Back To The Roots Of Reggae
The “Iron Man” of the local reggae scene is coming to the steps of the Lakewood Public Library on Friday, July 23rd.
As part of the Front Porch Concerts: One World Music Series, Carlos Jones and the P.L.U.S. Band will perform at 7:00 p.m. in front of the Main Branch for an audience on the closed off block of Detroit from Arthur to Mars.
In 2009, Carlos Jones and the P.L.U.S. Band released the album Leave a Trail with their music featured in two motion pictures (Northstarr and Surfer Dude), however, Jones has been a part of the Cleveland reggae scene since 1978 when he started out as a percussionist for I-Tal. In 1984, he was a founding member of First Light, a reggae group that gained widespread recognition for its two full length albums and other recordings. Since 1998, he has been working with a four piece ensemble originally called Strictly Roots but now more commonly known as the P.L.U.S. Band (or Peace Love Unity Syndicate). The ensemble plays roots reggae, a type of reggae associated with themes addressing societal issues as well as spirituality.
As a drummer, what first attracted Jones to reggae was the beat, but the reason he loves being a musician is because of the way he can interact with the crowds during performances.
“There’s kind of an electricity,” Jones said about the crowds he plays for. “they are giving that energy right back. It really is a joyous thing.”
For Jones, the music is all about building and producing a positive feeling.
“We try to get a spiritual kind of feeling,” said Jones about what he wants people to take away from his music. “That is what the music does automatically.”
Noting that mainstream radio does not often play “positive” music because that is not what sells, Jones talked about reggae’s influence on modern music:
“Reggae has influenced a lot of modern artists. It influenced artists from when it first came on the scene until now. As far as roots reggae goes, it’s been put on the back shelf. It has a place with listeners who want to hear conscious music and not just dance or rap or hip hop. You really have to go to internet and satellite radio [to hear roots reggae], but it’s always gonna be around. It’s nice to see that there are young artists now, taking up where the positive messages are.”
Just as reggae has influenced artists in popular music, Jones was influenced by a wide range of artists in his 30 year career such as Bob Marley, the Rolling Stones, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Santanna, Genesis, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Earth Wind and Fire, the Who, and of course, the Beatles.
“My family lived in Germany for a while and only had [a Beatles record],” Jones said.
In the end, regardless of fame or fortune, for Carlos Jones, it is all about the music.
“Sometimes you have to go off the board and make music for the sake of enhancing the beauty of the world not just how much money you can make off it. I prefer to be in that camp. I may never be world famous, or get rich off of playing music, but I am rich in what music brings me, joy, happiness, and fulfillment.”
This third concert in the series that celebrates Lakewood’s global community will also be Non-Profit Night, where local non-profit organizations will have informational tables. If your non-profit would like to participate contact LakewoodAlive at 216-521-0655.
These concerts have been brought to the community through the efforts of Lakewood Hospital, the Lakewood Public Library, the City of Lakewood, LakewoodAlive and Panera Bread.