Jah Shaka Soundsystem

The mighty Jah Shaka played an indomitable set at the Concorde which drew in a whole new generation to the conscious roots rock reggae scene. Shaka has been operating out of South East London since the 70s and days of Sus Laws, British ska orientated reggae and Babylon (the film) which he appeared as himself. And why not, he makes no concession to modernity working off the one turntable and is roots personified, very much in the mould of Winston Rodney and the great, sadly departed Joe Hill. Setting up his poster of Haile Selassie on the Concorde 2 wall with gaffer tape in his usual unhurried, deliberative fashion, shows just how little has changed over the intervening years – an honour once again. (A quick shout-out to the Brighton Up DJs in the front room who played out some ‘wicked wicked tunes check it out good and properly’ in the words of the SLR radio DJs of old: circa early 90s’ Hackney…)

Concorde 2, 26 April 2013

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