El Pueblo: June 2011

Friday, June 24, 2011

Podcast Number 3

Numbah 3 !
The Ocean - ISLA - El PuebloChalwa - Presents - 10 Ft Ganja Plant Point Blank Observor Style - Microphone Attack - I RoyTop Ten - Reggae Greats - Gregory IsaacsOld Man Dub - Dub Trilogy, A History of Dub - Jah ThomasBuss A Blank - Island Breeze Riddim - Delly RanxEmanuel Road - Deadly - TigerGanja Farmer - Locked Out - Marlon AsherBlacula Version - King Tubby's in a Fine Style - The CrystalitesBarbwire Disaster - Ital Dub - Augustus PabloThe World is Troubled - Foul Play - Dennis BrownMi Sueño - The NY Sessions EP w Chino Sing - El PuebloAll Nations Bow - The Chanting Dread Inna Fine Style - Big Youth

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Luis Dias

Today is Luis Dias' birthday. He would have turned 59 this year.
He had a very strong influence on me (Robert) as a guitarrist, composer, and overall musician.
I had the honor of taking lessons with him onstage, and also got to share some laughs, some beers, and many moments of music enlightenment.
"Music Enlightenment" seems like a very abstract phrase; and it is. In fact, I don't think I could describe it; but those that got to be around him with an instrument in their hands understand what I mean.

He is a major influence for El Pueblo. It's not a direct or obvious one, but its there. It's not an influence in the way we play our music or rhythms that we choose to play, but more about the way that our music is written, presented, and performed. An overall idea of your place in society as a musician. Again, abstract.

I always say, and perhaps others have as well, "Luis Dias was the only guitarist in the world that could play Blues, and make the guitar sound Dominican." And I dont mean that he put a lil' Bachata riff over it, I mean make it sound Dominican even though he was still playing the Blues.

Here's a clip from Transporte Urbano the best Dominican Rock band EVER and one of the most important bands in the American continent that most have never heard.

Happy birthday Lui !

(by the way picture on top its him playing my blue strat. He use to love that guitar ! I always think of him when I play it)

Friday, June 10, 2011

Podcast Number 2

The Summer Is Here Jam

Kev's Jam - ISLA - El Pueblo
Jammy A Shine - DUB: Journey in Bass Culture - Prince Jammy
Jerusalem Dub - Jesus Dread - King Tubby
Manchester Dub - Dubbing in the U.K. - Desi All Stars
The Gorgan - Very Best - Cornell Campbell
Skanky Producer - Double Top - Junior Reid
Six Foot Six - No Bones For The Dogs - Joe Gibbs & The Professionals
Rasta No Pickpocket - Rasta No Pickpocket - Junior Byles
Dejate Llevar - ISLA - El Pueblo
Chant A Psalm - True Democracy - Steel Pulse
Reggae On The River - Forever - Israel Vibrations