On a snowy Tuesday afternoon I found myself sheltering from the cold in the Ecuadorian café on the opposite side of Holloway Road from the Rocket Complex. It has been well documented that this was the North London venue that Jah Shaka and Culture Promotions used to create an 'accessible' Rasta soundsystem event. It was a unilateral first strike in the long campaign that has resulted in today's global UK Dub movement.

I was in the neighbourhood to link up with Jah Grasshopper, one of a new generation of producers. His tale is less about the illustrious generals of UK Reggae and more a tribute to the tireless foot soldiers.

 

In 2007 a couple of mysterious 12"s appeared in the racks at Dub Vendor. A new producer from Norwich was behind them and the Hip Hop graffiti style logo of his True Sounds label prepared me for something a bit different. He had a sound that was difficult to define. A mix of live instruments and programmed beats that straddled several genres, yet featured familiar artists from the UK Roots scene like Sandeeno, Errol Bellot and Chanter. The rhythms were called 'I Will' and 'Warrior', and Grasshopper says that for both releases he was indebted to Kenny 'Kulcha' Moonie from King Original Sound.

"Kenny was showing me the ropes at that time. He introduced me to some of the artists who voiced on the tracks like Errol Bellot, Chanter and Spliffy Ranger. He took me round and introduced me to the Jah Tubby's guys where I got the record pressed and David Dubwise who did some distribution."

This was a characteristic act for Kenny who had an unflagging energy for creating links and nurturing new talent. Sadly Kenny passed away in Ghana on January 4th this year and a contemplative Grasshopper was in London to attend his funeral at the City of London Cemetery.

"Kenny made me realise that music is a group activity. Trying to create something that's pleasurable isn't about being on your own. Other people hear something different. After all, being able to produce a whole song on your own with a computer is a new phenomenon. It's been amazing to take things that I've done on my own and have it transformed when someone else comes in on it. If there's not going to be a vocal, then I'll have a lead instrument that replaces the vocal. There's so much local talent and I've been lucky enough to find some really good brass players, strings guys, an excellent bass player and a drummer and guitarist. Whatever I need really."

Grasshopper has also been inspired by the Reggae scene in his home town.

"Rebel Lion is a soundsystem run by three brothers who are originally from North London. They kind of brought proper Roots Reggae to Norfolk when they moved up there. They put on regular dances and it was very infectious. Now there's more soundsystems in Norwich styling themselves as traditional Reggae sounds than there are any other kind. It was quite a feat when you consider that there's no Afro-Caribbean community. Rebel Lion wasn't my introduction to soundsystem because I knew the guys from Dangerzone sound first, but they weren't strictly Reggae. Rebel Lion was my main link to Roots & Culture. They were properly linked into the London scene, so from them I got more of an insight into the culture, and evolved beyond just listening to music. I met both Kenny and Sandeeno at Rebel Lion dances."

 

We ended up sitting in Grasshoppers car because an Islington Parking Attendant was prowling nearby. Feathery snowflakes drifted down onto the Holloway side street. The slow, quiet, melancholy beauty of the afternoon snow flurry seemed to fit with the brooding that the passing of a friend and trusted advisor must inevitably cause. It was a more poignant meeting than I had anticipated. My preconceptions were based on the fact that Grasshopper is an ambitious young producer with big plans. His new rhythm 'Ghetto Symphony' has just been released. To be quickly followed by another, the 'Feel Better' rhythm, and an album provisionally titled 'Heavyweight Sessions Vol 1'.

'Ghetto Symphony' features vocal cuts from Turbulence and YT. Unlike his 2007 efforts, and most other UK Reggae releases, some planning has gone into it's promotion. True Sounds have attempted to harness the power of internet fan sites and blogs, secure some radio play and even make a decent video.

"We shot a video with YT in Norwich, in terrible weather. We hired a steady-cam but hardly got to use it because of the rain. We ended up shooting some in an underpass and a lift at the bottom of a tower block! It's come out quite nice and was leaked onto Youtube before we'd even done the final cut. YT is in Jamaica right now and we'll be trying to get the video in circulation in the Caribbean."

The overseas viewers will be getting a gritty and overtly British experience. YT's scorching lyrics for 'Stress' continue the serious mood of much of his 'Born Inna Babylon' album and the video evokes a grimy and claustrophobic feeling of pressure. There's a sense of relief when the camera finally emerges outside to find a tuxedo clad Grasshopper conducting his string section in a bandstand. The fact that he's prepared to dress up and play a part is a refreshing illustration of the fact that he doesn't take himself too seriously.

"I'll never be 'authentic', I didn't grow up with Reggae from early childhood. I love the music but it's not my background. The Reggae fraternity have made me feel accepted and brought in. The artists that I've dealt with have been impressed with the work that I've done and that's given me the confidence to do whatever comes naturally. YT has been a good example to me, in the way that he conducts himself. He's coming from the heart."

