Marvin Gaye may have protested more elegantly, but “What a Gwaan,” the first single off Tosh’s fifth album, has conviction born of lineage. It’s an anthem that is as applicable to the plight of Trench Town as it is to the Greek financial crisis — a forceful, defining chant that is vintage old school reggae from the scion of one of the founders of the genre. “It is about Jamaica, but it’s really what’s happening all over the world — no money, blood running, people getting killed and exploited by the greedy,” says Tosh, the 45-year-old son of late reggae legend Peter Tosh, in an interview. The album, Eye to I, will be released this fall. Tosh who looks and sounds remarkably like his father, will preview it when he plays Toronto’s Jambana festival at Downsview Park on Aug. 6, a commemoration of Jamaica’s 50th anniversary of independence. But in 50 years of freedom, Tosh is still singing songs of protest — of economic slavery and exploitation — that his father, who taught Bob Marley how to play guitar, sang so passionately about.

During its short but eventful five year history Dan Wiltshire's One Love Festival has survived repeated venue changes, unsympathetic authorities and rival promoters. This year the event faced battles with their site's owners, stringent noise regulations and a couple of artist no-shows, yet maintained its mix of good music and low key relaxed vibes - blessed by one of the most gorgeously sunny weekends of the year.  After two years based in Hainault, Essex, Wiltshire decided to return his event to Kent – to the site of Vince Power's Hop Farm Festival in Paddock Wood. The traditional growery of hops, a crucial ingredient in beer and a member of the cannabis family, seemed the perfect place to continue the uniquely chilled out reggae and dub vibe of the gathering in bucolic seclusion.

What: Boss Sounds Festival 2012
When: October 12 and 13, 2012, 11pm-3am
Where: World Headquarters Newcastle .
Tickets £10.00

Anthony B, Brother Culture, Pangea Sound System

Direct from Jamaica Anthony B is one of the world's biggest reggae stars, regularly headlining major European Festivals. Draped in the rich colours of African cloth, his trademark staff in hand, and his dreadlocks wrapped regally on his head, Anthony B embodies all that it is spiritual and proactive about Reggae music.

Forty-nine years. Nearly five decades. Almost half a century. That's how much time has passed since The Skatalites first assembled boogie-woogie blues, jazz, Calypso, mento and African rhythms into one of Jamaica's signature musical styles. Nine of the original 10 Skatalites have passed on, but founding member Lester “Ska” Sterling continues to hold forth on alto sax as the newer version of the band tours in support of their latest album, “Walk With Me.” From the 1964 debut album, “Ska Authentic,” to the new one, the times and musicians may have changed, but the music -- and the love of it -- has remained the same.
Things started way back at what was considered a place to send “wayward boys,” Alpha Boys School. The school, run by the Sisters of Mercy, maintained not only high expectations of behavior, but of musicianship as well. Original Skatalite Tommy McCook was enrolled in Alpha Boys School in 1938. Other Skatalites, including Sterling, trombonist Don Drummond, Johnny “Dizzy” Moore, Cedric Brooks, Vin Gordon, Rico Rodriquez, Ernest Ranglin, Eddie “Tan Tan” Thornton, Bobby Ellis, “Horsemouth” Wallace and JoJo Bennett, all of whom have played with or were members of The Skatalites, were also students at Alpha Boys School.
Sterling remembers the school as a place you could learn a trade and an instrument. Legend has it that Moore got himself in trouble just to be sent to Alpha so he could play music with the best. Music theory was an integral part of learning to play, and the rigorous training at Alpha Boys School resulted in a brilliant generation of Jamaican musicians. These musicians would influence the changing sounds of the 1960s.
As Jamaica gained its independence, the island's music took on a new life, mixing dancehall with jazz and incorporating social consciousness into the greater themes of the songs. The brain trust of this new world was Studio One, where The Skatalites began recording. One of their songs, “Simmer Down,” became Bob Marley's first No. 1 Jamaican hit. In addition to backing Marley and The Wailers, The Skatalites played behind other top singers of the day -- Stranger Cole, Alton Ellis, Ken Boothe, Toots and The Maytals, Delroy Wilson, Peter Tosh and Jimmy Cliff, all of whom benefited from the incredible musicianship of the band.

