 "Photo: Ja Works")
Kicking off a campus-wide effort to "Rock the Vote," Loyola will welcome back the politically-minded reggae band Jah Works, to perform this Friday afternoon at a free concert for all students.
This is the second time that the band has graced the stage on the Evergreen campus as they opened for last spring's Loyolapalooza headliner, State Radio.
And Loyola is quite the familiar place for the band that boasts four of the six members as alums including their bass player Kevin Gorman.
"To perform back at our alma matter is great" says Kevin on playing a set at his old stomping ground. "Its great to look around and see all of the changes at a place where you spent over three years." (Kevin studied abroad in his junior year in Belgium).
The band which heavily influenced by roots and dance hall reggae as well as a sampling of R&B and hip hop sees the great importance of this upcoming election and what it will mean for the future of America. They also recognize the power of the several thousands of voters that walk across quad to their classes everyday.
"This Election is huge for us," says Kevin with a clear tone of passion in his voice. "We are staunch Democrats and big Obama supporters. It is a change we need and Loyola is a campus aware of whats going on in this world. There is a lot of social awareness here and it is a good thing to let your voice be heard on election day".
Among the many features on their MySpace page including samples of their music, a biography and several photo albums; there is a YouTube music video titled "Yes We Can." The pro-Obama clip features the Democratic candidate's stirring speech with guitar accompaniment as well as celebrities such as Scarlett Johanssen, will.I.am, and John Legend adding some punch to Obama's words.
Aside from their stance on political issues, the group also holds a religious message that can be found in their name. The "Jah" in their name is short for Jehovah, a reference to God that is reflective of not only their view on the world but also on the feeling that reggae-style music gives to the listener.
"It is a music that has a message to it. The freedom to be yourself and express yourself. The beauty of nature and that good reigns over evil. There is a spirituality about it,"says Kevin. "From a musical perspective the bass and the drum drives the music rather than the guitar. And it makes you want to move your body."
This is the music that the band has been creating, recording, and performing for over 18 years with seven independent albums and an average of over 200 shows across the globe each year. "Jah Works" has performed their brand of music with the likes of N.E.R.D. and Ben Harper over the years.
Their last two albums, "Hard to Find" and "One for you", show the evolution of a band that has grown tremendously since their inception in the mid 1990s. Among their vast accomplishments is Riddim House Studios. A studio they built on their own in 2005. They also do their own mixing and production work on all of their songs since the beginning of Riddim House.
On the song "Last Night", one of the tracks off of "One for you", you can clearly hear their blend of Bob Marley-styled island riffs along with modern day hip-hop overtones. In each of their songs an audible fusion of such classic-raggae as well as sounds of the present floods your ears with a sense of chilled lyrics and strong beats. It's a great sound that is perfect for a Friday afternoon as well as the armed forces that have enjoyed the band's musical styling's for several years now.
The band is proud of their involvement in Armed Forces Entertainment (AFE). They have been a part of this great initiative since 2002 and have traveled about in several Middle Eastern countries including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain among others during their three Armed Services. One of those tours was as recent as February 2007.
"We've been fortunate enough to do three tours", says Kevin. "We have had the chance to break bread and play music for those guys and to get a taste of different cultures. We saw places we would have never dreamed of visiting".
When politics were discussed, it was made evident that the band collectively disagrees with policies of George Bush and is more than welcoming the end of his eight years in office. Despite that fact, they believe in the troops and are proud to share their music with the soldiers.
Kevin adds, "We are against the wars, but we are for the troops. It's a job for them and a way to put food on the table.
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