Kwabena Nip

Last month's performance by "Kwabena & the Lion Train Band" was no exception.
The audience turnout was fantastic and we all witnessed a very fine, captivating and extremely professional performance by the excellent reggae band from Manchester.
They are currently touring in order to promote their forthcoming album on Bop Top Records entitled “Vessel”.
In fact, it says something about the nature and attitude of the band in that they threw free CDs into the audience during the night’s performance.

As soon as the band walked onto the stage the audience knew that it was in for a real treat. First up were The Lion Train band themselves, consisting of guitar, bass, drums and keyboards, immediately coming across as a very tight unit and they soon locked into that reggae groove that we all know and love so well, very much in the vein of Bob Marley and the Wailers.

After The Lion Train Band had warmed up the audience, on came the three female backing singers. They exuded such a happy atmosphere and air of sophistication that the audience were now gripped. There was a real feeling of communication between these three and the people on the dance floor. We were shortly after treated to the enigmatic stage presence of Kwabena himself, colourfully dressed and obviously delighted to take up his position at the front of the band.

Kwabena and The Lion Train Band play a very commercial style of Reggae music and really have that spark. The singing was tremendous throughout with the vocal harmonies beautifully balanced through the P.A system. The musicians came across as seasoned players who mix their songs well in the set to maintain the momentum and keep the audience dancing. In fact, most of the audience were on their feet from the first number and only sat down in the interval. (Cue the famous raffle!).

In the second set, not only were we treated to a wonderful version of “Lively Up Yourself” by Bob Marley but there was also a very touching moment during the band’s version of the classic “One Love” when the three girl singers invited some of the local children onto the stage and put them in front of the microphones. These kids in fact not only knew the words to the song but sang beautifully. “One Love, one heart, let’s get together and feel alright” was a compassionate statement to round off the night and the aforementioned encore of “Lively Up Yourself” left everyone with a warm glow and happy faces.


Photographs by Terri B

http://www.cybermoor.org/news/old_news_item.asp?intID=141



- Cybermoor.org

We have been witnessing some very fine musical performances at Alston Town Hall this year and it's thanks to the excellent organizational skills of Ted The Candle Maker and his talented technical crew that these performances are guaranteed to have a first rate sound, a great lightshow and run like clockwork.

Not to mention one of the regular highlights of the night, namely the raffle ably and comically presented to an eager audience by Happy Steve. Alston Town Hall is fortunate to possess a more than adequate P.A. system that is lovingly run by Tony and Patrick. The Town Hall always has a superb atmosphere and is quite simply a fantastic live music venue in such a beautiful setting that the bands I've talked to say that it's a real pleasure to visit.

The audience turnout was fantastic and we all witnessed a very fine, captivating and extremely professional performance by an excellent reggae band from Manchester called Kwabena And The Lion Train Band.

They are currently touring in order to promote their forthcoming album on Bop Top Records entitled "Vessel".

In fact, it says something about the nature and attitude of the band in that they threw free CDs into the audience during the night's performance.

As soon as the band walked onto the stage the audience knew that it was in for a real treat. First up were The Lion Train band themselves, consisting of guitar, bass, drums and keyboards, immediately coming across as a very tight unit and they soon locked into that reggae groove that we all know and love so well, very much in the vein of Bob Marley and the Wailers.

After The Lion Train Band had warmed up the audience, on came the three female backing singers. They exuded such a happy atmosphere and air of sophistication that the audience were now gripped. There was a real feeling of communication between these three and the people on the dance floor. We were shortly after treated to the enigmatic stage presence of Kwabena himself, colourfully dressed and obviously delighted to take up his position at the front of the band.


Kwabena And The Lion Train Band play a very commercial style of Reggae music and really have that spark. The singing was tremendous throughout with the vocal harmonies beautifully balanced through the P.A system.

The musicians came across as seasoned players who mix their songs well in the set to maintain the momentum and keep the audience dancing. In fact, most of the audience were on their feet from the first number and only sat down in the interval. (Cue the famous raffle).

In the second set, not only were we treated to a wonderful version of "Lively Up Yourself" by Bob Marley but there was also a very touching moment during the band's version of the classic "One Love" when the three girl singers invited some of the local children onto the stage and put them in front of the microphones.

