BURNING SPEAR: AFRICAN TEACHER :: Essays Papers

BURNING SPEAR AFRICAN TEACHER Burning irradiation has in the past 25+ years achieved many acclaims as a reggae medicinal drugian. He is known to many as the African teacher the elder statesman of reggae a cultural ambassador a preacher a rastaman. The main themes incorporated into his music are the teachings of Marcus Garvey, African roots, Rastafarian beliefs, and consciousness, especially dense consciousness. Spears sound is said to be hypnotic and trance-like (Bloodlines, Davis and Simon, 1992, 53-55). His lyrics are simple, but the remindful sound of Spears voice, along with the drum and bass, intensifies the listening experience to its fullest. His music is meant to be heard in every part of your body to carry the attendee to a higher state of being to uplift. In News solar day, Elena Oumano wroteAt its heights, reggae music transforms the loss rage and love of 2 million former slaves/colonials into collarconsciousness, and international revolution of the mind against blin d acceptance of the world as it is, rocking affirmation of the power of the underclass to elevate the human spirit,(Oumano, 1991, p 17). Spears reggae has, since the beginning, continue to reach this height. Winston Rodney, Burning Spears Christian name, was born on March 1, 1945. He was born in St. Anns Bay, Jamaica (Messer, 1995, 1). Burning Spear was quoted to have said this approximately his backgroundIm not a man with a musical background. I was a flexible man who was there until Jah call I,(qtd. in Messer, 1995, 2). He takes his name from the Kenya freedom fighter, Jomo Kenyatta, who was also called Burning Spear (Bloodlines, Davis and Simon, 1992, 54).Spears musical rush began in 1969 when he ran into docking facility Marley deep in the outdoors of St. Anns. It could be said that Marley and Spear were led to each other on that day in January. Marley was traveling to his farm via a donkey. Spear was headed the opposite direction. When their paths crossed, Bob brought his do nkey to a halt and climbed down. The two began talking, and Bob rolled a spliff. They sat in the grass, smoking, talking of Rastafari, African roots, and reggae music. Burning Spear mentioned that he was interested in getting involved in the music business. Marley told Spear to go to Studio One, which was the label Marley had been working with and which Coxsone Dodd owned. Marley told Spear to tell the producers that he had sent him.