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Reggae artist Winston Rodney, a.k.a. Burning Spear, won a Grammy for his album “Jah Is Real,’’ the first produced on his own record label. |
Roots-reggae pioneer keeps it ‘Real’
As one of the pioneers of roots-reggae music, Winston Rodney, a Bob Marley protege better known as Burning Spear, has long been a respected figure in music, counting everyone from Bono to B.B. King as fans.
Unfortunately, years of business mismanagement and record-label creative struggles plagued the man behind such classics as “Door Peep’’ and “Marcus Garvey.’’ Spear, as he calls himself, seized control of his career earlier this decade and has since launched his own Burning Spear record label, on which he released “Jah Is Real,’’ this year’s Grammy winner for best reggae album.
The album features two serious funk musicians - former James Brown/Parliament bassist Bootsy Collins and Parliament/Talking Heads keyboardist Bernie Worrell - but it’s an exuberant, dyed-in-the-wool roots album about black pride, world unity, and the healing powers of reggae music.
The 61-year-old brings his positive vibrations back to the Paradise Rock Club on Wednesday. We caught up with him this week by phone from his home in Queens. In his lyrical Jamaican patois, he punctuated the chat frequently with laughter while speaking about “Jah Is Real’’ and life in the United States.
Q. Congratulations on the Grammy win. It must feel good at this point in your career to be recognized.
A. I’m more attached to this one for the first independent reggae label happens to win a Grammy by themselves without no major recording company. Yes, I’m feeling really proud and rejoicing in my own little way.
Q. Why did you decide to call up Bootsy and Bernie to work on “Jah Is Real’’?
A. I need to do something different as a musician, and I knew if I find the right person, something different can be done. And I did find the right person.
Q. What did those two very funky gentlemen bring to the process?
A. They bring a lot of things. Bootsy was playing like he has been playing his bass for Spear over two or three years. He creates that sound on the tracks that he happens to play on and it’s a big difference. You can hear the separation, and I think the mix came out properly and it brings a new essence musically to the album.
Q. “Run for Your Life’’ is a real cautionary tale about working in the music business. Why did you decide to put those warnings into a song?
A. You just can’t go from a person to a person and try to explain to them about your tribulations musically. So what do you do? You put it within the music. I would say the message is within the music, and the music is within the message, basing it on the things I’m up against. That’s the best way, I think, to express myself.
Q. How has your musical mission about spreading the word of Jah changed over the years?
A. I’m getting deeper and deeper saying what I have to say through the music. I come to the realization about all the good things with music I’ve done for so many different people all over the world. They feel it, they embrace it, they love it, and they live with it for so many years and still expect me to always present to them that quality and that kind of music, so it’s working.
Q. As a civil rights activist and now a US resident, how did it feel for you watching Barack Obama become president?
A. Oh, it’s good. I believe in changes. The people who don’t believe in changes I don’t know what to say to them. Is it going to be for better? Yes. Is it going to be for worser? I don’t think so, but it’s a lot of work. That man have that potential to lead and once the people can see that America is not for no individual - it’s for the people together - things can be better.
Sarah Rodman can be reached at srodman@globe.com. 
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
