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Words & Images by: Seth Rubin
Ziggy Marley :: 06.06.07 :: Filene Center at the Wolf Trap :: Vienna, VA
 Ziggy Marley :: 06.06.07 :: Virginia |
Ziggy Marley, the four time Grammy award winning reggae star took the stage at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap to a thunderous applause. Oldest son of the legendary Bob Marley, Ziggy has been one of the most powerful spiritual leaders in music for the last two decades. With initial pressure to further the Marley name, while simultaneously creating a unique name for himself, Ziggy formed the Melody Makers with brother Stephen and sisters Cedella and Sharon. The Melody Makers earned three Grammy awards over their wonderful collaboration, releasing 11 albums from 1986 to 1999.
Since going solo, Ziggy has released two albums and won his fourth Grammy for his latest release, Love Is My Religion. Both Dragonfly (2003) and Love Is My Religion (2006) have allowed Ziggy the freedom to control all aspects of the music, from songwriting and message to a higher spirituality through love. Both albums are stylistically varied, ranging from roots to rock to something with a more spiritual, mellow bite. With an inherent flow, each song, independent of style, can easily stand on its own.
 Ziggy Marley :: 06.06.07 :: Virginia |
As could be expected, this 14-song performance was equally as varied. Naturally highlighted was Love Is My Religion kicking off the set with the anti-superstition rocker "Black Cat" and closing with the soulful title track. A Rasta through and through, Ziggy believes that organized religion causes strife in the world's cultures, who could find peace if they only embraced a higher power through love, outside the confines of their individual religion. Ziggy's Bible education and commitment to Rasta culture are evident in the way he carries himself through life. In his introduction to the Kebra Negast: The Lost Bible of Rastafarian Wisdom and Faith from Ethiopia and Jamaica, Ziggy speaks about his experiences that contribute to his songwriting. These experiences are far different than the harder, violent times of his father's life. He communicates a focused vision to change the world through an eventual understanding and love for each being. The teachings exist and it is only a matter of time until they are realized and embraced.
The rest of the set dug back to the Melody Maker classics from 1988's Conscious Party and 1989's One Bright Day with "Tomorrow People," "Justice," "Conscious Party" and "Look Who's Dancing," which appropriately followed Bob's "Jammin'." Additional Bob covers were thrown in to complement Ziggy's set. "Rastaman Vibration" and "Them Belly Full" were wonderful, and "Is This Love?" further strengthened "A Lifetime and Looking," which provided an especially energetic, rejoicing chorus. "Be Free" takes the idea of personal emancipation from superstitious ideas in "Black Cat" and opens it up to a larger state of affairs, especially in the United States since 9/11. As a free nation, we have found ourselves in a drastically over-content mindset and Ziggy Marley made this clear as he closed out a fine set of music.
JamBase | Virginia
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