Revelation Part 1: The Root of Life

Product Description 2011 album from singer, songwriter, musician and producer Stephen Markley, the second son of Reggae legend Bob Marley. Stephen has been blazing his own trail in the music world, combining Reggae, Hip Hop and R&B styles to create his own unique sound. The album features appearances from Melanie Fiona and Damian Marley. About the Artist An acclaimed singer, songwriter, musician and producer, Stephen Marley is a five-star general in Jah Army's ongoing offensive to uphold the integrity of reggae music. Stephen has won seven Grammy Awards for his work on various Marley family projects, including two Best Reggae Album Grammy nods for his self-produced solo efforts "Mind Control", which debuted atop Billboard's Reggae Album Chart, and "Mind Control Acoustic", a record-setting tally for a Jamaican artist. The second son born to Bob and Rita Marley, younger brother to Sharon, Cedella and Ziggy and mentor to brothers Julian, Ky-mani and Damian, Stephen's acceptance of the responsibilities inherent within his exalted familial legacy is evidenced by the consistent excellence that distinguishes his various musical endeavors. Stephen's third self produced album "Revelation Part 1: The Root of Life" (Ghetto Youths/Universal Republic), which will be released on May 24th, was conceived as a celebration and preservation conduit for roots rock reggae, insuring that the music's regal template is maintained throughout the 21st century. Stephen achieves that objective with 14 soulful, often times soul-bearing tracks that never sacrifice rhythmic purity in deliverance of their powerful messages: "Revelation Part 1: The Root of Life" provides encouragement for the struggling masses ("Working Ways"), depicts the harrowing residual effects of slavery ("Old Slaves"), evokes the sorrow of rejection ("She Knows Now"), and conveys the disappointment of "False Friends", the gravity of these themes offset by exquisite melodies and the subtle shadings of their musical accompaniment, as coordinated by Stephen's production expertise. Conceived as a two part project, "The Root of Life" will be followed by the release of "Revelation Part 2: The Fruit of Life", due in Autumn 2011, which features an array of styles that have emanated from reggae's core. "Reggae music has influenced hip-hop and so many other kinds of music," Stephen reasons, "so `The Fruit of Life' will be a more open, eclectic kind of record. There will be songs for the club; dancehall reggae will be there, love songs in there, but it will remain conscious good music that you can always take something positive from." Stephen embarked on his strategic scheme to safeguard Jamaican music's standards after reading several articles criticizing current dancehall reggae hits that are preoccupied with sex and materialism and devoid of the revolutionary, empowering sentiments that were intrinsic to reggae's development in the late `60s. "The accusations in those articles don't speak for I and I and `nuff more artists' music, but when you check what's breaking through from Jamaica, it's some two-chord, jump up party thing," Stephen explained during a recent visit to New York City's Quad Studios. "There's nothing wrong with that in its appropriate time and place but to preserve the music's integrity you must have a balance. Reggae's consciousness was built on a message, a Black movement, Rastafari, and that is not being pushed today. Me know me have power with my voice and my instrument so, with that vibe, me pick up me guitar, strummed a reggae rhythm, and just started singing; from song to song, that is the spirit within this album." Stephen and his band members rehearsed for two weeks prior to recording "The Root of Life" and the result is an organic, richly textured sound, anchored in reggae's scorching drum and bass backbeat, punctuated by steady guitar strums and fluid keyboard riffs, then embellished with flourishes of saxophone, flute and harmonica. "With "Mind Control" I kin