Damrosch Park. Lincoln Center. Ky-Mani Marley. Be There.

A summer ago, I had nothing to do. Most New Yawkers had left the city for the summer. Other than work, sleep, and the occasional cooking (ok pretending), I had nothing to do. My social life…was as barren as the streets outside. I entertained the idea of a vacation, but I checked my bank account and although the mind and body was willing the finances were not. So, I lay under a spinning fan, bored. So bored that my imagination wandered beyond my apartment to Jack and the Beanstalk and gold coins…and maybe in the daydream JodiAnn (me) replaced Jack on the beanstalk and I had the golden coins that took me to anywhere but here.

I snapped myself out of it. I began to scroll through my Instagram feed, yielding to visual representations of my “could have been summer”; I again envisioned my behind sucking rum through a thin straw out of a coconut. Heavy on the rum, light on the coconut. In that moment, a good friend of mine sent me this text, “Damrosch Park. Lincoln Center. Ky-Mani Marley. Be There.”. I left.

Reggae + Free= One Love

Although it looked like it would rain, I met up with my friends and hugged them dearly as I was grateful for the rescue. The concert was free and open to public. Lincoln Center in conjunction with the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute often hosts free events during the summer in Damrosch Park . (Who knew?) The park is Lincoln Center’s outdoor band shell with landscaped grounds & benches named for a noted musical family.

The opening act was Finotee, a Bronx based band that performs reggae fusion, rock, funk and soul music. They were incredible. The band’s members are Naomi ‘Swan’ White Randolph, Kevin Marth, Justice, Peter ‘Metro’ Hucey, Fumibella, and Karl ‘Yoda’ Wright. The eclectic nature of their sound and their vocal range was effortless; just like their name Finotee which mean “the way ” their musicality provided a way in, a way into their “way” their diverse style; it made a fan out of me.

Live and Direct from Jamaica and Miami

Ky-Mani Marley enters in from stage left and the crowd roars. He paused and greeted the audience and New York City came alive again. He performed some of his father’s hits such as Wait in Vain with his lead vocal background singer (pictured below) and audience favorites, No Woman No Cry and One Love. He looked like his father, in some songs he even sounded like him, but what resonated with me was what made this Marley unique.

It was his fusion, a fusion that blends and tells his story of his life as an immigrant to the United States that has impacted his music and that even in the limelight has made him relatable. The fusion mixed Miami vibes Rap, Hip-Hop, Rock with Reggae, The Blues and even some Reggaeton. I love Reggae music, but his unique sound was like a nice cup of coffee that had a nice smooth blend of coffee beans.

His voice was its own chord: gruff, raw, and melodic. His music danced between genres effortlessly… this man was not only a Reggae artist but simply… an artist. Similarly, his songs echoed the range of his style in some of his acting roles in movies such as Shottas, and One Love . Hustler, Get High, Rasta Love and Ghetto Soldier were some of the songs that he sang that added to the his diverse style as an artist. As he stood in the spotlight’s shifting colors, the vibe shifted, made its way into the crowd and took hold…

And she didn’t know how to tell him

She was in love with a Rasta man

Fire was burning and burning

To let out what she was holding in

And she didn’t know how to tell him

She was in love with a Rasta man

Fire was burning and burning

To let out what she was holding in- Rasta Love

Ky-Mani Marley Lead Background vocals for Ky-Mani Marley Band Ky-Mani Marley, Sings Turn Your Lights Down Low Ky-Mani Marley Sings ” One Love”

CCCADI & Lincoln Center

Until next time, One Love! – CSO

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