Sunday, September 22, 2019
This Is Reggae Music Essay Example for Free
This Is Reggae Music Essay Jamaica has been known to be a tourist spot in the Caribbean Islands, because of the stress relieving feel in being one with natures elements. Apart from Jamaicas notoriety as a tourist destination, it also prides itself with one of the most influential and popular musical styles of the contemporary era, Reggae. Beginning from its humble origins during the 60s, Reggae has become a powerful forcein the field of music, which spawned various publications such as Lloyd Bradleys , This is Reggae Music: The Story of Jamaicas Music.            The book primarily follows the birth and development of Reggae during the 60s in a defining and clever manner. During the time when other musical genres, especially those not of European or American origin, a Jamaican musical style rose to the occasion and proved that Reggae has transcended from the dim hopes of ever being recognized globally. In a more significant perspective, Bradley explains that Reggae possesses a certain attitude that main stream music and artists fail to have, dedication (Bradley, 2001).            Reggae has always been and always will be music for the people (Bradley, 2001), unlike the conventional tendencies of popular musicians who appear to exert less effort in making good music as their careers progress. The attitude that Bradley speaks of pertains to compassion for the listeners and not the headstrong arrogant tendencies of several popular recording artists and musicians. Furthermore, Bradley states how Reggae is all about the music and the fans rather than the life, the fame and the glory.            An ordinary listener would usually think of Bob Marley when the word Reggae is uttered, not that Bob Marley has given Reggae a bad name, but Reggae has more depth and substance further than what Marley offered. And if Marley would have been alive, he would not approve of his status as the epitome of Reggae. In relation, Bradley has given life to Reggae as a musical style and as a culture. He bequeaths the reader with a detailed account of Reggae from the root down to the audio systems used.            Bradley begins This is Reggae Music: The Story of Jamaicas Music with a listeners or a fans point of view wherein he describes the experience of being in a crowd watching a Reggae performance (Bradley, 2001). Most musicians describe music or making music as something extraordinary in a sense that one would feel vibe or bolts of electricity flowing through the bloodstream, Bradley however describes making Reggae music as something magical or extraordinary as far as experience is concerned (Bradley, 2001).            The book then explains how the simplicity of Reggae came to describe it as music to the people, as the technicalities of dancing similar to disco and early Rock and Roll hits are explained as not the point of concern, the point of being among your own people (Bradley, 2001). Bradley then segues in to a testimony of the life of Reggae as a versatile one, he describe its religious inclinations, social and cultural perspectives, and the global competence of Reggae as an art. He also described the life of a Reggae musician in contrast to the Rock and Roll lifestyle of Sex, Drugs, and Rock Roll, with that said, Bradley insinuates that Reggae is not a slave to fame.            Bradleys This is Reggae Music: The Story of Jamaicas Music indicates the various styles, that Reggae has innovated and adopted, though not all of them are original . The soul style which is a derivative of Jazz was adopted by Reggae, but the soul style of Reggae as Bradley describes concerns emotional harmonies of lyrics and instruments with a Reggae feel (Bradley, 2001). Bradley also discussed the new dances that have emerged from the sub-genres of Reggae as well as how the evolution of technology went hand in hand with Reggae (Bradley, 2001).            In a different note, Bradley has also described how Reggae died after the 1970s, he particularly expresses his strong feelings of dislike for Marleys distinct style. He also disliked Marleys political motivation of songwriting and how it tends to be corruptive. He also forcibly placed Reggaes globalization in a positive light, specifically, the British Reggae in the latter chapters of the book (Bradley, 2001). The globalization topic, though finely detailed somehow ruins the presentation of the publications as Bradley tends to contradict his own opinion in discussing British Reggae.            Bradley has come up with fine detailed work in explaining an underdog music that made its mark in the world. Though there are certain flaws and biased points of view, Bradley still managed to give a vast explanation of Reggae and how it developed from a simple musical style in to a global phenomenon. Bradley has introduced readers, listeners, musicians and non-musicians alike to the real road to reggae with a little bumps along the way. References Bradley, L. (2001). This is Reggae Music: The Story of Jamaicas Music . New York: Penguin   Books.
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