These kids in fact not only knew the words to the song but sang beautifully. "One Love, one heart, let's get together and feel alright" was a compassionate statement to round off the night and the aforementioned encore of "Lively Up Yourself" left everyone with a warm glow and happy faces.


Review by Tim Jones. Photos by Terri~B.



- Tim Jones (Modern Dance Magazine )

Interview of Kwabena Nipadadae, reggae singer from Manchester, UK who notably released his debut album in 2007.

Kwabena Nipadadae has been active on the Manchester, UK, reggae scene for many years and has built up a formidable reputation for his live shows.

2007 saw the release of his debut album ‘Ancestoral Vessel’ on the label Unpopular Music; it also marked the 200th Anniversary of the abolition of slavery by Britain. I met up with Kwabena and his producer/ friend John Turner in late November.

Kwabena, tell me about your earliest experiences in music?

My earliest experience was my gran really, I would say. She always singing about the Lord, singing lots of Christian songs I would say, because she was a practising Christian. She was just a nice lady. It was with my gran really. That was growing up in Jamaica from I young, from as long as I can remember, in Jamaica.

How did you get into reggae?

Believe it or not, although I was brought up in Jamaica, it was when I was here in England actually. I see Harlem Spirit perform, Trevor from the Harlem Spirit, and I see Basil Otis from this band called Massagana, but the biggie, it was Gregory Isaac. I just decided, “I wanna do that! I can do that”.

So I imitate Gregory Isaac for a little while, ‘the Cool Ruler’ yeah, and then after some time I start to form my own, to me. Information come and inform, and then I start off.

When did you come to Manchester, UK?

Well, I keep going backward and forward to Jamaica and Africa, but I think it was something like 1980. I finish school here, and then after that I just get into music, just practising music, singing, going out and just get deep into music. Trial and error, just start to do things, backward and forward, back to Jamaica, back to England, just like that and then I get serious into music.

You’ve sung in Africa as well, tell me about that…

Well, this is how it was. I was at the time singing, just around in England, and I remember I was broke as well. Then I heard of this festival in Gambia, and I turned round and I said to my girlfriend at the time, “I want to go out to Africa”. I ring up the organisation, and say, “I want to come down and do something”
So she say, “All right, come and see me”, so I go round and see her, I go up there and I just kicked it, you know what I mean!

From there, I don’t like politics – they call it politics but I just call it righteous thinking. I see certain flag flying in Africa in this place called Port James and then I licked out against it, I say, “What’s going on here?” and then basically it was on this broadcast on television and whatsoever, and then I perform again and basically get Honorary Citizenship from the President, meet him and everything and it happen like that from there.

Did it feel like a homecoming?

Oh my gosh, yes. Oh, and I do this thing called ‘the foot and pop dance’ as well, go through this initiation which you can’t talk about! You can’t say what you do – is very good though. It is a homecoming really, and from there I don’t bother go back to Jamaica really. If I have a choice I go to Africa. I only go back to Jamaica to show some of my children where I have been brought up. I have my big family still in Jamaica but Africa is my home and that’s where I’m going when I leave from here.

Tell me about your name?

Kwabena mean “born on a Tuesday” and Nipadadae, Nip mean “the vessel” and “the tool”, so it mean I am a vessel and a tool of the Most High, yes.

OK, when did you start recording?

Well, I do a lot of recording but I have been ripped off so many times by trusting people. I record then give them the money to put it out and never seen it again. I know them, I won’t mention their name. I just see it as an experience. They know who they are. So I start record since I was about 19. I put out my first single, I think it was about ’83, and then and so on up to today.

I’ve got a CD you did for Dread Lion…

Dread Lion, yes. That was a compilation album, what was that date, John?

(John Turner) That was about ten years ago now.

I also do a compilation with a studio in Birmingham. That was like a white label album, I done that one as well.

You do a song with Country Culture on the Dread Lion album…

Yes, ‘Redemption Song’, with my brother on there.

Did you sing together in Jamaica?

