THC sound system
Σάββατο, 20 Δεκεμβρίου
Iera Odos 44, Athens, Greece
Michael Ray McKulsky, aka Ras Daniel Ray, was born in Jamaica in a
Christian family of twelve children. His dad names him Ray as an analogy
to the note ‘ray’ what destines him to a musical career. At the age of
five, he starts as a choirboy in a church and also takes part to a
Gospel group at school, which leads him to dedicate a real passion to
singing.
As a teenager, Ray, called then Sugar Ray, starts
performing for the sound system Echo Tone Night Rider, in his village of
Saint Catherine. He accedes to a professional level with Killamanjaro
sound that makes him popular in Jamaica, sharing the stage with
celebrities such as Shabba Ranks. He makes greater appearances in reggae
festivals, and then starts singing for the sound Jahlovemusik.
In
1993, his first singles ‘Bubbling Pot’ and ‘Jamaica Nice’ are produced
by Harry J. Sunset Records. His first songs are written by Sangi Davis
who takes him under his wing and teaches him the principles of
Rastafarian culture. The lyrics will be from now on impregnated with
Rastafarian messages.
In 1996, he got noticed by the Swiss promoter
Rootsman and starts travelling between Jamaica and Europe. He plays on
stage in Switzerland at the group Far I Rebel Band’s side in first part
of the Beres Hammon show, a tour which took place in Austria, in Italy,
in France and in the United Kingdom. This new step marks the beginning
of another artistic collaboration in all Europe and abroad up to
Ethiopia and the Reunion Island. After a short stay in Jamaica, Ras
Daniel Ray decides to orientate his musical career towards Europe which
leads him to settle down in the United Kingdom and work with different
production studios such as:
-Jet Star/Mafia & Fluxy, 'You don’t know me' in an unplugged version
-Reggae on Top that will produce the titles 'Redemption reality' and 'Cannabis', versions influenced by dub music
… and after in France where his talent is noticed by various radios
including France Inter. He will do an important encounter with the group
Tu Shung Peng and starts - for the first time in his career- a close
creative collaboration that results in the production of their first
album "Around Tu Shung Peng" in 2007 followed by "Trouble Time" in 2008.
These two compilations produced under the label Makasound are
distributed in France by PIAS but also in the United States, in Italy,
in Japan, in Portugal and in the U.K. Ras Daniel Ray sings on theses
albums the titles ' Man of the Mountain' and 'Can you be my Princess' on
the first one and 'One sweet day' and 'Vision Land' on the second one.
Around the group and Ras Daniel Ray, the biggest names in Reggae Roots
music are collaborating to many songs. Both albums are available all
around the world.
Beside the concerts with his group, Ras Daniel
Ray pursues his work as a solo system’s singer with the label Patate
Records in a two cds’compilation, "Orange Street" and "Pirates and
Treasures" (titles: 'Follow the river', 'Make it to the top' and 'Golden
age') and keeps on recording dub plates like 'Olympic' produced by
Scotch Bonnet Records to pay an homage to Usain Bolt, a Jamaican runner,
three times world champion.
Between 2007 and 2010, Ras Daniel
Ray and Tu Shung Peng play in several concert halls and festivals
especially as finalists of a European Jump-in organized by the Rototom
Reggae Sunsplash festival, one of the biggest of the kind. In November
2008, they participate to different shows on French TV on the side of
famous people –i.e. Amadou and Mariam.
The list of live shows is
long. The last big date being the Reggae Festival in Garance in summer
2010 where they appear among not less than sixty artists, to mention the
most famous ones; Bunny Wailer, Toots and the Maytals and John Holt.
Ray makes two appearances on stage during this festival, one in a sound
system with Jahlovemusik gathering various artists and one on the next
day with his group Tu Shung Peng.
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου