culture show review

Culture @ Wild Hare 10/21/01 pics by Issa Prophet (click the pics to see full size)

By Steve Serpiente

CHICAGO - Culture, according to Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, is "... the act of developing the intellectual and moral faculties esp. by education..."

In this light, Culture, the musical troupe lead by Jamaican singer and Rastafarian statesman Joseph Hill, couldn't be more aptly named. Indeed, Culture enlightens the masses on the finer points of truth, rights and justice through Joseph's vigilant lyrics chanted over righteous reggae riddims.

In the midst of an incredibly lengthy tour (Joseph said the group is booked up with dates in America, Africa and Europe through June 2002 - "Natty Never Get Weary"), Culture hit the Wild Hare with the band's unique combination of poignant verses and musical medicine to wake up minds to and heal souls of Babylon's ills.

At ten minutes before midnight, MC Field Marshall - ever the beacon on the Chicago reggae scene - appeared to bring forth roots and Culture. After a short musical prelude, Joseph entered stage left as the band switched up into "Addis Ababba" from the 1996 One Stone record. Opening the next track with guitarist Robin Armstrong's rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner," Culture kept the 90's roots groove going with "Pay Day," the title track from their 1999 CD. (Check out 1979's Cumbolo release for the raw original version sans the guitar intro.)

With a catalog of more than 20 albums dating back to 1977, Culture culled celebrated anthems and lesser known but equally strong songs for their one hour fifty minute performance. Much of the material consisted of updated cuts of their classics from the late 1970's, but the band added some crucial 80's and 90's compositions as well.

The band torched up several tracks from 1979's International Herb album: a scorching version of the title song (always guaranteed to kick up a frenzy on the dance floor); the Rasta gathering call "Rally Round Jahoviah's Throne;" the wailing cry for repatriation "Ethiopians Waan Guh Home;" "Land Where We Belong" (another expression of the Rastafarian yearning for Africa); and a very brief impartment of "Too Long in Slavery" (given a jazzy intro). Joseph abruptly halted this track in favor of an energetic version of "Two Sevens Clash," originally released in 1977 on the group's landmark debut album of the same name. The triumphant "Natty Dread Taking Over" and the defiant "I'm Not Ashamed," both from Two Sevens Clash, were also given Culture-al refurbishments 2001 style.

Besides "International Herb," Culture smoked up the Hare with two other sweet herbal licks: a wind your waist cut of "Tell Me Where You Get It" (Harder Than the Rest, 1978) - Joseph teased the massive with the chorus of "Blood in a Babylon" (which is included on the Heartbeat compilation Trod On) before launching into this one; and one of the group's most recent additions to their cannabis canon, "Legalization" (Pay Day), which, after a false start, was propelled to euphoric heights by Armstrong's funk guitar riffs.

Joseph and associates also laid down "Peace Love & Harmony" (Nuff Crisis!, 1989); "Chant Down Babylon" (Trust Me, 1997); "Where the Tree Falls" (Pay Day); and "Mr. Music" (Culture in Culture, 1986).

By far, the show's biggest suprise (and an extremely pleasant one at that) was the cover of Peter Tosh's "Equal Rights." Voicing the track in a militant mode reminiscent of Tosh's delivery, Joseph's revival of this masterpiece was a worthy tribute to the Stepping Razor. (Yes, Anthony B's version on his latest album, That's Life, is quite competent and respectable. But, as one of Peter's contemporaries, Joseph carries more clout.) With the exception of a couple traditional nyahbinghi songs like "Jah Pretty Face" and "So Long Rastafari Calling," both of which have been seriously Culture-ized, this writer has attended a dozen or so Culture shows without ever having seen anything but original material performed. On sharing this observation with Joseph on Clark Street at 2 a.m. after the concert, the singer remarked, "Things change, mon. The whole world change in these times." A true.

The encore consisted of a very hard version of "Calling Rasta Far I" (another number from Two Sevens Clash); an even harder cut of "Innocent Blood" (from Cumbolo); the nyabinghi adaptation of "Jah Pretty Face" (from Trust Me, which has two mixes of this song - reggae and nyahbinghi; see Two Sevens Clash for Culture's first recording of this one); and "So Long Rastafari Calling" (an up in the hills traditional nyahbinghi chant which can be found on Culture's only live release to date, Live Culture '98).

The musical lineup, which featured drummer Dean "Digital" Pond, bassist Ryan Wilson, guitarist Armstrong (formerly of the New York reggae outfit Moja Nya) and keyboardists Earl "Mitch" Michelin and Ivory Coast native George Kouakou, was largely pulled together by Pond. A native of St. Croix, Pond was one of the core members of Dub Mystic, a North Carolina based band who have accompanied Joseph on tour and in the studio at various times in the 90's.

Longtime harmony singers and founding Culture members Albert Walker (Joseph's cousin) and Kenneth Dayes (Walker's cousin, alternatively credited on some albums as Kenneth Daye, Kenneth Paley, K. Dayer, Lloyd Dayes and Roy Dayes), are not currently working with the group. Instead, Joseph was accompanied on vocals by a most capable dread, the soft spoken, sweet singing Telford
"Telly" Nelson.

A loyal family man, Joseph draws on the strength offered by wife, Pauline "Miss P" Hill, who tours with Culture and shares in management duties. Joseph's son, Kenyatta Hill, is also part of the tour, serving as the band's engineer. Like his father, Kenyatta is apparently partial to dub, as evidenced by his skillful mixing of drum & bass on "Legalization" and "Natty Dread Taking Over."

Local mainstay Gizzae warmed up the Hare with an agreeable 50 minute set of originals and covers. Among the originals were the smooth "Sweet Loving" and the guitar jamming "International." Other highlights included a pair of UK covers: Aswad's "Roots Rocking" and Steel Pulse's "Back to My Roots."


Contact reggae addict Steve Serpiente at serpiente97@yahoo.com

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