24 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 25-31, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com f you asked an artificial intelligence bot to describe a California reggae festival, the outputs may include scattered fragments like Bob Marley, sunshine, and a generally green, yellow and red color scheme. But over the last 13 years, the California Roots Music & Art Festival has delivered a trend-predicting array of international artists that keeps attendees and artists alike captivated to see what (and where) is coming next. “Cali Roots is like a reggae kaleidoscope that takes you on a global journey,” says Uncle Lui (Ivan Kirimaua), bassist with the band Common Kings for the past 11 years. “They intentionally bring together a wide range of reggae music styles and flavors. It’s a melting pot of artists from all around the world, showcasing their unique sounds and cultural influences. “The Cali Roots lineup is always stacked with incredible talent. The whole festival is like a buffet of reggae music goodness.” The collision of world music featured at Cali Roots is the vision of a festival co-creator, Dan Sheehan. Sheehan moved to Hawaii as a toddler and maintained a deep connection to the distinct music that comes from the islands. He joined the festival during its third year and now serves as CEO. “The global perspective is done by design,” says Sheehan, now headquartered in Monterey. “We’re trying to bring all elements and all parts of the world together.” Uncle Lui describes Common Kings as “a tropical concoction with a reggae foundation,” combining soul, rock, pop and R&B. Their fans coined “feel-good music” as an evocative way to capture the vibe, deeply inspired by the band’s diverse Pacific Islander backgrounds, which includes members from Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji and Tonga. “Our cultural background is like the secret sauce in our music recipe,” Uncle Lui says. “You can hear it in our melodies, lyrics and the way we celebrate love, unity, and the struggles and triumphs of our communities. It’s all about sharing our unique experiences through the power of music.” Music from Sheehan’s native Hawaii and the diverse Pacific Island culture continues to rise in prominence at Cali Roots since its initial inclusion in the festival’s second year. Sheehan, alongside his wife Amy, operates several music festivals each year under Good Vibez Presents, a music production company since 2003. One of the Sheehans’ newest ventures is the Holo Holo Music Festival, held in April in Las Vegas and scheduled again to be hosted Sacramento this September. Sheehan says he sold an estimated 5,000 tickets each day of the two-day Vegas festival showcasing Pacific Islander musicians and culture. Several of the Holo Holo artists will also take the stage at Cali Roots, including Hawaiians Kolohe Kai and Anuhea. Kai’s musician profile calls him “one of the most popular artists in Pacific Island reggae music for over a decade” with some of his viral hits racking up more than 40 million streams on Spotify. Kai’s “uplifting, feel-good” set is scheduled for sunset on the last night of the festival. Maui-born Anuhea returns to Cali Roots again this year, bringing a “good, strong, island female vibe,” Sheehan says. In 2019, she received a top honor for Hawaiian artists—the Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Female Vocalist of the Year. This inclusive definition of reggae naturally extends to the traditional Jamaican sound, which is represented in bands like the modern roots group Mykal Rose + Subatomic Sound System and vocalists Lila Iké and Jesse Royal. But, in true Cali Roots style, one of the artists taking festival-goers to Jamaica is originally from Italy. The artist Alborosie takes the stage Saturday, presenting roots reggae music inspired by the Jamaican sound from the 1970s to the early 2000s. Alborosie is a Sicilian-born artist living and making music in Kingston, Jamaica for more than a decade. Alborosie’s voice contains no hint of an Italian accent and he clarifies that he keeps up with the news of his country, Jamaica, when traveling to collect inspiration for his music. “Within the reggae genre there are many different colors and shapes of reggae. Some are lighter, some are different, some are the authentic Jamaican sound,” says Alborosie. “That’s why I appreciate Cali Roots. It gives us an opportunity to represent reggae music in various shapes and forms and present it to the California crowd.” A tour through the festival’s lineup (see “Acts Not To Miss,” p. 22) will quickly sweep you around the world. Friday features artists from New Zealand and the U.K., while Saturday’s music will take you to Trinidad and Tobago, Bermuda and Hawaii. “It’s important to showcase music from all around the world,” Sheehan says. “And this separates us from the others—most festivals stay in their lane, but we try to encompass all of it.” Wide Roots Cali Roots leads the charge in showcasing the diversity of reggae music. By Caitlin Fillmore Above: The Orange County-based reggae group Common Kings performs at Cali Roots in 2022. Each member of this four-man group has roots on a different Pacific Island. Below: Alberto D'Ascola, who goes by the stage name Alborosie, is a Sicilian-born reggae artist who now lives in Jamaica, giving his love of the musical genre a decidedly international flair. DANIEL DREIFUSS VP RECORDS
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==