John Brown’s Body to Play at Mountain Town Get Down

24 Mar John Brown’s Body to Play at Mountain Town Get Down

“Some folks say they’ve seen the future of reggae and its name is John Brown’s Body,” Tallahassee Democrat.

Here’s a head scratcher: What could a famous, long-dead abolitionist possibly have in common with the end of the winter season in a lily white resort town?

Answer: A trailblazing band.

Named in honor of the legendary abolitionist, John Brown’s Body is the headliner at the Telluride Ski Resort’s end-of-winter celebration, “Mountain Town Get Down.” The happening takes place Friday, March 28 – Sunday, March 30. Other acts include See-I and local Telluride talent.

“This event is a way for locals and destination guests, alike, to celebrate the end of an incredible season,” stated Brad Larsen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “The Mountain Town Get Down will bring vibrancy to the Mountain Village core and it’s a great way to celebrate spring in America’s best ski town.”

The weekend kicks off Friday, March 28, with happy hour at Tomboy Tavern, featuring local act Lily von Schtupp. The following day is all about free live music in the Mountain Village core: Telluride local band, TriCo, performs 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. The group is followed by See-I at 2:30 p.m. and then John Brown’s Body at 4:30 p.m. (Sunday resurrects the infamous Bikini Slalom from 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m., followed by the Gorrono Ranch Luau, 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., featuring the local reggae band Bredren.)

John Brown’s Body (or JBB) is a progressive reggae band formed in Boston in 1995, a time with the U.S. did not have a serious reggae scene to call its own. (American bands playing reggae were regional at best and primarily doing covers of the best known Jamaican reggae.) Even 20 years ago, JBB was not strictly your mother’s beach resort reggae group. Eschewing the traditional focus of religion and marijuana, JBB evolved more like an indie band, writing songs that used the vocabulary of reggae to express their own expoeriences. The octet describes what it does as “Future Roots.”  White grounded in 1970s reggae rhythms, Future Roots is also a mshup of many sub-genres – electronic, funk, ska, hip-hop and dubstep. That all adds up to a sound that is both timeless and arguably “the most forward-thinking reggae music in the world today,” (LA2DAY). With JBB on the scene, future is present tense.

The New York Daily News describes JBB as “more Massive Attack than Marley”; the Village Voice says the group is “reverent and revolutionary at the same time.”

With its latest release, Kings and Queens, JBB continues to push boundaries, while securing its rightful position on the American reggae throne.

“What a glorious record. Beautiful, heartening, and well deserved for this hard working band. Its great to see reggae gain footing, and it’s great to see the revolutionists continue to burn walls and build bridges…I could talk about this record forever. Just go get it,” raves Angelica Music.

“Now this was worth waiting five years for…John Brown’s Body’s new Kings and Queens is the band’s best album to date, hands down…The music is a sweet homegrown hybrid of classic reggae spirit and inventive sonic explorations. John Brown’s Body comes across as confident and strong; this is the sound of a group of reggae masters in a very good place,” said Jambands.com.

Over the years, John Brown’s Body performed with a variety of groups representing a wide range of genres, including well-known acts such as Dave Matthews Band, The Flaming Lips, STS9, Further, Ozomatli, Broken Social Scene, And Jurassic 5.

JBB has developed a reputation among its fans around the world for high-octane live shows, a unique blend of reggae rhythms, head-bobbing bass lines, horn-driven funk and ska, topped off with a splash of dub. At Mountain Town Get Down select tracks from Kings and Queens should showcase those tailfeather-shaking sounds.

Tommy Benedetti is the drummer and co-founder of JBB. To learn more about the band, click the “play” button and eavesdrop on our conversation.