Marley, Bob

Bob Marley and the Wailers Live at the Rainbow

On June 2, 1977, London's Rainbow Theatre "caught fire"--in the best possible way, of course. At the time, Bob Marley and the Wailers, already huge in the UK, were on tour in support of the locally produced Exodus. While the show starts off with the slow-burning "Trenchtown Rock" (1973's African Herbsman), Marley's performance grows increasingly incendiary until, by the time they get to the climactic closer, "Exodus," it looks as he's in another world entirely. The turning point is an extended version of "Crazy Baldhead" (1976's Rastaman Vibration), in which Marley seemingly enters a trance, performing primarily with eyes closed. By the late-1970s, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer were long gone, making the electrifying Marley more the focus than ever before (and for the first few songs, the rest of the band is barely visible). Other highlights includes "Lively Up Yourself" (1974's Natty Dread), in which Julian "Junior" Marvin throws some Hendrix-style moves into the mix, and "Get Up, Stand Up" (1973's Burnin'), in which the audience echoes Marley's words, as lost in the moment as the man on the stage. This two-disc set includes the 1984 BBC documentary Caribbean Nights (AKA The Bob Marley Story). It features performance excerpts ("Slave Driver" from 1972, "Stir It Up" and "Rastaman Chant" from 1973, "Bad Card" from 1980, etc.), and interviews with Tosh, Joe Higgs, Chris Blackwell, Judy Mowatt, wife Rita Marley, and mother Cedella Booker. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Legend - The Best of Bob Marley and the Wailers

If you are expecting just the videos for the tracks on Bob Marley's extremely successful greatest hits CD, you are going to be pleasantly surprised with this DVD. Legend is much more than a simple, video anthology. It is a historical telling of the music of Bob Marley presented in 23 videos, most of which are performances, and a 90-minute documentary. The documentary is a collage of images and video clips put to a running dialogue by Marley. Unless you are very familiar with the Jamaican dialect, it is recommended to watch this with the subtitles turned on. Interesting, but there are better documentaries out there (e.g., The Bob Marley Story: Caribbean Nights). It is the live performances, however, that make this DVD worth its weight in gold. Every person remotely interested in his music owes it to himself to witness Bob Marley perform on stage. Musically, Marley is as close to perfection as any artist can hope to achieve. But as a performer, he transcends beyond the secular pop star status to the mythic leader of a movement. Notable performances include eight tracks from the famous Live at the Rainbow recording (June 1977) and the early Wailer footage from The Old Grey Whistle Test recorded for the BBC in 1973 ("Stir It Up" and "Concrete Jungle"). They are simply hypnotic. The sound on the DVD, for the most part, is clear, crisp, and flawless ("Could You Be Loved" could have been touched up a little bit). A nice feature is the "playlist," allowing the viewer to play the videos in any order desired. All in all, a great package for a true legend. --Rob Bracco

One Love - The Bob Marley All-Star Tribute

Conceived with DVD release in mind, this high-end, live video concert taped in Jamaica lives up to its title with a generous repertoire of Bob Marley songs performed by reverent pop, hip-hop, rock, and reggae veterans. Shot on a rainy night in December 1999, the home video version expands upon an inaugural TNT cable telecast with an additional hour of performances. The DVD edition adds a premium level of special features and exclusive content.

The music's the main thing, of course, and on that front One Love is uniformly respectful, orbiting around Marley's songs and infused with whiffs of his Rastafarian world view and reggae's broader Third World perspectives. Marley's family members serve as hosts and frequent collaborators, with a limber house band further reinforcing a coherent, communal element to the performances, and the titular all-stars immerse themselves in Marley's world. Lauryn Hill opens the concert with what is clearly one of its highest points, a joyful "Turn the Lights Down Low." Chrissie Hynde and Erykah Badu take turns duetting with Jimmy Cliff, and another reggae titan, Toots Hibbert, proves a perfect, ebullient fit with a current lineup of the Wailers. The celebrity choices include a conspicuous subset of American folk-rockers in Tracy Chapman, Ben Harper, and Hootie and the Blowfish's Darius Rucker, with Chapman the most convincing in a glowing version of "Three Little Birds."

Avid reggae fans may be mildly frustrated by the overall crossover thrust of this homage, which favors Yankee rap and hip-hop (via Busta Rhymes and Queen Latifah) instead of homegrown dancehall; it tantalizes us with glimpses of Marley's peers, like Cliff and Hibbert, while being largely occupied with sustaining its parade of non-reggae marquee names. For most viewers, though, the scope of the concert and the first-rate sonic finish will sustain the spell, an effect powerfully expanded on the superb DVD version. --Sam Sutherland

One Love documents the December 1999 tribute concert honoring reggae pioneer Bob Marley produced in Oracabessa Bay, Jamaica, and originally broadcast on the TNT cable network. Featured is a cross-section of major rock, pop, hip hop, and reggae talent including Lauryn Hill, Chrissie Hynde, Jimmy Cliff, Erykah Badu, Queen Latifah, Busta Rhymes, and Tracy Chapman.

