Want to hire reggae music? Will a festival be organized soon that is all about fun? Is it someone's birthday in the family and is it celebrated in a relaxed and sun-drenched way? Then don't forget to think about booking a reggae interpretation. This can ensure that a party can be celebrated completely relaxed. Evenses is happy to help you organize a reggae act.
What is reggae?
Reggae is a Jamaican type of music in which the instruments drums and the bass form the basis. Because the emphasis is placed on these two instruments, the recognizable sound is created that distinguishes reggae from other types of music.
The original term 'reggae' means the music of the king and is borrowed from Spanish. In addition to drums and bass, reggae also uses the instruments piano and guitar, which can be recognized by the striking 'reggae beat'.
Reggae is mainly presented as danceable music and is mainly known as a cheerful and rebellious style. There are many famous reggae artists, such as Bob Marley and his son Ziggy Marley. Artists like these have made a difference throughout reggae culture.
In addition, there are two types of reggae that can be recognized. The first kind is the original reggae and is known as roots reggae. With this music, the power of the songs is mainly in the lyrics. These go deeply into serious topics and provide a lot of criticism about society and conflicts with the government.
Besides the original, there is also commercial reggae. In this species the focus is more on the music than the meaning, more modern instruments are also used here. The greatest similarity between both styles is that it is spiritual, soothing and monotonous music.
When did reggae start and how did it come about?
The cultural origin of the music genre reggae comes from the late 1960s on the island in the Caribbean region called Jamaica. Reggae originated from different types of music, including Ska and Rocksteady. The music is often about what the artist has experienced and about life. Although the species is changing, the rhythm blues remains central.
Ska originated in the late fifties and is also called the jazz of Jamaica, it is cheerful and danceable music that is recognizable by the extensive use of brass wind instruments such as the famous artist Jimmy Cliff. Ska was succeeded by the Rocksteady genre from the early sixties, which is similar, only much slower. These two Jamaican music genres were later followed by Reggae, which is the slowest of the three.
Reggae was first released in Jamaica but not long after it was also heard in parts about the United Kingdom. This is because Jamaica is a colony of England which ruled the tropical country at that time.
England in this period had a king who ruled the Jamaicans, this ensured that reggae from the 70s was also heard outside Jamaica. Many songs within the original roots reggae also contain lyrics that are about the reign of the English king.
Since England ruled Jamaica, this was the first European country where reggae became known. England was an important transit point for Europe at this time, which ensured that reggae quickly became a popular genre in the rest of Europe. One of the first known reggae hits in Europe became The Israelites by ska dancehall legend Desmond Dekker.
In the 1970s, the music genre hit its pinnacle with iconic reggae artists such as Bob Marley, King Tubby and Peter Tosh. Later, the music genre grew even more in popularity after the death of Bob Marley. In the 1980s, the reggae group Inner Circle carried the popularity. Until today it is a popular type of music, only played less. With a current reggae artist, one can think of Sean Paul who scored 2 hits in 2019.
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Bob Marley
Bob Marley, born Robert Nesta Marley on February 6, is one of the world's most famous reggae artists from Jamaica. He is known as the King of reggae and he symbolizes the Rastafarian movement. Born as the son of his 18-year-old African mother and 60-year-old English father, he grew into an immense success. With well-known songs such as I shot the Sherriff and No Woman, No Cry and also albums like Exodus, Legend and Uprising, he managed to touch the hearts of many people worldwide.
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Peter Tosh
Winston Hubert McIntosh, better known as Peter Tosh, is a Jamaican singer-guitarist who used reggae for a variety of purposes. Most famous in his solo career was his music that supported the cannabis struggle and that he fought for equal rights. His albums Legalize It and Equal Rights fought the hardest for this. At the age of 43, Peter Tosh was stabbed to death by 3 men in a robbery.
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The Wailers
In the early 60's Peter Tosh taught Bob Marley to play guitar and two years later he formed the Wailers with Bunny Livingston and Bob Marley. The Wailers are the most famous band ever formed in reggae history. The fame of this band has grown enormously after they started writing lyrics for the American singer Johnny Nash and collaborated with producer and publisher Lee Perry.
Why should I choose reggae?
Nowadays reggae music can often be found at the more alternative events and festivals. If you are going to give a relaxed festival where good weather, fun and togetherness is important, then it is the right choice to use a reggae artist or band. Depending on the size of the event, it may differ which composition fits best.
Besides the relaxation that reggae provides, it naturally also carries a very nice evolutionary message that tells a large piece of history. It can therefore be used for both entertainment and education purposes. If you want to tell a story on your occasion or want to ensure that a history presentation remains interesting, live reggae music may well contribute to this.
What can Evenses mean by booking a reggae act?
Do you want to use a reggae band or artist at your festival, fair or event? Then Evenses can help you with this. Evenses has a huge network of contacts and different types of reggae artists. By properly discussing an event and indicating exactly what you are looking for, Evenses always succeeds in providing the right interpretation.
Do you find it difficult to get in touch with the most suitable artists or are you afraid that certain bands will not meet the quality you are looking for? Evenses offers a guarantee of bands and artists of the highest quality with competitive prices that are 100% selected by us. Thanks to the good contact between the artists and Evenses, we have been working together with great pleasure for years and we always strive for a successful performance. The most important thing for us is that you are happy!
FAQ
What prices can I consider when booking reggae entertainment?
Different prices fit for different events:
Solo reggae artist <£ 750, -
Reggae band hobby <£ 1250, -
Professional reggae artist <£ 2000, -
Professional reggae band <£ 5000, -
Well-known reggae act £ 5000, - +
The exact price depends on several factors: quality, reputation, size, duration of the performance, necessary sound technology and travel costs. This jointly determines the total price of the requested tire.
What is my contribution to a performance?
When an artist is booked, the artist will perform for you and not the other way around. What is expected is always carefully coordinated in advance and our artists try to comply with this as well as possible. Input from your side is certainly welcome and this is always treated with great seriousness and respect.
What is the duration of a performance?
Different compositions or groups have their own playing time, which differs per performance. In general, games are played in sets of 45 minutes with a maximum of 4 sets. If it is desired to play longer or spread over a longer period of time, this is always negotiable.
Will the band continue playing in one go?
This depends on the type of event and the type of performance. Between sets, the band takes a short 15-minute break to catch their breath and have a drink. Here, pause music is played to avoid silences and so that the party can continue as usual. Of course, the music for the breaks can also be pre-tuned.