How good were they? So good that after officially forming as The Skatalites in 1964, their first rehearsal -- at the Hi-Hat club, a legendary New Orleans burlesque club -- turned into their first gig when so many people crammed inside to listen that the owner started charging admission. The salad days were short-lived however, as The Skatalites' story took a dark turn.

Trombonist Don Drummond was often described as a “mad genius.” Widely acknowledged as both a brilliant songwriter and erratic performer, Drummond often admitted himself to the sanatorium. Ultimately, his instability led to the stabbing and killing of his common-law wife Marguerita Mahfood in an apparent fit of jealousy on New Year's Eve of 1965. By August, The Skatalites had split into two supergroups, Rolando Alphonso and the Soul Vendors, and Tommy McCook and the Supersonics. In early 1967, Drummond's ska adaptation of the theme to the film “The Guns of Navarone” entered the U.K.'s Top Forty chart. He died in the Bellevue Asylum in 1969.

But this was not to be the end of the story. In 1974, bass player Lloyd Brevett was recording a solo album that, bit by bit, turned into a Skatalites reunion. In 1979, the band recorded an album that remains unreleased due to contractual disputes. That setback didn't keep them from moving forward -- they reunited and played Montego Bay's Reggae Sunsplash festival in 1983. The success of that show propelled them forth yet again. Simultaneously through the late 1970s and early 1980s, English two-tone revival groups The Specials, Madness, The English Beat and Selector incorporated The Skatalites influence into their own highly popular music. American bands followed along including The Slackers, HepCat, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, No Doubt, David Hillyard and The Rocksteady 7, The Toasters and King Django. The success of bands influenced by The Skatalites has helped keep the originals -- and the new version of the originals -- in demand.

Through the late 1980s and into the 2000s, the band continued to tour and record. Notably, after first serving as Bunny Wailer's backup band in 1989, they followed up in 1990 performing behind Prince Buster. The momentum continued, leading to 1993's highly acclaimed “Skavoovee.” U.S. audiences were embracing ska with fervor at the time and the constant touring of The Skatalites kept their old fans engaged while gaining new ones exponentially. Even as the band returned to their jazz roots, their following remained extremely loyal.

The Skatalites' current members are Lester Sterling (alto saxophone); Doreen Shaffer (vocals); Azemobo “Zem” Audu (tenor saxophone); Andrae Murchison (trombone); Kevin Batchelor (trumpet); Val Douglas (bass guitar); Natty Frenchy (guitar); Cameron Greenlee (keyboards) and Trevor “Sparrow” Thompson (drums). When it comes to adding new members, the guiding philosophy is that the music is its own entity and each musician brought on board respects that and helps to continue carrying it through to audiences new and old.

Reviews of “Walk With Me,” The Skatalites' 15th studio album released in May 2012, praise the expert arrangement and impeccable performances. Dana Smart writes in the Examiner that “their inimitable chug and hot syncopation confirming the band's status as the originators with such zeal that one would swear Duke Reid or Coxson Dodd himself was behind the boards, coaxing these fiery performances from the band.” In the Austin Chronicle, Dan Oko raves “... dancehall done right. Pass it along!” An Afropop Worldwide review gushes “'Walk With Me' is, front to back, an unqualified pleasure of a listen.”

Samples from “Walk With Me” can be found in the audio section of skatalites.com.

With the word “legendary” firmly attached to their reputation, the fact that The Skatalites are coming to Humboldt is spectacular. The fact that they're playing in the intimate venue of Arcata's Jambalaya is even more amazing. Catch them Saturday at 10 p.m. and be sure to get tickets ($20) in advance through jambalayaarcata.com. The show is 21 and over. Elephant Dub Squad opens.

What: The Skatalites

When: 10 p.m. Saturday

Where: Jambalaya, 915 H St., Arcata

Admission: $20 in advance, 21+

The Vilar Performing Arts Center's fall Underground Sound series is underway, but the venue is not ready to pack it in for winter just yet. The Vilar Center will extend its lineup with a bonus eighth performance on Nov. 11 when Toots and the Maytals Unplugged Acoustic Tour comes to the venue, along with Anders Osborne. Toots and the Maytals, once known simply as the Maytals, are considered legends of ska and reggae music. Lead singer and native Jamaican Toots Hibbert and his band helped chart the course of Jamaican music through its various evolutions of ska, reggae and rock.