For its DVD release, the producers have restored an hour of additional footage not included in the broadcast, including bonus songs performed by the Marley Family and a behind-the-scenes featurette. Exclusive DVD features also include a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound mix and a multi-angle presentation of the concert finale, enabling users to select from five separate angles.

Selections include:

1. Turn the Lights Down Low--Lauryn Hill
2. Waiting in Vain--Chrissie Hynde
3. Jammin'--Chrissie Hynde & Jimmy Cliff
4. No More Trouble--Erykah Badu
5. No Woman No Cry--Erykah Badu & Jimmy Cliff
6. Who the Cap Fit--Queen Latifah
7. War--Darius Rucker
8. Three Little Birds--Tracy Chapman
9. Rasta Man Chant--Busta Rhymes & Julian Marley
10. Kinky Reggae--Chris Robinson & Damian Marley
11. Get Up Stand Up--Ben Harper
12. Lively Up Yourself--Toots Hibbert & the Wailers
13. Trenchtown Rock--Tracy Chapman, Stephen Marley & Ziggy Marley
14. Rat Race--Eve & Stephen Marley
15. Africa Unite--Marley Family Band, the Melody Makers & the Wailers
16. Redemption Song--Lauryn Hill & Ziggy Marley
17. Could You Be Loved--Marley Family
18. Pass It On--The Melody Makers
19. One Love--FINALE (all performers)

Plus five bonus tracks.

Rebel Music - The Bob Marley Story

The legend of Bob Marley (1945-1981) is well served by this comprehensive and clear-eyed look at the turbulent life and times of the reggae great. Jeremy Marre's documentary presents the man as a vitally important artist, but a flawed--if immensely appealing--human being. The trajectory of his rise is traced from his humble beginnings as the son of a poor, teenage mother in rural Jamaica to the heights of international superstardom in the 1970s. Along the way, Marre provides a context for the development of his artistry by exploring the political situation in Jamaica at the time, the roots of Rastafarianism (to which he was intensely devoted), and his unconventional relationships with women. Although he remained close to wife, Rita, until his death, Marley enjoyed a number of public relationships with other women (Rita admits she found this difficult; Marley claims he didn't see anything unusual about it). The sheer number of interviews is impressive. Aside from the clips of Marley himself, Bunny Livingstone and Peter Tosh (the Wailers), Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, two Jamaican prime ministers (Socialist Michael Manley and Conservative Edward Seaga), and even a CIA official (Philip Agee) all make an appearance. The breadth of Marley's music is represented by over 40 tracks, from the early ska hit "Judge Not" to later political numbers like "Africa Unite." Although Marley never actually considered himself a "political" person, he was surely a rebel--brave, passionate, committed--in the best sense of the word. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Rebel Music tells the fascinating and heart-wrenching story of legendary reggae superstar Bob Marley, his extraordinary life and revolutionary music. He was a gifted musician, an inspired poet, and a prophet of peace who fervently decried the injustices of all people by remaining true to his roots and devoting himself to spreading the gospel of Rastafari. "The most influential artist of the second half of the 20th century" - The New York Times. ?

Bob Marley: Catch A Fire (Special Edition)

This unique 2 disc collection provides an indispensable record of the great man's life and work. As we follow Marley from the clubs and bars of Jamaica to worldwide superstardom we hear the memories and recollections of those who knew him best including his wife Rita his son Ziggy and many many more. Alongside the thoughts of a team of music industry figures is the lasting testimony to Marley's greatness - his music. Featured songs include classics such as No Woman No Cry Is This Love Could You Be Loved Stir It Up I Shot The Sheriff Waiting In Vain Redemption Song and many more. System Requirements:Running Time: 145 minutesFormat: DVD AUDIO Genre: MUSIC DVD/LIVE PERFORMANCES Artist: MARLEY BOB UPC: 823880026218 Manufacturer No: CLL-DV2621

In the late '60s, the notion that reggae would become more than just a novelty act would have been laughed at. To break into the mainstream, the movement needed a powerful voice of prophetic proportions. This voice emerged from the collective work of three pioneering friends from Jamaica, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, and Robert Nesta Marley, who sought to bring about an ideological revolution through deeply meditative, hypnotic, and spiritual music. Catch a Fire was the Wailers' and reggae's introduction to the world and turned Bob Marley into a mega-icon of enormous proportions. It was the first album to remain true to the traditions of reggae music while having enough elements that were accessible to popular culture.

