Jr Toots & The Stronghold
Living Roots
© 2007 Jr Toots & The Stronghold (837101377089)
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The best original reggae music you've heard lately. No studio one re-makes here. Guaranteed there's something here for all reggae hip-hop fans.
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Jr.Toots, whose given name is Clayton Hibbert, hails from the St.Mary’s parish of Jamaica. The son of one of Reggae’s founding fathers, Jr.Toots like so many other great reggae performers began singing as a youth in his hometown church. His father, Toots Hibbert, toured extensively & young Clayton lived with his grandparents in the lush tropical environment of Jamaica’s countryside. Having complete autonomy over the vastness of his grandparents property, young Clayton would disappear into the landscape for hours of fishing, gathering fruit, and living. It was here that he learned the importance of mans relation to time & nature. As he grew older, he moved into Kingston to take up residence with his father. While in Kingston, he was exposed to the harsh realities of city survival, which would prove influential on his music in coming years. He also found himself surrounded by various classic reggae artists including Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh; and after witnessing the daylong rehearsals of the Maytals, Jr.toots was struck with an insatiable longing to entertain. Already beginning to develop his voice, his attendance at these rehearsals provided him with a classroom few musicians can say they’ve attended. Through the Maytals hard work Jr.Toots was shown exactly how to polish his craft, and he took this knowledge and ran with it. After migrating to the United States to live with his mother he continued to develop the classic Toots vocal Style; and coupled with the influence of Hip-Hop, Jr.toots began finding his own musical personality. Throughout the early 90’s, he released four EP’s including: Harder & Harder, Dangerous Living, Poor People Feel It, and Nothing to Gain. In 1997, he went on to record with Everton Blender, Mikey Spice and Jack Radics on the acclaimed Reggae Mood Swingz compilation. Two full length LP’s followed including Honorable Youth, produced by Shaka man of Boom Shaka and Jah Will Be Done. In 1995, Jr.Toots gained international recognition opening up for Toots & the Maytals in Europe. A U.S. tour with Morgan Heritage subsequently followed in 1997 and between 1998 & 2000, he opened countless times for his father. In 2001 he performed at Reggae On the River and at the Ragga Muffin’s Bob Marley festival in Long beach, San Diego, and San Francisco. In 2002, he joined his father on tour once again, and performed with the likes of Luciano, Israel Vibrations, and Tonto Metro & Devonte. Joining the tour in San Francisco, he would go on to play the United states culminating in a performance at the 2002 Sierra-Nevada World music Festival. Throughout 2002, Jr.toots continued to forward Jah works with the issuance of Black Christ Redemption (available at www.jrtoots.com), a collection of standouts from his previous independent releases, as well as joining his father on an east coast tour of the U.S. In 2003, he opened once again for Toots & the Maytals on various U.S. dates such as Reggae in the Park in San Francisco, CA. In 2006, Jr.toots released The Crown of Fire & in 2007 finished Living Roots with KCA of Steppin’ Razor Productions. Recorded and mixed at the Stronghold in Oakland, CA, this long awaited project was well worth the wait. Combining various forms of Reggae Music including Hip-Hop, Dancehall, Rub-a-Dub, Rockers, Nyahbingi and Roots & Culture with conscious & insightful lyrics, Living Roots is truly Universal. With a new sound and solid production provided by KCA, Living Roots is an album, which adds to Reggae’s musical landscape rather than merely imitates it! If you’ve been waiting for a new & original sound to emerge - here it is!