Jammin’ is not just about Bob Marley and the Wailers, but a whole collective of funky sounds, pumping beats, and cool vibes. The Jazz Reggae Festival occurs every Memorial Day Weekend on the UCLA campus’s Intramural Field and features a large main stage with performers from 11 AM - 7 PM. Sunday, May 25th was the festival’s “jam” day, with The Roots as the headliner, while May 26th was “reggae” day, with Stephen Marley as the headliner.
Food vendors and clothing boutiques flanked the right and left sides of the field, but the main attraction was a large stage in the very back of the field where each artist performed about a 30-40 minute set each. The unusually cool LA weather complemented the laid-back tone of the event; with a little breeze rushing through the field wafting the faint occasional scent of (you guessed it) marijuana, sitting on the lawn in front of the stage did not feel like a draining exercise in endurance, but rather a relaxing venue to enjoy riffing and jamming artists.
Young families, college students, and couples seemed like the festival’s main patrons, but it was a festival suitable for all types of music lovers. Browsing through vendors could occupy one’s time if the artist playing did not suit one’s interests, but it was easy to get lost in a full set and not realize the full passing of time.
My favorite artists on Jam Day included Amos Lee and Dr. Lonnie Smith. Lee performs folksy-style blues style that sounds like a jazzier Damien Rice. His set included songs from his newest album and older albums and he showed off his range with a collection of fast and slow numbers. Accompanied by a full band, Lee strummed his acoustic guitar while backed up by a bassist, another guitarist, and a drummer. All worked flawlessly together creating an ambiance both peaceful and entrancing.
Smith, on the other hand, is a true improvisational artist, using one basic melodic riff in countless ways to create a jazzy stream. While Smith appealed to an older collective of audience members, given his more traditional and less acoustic jazz sound, his work could be appreciated by even the most casual listener.
Even if jazz and reggae music is not necessarily your favorite type of music, listening to just one set proves a concert worth attending; the opportunities to listen to musicians come together for one show centered on loving one’s neighbor and finding a collective love in musical unity makes the experience worthwhile.
Photo Courtesy of The Daily Bruin.
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