Preliminary report: the Nature of Reggae as preferred musical genre in the 
United States.

Approximately three months ago, I began gathering material for a projected 
"History of Reggae in the United States".  I called for responses on several 
Reggae Internet forums.  I had an initial reply of approximately 200 
correspondents of which approximately 100 continued through the opening 
phases and some 70 continued to reply to three related inquiries.  The first 
inquiry concerned the introduction of the respondant to reggae music; the 
second was an historical questionaire concerning the development of the 
respondant's interest in the music; the third was a request to answer the 
question, in as free a manner as the respondant chose, as to the deeper 
meaning of Reggae.
     
What follows is not the "History of Reggae in the US" that I was hoping for; 
as a couple respondants pointed out, this will take more research than I have 
as yet been able to invest in the project.

Nonetheless from the responses I received, a number of informal observations 
can be made concerning the popularity of reggae in the US.

1. Historicity:

     Unlike the development of reggae's popularity in Jamaica itself, or in 
the United Kingdom, both of which are well described in such texts as the 
"Rough Guide to Reggae", the development of Reggae's following in the US has 
not been uniform.  Most listeners of the music did not hear the music in a 
planned manner (eg, an intention to go to a "reggae concert") nor from 
hearing it on the radio first, but rather were circumstantially introduced to 
it - such as, visiting a friend's house while a reggae track was being played 
on the stereo, or hearing a reggae tune played by a rockband.  The importance 
here is that the dissonance of the music with the surrounding circumstance 
appears to have excited interest in the music, rather than fulfilled an 
expectation.  

"I was a Jazz (Upright) bass player in Woodstock NY in the mid 70s. (...) at 
that point my friend Swami played me a Big Youth tune with the line "John 
Coltrane died of a love Supreme".  Somehow the line drew me in to listen 
closer. It seemed like all at once the magic of the bass line hit me.  It was 
as if I GOT IT.  Up until then, to be honest, I thought reggae sounded like 
simplistic rock.  But suddenly I was moved. I realized there was a Zen like 
minimalism that was genius.  What you didn't play was more important than 
what you did play" - Jamie Cirrito, aka "Nepro."

Notice that what was "GOT" was exactly what was least expected of the music - 
this theme recurrs again and again among those who heard reggae  first as 
young adults - there were actually quite a number of respondants who first 
heard the music as children, thus growing up with it.  For others, a 
circumstance occurred in which the music sounded strange, and this srangeness 
appears to have drawn the listener into a desire for familiarity, for 
"getting it". 

Another former jazz musicians relates a tale of gradual development rather 
than sudden experience:  "Up to that point {1976} I was in a latin jazzrock 
band, that played in the down town Seattle area. (...) My first reggae 
concert was Third World (...). after this concert I was inspired to add some 
reggae to my songlist as I could relate to the riddem and just as importantly 
the lyrics.  From there things continued to grow and I eventually had a band 
that was reggae and worldbeat." - Earl Shepphard   

This suggests the somewhat erratic linneage of USA reggae. Unlike the UK 
where reggae's popularity seems to have developed fairly steadily, the 
historical development of US reggae has progressed by fits and starts, and 
with great diversity among growing fans of the music.  


In the 60s, Jamaican records were heard (eg, "My Boy Lollipop") but there was 
no identifying the music as alien to other forms of American pop.  Then in 
the early 70s, the initial tours by the Wailers, occurring simultaneously 
with the release of the cult classic "The Harder They Come", at last 
identified reggae as a music coming from a definite culture that was 
identifiably not "American" ("The Harder They Come" is a film spoken in 
English but in a dialect so thick it requires subtitles.)  This appears to 
have attracted the attention of some former hippies struggling to find a 
music that was "mellow" (a key American term in the early 70s) and still 
politically conscious. "I grew up in the midwest in the 60s and 70s listening 
to the likes of Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead, being a 'product' of these 
times the social commentary in reggae was appealing to me." - David & Darlene 
aka jah1.  By 1975 America began producing homegrown bands like Blue Riddim, 
and the Shakers.  