Actually yes, we used to. We used to do like singing when we were shelling pimento, like you put in soup. All these pimento we used to sell in the shop, we used to shell them, so we used to see who could remember the most songs, like the Wailers, Marcia Griffiths, any one of those songs, any one of the greats, we used to sing them.

We used to do the female actually! We used to like a lot of the female, for some reason the female did have a little knock on us really. My brother – the second, which I follow – he used to like Marcia Griffiths, I used to like Bob Marley wives, and well, Country was a bit more younger then, he used to just run around doing nothing!

He used to just join in now and again. At the time Marcia Griffiths was my bigger brother’s favourite and Rita Marley was mine, Country used to just run around, until he get older and he get into the singing. In church as well, we used to… not much in the church as such, but we used to sing mainly just for enjoyment.

What was the reggae scene like in Manchester when you arrived?

It was brilliant. You used to get like Harlem Spirit, used to get Massagana, you used to get reggae like ‘Handsworth Explosion’, my God, those guys from Handsworth (Steel Pulse).

All everybody used to come to Manchester from all over to play at Band On The Wall. Sound system, live band, it was absolutely brilliant. Those was the good days. Someone decide to kill it –I wonder who? But it was good.

How do you get the inspiration for your songs?

Normally I wouldn’t say this but it come from the Most High. It can’t come from no-one else. The lyrical content which I get is for free the mind and for food to the soul – so obviously that come from the Most High.

My inspiration, also through people and divinely speak to my mind. A lot of that also is through seeing experience with my eyes around me, and things like that, far away from me, behind me, everywhere, and that’s where I get my inspiration, far and wide.

What plans do you have for the future?

Well, I got the label, Unpopular Music – this music is unpopular because they don’t want people to hear it - which is run by my bredrin John Turner, and what he is doing now at the moment, we are doing a lot of promotion on the label.

What have you got for the future John?



(JT) We have the website, www.unpopularmusic.net. More streaming, more downloads. More singles coming. We are about a third of the way through the next album, that’s going to be ‘Gift To The World’. That should be perhaps next Summer or Autumn it should be finished. A very good album.

What about live shows?

Live shows, yes. Obviously I’m moving forward getting more big shows and festival dates, I’m pushing the records out to get the funds coming in.

And I’m putting together a reggae workshop to acknowledge all the great artists – not just reggae artists but mainly reggae artists, but artists which contribute to highlight the injustice of slavery of African people and the freedom of African people, which the Bi-Centenary doesn’t really mention at the moment…

The Bi-Centenary has been very quiet…

Yes, this is what I’m saying. It’s a sort of hush-hush thing. The amount of millions of people who died is not acknowledged, but all I am trying to say to them is, “If you are going to do something, you do it and just tell the truth of the way it is – then people will know properly”.

So, through music, I am in the process of putting something together – even when they think it’s gone, it’s gone for them but not for me, as a musician, because all the great musician who highlight through music and through lyrical and bring people together from all different walk of life, they have not been mentioned.

Nothing at all! No wonder it’s quiet – because you don’t have music which highlight it. If you really want something to bear, you should have the music, bring the music. That’s what I am trying to put together now.

Anything else you want to say?

I just want to give thanks and praise unto the Most High to keep me and to make me know. This music is not for sale.

It’s a gift, and if you give to the world, the world will give back to you. I have to live, but I was living right before I started playing music, so money is not the first thing within music.

The music is the seed and if you plant it, the tree grows and everyone can eat from it. It’s not just for me.
One Love to the world, it is the Most High give that.
Give thanks!

Norman Darwen For UnitedReggae.com


For Norman Darwen Interviews with all the best reggae stars see:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=%22+Norman+Darwen+%22&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

- Norman Darwen for UnitedReggae.com

Kwabena Nip (the name means "born on a Tuesday") will be releasing a double A sided single "FREEMAN / COMING HOME" from his forthcoming album "ANCESTORAL VESSEL" on 16 th April.

This will coincide with the 200th Anniversary of the Emancipation of Slavery and he has invited No1 selling artist Diane Charlemagne (ex vocalist with Moby, Goldie and Urban Cookie) to do guest vocals on the Gospel- tinged track "COMING HOME" which will surely appeal to all who are physically or spiritually oppresssed. (- its also a top tune.).

