Tony Culture

I just got a new cd from Tony Culture (yeah, that’s right Tony Culture) and bwoy, talk ‘bout pure niceness! Those of you who remember Tony from his days inna Baltimore will no doubt be glad to hear that he’s doing well and keeping his Reggae torch aloft from his current locale. As we in Balt-I-More lament the “no Reggae” dilemma, it’s heartening (at least to me) to see that one of our own is still out there representin’. “One love, Hon!”

Of course Tony’s roots go a lot further back than B’more, way back a ‘Yard in fact. But still he’s “one of our own”. His latest CD, “Chant” is self-released on the Livity Muzick label. It’s a varied, inviting, engaging, and telling peek into the life of a man who has been gone from this-here ‘shitty’ for almost a decade but is never forgotten due in part to his kind spirit and quick smile.

On the opener, Culture gives them “Something to Talk About,” chatting with deft confidence over the deep grooving bassline. Culture acknowledges, praises, and affirms his Rasta roots with “Meaning of Life,” and “Chant,” giving peaceful and meaningful voice to his deep love for Jah and life. On “Mother” he pays homage to another equally important set of roots, acknowledging that it was his Mamma who made him who he is today. With “West Word Ho!” he denounces the gun culture lifestyle, with its easy money and tough realities.

It’s really two high-energy dancehall cuts “Fresh Girls Dem” and “Ouchie” that illustrate Culture’s deejay agility, while really lighting a fire under this cd. As “Ouchie” beats out an infectious hook and driving dance riddim, I reflect on how badly it deserves some of that oh-so-elusive commodity - major mainstream airplay. A big-name collaboration and from the likes of Lost Boy Mr. Cheeks, or beter yet, Damian Jr. Gong Marley would give it a little boost. And with just a little support, this track could bounce right to the top, fe real! Visit www.livitymuzick.com for ordering information.

- Allie-I - Allie-I

TONY CULTURE: Chant
A combination of Roots Reggae, Dancehall spiced with a pinch of hip-hop that delivers strong positive messages to uplift the soul and mind (LIVITY). A must have for serious conscious Reggae lovers.
- Mary Dread

Taken from Winston Grennan's Biography
...
Justice for the "Unknown Legend"
Reggae Pioneer Winston Grennan Looks Forward and Back
by Gary Alexander .... Having recorded with virtually every major reggae artist and group from Bob Marley & The Wailers to Desmond Decker & the Aces, Peter Tosh, Toots & the Maytals, and on & on through thick pages of sessions, Grennan is currently chasing justice with a new album release under his own name, Wash Over Gold, and has chosen his home base of Woodstock as the place to kick off a coast-to-coast CD celebration tour (at the Byrdcliffe Barn on Sunday, September 21 [1997], at 3 and 7 p.m.) ...The new album, the third under his own name, starts off with "Domestic Violence," treating the topic with a joyful simplicity of lyric typical of reggae even when addressing human darkness- the root of all evil, for example, never seems unredeemably ominous on "That Man." Bad, sure. Regrettable, yes. But keep that light-hearted stance within as you play- it's not part of you. (A portion of the album's proceeds is being donated to Family Violence Prevention Fund.) "Colorful Faces" follows with a guest vocal from Tony Culture stirring in on Grennan's own against, as you would expect, a rhythm-drenched backdrop. Grennan's stretch of tempos on most of the album is a range he calls "Swegway," meant to incorporate international rhythmic attitudes with unexpected energies between standard reggae and ska. Still pioneering, Grennan takes familiar themes to his own blend of flavors, writing the tracks with a stray lyrical touch on a couple of the songs from the disk's astute producer, Mark Brown, and Nancy Lewis, and adapting Don Drummond in a tribute that features some quite tasty brass flourishes from Todd Horton and Winston, himself. David Oliver adds some fine keyboard touches. ...
read the entire review at: http://www.hvmusic.com/article/alexander/winston_grennan/

- Gary Alexander