The Forgotten Marley

It’s gotta be tough being a son of the late reggae legend Robert Nesta Marley. First of all, there’s the pressure of having your dad recognized as the patron saint of the genre — Bob’s music will never die, and consequently his children are expected to perform copious cover tunes whenever they appear before an audience. Second, there’s a crowd of competition within the family — it seems that everywhere you turn, there’s another handsome dreadlocked man with a sweetly raspy voice and the last name Marley. Ziggy, Stephen, and Damian have all captured international stardom. When will it be Julian Marley’s turn? Perhaps tonight at Studio A. Performing with his Uprising band and special guest DJ Jah Stream, one of the younger sons of Bob will bring his own musicality to the masses.

Julian has tasted solo success in years past. In the Nineties, he released the critically acclaimed Lion in the Morning album while touring the world with two of his brothers. The siblings all continue to collaborate, and the tunes on Julian’s latest album, A Time and Place, use occasional samples of his father’s recognizable ditties. But the voice is unmistakably Julian’s, and the songs hark back to a time when reggae music had a message. Doors open tonight at 7:30, and tickets cost $25.
Wed., April 16, 7:30 p.m., 2008