This documentary, Bob Marley and the Wailers: Catch a Fire, returns to Dynamic Studios in Kingston, Jamaica, shedding light on the development of the album, the thought process of Bob, Peter, and Bunny, and the importance of the music on a song-by-song basis. The story of Catch a Fire is presented through interviews with the band members, studio musicians, and former head of Island Records Chris Blackwell. Throughout are raw studio rehearsal footage, BBC TV footage, and home movies that include performances of "Concrete Jungle," "Slave Driver," "Stir It Up," and "Stop That Train." The documentary wraps up with rare black-and-white footage of the Wailers' tour in Edmonton, London, in 1973 with an electrifying performance of the Burnin' song "Get Up, Stand Up." --Rob Bracco

Roots Rock Reggae - Inside the Jamaican Music Scene

Fans of 1970s reggae are sure to rejoice at the chance to hear Jimmy Cliff and Joe Higgs talk about their music, to see hyperkinetic producer-musician Lee "Scratch" Perry at work in his legendary Black Ark studio (with Junior Murvin, the Heptones, and the Upsetters), and to enjoy the lively sounds of the Mighty Diamonds, Ras Michael, and U-Roy in concert. Fans of Jamaica's best-known musical export, Bob Marley and the Wailers, may be a little disappointed, however, because the documentary includes only a couple of brief performance clips--though, granted, even momentary glimpses of Mr. Music at his peak are better than none at all.

This 1977 installment of director Jeremy Marre's 14-part Beats of the Heart series also features early black-and-white footage of Jimmy Cliff and Toots & the Maytals in concert, the Gladiators in the studio, and the Abyssinians, Third World, and Inner Circle in rehearsal. Scenes of Kingston street life are interspersed with the performance footage and interviews to illustrate the narrator's claim that "Reggae music is much more than entertainment in Jamaica today. It's a powerful social force that mirrors the pressures of everyday life, putting them into words and rhythm--describing, revealing, persuading." --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Roots, Rock, Reggae presents a street-level perspective on the reggae music scene during a very important period in the evolution of reggae music. In the late 1970s, police and thieves battled in the street, politicians struggled for power and reggae musicians fought for peoples' souls. Featuring performances by seminal reggae greats from Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff to the Abyssinians and Jacob Miller, this is the only documentary on the evolution of reggae and a must for reggae's legions of fans. 60 minutes.

Bob Marley & The Wailers: Exodus - Live at the Rainbow (30th Anniversary Edition)

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Heartland Reggae

1. Jamaica 2. Dennis Brown 3. The Prophet 4. Trenchtown Rock 5. Stand Up 6. Inspiration 7. Jacob Miller 8. Unity Movie Description Reggae documentary of the One Love Peace Concert held in Kingston, Jamaica in 1978. In addition to the music, this film features the return to Jamaica of Bob Marley after a 16-month hiatus following an attempt on his life. Late, great reggae legend Bob Marley is joined by his acclaimed contemporary Peter Tosh and a dozen other reggae stars--including Jacob Miller, Dennis Brown, and Junior Tucker--in one of his finest concert performances. Filmed live in Marley's homeland, Jamaica, in 1977 and 1978, HEARTLAND REGGAE is one of the most renowned reggae concert films that exists. Also included are several sequences in which the Rastafarian lifestyle and philosophy are discussed. Synopsis The film centers around Marley's historic "One Love Peace Concert," and captures Marley and other reggae stars Jacob Miller and Peter Tosh at the height of their careers. Shot entirely on location in Jamaica between 1977 and 1978, it is considered to be the definitive reggae film.

Classic Albums - Bob Marley and the Wailers: Catch a Fire

In the late '60s, the notion that reggae would become more than just a novelty act would have been laughed at. To break into the mainstream, the movement needed a powerful voice of prophetic proportions. This voice emerged from the collective work of three pioneering friends from Jamaica, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, and Robert Nesta Marley, who sought to bring about an ideological revolution through deeply meditative, hypnotic, and spiritual music. Catch a Fire was the Wailers' and reggae's introduction to the world and turned Bob Marley into a mega-icon of enormous proportions. It was the first album to remain true to the traditions of reggae music while having enough elements that were accessible to popular culture.

This documentary, Bob Marley and the Wailers: Catch a Fire, returns to Dynamic Studios in Kingston, Jamaica, shedding light on the development of the album, the thought process of Bob, Peter, and Bunny, and the importance of the music on a song-by-song basis. The story of Catch a Fire is presented through interviews with the band members, studio musicians, and former head of Island Records Chris Blackwell. Throughout are raw studio rehearsal footage, BBC TV footage, and home movies that include performances of "Concrete Jungle," "Slave Driver," "Stir It Up," and "Stop That Train." The documentary wraps up with rare black-and-white footage of the Wailers' tour in Edmonton, London, in 1973 with an electrifying performance of the Burnin' song "Get Up, Stand Up." --Rob Bracco

The songs and story of Bob Marley's reggae music masterpiece. The Wailers, featuring the legendary Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer, became the most influential band in the history of reggae music. Catch a Fire, their first Island album, released in 1973, introduced them to an international rock audience. Here the principal figures in the creation of Catch a Fire tell the story of how this record was designed to "cross over." The DVD features a unique interview and performance by Bunny Wailer, rare archival interviews with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, and contributions from many of those who performed on the record. Featuring home movies of the Wailers in Jamaica, previously unseen footage, and unique performances of many album tracks such as "Stir It Up," "Stop That Train," and "Kinky Reggae," this is a documentary that will endlessly fascinate the viewer. 60 minutes.

Cultura Live Tribute to the Legend Bob Marley