The Buckroe Beach Reggae Fest brings together fans of Jamaican-flavored music and culture for a day of fresh air, good grooves and laid-back fellowship.

It might not be obvious at first glance, but the event is also meant to appeal to children. In addition to live music, the festival offers activities for youngsters including sand soccer and face painting. The atmosphere is intended to be family-friendly.

"To be honest, that's the reason I wanted to start the festival," said Kevin Purnell, one of the event's founders. "I wanted to make something for the kids to look forward to, something positive … That's No. 1 on the list, the kids."

Purnell, the father of a 12-year-old son, takes pride in the growth of the Buckroe Beach Reggae Fest, which returns Saturday for a third run.

As many as 8,000 music lovers crowded Buckroe Beach Park last spring for the event and organizers are hoping for an even bigger turnout this time around.

"The energy is different," Purnell said. "We've worked so hard to promote it, it's almost like the first one again."

Local reggae enthusiasts including Purnell, Seko "Blackstarliner" Francis and Cindi Lewis-Brown launched the event in 2011 with a mostly local set of performers including Tuff Lion, United Souls and Stable Roots. A crowd of about 5,000 turned out for that first edition.

While last year's festival, which featured Nature's Child, Bimini Rd and Bambu Station, drew a bigger crowd, some of the fun was tainted by wet weather.

This year, the Buckroe bash offers music from local favorites United Souls and Session Rockers along a set from a full-fledged headliner, Culture featuring Kenyatta Hill.

The band is credited with helping to define the roots reggae style. Kenyatta Hill took over leadership of Culture after his father, Joseph Hill, died in 2006.

"Joseph Hill's devotion to the traditional Rastafarian values of purity, simplicity and justice is exemplified by Culture's lyrical themes," a bio for the band explains.

Milo Miles, writing for The New York Times, once named Culture "the leading exponent of 'conscious reggae,'" meaning that the band's messages are often uplifting and socially relevant.

That's part of what makes the music appeal to Purnell.

"I've been seeing them since the late 1980s or '90s, in Washington, D.C, California, Europe," Purnell said. "Having them down at Buckroe, right in my neighborhood, is going to be amazing."

Want to go?

What: Buckroe Beach Reggae Fest

When: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, May 11

Where: Buckroe Beach Park, 100 S. First Street, Hampton

Admission: Free

Schedule:

11-11:45 a.m. Machet Reggae Band

Noon-12:45 p.m. Destined Nation

1:05-1:50 p.m. Tonahope

2:10 -3:00 p.m. United Souls

3:20-4:05 p.m. Session Rockers

4:30-5:15 p.m. Antero

5:45-6:45 p.m. Jahworks

7:15-8:45 p.m. Culture

The idea for Reggae Fest started 22 years ago, while Jim Jenkins and Bill King were on a bicycle tour of Jamaica. The business partners, who five years earlier acquired The Historic Trempealeau Hotel, wanted to bring that music and cool vibe to Trempealeau.

Since 1991, Reggae Fest has established itself as an early gem on the Coulee Region’s summer festival calendar.

“It holds certain risks to have an outdoor event in May, but we wanted to jump-start the summer,” said Jenkins, who sold the hotel to Amy Werner last year. “We’ve had Reggae Fest on days with 90 degree weather but also when it was only 50 degrees and raining. The fans, at least, never seemed to mind.”

Reggae Fest is always set for the Saturday before Memorial Day. This year, the long-range weather forecast is for temperatures in the low 70s and mostly sunny skies, ideal conditions for an outdoor festival.

Events such as Reggae Fest have a positive impact in a small village such as Trempealeau — fans regularly outnumber Trempealeau’s population of 1,500 — and boost business at local hotels, restaurants, bars and gas stations.

“The hotel has a long history of having great music and attracting visitors from metropolitan areas like the Twin Cities, and these visitors sharing their Trempealeau experience with friends, families and coworker, is the best marketing we as a community could ask for,” said Village Administrator Travis Cooke.

