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Roots, rock, radio >>
Wailers guitarist Junior Marvin on Kaliroots and satellite reggae-radio
Mirror: So
how are you spending your time these days, man?
JM: Yeah.
If I can get some label interest in it, I might put it out with someone
else, but otherwise I’ll just get it out myself, and with the help
of Something Distribution out of New York. It’s run by the guitar
player from Chic. M: Nile
Rodgers?! JM: Yeah.
but if I get a major involved, we’ll see. M: Who’d
you get to play on that? JM: Val
Douglas on bass, Trevor Morrel, who used to play drums with Sade, is
on there too. Ummm—Sly and Robbie are on a couple of tracks, plus
a whole variety of people. M: I didn’t
know you lived in Washington. JM: Yeah,
man. I’m working with this satellite company called XM Satellite
Radio, and they have a 24-hour reggae station that I’m doing some
commentary for. M: I thought
most of those stations didn’t have chatter and DJ banter Well,
this is not cable, this is a satellite radio station, so we have live
shows everyday. America’s first satellite radio, and a good opportunity
for reggae. They have a clientele of about 40,000 people and they only
went on the air 80 days ago. M: How’d
you hook up with Kaliroots? JM: I met
them when they came to record at Lion and Fox Studios, where I was recording
myself at the time. I heard their CD and liked it a lot so we decided
to hook up and do some things together. Bob Marley’s birthday seemed
like a good time to do a show in Montreal. M: This
is the second time you’ve played with them? JM: Yes.
I’m gonna do a few songs from the new CD I have comin’ out,
Kaliroots is gonna play some of their stuff too, but in between that
we’re going to run the Bob Marley classics. M: So you’re
at the radio station now? JM: Yeah,
man. We’re doing the show live from 12 to 4 today and we go on
the air in a matter of minutes. M: Really!
Sorry, man, I didn’t know you were getting ready to go on the air! JM: It’s cool, man. You always make spare time in between. Maybe soon I can get back on the road and do some touring around. It’s hard without something out there, so I have to get this record out soon. : At Love Marley
Vibes at le Medley on Sunday, Feb. 10, 10pm, $15
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Junior
Marvin is perhaps best remembered as the unfaltering guitarist and contributing
member of Bob Marley and the Wailers, where he became part of reggae
history playing songs that are known throughout the world as bona fide
classics. This multitalented guitar-man is also a vocalist, songwriter,
producer and most recently, radio personality to America’s largest
digital-radio reggae audience. After crossing paths with the local reggae
vibes of Kaliroots, Junior is on his way to Montreal for another show
with the band, all in celebration of Bob Marley’s birthday. The
Mirror spoke to Junior over the phone from home base in Washington about
his Montreal links and staying creative.