An Argument Against Living in the Present Comedy and Literature are among the great escapes from the horrors of only LIVING in the present. People have always told me to LIVE in the NOW and be more present. I call bullsh-t. I think we ruined America in 2016 by only LIVING in the present. If …
Tadiman has been a friend of East Portland Blog for a while. He is Slovenia’s finest reggae artist. We featured his tune. “Kdor drugemu jamo koplje” a few months ago. Tadiman can be seen in the background of the video Davin Michael Stedman took on what would have been Bob Marley’s 73rd birthday. Now he’s …
Want to see me singing songs with the kids in Trench Town, as I described it? This is one of the files that was too big to upload in Jamaica. Now my host Ricardo isn’t world’s steadiest camera (phone) man, but I am grateful he was able capture this moment in nearly its entirety. It …
Just today, Yahoo! broke the story of federal documents identifying an extensive list of NCAA schools and players that have been involved in the recent recruiting scandals that have been investigated by the FBI. You can find their post here: https://sports.yahoo.com/exclusive-federal-documents-detail-sweeping-potential-ncaa-violations-involving-high-profile-players-schools-103338484.html One reason I’ve preferred professional sports to the NCAA is that the former make …
The Oklahoma City Thunder came to Sacramento on Thursday night at 33-26, fifth best in the NBA’s Western Conference, but they are a more dangerous team than their record suggests. For the first quarter in their matchup with the Kings, the Thunder were their better selves, shooting over 80 percent from the floor and building …
“What The President Said,” a new protest song by David Poe and Sister C, features voices from the Women’s March and the LAX protest. The song challenges a president who many believe is imperiling American ideals with outrageous falsehoods, divisiveness, brinkmanship and incompetence, aiming to pander to base voters before midterm elections this November and …
On the frigid Tuesday night of February 20th, I had the utmost pleasure of seeing one of my utmost favorite bands, Gogol Bordello. It has been nearly five years since I last saw these self-proclaimed gypsy punks. They hit the stage right on time. This time front man Eugene Hutz sported longer hair that hung …
You need this mobile sound system in your life. It’s a giant boom box with a motor and steering wheel. It’s like a tank of reggae love. Do you think it was built on a riding lawn mower or a golf cart? Either way this is another shining example of Jamaican innovation and DIY creativity. …
I got to have a quick little Goonies adventure with Lenni I-Music and Ras Isachar. They took me to the lost Pirate city and English fort, Port Royal. The young tour guide Andrew Gordon was terrific. His insights were aligned with the history I could recall from books I read before and after my first …
Captain Bobby and a boat called Dr. LOVE. A fisherman and his boat. Bobby is a 73 year old fisherman who will take you into the bay of Port Antonio as he chases his daily catch of lobster and more. Then he can grill or bbq the feast right here on the beach. Any way …
Last week, Terry Gross of NPR’s Fresh Air interviewed Finn Murphy, whose memoir, The Long Haul, was published last year. The interview was so entertaining that I immediately downloaded the book, and I was not disappointed. From its title and cover, one might think that the book would be a celebration of the open road …
My friends Bull and Joseph Whitmore and my new friend Jah T on guitar keeping Mento music alive. Jah T said something tonight that inspired me, that I want to share. But let me wait till after we do some more work with them tomorrow… But let’s just say I hatched a plan to bust Mento out …
This song is from a few years back, but this work of visual art is still worth a look. The video finds beauty amid poverty and shows the vibrance of the people of Jamaica with candid shots from life: soccer games, markets, backstreet gatherings etc. It’s bright and alive and better than any other video …
Just some notes from the Green Room of a popular day time talk show One of the great gifts of these trips abroad is perspective. It is fascinating to sit in a waiting room for a popular daytime television show and hear how notable Jamaicans process American tragedies that effect them because they all have …
Last Wednesday, in their last game before the All-Star Break, the Portland Trail Blazers hosted the Golden State Warriors in a game that was not only a barn-burner but also illustrated the current state of both teams, who would meet in the first round of the playoffs if their current #7 and #2 seedings were …
