February 4, 2010, 4:45 pm
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Ziggy Marley won his fifth (5) Grammys award this past weekend, for what I consider an outstanding Reggae album. The album that won him the Grammy is called “Family Time” and consists of songs done specifically for the youngest audience. The album has songs like ABC, a remake of his dad’s “Bend down Low” but focuses on saying the alphabet and learning words to match the letters.
This song is simply awesome but then you get to hear “Ziggy says” which invites the kids to do what he says, all in good clean fun. They also get to use their imagination, when he instruct them in the melodically chant, “Ziggy says fly”. Other favorites are Walk Tall with Paul Simon and Hold him Joe which is an old classic Caribbean song.
Stephen Marley won this year’s Reggae Grammy but Ziggy could have easily won, if his album was one of the nominees. What makes Ziggy’s win so much more special is, he won in a category where most never expect to see a Reggae act make an appearance. Ziggy won the “Best musical album for Children”.
His album which is undoubtedly Reggae, beat out the likes of : Jonathan Sprout with American Heroes # 3, Cathy and Marcy featuring special guest Christylez Bacon with “Banjo to Beat box”, Milk Shake with Great Day, Greg and Steve with “Jumpin and Jammin” and Buck Howdy doing a “Pete Seeger Tribute- Ageless kids’ songs”.
Ziggy’s father, Bob Marley, concreted a musical trail; his moves, his sound and much of what he did is still copied by many of today’s best acts. We wonder if this new trail being blazed by the son will also be followed by future Reggae acts. Reggae music was once used to positively educate the masses and as it stands it seem as though Ziggy is finally taking Reggae back to its roots, to educate once again. Ziggy has given good clean Reggae music to the CHILDREN: THE REAL ROOTS!