It starts with a beat born of the heart that moves forward the feet and the soul, one that traces its roots back to the dawn of humans on this planet, to the continent of Africa. Along the way, it travels to the ghetto of Jamaica where it finds its three kings; Marley, Tosh, and Wailer. It’s carried back across the oceans to Europe and Asia. To the islands of the Caribbean and the Pacific. To the streets of London and New York. Los Angeles and Paris. Tokyo and Berlin. And, of course, back home to Africa.
Its fire burns for decades until the world takes two of the brightest flames. Time and circumstance may have robbed this reggae riddim of its revolutionaries, its most prominent voices, and yet, its heart still beats. It still moves forward the feet and the soul. It survives.

And now, it has been entrusted to these musicians- The Original Wailers, whose latest album, Miracle, delivers on a roots reggae promise that harkens back to the golden era of the genre equally as it creates the sound of tomorrow. To listen to the Original Wailers is to hear musical history while it is being made.

From playing those unmistakable opening notes of No Woman, No Cry to the helm of today’s torchbearers of the Trench Town sound, guitarist and bandleader Al Anderson unites those that have chosen to honor their history not by attempting nostalgically to recreate it, but by taking the spirit, the intent of its creators, and moving it forward through the 21st century.

Sharing those transcendental moments with Anderson as a member of Bob Marley’s Wailers and here with him today is Tyrone Downie (keyboards). A veteran of both stage and studio, Downie’s stamped his passport with stints in The Abyssinians, Beenie Man, Black Uhuru, Buju Banton, Peter Tosh, Junior Reid, Tom Tom Club, Ian Dury, Burning Spear, Steel Pulse, Alpha Blondy, Tiken Jah Fakoly and Sly & Robbie.