Line presents Ras Jammie with his Man Alive Band, showcasing an engaging collection of upbeat reggae songs. (releases: O-Dub Meets Ras Jammie In A Lion's Den and Thin Line)
  
  
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  ...Regards from down under
  
  Reviewer: DJ Sista Selecta, 2Bob Radio, 104.7 FM, Taree, New South Wales, Australia
  
  I featured some more of your material [from Hungry Lion and Thin Line] in the last couple of shows. I'm really enjoying the O-Dub album, too. I hope you get plenty of positive feedback...it is very deserving. Regards from down under.
  
  
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  ...Uncompromising reggae...makes Peter Tosh sound like Desmond Dekker
  
  Reviewer: Tom Orr, www.reggae-reviews.com May 2007
  
  Ras Jammie has got one low, deep voice. The Tucson, Arizona-based dread comes on like Prince Far I without so much gravel, and the authority he conveys is one reason Thin Line is a disc that casts a considerable spell. Long, dubby riddims is another; though there are only ten songs, the total playing time is 54 minutes and many tracks stretch out to a point of permeation where you'd swear you've just had a lungful of ganja even if there's none within reach. But back to Jammie's voice. Despite the fact that he commands attention by making Peter Tosh sound like Desmond Dekker, Jammie isn't exactly a golden-voiced singer. Even so, he gets by perfectly well by intoning around the low, low register in a measured, mildly dramatic manner that makes the words stick. He utilizes some calypso-like phrasing on "Daddy Won't Mind," infuses "Anxiety Attack" with an appropriately fearful tone, scats with joyful deejay gruffness through "Froggy" and at times surrounds his lead singing with spectral backing vocals that provide eerie, pleasantly murky contrast. Plus it's nice to hear reggae that's so sonically uncompromising; unlike some popish stuff that softens the bottom end, the bass here is often mercilessly heavy, holding the unhurried tempos as firmly as the vocals. An unassuming work full of quirky, compelling singing and a steadfast reggae foundation, Thin Line is thick with pleasure. (release: Thin Line)
  
  
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  ...an independent release with a sound all its own.
  
  Reviewer: Chuck Foster, The Beat, Vol. 26 • No. 1, 2007
  
  Ras Jammie returns with Thin Line (RoV), an independent release with a sound all its own. Recording at his own Rouse Your Spirits studio in Tucson, AZ, Ras Jammie draws on his Jamaican roots in creating his own brand of homegrown American reggae. Backed by the Man Alive Band, which combines a fat drum sound with soaring keys, skank guitar chops, crisp synth horn lines and rumbling bass, his lyrics cover a wide range of topics from “Sampson and Delilah” and “Runaway Slave” (on which he deftly blends an early American spiritual style with reggae) to “Froggy,” “Anxiety Attack” and “Sometimey People.” There’s even a little lecture on love (“Daddy Won’t Mind”) thrown in for good measure. Ras Jammie has a deep, resonant voice that seems to gain confidence with each new release, a sure sign of an artist who’s headed in the right direction. (release: Thin Line)
  
  
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  ...a vibe straight from Jamaica....the lyrics come from the heart.
  
  Reviewer: Mark E. Waterbury, Music Morsels, January 2007
  
  You may want to call this fresh perspective on roots reggae “desert reggae” since its creator is from Tucson. Wherever he is from, the music has a vibe straight from Jamaica with interesting touches in dub beats and instrumentation. Vocally sounding almost like a mellowed out rastafied Chuck D, the lyrics come from the heart. The music pulses in unique but undeniably catchy ways. (release: Hungry Lion)
  
  
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  Unhurried, unharried, and relaxed tempo...definitely unique.
  
  Reviewer: Chuck Foster, The Beat, Vol. 25, No. 4, 2006
  
  Ras Jammie and The Man Alive Band return with Hungry Lion (RoV). Operating out of the Rouse Your Spirits Recording Studio in Tucson, AZ, Ras Jammie chants self-penned tunes to Man Alive’s chugging riddims which build in intensity as the songs progress. “War Monger,” Hypocrite and Parasite,” Mr. Babylon” and “Bump De Time” are among the serious, at times theatrically delivered, themes. The tempo throughout keeps to a moderate pace – unhurried, unharried and relaxed. Most unusual track is his retelling of the nursery rhyme Little Miss Muffet as “Natty Spider.” Definitely unique. (release: Hungry Lion)
  
  

Setlist

Ras Jammie's set list changes per show, but is usually 7 songs running about 45 minutes per set and includes songs from all three cds, along with newer unrecorded material. Songs may include Mr. Collie Man, Runnin', Holy Ground, Bump De Time, Daddy Won't Mind, Ras Jammie and Queen Bethie, Sugar Me Up, and Anxiety Attack.

Basic Requirements

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