KCRW'S GARTH TRINIDAD HOSTS

SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 2006, AT 7 PM

Media support provided by KCRW 89.9 FM

Reggae ambassadors Ziggy and Stephen Marley, and Bunny Wailer, along with LA's own Ozomatli, stir it up at the Bowl's annual reggae party, Bob Marley: Roots, Rock, Reggae Festival 2006, on Sunday, August 13, 2006, at 7 p.m. It is part of KCRW's World Festival and is hosted by KCRW's Garth Trinidad.

Ziggy and Stephen Marley, two of reggae legend Bob Marley's 15 children who were both tremendously influenced by their father, have carved out their own unique reggae sounds. The brothers, along with siblings Sharon and Cedella, released their first track as Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers in 1979, when Stephen was only six years old. "We've been making music together since birth," Stephen said. "Our first song was produced by our father, called 'Children Playing in the Streets'." The group, blending blues, R&B, hip-hop and reggae, went on to win three Grammy awards.

Ziggy released his latest and second solo album, Love is My Religion (Tuff Gong Worldwide), on July 2. Embracing both the spiritual and emotional side of Ziggy's life, it expands upon the personal, social and political themes explored in his debut CD, Dragonfly. Its musical center is clearly reggae, peppered by African percussion and other flavors. Friendship is one of the album's recurring themes, whether as the core of monogamous love or the connective tissue of global brotherhood.

This performance marks the first time that he has performed this new material live, and Stephen Marley's first headlining tour, where he performs songs from his upcoming solo debut, Mind Control.

Bunny Wailer, a key member of reggae's music foundation, grew up in Kingston, Jamaica, with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. Together they formed the legendary group the Wailers, Bob Marley's band. Bunny's strong tenor vocals were used primarily for the band's harmonies, but he occasionally sang lead on such Marley tracks as "Dancing Shoes" and "Sunday Morning." His 1996 solo album, Hall of Fame (RAS Records), a tribute to Bob Marley, earned Bunny his third Grammy. This show is the first time that Ziggy, Stephen and Bunny Wailer have joined together for a tour.

Ozomatli, which describes itself as a multi-ethnic, political, Latin-breakbeat-salsa-funk-reggae-hip-hop-rock orchestra, will release a new record, Don't Mess With The Dragon, in early 2007. It was recorded over the past year in San Francisco and a handful of L.A. studios. The Los Angeles collective won a Grammy and a Latin Grammy for their pastiche of hip-hop, Latin and Middle Eastern styles on 2004's Street Signs.

KCRW's World Festival continues on August 27 with an evening of electronica featuring Gotan Project, Zero 7, José González, Sia, and Herbert. The series wraps on September 10 with a nod to American music headlined by the great Lone Star troubadour Willie Nelson, singer/songwriter Neko Case, and alt-country roots-rocker Ryan Adams.

A native of Kingston, Jamaica, ZIGGY MARLEY first sat in on recording sessions with his father when he was ten years old. After two decades as the driving creative force behind The Melody Makers, Ziggy released his debut solo album in 2003, Dragonfly (RCA Victor Group), which featured such guest artists as Flea and John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Mike Einziger and DJ Kilmore (Incubus). He has contributed to a variety of soundtracks including 50 First Dates and Shark Tale, in which he delved into acting for the first time, playing the character of Bernie, the Jamaican jellyfish. In addition to his skills as a singer, songwriter and producer, Ziggy founded U.R.G.E. (Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment), a non-profit organization that benefits a wide range of charitable children's causes in Jamaica, Ethiopia and other developing nations. He has also thrown his support behind the Youth AIDS campaign.

Composer, singer and producer, STEPHEN MARLEY, Bob Marley's second son, is never far from musical instruments and is often heard humming a tune. He is currently working on various Ghetto Youth United projects. Stephen Marley also produced Chant Down Babylon, which combines the music of big-name U.S. hip-hop stars such as Lauryn Hill, Busta Rhymes, and Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of the rock supergroup Aerosmith, with 12 of his father's most popular hits. Initially, the project drew a lot of criticism but was bolstered by a spurt of interest in Bob Marley's music in late 1999 when Time Magazine named the senior Marley's Exodus the Album of the Century. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) also named the patriarch's "One Love" Song of the Century. Despite a slow start, Chant Down Babylon went gold after posting sales of over 500,000 units in the United States. Its success among African-Americans has influenced Marley to start working on projects with mass appeal. His new album, Mind Control, is due for immediate release.