To warm things up on Friday night, Madison’s DJ Hardworking Lover pulls out his favorite records and spins music from old school to dance hall.

The first act on Saturday is Dred I Dread. With members from Jamaica, Mexico, Turkey and the United States, the band combines myriad styles around a solid core of Jamaican reggae.

The second slot is filled by reggae powerhouse Gizzae. These Caribbean, African and American musicians — Rocket, Ruphael, Clem, Evans and Ralph — have been performing for more than 30 years.

“When you play reggae in different parts of the world, you notice more similarities than differences between the fans,” said Brian “Rocket” Rock.

“Our musical influences are quite diverse,” said Sedar G., Gizzae’s lead guitarist. “They range from Elvis Costello and Bob Dylan to The Clash and Mutabaraku.”

Headliner T.U.G.G. plays at 8 p.m. Reggae Fest also is the official release party for the La Crosse-based band’s fourth full-length EP “Maze.”

“We’ve grown into our song writing as a group,” said lead singer Andy Hughes. “We tried to make the album have a flow. It turned out to really weave in and out of reggae-rock and rock-ska. The hotel has one of the most beautiful backdrops I’ve seen for live music. You have the gorgeous Mississippi River behind the wooden open-air stage — it’s just so serene.”

Werner said she and her staff look forward to Reggae Fest each year.

“Folks are done with winter and want to listen to warm tunes and celebrate outside amongst nice people,” she said.

IF YOU GO

What: Reggae Fest 2013, featuring featuring Dred I Dread (2 to 5 p.m.), Gizzae (5 to 8 p.m.); T.U.G.G. (8 to 11 p.m.); and after-party with DJ Trichrome (11 p.m. to 2 a.m.)

Featuring: Reggae music, arts and crafts, and food

Where: The Historic Trempealeau Hotel, Trempealeau

When: Doors open at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 18

Tickets: $17 in advance and $22 day of show; $7 for children ages 5 to 15, and children 4 and younger are free. Ticket outlets are Dave’s Guitar Shop, 1227 S. Third St.; People’s Food Co-op, 315 Fifth Ave. S.; Deaf Ear Records, 112 S. Fourth St.; Blue Heron Bicycle Works, Onalaska; River Trail Cycles, Holmen; and Hardt’s Music, Winona, Minn.

Motet drummer and founding member Dave Watts says he plays “music to get lost in.” Nicely matched, State Bridge has the venue to get lost in, and there's no better opportunity than this weekend's Take It To The Bridge festival. Co-headlining are Black Uhuru and See-I featuring members of Thievery Corporation. Supporting the three-day event along the Colorado River are Euforquestra, Nicki Bluhm and the Gamblers, That One Guy and many others. From Boulder, The Motet has been tearing up the national jam scene for 12 years, evolving and helping pioneer the electronic sophistication of that last decade.

Reggae legends The Wailers will make their Northwest Arkansas debut in Fayetteville in November, it was announced last week. The band, known best for its work with Bunny Wailer and late Reggae-music icons Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10 at the Walton Arts Center.Original member Aston Barrett remains an anchor in the band on bass guitar, and is joined by Elan Atias and Koolant Brown on lead vocals; Keith Sterling on keys; Anthony Watson on drums; Audley Chisholm on rhythm guitar; Chico Chin on trumpet; Everald Gayle on trombone; and Brady Walters and Cegee Victory on background vocals.Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, and range from $16-$28. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Walton Arts Center box office at 479-443-5600 or by visiting waltonartscenter.org.

With reggae musicians jamming in the background, Jodian Samuels, of Jamaica, served up dishes that included curried goat, ox tail and jerk chicken. Samuels was visiting the area for the annual People’s Festival: A Tribute to Bob Marley and working at a food stand run by Paradise Palms, a restaurant on King Street in Wilmington. It’s great to educate the community about Jamaica, she said. “It’s lovely,” Samuels said. “It’s really lovely to share our culture with others.” The festival is now in its 18th year. Wilmington was the first American home for Bob Marley. The event to honor him features music, vendors and food stands, and organizers expect to attract 5,000 to 7,000 visitors to Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park this weekend.