I originally bought the cd for my wife but I fell in love with the music as well. I normally listen to heavy metal or goth music. So that should say a lot. Keep up the great music. I hope you make it to the Beloit/south Beloit area soon.

Natty Nation HFH Benefit Barrymore Theatre, Friday April 16th By Rick Tvedt, Editor Rick’s Café, www.rickscafe.org Natty Nation has always been generous in donating their services for various causes and this time they were raising funds for Habitat for Humanity of Dane County, a fundraiser that was well promoted and well attended. The crowd was a mix of Natty Nation followers and a much younger element who really responded to the reggae/rock groves, cheering loudly and filling the floor in front of the stage, dancing and partying. The vibe was sensational and this is one of the best performances I’ve seen Natty give. The evening began with Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk declaring May 16th as Habitat for Humanity Day, winning a rousing cheer from the crowd. Natty then hit the stage and from the opening beats of “Live and Know” one could sense that this would be a killer performance. Natty Nation employs two drummer-percussionists. Peter Johnston plays many of the heavier songs, possessing more of a wallop than Pauly Willis, who began the night on congas and assorted percussion. Johnston led the band through several Natty favorites including “Here There,” “No Apology,” and “Inatty In Jah Music,” among others. What Willis lacks in wallop he more than compensated for in finesse when he took over on the kit. Willis has a special touch that injects a little more funk into their sound and his snare drum technique was impressive. Perhaps because of the excellent mix by Intellasound, the keyboards of Aaron Konkol really stood out. The punctuations and embellishments Konkol contributes to Natty’s sound give them a singularly soulful element; his harmonium solo on “No Apology” brought an ovation from the crowd. More attentive listeners can appreciate the underlying support Konkol brings to Natty’s music. He also pitches in with guitarist Stefen Truesdell to provide the backups to lead man/bassist Demetrius Wainwright’s impassioned singing and dynamic stage presence. Truesdell just seems to get better and better with every outing. Sticking to a cherry red Telecaster, Truesdell stunned the crowd with some ripping guitar solos, especially on “No Apology.” His enthusiastic stage demeanor, along with Wainwright’s effortlessly beautiful bass playing, makes Natty Nation an irresistible live act. A special treat on this night was the live debut of Natty’s collaboration with wordsmith Mr. Parker (ex-Smokin’ With Superman). Adding the rap/hip-hop element to Natty’s groves produced an incredible crowd response and I’m sure the band knows they are onto something with this. You can catch this new incarnation, called Dumate, at the WORT Block party on May 23rd.

Review: Natty Nation Local reggae favorites lay it down rasta-style By Steve Seamandel Arts & Review Editor Abysmal temperatures and snowy roads couldn’t even stop this show from happening. Madison’s Natty Nation, facing snowy, traffic-jammed roads, and fans, enduring sub-zero temperatures and even colder wind-chills, finally came together to bring some heat into the Encore in the University Center last Friday. Starting right on schedule without much time for soundchecking, Natty tore through a 90-minute set of cut-and-dry original reggae tunes. Bassist and lead singer Demetrius “Jah Boogie” Wainwright held down the front of the stage, determining the pace of each tune not only with a bouncy bassline but also by shimmying creepily around the stage, like a cat stalking a bird in the distance. That’s not to say that the rest of Natty is unpleasant to watch, though. All of the band members demonstrated a certain degree of animation while playing, especially Aaron Konkol on keys and Peter Johnston on drums and percussion. (To keep things fresh, Johnston and Pauly Willis switch off on drums and percussion halfway through the set.) Although Natty’s blend of traditional reggae became a bit repetitive after an hour, their strongest musical moments rested in the hand of keyboardist Aaron Konkol. Combining sounds of non-traditional to reggae during extended solos transformed Natty’s music from reggae to a hybrid mixture of reggae, downtempo dub and a little bit of electronic craziness that really can’t be classified. These moments with Konkol’s extended solos were the best music that Natty played all night. Natty Nation is a band that visits Point regularly and I’ve never walked out feeling like I’ve seen the same show twice. Although they hit a bit of repetition halfway through, it’s still hard not to dance when Natty’s on stage. Copyright © 2003 UW-Stevens Point Pointer. Questions and comments are welcomed by e-mailing the webmaster.

The roots/reggae band from Madison, Natty Nation, have continued their road to entertain audiences young and old with their message of peace, positivity, and love. The new album is a combination of three unforgettable performances with J-Maxx (Jeffery Maxwell), to more recent shows with the new lineup. Natty Nation Is a band that refuses to quit. Despite the recent loss of J-Maxx, the band has continued to tour and promote their message. "Jeffery [Maxwell] told us never to stop." Says bassist/vocalist Demetrius "Jah Boogie" Wainwright, "We have always said that we wouldn't give up on the music." The summer gigs at the Union Terrace and the Damian Marley show at the Barrymore last year were excellent examples of the group pushing forward. The shows were packed to the limit as the fans came back to see the music. The new album Inatty in Jah Music will be released on Inatty/Fish Eye records on February 21st. It is dedicated to Jeffery, and features his vocals on two of the tracks. It also includes a compilation with Mr. Parker of Smokin' With Superman, who sits in on a track for Rasta Revolution. The release party will be held at Luther's blues, and will feature fellow Madisonians Know Boundaries. The newer lineup includes Aaron Konkol (former Universal Soul Ensemble), who joined Natty on Keyboards in 2002. Aaron brings a rich layer of sound to the already diverse group. "We are going in many directions, " Says Konkol, "But it's all moving forward". Steve Truesdell, lead guitar, makes his first studio appearance with Natty Nation. "We wanted to experiment with incorporating some rock [to] see where it would go," Says Truesdell , "It gives a few of the tracks almost a jamband feel." Natty Nation has played together for over seven years, and has established themselves as the humble ambassadors of Madison reggae.