Neville Livingston, better known as BUNNY WAILER, one of the original members of the Wailers and a three-time Grammy winner, is recognized around the globe as one of the founding fathers of reggae. When the Wailers, which also featured Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, signed to Island Records in 1972, the band was exposed to a broad worldwide audience. Bunny Wailer left the group in 1974 to pursue a solo career. His first major solo effort, Black Heart Man (Island Records, 1976) was considered one of the most acclaimed reggae albums in history. Bunny also wrote the international dance hit "Electric Boogie" for former I-Three vocalist Marcia Griffiths. In 1999 RAS Records re-issued Bunny Wailer's classic Dub D'sco, featuring dub versions of some of Solomonic's most renowned tunes. Bunny Wailer still writes and records from his native Jamaica, always interested in exploring new musical roads. U.S. and European audiences are treated from time to time by his select and memorable performances.

Brewing a vital concoction of Latin salsa, urban hip-hop, and jazz funk, OZOMATLI formed in Los Angeles in the mid-1990s with a lineup comprising Raúl "El Bully" Pacheco (guitar, lead vocals), Ulises Bella (tenor sax, clarinet, vocals), Jiro Yamaguchi (percussion), Willy "Wil-Dog" Abers (bass, vocals), Sheffer Bruton (trombone, background vocals), Mario Calire (drums), Rene "Spinobi" Dominguez (turntablist), Justin " El Niño" Porée (percussion, MC, vocals), Asdrubal Sierra (trumpet, lead vocals), and Jabu (MC). Following success on the local club circuit, the group appeared on the late-night talk show Vibe! and released its self-titled debut in June 1998. Ozomatli's second album (titled Embrace the Chaos) was released on September 11, 2001. While many bands in the U.S. responded to the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon by canceling their concerts, Ozomatli - a multiracial crew who have never been shy about its commitment to social justice, progressive politics, and antiwar convictions - decided to keep playing. September 11 became the impetus for the band to help build understanding among cultures through an exploration of the musical traditions of North Africa and the Middle East. Street Signs (Concord, 2004), the band's first full-length studio album in three years, adds this new Middle Eastern influence to its trademark blend of hip-hop and Latin styles. Tracks feature Moroccan vocalist Hassan Hakmoun and French-Jewish gypsy violinists Les Yeux Noirs, in addition to guest appearances by Latin-jazz legend Eddie Palmieri and many others.

One of the largest natural amphitheaters in the world, with a seating capacity of nearly 18,000, the HOLLYWOOD BOWL has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its official opening in 1922, and in 1991 gave its name to the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, a resident ensemble that has filled a special niche in the musical life of Southern California. The 2004 season introduced audiences to a revitalized Hollywood Bowl, featuring a newly-constructed shell and stage and the addition of four stadium screens enhancing stage views in the venue. To this day, $1 buys a seat at the top of the Bowl for many of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's concerts. While the Bowl is best known for its sizzling summer nights, during the day California's youngest patrons enjoy "SummerSounds: Music for Kids at the Hollywood Bowl," the Southland's most popular summer arts festival for children, now in its 38th season. Attendance figures over the past several decades have soared: in 1980 the Bowl first topped the half-million mark and close to one million admissions have been recorded. In February 2006, the Hollywood Bowl was named Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue for the second year in a row at the 17th Annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards; the Bowl's summer music festival has become as much a part of a Southern California summer as beaches and barbecues, the Dodgers, and Disneyland.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 2006, AT 7:00 P.M.

HOLLYWOOD BOWL, 2301 N. Highland Ave. in Hollywood

Bob Marley: Roots, Rock, Reggae Festival 2006

ZIGGY MARLEY

STEPHEN MARLEY

BUNNY WAILER

OZOMATLI

Media support provided by KCRW 89.9 FM

Tickets ($5 - $111) are on sale now at the Hollywood Bowl Box Office, by calling Ticketmaster at 213.480.3232, at all Ticketmaster outlets (Robinsons May, Tower Records and Ritmo Latino locations), or online at HollywoodBowl.com. Groups of 12 or more may be eligible for a 20% discount, subject to availability; call 323.850.2050 for further details. For general information or to request a brochure, call 323.850.2000.

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