The soul searching and soul bearing lyrics of "FREEMAN" also reveal a man on a mission.Kwabena is the spearhead behind the campaign for forgiveness and moving on positively together at this time of rememberance of the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade as the lyrics to his songs explain. In addition, he will be launching a series of Key Media Events and concerts throughout the UK - kicking off with a joint headlining concert at Manchester University on May 10th, with the Radical Jamaican Poet and Artist Linton Kwesi Johnson.

And as Kwabena is being acknowledged more and more in the press as a natural born leader, advocator of peace, unity, spirituality and forgiveness, he says "Its time to acknowledge the past and then let it go, and move on positively together in spiritual growth and harmony."

Over the last few years he has shared the stage with the likes of , LUCIANO, MISTY IN ROOTS, MORGAN HERITAGE and SUGAR MINOTT, and has delighted festival audiences from Zurich to Gambia

He has also shared the stage with Tippa Irie,Horace Andy ,Freddie McGregor, General Levi,Macka B,Twinkle Brothers, Frankie Paul ,Beverley Knight ,China Black, Basil Otis & Mystics, Levi Roots, Audio Web, AND MANY OTHERS
( at the Music In the Sun Festival, Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield )

... "If you like Bob Marley You'll Love Kwabena."

Staff Writer The Big Eye Newspaper April 2007
- The Big Eye Newspaper

KWABENA. I. Bop Top Records.

This snazzy little single contains three tracks from Kwabena, originally from Manchester in Jamaica, now living in Manchester, er, England!

I kicks off the proceedings and initially I thought we were going into Gospel, but happily we get into the reggae groove almost as
quick. What stands out mostly is the superb backing from Joy Asher, and whilst there is a slight hint of Marley here, all the classic icons of rock solid reggae abound such as choppy guitars, ovely bass runs, simple yet effective drums and the occasional synth whirring away like an alien cop car.

Freeman and Blessed are the other two tracks, with Freeman being a bit faster and dare I even say even more like Marley, and Blessed being a corker to finish off with.

I'd love to hear some dub versions of these, especially the last two.

Kwabena, judging by these three songs, is something to look out for as he's firmly entrenched in the sounds of classic reggae. (Dw)

http://www.btinternet.com/~moderndance/backissues/44/reviews5.htm
- Modern Dance Magazine

Full line up listed here:

http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/132/Worldbeat-in-action.578071.jp - Peterboroughtoday.co.uk

Introducing Kwabena Interview
*************************

After carving a successful niche for himself in the North of England, Manchester/Jamaican star Kwabena Nipadadae is now doing his bit in the smiling coast of Africa The Gambia.

In an interview with WhatsOn Kwabena described The Gambia as the heart of reggae in Africa He left the country yesterday after taking part in the Roots Homecoming Festival.

It was 1999 when the Jamaican star introduced his music to Gambia at the July 22nd Square in Banjul with the aid of an ace showbiz promoter Lamin Manga he also performed live with his band during the popular Extra Touch GRTS show.

Kwabena fondly remembers the day in 1997 when he danced the "futanpuf", thrilling and refreshing hundreds of people in the village of Kanali.
For him it wasnt a difficult task because in Jamaica they have similar dances during initiation ceremonies.

His band have played all over the U.K.In a couple of days time he is expecting to be on the stage together with world renowned star Luciano. In fact , this is the reason why he couldnt wait around to witness the closing ceremony of the Roots Homecoming Festival.

Kwabena adopted a Ghanian name because of his passion for Africa.
And Africa is warming up to drop an album which will be made available to the Gambian market

The album, which will be called
" Ancestoral Vessel ", is expected to contain beats that are rich and inventive. This exciting album is sure to blow up the Gambia music scene.

During one week he visited almost all the media houses in order to promote the album here.


Alieu Khan :The Daily Observer, Banjul, Gambia)10th June 2006
(Article also syndicated through AllAfrica.com)

Full Interview available here :
(login is required !)
http://secure-booking.org/Jamaica/news/Gambia_Introducing_Kwabena_Nipadadae_AllAfricacom.rss.html - ( Alieu Khan :The Daily Observer, Banjul, Gambia)