Ras Danny&the Reggae All Stars

Happy birthday,
Bob Marley!
Jamaican native and former Bob Marley associate
Ras Danny leads a bevy of local celebrations
Bob Marley would be turning 65 on
February 6. Like John Lennon, fans
are left to wonder what more he
might have accomplished had he not died an
early death.
Two local people, who every year keep
Bob’s flame burning in the minds of
reggae fans, are Wendy of Bali Isle and
her husband Derrick “Ras Danny” Reid, a
Trenchtown native whose early Jamaican
band, Earth’s Disciples, was managed by
Bob shortly before his untimely death.
“Bob Marley was, to me, a teacher,”
reminisced Ras Danny. “When Bob Marley
passed on, a group of us in Trenchtown did
the first Bob Marley tribute show. The next
year his wife and mother joined us, and it’s
been going on ever since.”
After relocating to San Luis Obispo, Bob
emulated the Bob Marley tribute he helped
start in Jamaica with an annual tribute
here, hence, this Thursday, Feb. 4, Ras
Danny & the Reggae All-Star Band will
present “The Trenchtown Tribute Tour”
at Downtown Brew (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $8
presale or $10 at the door). DJ Katchafiya
will open followed by a set from reggae act
Mrs. Brown & the Dub Smugglers.
All proceeds will benefit the “Trenchtown
Culture Yard and Library,” one of Bob’s
favorite charities. Ras Danny plans to use
the money to buy instruments for the youth
center. There’ll be a silent auction with some
great prizes, including a three-day, fournight
yoga retreat.
On Saturday, Feb. 6, the Bob Marley
Celebration continues at Bali Isle’s new
expanded location (672 Higuera St., SLO),
with music and more during an all day event
that marks the 10th anniversary of the first
Bob Marley Birthday Bash that Wendy and
Ras Danny started here in 2000.
And there will be more Bob Marley
Tributes featuring music by Ras Danny
& the Reggae All Star Band as well as DJ
Katchafiya at Mongo’s on Friday, Feb. 12
and at Sweet Springs Saloon on Saturday,
Feb. 13.
“We must show care and give back,” said
Ras Danny.
Truer words have never been Spoken.
Pick your genre
After kicking off the week with Ras
Danny’s reggae show, Downtown Brew will
mix it up with nights of punk, world beat,
emo, and hip-hop.
Check out punk veterans Guttermouth
on Friday, Feb. 5 (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $12).
According to the band, “God loves little
children, combat medics, retarded people ...
and Guttermouth.” Find out why when they
rip through a night of relentless, upbeat,
punk rock.
Ozomatli brings its Latin-flavored hiphop
and world beat to the club on Saturday.
Feb. 6 (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $25). Now
celebrating their 14th year of mashing up
genres and being a leading light of the LA
scene, they bring their notoriously awesome
sound: “an urban-Latino-and-beyond
collision of hip hop and salsa, dancehall and
cumbia, samba and funk, merengue and
comparsa, East LA R&B and New Orleans
second line, Jamaican reggae and Indian
raga.”
The Thermals & Thao will do that
indie, emo, alternative thing they do so
well on Wednesday, Feb. 10 (7:30 p.m.;
all ages; $12). This Portland-based super
group, formed with members of Kind of
Like Spitting, Operacycle, and Hutch and
Kathy and the All Girl Summer Fun Band
is signed to Sub Pop. The Get Down Stay
Down will open the show.
Finally, get your rap and hip-hop on when
Dead Prez visits the club next Thursday,
Feb. 11 (7:30 p.m.; 16-and-old; $15 presale
or $18 at the door).
More music…
Energetic Mendocino-based Americana/
alt.country duo Gwyneth Moreland
and Michael Monko play the Frog and
Peach in SLO on Thursday, Feb. 4. “We
feature lead female vocals accompanied
by a mixture of acoustic/electric guitars,
mandolin, and fiddle,” said Moreland. “We
write our own material and cover a few
traditionals with an edgy sound that’s based
on old-time blues and country.”
Folkie Thursdays with Stuart Mason
and special guests the Foggy Bay String
Band continues this Thursday, Feb. 4
at the Gather Wine Bar in Arroyo Grande
from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Mason is a member
of Molly’s Revenge as well as being known
for his “authentic vocals, melodic mandola,
and inability to hold his whiskey.” The show
is free.
DOING IT FOR THE TRENCHTOWN
KIDS Derrick “Ras Danny” Reid, here with
some youths from his native Jamaica, will
lead his band Ras Danny & the Reggae All-
Stars through its paces during four upcoming
shows: Feb. 4 at Downtown Brew (a fundraiser
for a Trenchtown youth center), Feb. 6
at Bali Isle, Feb. 12 at Mongo’s, and DTB.
Strictly Starkey
Happy birthday,
Bob Marley!
Jamaican native and former Bob Marley associate
Ras Danny leads a bevy of Musician's and
it's world beat sounds to Downtown Brew
on Feb. 6.
PHOTO COURTESY OF RAS DANNY - New Times SLO.