This audience remained, and remains, and accounts for a large part of the 
American reggae audience that is not Jamaican expatriate in origin.  However 
there appeared in the later 70s a new, entirely different audience for 
reggae, comprised largely of ex-rockers per se.  Here I can reiterate my own 
story: As a punk rocker in 1977 I was on the look out for a music of 
integrity.  As Punk slowly became more acceptable - and commercial - it lost 
its meaning for me, and I felt betrayed/ At just this point I stumbled onto 
Burning Spear's utterly visionary "Man in the Hills" LP, a record 
uncompromising in its authenticity. ("Wonderful story... satan introduced me 
to reggae/ and oddly enough it was reggae i slew satan with and helps me deal 
with myself" - Healeree.)
   
But consider Robert Rubenstein's introduction to reggae "in 1981, during my 
freshman year at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.  First, I caught a 
show of Cleveland reggae band I-Tal at a local university club, and 
immediately responded to the difference in attitude of not only the band but 
the audience.  I had played rock & roll throughout high school, and was quite 
the rock music junkie.  Somehow, this exposure to a new music hit the right 
chord, where the audience wasn't simply sitting, bobbing their heads and 
smoking cigarettes - they were smiling, socializing and dancing with complete 
strangers."

Note that in both our stories an air of vacuous posing lingers over our rock 
music memories, in juxtaposition to the meaningful culture discovered in the 
reggae experience.  

During the 80s, reggae began influencing African-American music in a major, 
if unaknowledged, way. "Undervalued for its historic contribution to pop 
music: forebearer to hip hop, 12" dance single, dub etc." - "Nattyrebel." 
Even if African-Americans shrug off reference - or preferences - for reggae, 
the fact remains that African American musicians have been seriously 
influenced by Jamaican rhythms, recording techniques, and subject matter.  
This "musicians' music" audience must be respected for the important 
influence it wields over African American culture as a whole. 

"Reggae music is at the forefront of a synthesis of popular religion (...) 
and original african roots oral tradition that has continued to evolve and 
survive throughout slavery until today" - Kiriki Delaney. 

Finally, mention must be made of the waves of Caribbean immigrants to the 
United States.  "I am from Trinidad and Tobago, living in Baltimore, and my 
interests in reggae began as a child listening to Bob Marley on my radio 
(...)" - Danny Dread.  
     
One such wave appears to have occurred in the early-mid 70s, yet another in 
the early-mid 80s, yet another in the early-mid 90s.  Each wave is noticeable 
by its musical allegience to a certain style of reggae.  The roots-dedicated 
older Jamaicans form a largely separate group from the dancehall-ragga 
audience of Jamaicans who came to the US in the 90s. "I think reggae and 
dancehall are two separate types of music with basically two separate crowds 
but with the same root." - "Melchmu."

We thus find ourselves discussing not the development of one audience for a 
single music, but the development of several audiences of varied backgrounds 
held together by attraction to well-defined styles of reggae.

2. Spirituality

     But consider this life change: "Ras Matthew, born Matthew Mack, took to 
the stage with fury in the 80's as the singer with the local punk powerhouse 
The Fearless Iranians from Hell.  He was 16 and on the verge of being signed 
to a major label.  In 1988, Matthew experienced a conversion and embraced 
reggae and the Rastafarian religion." - Steven Ibanez.  Well, you can't get 
more transformative than that!  But the narratives I have so far collected 
attest again and again to this transformative power of the music.

In fact, some cognate of the word "spirit" appears in virtually every 
response I've received concerning the deeper meaning of the music for the 
respondant: "Spiritual', "Inspired", etc. On an historical note it should be 
mentioned that "spiritus" is Latin for "breath" and the notion of being 
"inspired" is really an ancient notion of the breath of God infusing one's 
being.

"I can't say that any individual or band got me 'hooked' on reggae.  There 
are many that INFLUENCED me and INTRODUCED me to new music.  But getting 
'hooked?' - that honor goes to reggae itself, and its spirituality and 
positive vibes." - Will Schultz.

It is important to note that this defines the spirituality of reggae as a 
necessary component of reggae per se.  That is, it is the music itself that 
is spiritual, not any one performer, or style, or lyric.  It is Reggae itself 
that has spirituality  and exudes Positive vibes.

