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| Matisyahu: Hasidic regae |
8/22/2005
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Matisyahu
“Live at Stubb’s”
This is a definitely white guy far out of his expected element.
I’m not talking about Marshall Mathers AKA Eminem.
I’m talking about Mathew Miller AKA Matisyahu. He does reggae.
The tall, thin vocalist strides confidently on the stage. He brings a spiritual presence with him, but it’s not the Rasta vibes that carried Bob Marley. You see, Matisyahu is wearing the traditional grab of a Hasidic man. He’s got the long beard, the black hat. He no longer has dreadlocks, but he has peyes (side curls).
It was a gradual, but logical transition. When you stop to think about, Bob Marley’s brand of reggae was always rich in Judeo symbolism, with a spiritual root in Ethiopia.
His life in Crown Heights center around his religious studies.
As youth he had wanderlust. Wasting time with what one writer described as a period of “beat boxing” and hippie lifestyle.
He traveled to Colorado, and then to Israel where he strongly connected with his Jewish roots. It’s certainly the wrong brand to refer to as born again, but his spiritualism was certainly blossomed. An article on him said he was baal tshuva, or a newly religious jew..
At a time when he was exploring reggae and hip-hop as a means to communicate his Hasidic Judaism, he met a rabbi who introduced him to a Lubavitch Hasidic lifestyle.
Which led to his debut album, “Shake Off the Dust...Arise,” released last year on the JDub label (as is this one).
Matisyahu is in the midst of a national tour. It includes all the classy rock clubs, and has included some network appearances.
He describes music as his core. His faith is strict enough that he doesn’t wear his glasses on stage be cause he doesn’t want to view people who may be dressed immodestly.
He stumbles onto just the right label JDub was initially set up as a non-profit to bring Jewish music into broad cultural reference points. JDub, sensing it had a cross-cultural hit here, latched into a distribution deal with Epic records, part of the Sony conglomerate.
He quotes from the Torah seamlessly following the traditions of the Rastafarians before him.
Listen side-by-side to Marley and you see the same sort of spirit..
The crackerjack reggae band behind him share his spiritual background.
His music is uplifting, but grounded on that faith.
Read Mike online at www.music-syndicate.com
Copyright reserved, 2005, the Music Syndicate. |
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