dmport.blogg.se

"I am not a reggae singer," she says vehemently over the telephone from Chicago. Mowatt's skill as a vocalist has made her determined to break out of the confines of reggae.

Her full-bodied soprano has often been compared to that of Sixties soul queens like Martha Reeves and Lavern Baker. And vocally, Mowatt can command more octaves than the other two. Her selection of covers is inevitably more interesting than either Griffiths' or Marley's. She is also the I-Threes best songwriter. Although Marley and Griffiths loyalists may not agree, the ten years since Marley's death have shown Mowatt to be the most charismatic performer of the trio. Which brings us to the biggest difference between Judy Mowatt and the other I-Threes. With her warm stage presence and unforgettable voice, Mowatt transcends the usual limitations of reggae, winning fans even among those bored with reggae's often repetitious rhythms and nonsensical lyrics. You are just as likely to see a pinstriped suit at a Mowatt concert as you are dreadlocks. Unlike most concert audiences, which tend to be defined by age or race, Mowatt crowds draw on every social class and musical taste. Mowatt is also the only one of the I-Threes to have toured regularly. Both men are part of Mowatt's current road band. In recent years, her records have benefited greatly from the work of reggae's finest rhythm section, drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare. One of the few women in reggae to write and produce her own records, Mowatt has recorded four albums since. So far, it remains the high-water mark in her career. Mowatt's solo career got off to a fast start with the release of her landmark second solo album, 1979's Black Woman. Staking out the musical and lyrical ground between her two former mates, Mowatt blends both politics and pop in her work. Last year she even jumped to major label MCA for the synth-dance hit Electric Boogie. Griffiths, on the other hand, has made the most headway in crossing over onto the pop charts. Rita Marley, Bob's widow, is probably the most successful at giving her political messages a convincing bite. The trio's songs attack injustice and advocate change.

Lyrically, each member of the I-Threes remains deeply committed to socially conscious music. And this year each woman released an album on that label-Rita Marley's We Must Carry On, Marcia Griffiths' Steppin' and Judy Mowatt's Look at Love.

These Jamaican-born singers also share a record label-world-music-oriented Shanachie Records. Considering the bond among the women, it's no surprise that their careers share a lot of similarities.įor example, although all three have built repertoires around reggae, they've also tried to cross over onto the pop and, now, dance charts. Although occasionally reuniting to tour as the I-Threes, Mowatt, Marley and Griffiths have spent most of the past ten years focused on their respective solo careers. On their own after Marley's death, the three women have gone their separate ways to become the leading female voices in the male-dominated world of reggae. Their rich voices and stylish choreography were the cornerstone of the reggae superstar's show. From 1974 until Marley's death in 1981, this strong-willed, strong-voiced vocal threesome was Marley's "back-up" singers.

Judy Mowatt, Rita Marley and Marcia Griffiths were known as the I-Threes. Riding on his father's fame, Ziggy Marley has become the leader of reggae's younger generation.įorgotten in the rush to canonize Bob Marley and lionize his son are three women who were an integral part of the Marley legend. There isn't a reggae band alive that won't launch into a Marley hit like "Get Up, Stand Up" when the dance floor starts to clear. Unreleased material, everything from airchecks to concert bootlegs, continues to trickle into the CD long-box bins. Ten years after his untimely death, Bob Marley's legacy continues to grow.