It is this notion that I have read again and again in the responses to my 
survey. David Asher's response, "Reggae was sent by God to heal the planet 
and break downpression!" is the norm for those who follow reggae as 
performers or listeners, not an odd and poetic exception. 
       
But consider this story from a young performer: "{The audience} were bound 
and determined not to like us.  Earl attempted his usual "engage the 
audience" tactics to no avail.  Pin-drop silence, feet nailed to the floor, 
arms crossed and faces scowling, we took an early break to regroup.  Linda, 
the lead keyboard player, had a beautiful alto voice that countered my mezzo 
soprano range magnificently.  Her impromptu abilities were equally as 
magnificent.  I suggested we get out the congas and do a reggae spiritual 
that we customarily reserved for ourselves and had only sung in the privacy 
of our home studio.  Earl coordinated with the sound and light man.  In the 
darkness, the congas began.  Earl plucked out a simple bass line.  I began... 
"Birds in the tree tops, praise Rastafari.  Flowers in Jah garden, praise 
Rastafari.  Rastaman a sit upon a hilltop.  He praise Rastafari.  Then why 
should I, why should I not praise Rastafari."  Then Linda joined in with 
harmonies.  It was exquisite!  The lights didn't go on until we rimshot into 
the next piece and brought down the house.  When I was able to see the row of 
rude boys at the front of the stage, they were standing arms down, eyes wide 
and chins dropped.  We had 'em!  That night I knew I was doing what I was 
supposed to be doing." - Margret Larcomb.

I find this story particularly attractive because it shows the spiritual 
power of reggae as a communal experience, and that this spiritual power is 
part and parcel of that experience.  We all know that reggae is "fun" to 
dance to, that DJs "toast" with amusing wit, that dancehall occasionally 
thrives on "slackness", ie promiscuous sexuality expounded lyrically.  But 
when these or similar "crowd pleasing" qualities fall away, the core of the 
music is revealed to be the fundamentally spiritual rhythm and voice 
discoverable in its purest form in Rastafarian "grounations" or communal 
celebrations.  This appears to over-code the form with its own roots in 
Rastafarian beliefs; and to a certain extent this is true.  But consider 
Shawn Flahave's remarks: "I consider myself not an atheist but a 
non-denominational person.  One of my favorite reggae songs is "Satta Amassa 
Gana".  So if someone wants to sing about Jah it doesn't bother me.  Sing 
about Jah, Jesus, Buddha, Yahweh, whoever.... To me it's all praises to the 
universal spirit that makes all things possible.  (...) As far as the 
political messages that are prominent in reggae - I agree with them.  
Equality and justice.  Who in their right minds could have a problem with 
that?" Who, indeed?  The spirituality of reggae lies within the music as a 
common-sense communalism.  That is, unlike most other music forms, it depends 
on all of its players equally, rather than its "stars".  That is why such 
"stars" come and go, while the music itself remains.  This in contrast to 
rock and other pop -dance musics that thrive on their celebrity systems, 
without which they would cease to exist - a rock song without a a "star" 
singer's vocal histrionics or an instrumental solo by a would-be star 
guitarist, is virtually unimagineable.  Similar histrionics and solo glitz 
are not foreign to the reggae experience but ultimately prove unimportant to 
it.  The "star" of the band of Lacomb's story is Earl (Earl Zero). But it was 
not his stardom that won the audience over, but the musically communal 
expression of the whole band.