He also comes from Ipswich; a town that has a massive rivalry with Norwich. In the same way that Newcastle hates Sunderland and Southampton hates Portsmouth, there's not much love thy neighbour going on. Were there any problems?

"He said I could only come to his gig and get in free if I wore an Ipswich shirt! But we managed to get passed it and be East Anglians together, rather than Norfolk against Suffolk!"

 

Despite Reggae's outernational appeal Norwich still seems an unlikely outpost. Grasshopper's musical journey began in the anarchic Free Party and festival scene. East Anglia has had a tradition of unlicensed, underground Raves.

"Norfolk is a country area and we used to have brilliant parties in the countryside with tents and soundsystems. The police have cracked down on it and it's more confrontational. At one time a situation would be resolved informally, but there's been riots when the police have come in to shut parties down."

In 2009 the Norfolk Constabulary announced a zero tolerance approach to illegal raves.

"In response the youngsters have ended up staying in and taking drugs."

The lawless autonomous zones of the Free Party was where Grasshopper cut his teeth as a selector.

"The music was normally House and Techno. I would get a DJ slot after the sun came up in the morning. I've always been known for eclectic sets, I'd play all kinds of music that you wouldn't normally hear in a rave and mix it together in unexpected ways. As time went on the Reggae/Dancehall influence took over. I've got a collection of different types of music that 'joins up'. When you're changing tempos and styles within a set, you've got to find ways of linking it together. I want to make music that's designed to encourage DJs to mix more than one genre. House DJs for example can't change speeds because they're locked into one tempo. If you see the Scratch Perverts play they'll mix a Reggae or Hip Hop tune at half speed over a Drum & Bass tune, then drop to half the speed. That's what I'm into and how I'd describe my DJ sets. I Like Dubstep, especially all the Mungo's, Scotch Bonnet stuff. But I don't get into a scene. I just try to get stuff I'll always be glad to have in my collection."

It was more than just music that lead him away from the dissolute free party scene and towards conscious Roots Reggae.

"Part of what got me into it was that I needed a positive influence in my life. Something peaceful and healthy. You should try to be healthy and enjoy your whole life, not just Saturday night at a party. I've got good people around me now, who've helped me to choose a direction for myself and given me support. Young people need to have music that deals with reality and is more than just a big party where you try to forget what's going on."

He thrust a hand into the pocket of his tracksuit, which was trimmed with red, gold and green; to cut off a phone call that threatened to interrupt his truths and rights. Both YT and Bobo chanter Turbulence have delivered precisely the conscious lyrics he's advocating, on the new releases. Reggae purists might blanch at Grasshoppers "Ghetto Symphony' riddim, but it's the kind of production that stands a chance of breaking out to a wider audience.

"'Stress' was on 1Xtra and they left it on the podcast for a week. It's been on played on a station in LA and on rotation at another US station in Boston. 'Ghetto Symphony' is based around a classical sample. A friend who makes Hip Hop beats with an MPC showed me the technique he uses, in terms of cutting up other music and then re-triggering it in different orders to make a new melody. It was one of my early experiments with that technique. I went on to add some live strings which gives it another dimension. I didn't decide to record Turbulence on it until after I'd arrived at 2Deep Studio in London where we did the voicing, but it was the right choice."

Grasshopper has also worked with Capleton and Jah Mason. I was interested to know how he felt about dealing with big name Jamaican artists.

"I've watched all of them write a song in front of me. I turned up with the riddim, they started by humming a melody to themselves and then wrote a song on the spot. That was inspiring to watch. You can see why they're on top of the game. They work in teams; like boxers with people in their corner. Each artist had a guy kind of conducting with his arm when they did harmonies and adlibs, suggesting whether they should take their voice up or down. They get a vibe going in the studio so that there's some energy in the voice. I've got an album's worth of material with Jah Mason because Kenny introduced me to the guy who was Mason's manager at the time. However, it became apparent that I need to make an album that represents me first."

Work on that album is well under way. For example a vocal from Lutan Fyah and a combination between Skinnyman and Jah Mason have already been finished.

"What will go on the album is pretty much decided. YT's doing a track with Louie Culture in Jamaica that might go on, and any other tunes that come in before the conclusion have a chance of being included."

 

Grasshopper takes his name from the Kwai Chang Caine character in Kung Fu. Just like the student who was taken in by the Shaolin monks, he has benefited from the guidance that was proffered to him. However, he will now follow his own musical path. The next generation should be different and music must continue to evolve. People like Kenny who devote time to nurturing new talent understand this.

I have my own memory of Kenny 'Kulcha' Moonie and his conversation that was littered with grandiose schemes, wild departures and digressions. It paid to listen keenly, many of those nuggets of information turned out to be pure gold. At the very beginning of culturereggae he offered far more time and encouragement than such an untried or tested little project could have expected or deserved.

The foot soldiers of the scene receive little recognition or acclaim. However the music of the generation that they influenced will be a more than fitting tribute.

   

February 2010

 

Jah Grasshopper Myspace: www.myspace.com/jahgrasshopper