DEEP ROOTS

DEEP ROOTS
Dubroom (DUB) Reggae Video Review



WWW, October 2007 - In this -incomplete- documentary, none other than Mikey Dread himself takes us straight to the Deep -Rasta- Roots of Reggae Music, while showing some insight in the Jamaican Recording Studio's during the 1970's in the same time.

The video opens up with a psalm and fire blazing of the chalice while JAH Name is called upon. A scene that is shocking to some, attractive to others, yet purely consciousness for the ones who participate.

Mikey Dread explains just what's happening, as the smoke fills up the spectrum of the camera: this is the chalice of the Rastaman who Chants Down Rastaman. Smoking the chalice is a symbolical representation of the Fire of JAH Rastafari when He will downstroy Babylon once and for all.

As the Nyabinghy drums play, the chalice goes around and everyone takes a few sips. Mikey Dread explains how the Rastaman's church is not a building but his body, and how instead in the incense in the Catholic Churches, the Rastaman will light up the chalice for purification as well.

After watching the session for a few minutes, the video continues to show Count Ossie: the first artist in Jamaica to take the Rastaman's Nyabinghy rhythm to the studio's in order to record. We see them as they play during the visit of Haile Selassie to Jamaica (1966).

Nyabinghy is the Deep Roots rhythm of Reggae, even though one could argue that technically this is not really so. Spiritually, however, it definitely is the roots for many Conscious Reggae artists. A thing which becomes kind of clear by watching this video.

The introduction into the Deep Roots of Reggae is followed by one serious session in the Channel One Studio's, where vocal group the Mighty Diamonds give thanks and praises to Jah Rastafari in sight and sound.

The coronation of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I is next: an event that would have more impact than many would realize when it happened in the 1930's. Bob Marley, the King of Reggae, would put one of the speeches of the Ethiopian King to music. In the video, we'll see him perform this track called "War".

As said in the introduction: the documentary is incomplete. There's an annoying time-bar in the video screen as well, but altogether this 20 minutes or so of Deep Roots in sight and sound reveals more about the true Roots of Reggae than millions of hours worth of slick Hollywood "Reggae" could ever do!

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