And this communalism is "common-sensical" in the plain accepted meaning of 
the term - it just makes sense to work in harmony for a common good rather 
than depend upon the charisma of a single individual.  As DJ Big Jim writes, 
"I see a lot of people turning toward Rasta because it is something the 
western mind seeks, peace, tranquility and natural living.  When we live in a 
concrete jungle who wouldn't want to live a simpler life?"  Again, who, 
indeed?  And note that Big Jim here writes of Rasta as the "it" the "western 
mind" seeks.  Reggae with its Rasta-originated core doesn't "have" what we 
seek, it IS what we seek.  
Stripped of its showmanship, this is what identifies reggae as a musical 
genre of continuing vitality. That is why not a single respondant wrote that 
he or she could imagine ever NOT listening to reggae.  It is easy to imagine 
"growing up" and getting tired of teen-age love songs prevalent among other 
pop music genres. But the base of reggae offers something timeless and 
ageless and of-the-spirit - inspired, infused with the breath of the 
Almighty, the Universal.  It has an historical origin, but appears to have no 
historical end.  Nearing sixty years old, Mick Jagger sounds like a dirty old 
man fawning over young girls, a cradle-robber; at a similar age, Burning 
Spear (by contrast) retains and enhances his dignity by insisting on 
compassion and on a communalism based on a common-sensical  shared 
spirituality.  Whatever reggae is, IS what is sought, the complex integration 
of rhythms and melodies that must be shared to be realized. completely.

3. Incidentals:

     Those are the major discoveries of my study.  How they will come 
together in a larger, more in-depth analysis remains to be seen.  

A few minor points to close this initial report:

A. Ethnically, the respondants were split fairly evenly between Jamaican 
expatriates and "native-born" Americans; also fairly equally between European 
Americans and African Americans; also fairly equally between men and women; 
the age of the respondants was quite diverse, from teenagers to men and women 
in their fities; geographically there to be three reggae hot-spots, New York 
City, Southern California and Florida, but there was considerable variation 
in location of the respondants.  And finally, the respondants were divided 
fairly equally between those who admitted to well-to-tdo origins ("growing up 
in the suburbs") and those who grew up poor and struggle even today to make 
living.  

The demographic origins of the listeners and players of reggae therefore 
appear not to have a meaningful impact on the nature of the music - To be 
sure it originated in response to oppression; but its compassionate 
communalism allows a shared meaning that transcends those origins, even while 
continuing to press for alleviation of the oppression of those social origins 
that are still, alas, found among us.

B. After Bob Marley and the Wailers, the single most influential reggae band 
among Americans has been Aswad.

C. Those who follow the music as fans often end up participating in the 
performance and dissemination of the music.  Once "hooked" a reggae fan 
almost inevitably becomes an active participant in the maintenance of the 
form.  

D. Thus most respondants are optimistic concerning the continued vitality of 
the form.  They do not see it "breaking out" and "conquering" the general 
American audience pool, but they do see it maintaining its integrity and 
continually growing in popularity.

E. However, because of the spirituality of the form, most fans of the music 
remain disinterested in the final goal of reggae's general acceptance - ie, 
they would remain fans even if the music were to become unpopular to the 
point of being an object of ridicule.  In fact many respondants have a story 
of such ridicule to tell, yet remained stead-fast in their preference to the 
music when friends mocked them for it.  

F. And while most musician-respondants admitted to finding the basics of the 
form easy to learn, they all agreed that ultimate "mastery" of the form by 
any one individual was unlikely and unnecessary.  While good musicianship is 
admired and desired, reggae's popularity depends on the EFFORT to perfect 
musicianship rather than the perfection itself.  This sets it off from other 
communally-centered music forms like jazz that depend on the perfection of 
the musicians' abilities to perform them. 

4. Conclusion

     The conclusion to be drawn from this brief summary is that the history 
of reggae in the USA is more complex than we would imagine, yet arises from a 
developing spiritually simpler than we might suppose. 

Finally it must be aknowledged that the history of reggae does not depend on 
any single demographic group; that means that it can not be isolated nor 
easily discredited nor forgotten. In its common-sensical communal-gathering 
of diversity lies its continuing strength and vitality. We ARE reggae, it 
lives in us, and thus survives as long as we do.  And in its "infectious" 
rhythms, it spreads itself gradually - slowly but surely - among the 
multitude. It may never become "THE" American music, but it will also never 
be eradicated as a genre, despite many marketplace forces (eg lack of radio 
airplay) and cultural biases (eg racism) that form obstacles to its 
dissemination.  In the main its diversity gives it a vitality that overcomes 
such obstacles:  Reggae is here to stay.
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rasreddanni@hotmail.com (danny fallon) #301