Thanks to Pat Thomas for this Dylan quote. Pat is working on a Van Morrison bio right now. “Tupelo Honey has always existed, Van Morrison was merely the vehicle and the earthly vessel for it.” – Bob Dylan Ronnie Montrose’s minimalist guitar on this track from October of 1971 cuts the heart deeper than a …
I am going to be dropping a bunch of great videos today, because tomorrow I leave for Port Antonio with Lenni I-Music for the final stage of this second Jamaican mission. The comfort of Wi-Fi will be out of my reach. My trip truly began with Ras Isachar at Roots 96.1 FM. I wish I got to spend …
I am going to be dropping a bunch of great videos today, because tomorrow I leave for Port Antonio with Lenni I-Music for the final stage of this second Jamaican mission. The comfort of Wi-Fi will be out of my reach. My trip truly began with Ras Isachar at Roots 96.1 FM. I wish I got to spend …
The Foxfires are a four-piece band of immensely handsome and mischievous gents from New York. They describe their sound as Seagaze, a neologism they coined to explain their upbeat combination of indie rock, pop, shoegaze, folk, and surf rock. The mix forms a fresh, wind-driven soundscape you’d want to hear on summer beaches or while …
Heather O’Neill is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Her first showbiz job was passing out flyers for an English band in Liverpool when she was 16. “I’ve had my share of interesting day jobs,” she says. “A barista in New York City, an extra in L.A., a record store employee in Chicago. Remember those?” Lately …
This is a powerful tune. Tia P. is Lit AF. She is Woke AF. She’s not kidding around AF, and neither am I. Give this song a listen. With clarity and resolve, the message is clear, “Revolution” is for the NOW, where matters such as race inequality, police brutality, sexual abuse against women and children …
Drones of Jamaica: This is my first music video with drones. We actually had to move down the road from our ideal location because the drone’s wifi was disabled being closer to an airport than we realized. Mario, pictured on the left mentioned that they once didn’t realize they were flying too close to the …
My Jamaican number is 876.498.4012. Let’s see if I can keep this number till I return, given the rat maze it takes to keep your number from returning to the Great Digital Spirit in the corporate sky. If I go online once a month and purchase 100 Jamaican dollars of credit every month, my number …
Tonight I entered the Lair of The Cowboy. I promised folks like Lee Gillette that I would find the heart of Country music in Jamaica. As fate would have it, a new friend of mine wanted me to meet The Cowboy, Kingston’s very own Country singer. It’s pronounced Coe Boy, like Seattle guitarist Andy Coe. …
Want to join me behind the scenes on a BBC TV program? Today I met BBC presenter David Rodigan and Beanie Man, as Anthony Red Rose introduced me and the news of our ‘Free Your Mind’ to the Big Yard. I also got to see a stripped down and poignant performance from a deserved darling …
With lilt-echoes of Kate Bush at the upper register — and more than enough grandeur-crescendo for a chick-flick credits theme — Stefanie Black’s new single, “Winter Of My Soul” is pleasant, yet pedestrian fare. On lyrical and arrangement levels, a good, but uninspired tune. However, the 19-year-old singing sensation’s powerful pipes are the sort that …
I am trying to upload the greatest video clip from Nine Mile. But how about me hanging out with Prince Allah right now? We are having a nice long chat, but I had two minutes left on my phone. Legends everywhere. You wake up and legends chillin’. Time to level up. Owen Baddie liked my …
I have a good story about my first radio interview with Anthony Red Rose. We were at KLAS Sports Radio in Kingston with DeeJay Cat. I was still pretty exhausted from the trip to Nine Mile and I had a lot of weighing on my mind at that moment, but I had to bring that A game. I …
Rode to Nine Mile on a bus full of Bob’s old friends. Ska era Wailers blasting. The sky was still black. Once I get on Wi-Fi, I have some pretty incredible video to show you from the sun rising and drums and voices raging at Nine Mile. Lenni I-Music and I had to be at Chinna’s …
I have so much to tell you about Trench Town. Let me just start by telling you I showed the kids of 3rd street my songs and they were singing along to the hooks and improvising guitar solos I challenges them to take one out for a rip. And it was actually a really nice …