WORLDWIZE; being conscious of the world you live in today, the health of the planet and the wellbeing of the people. Being aware of our global community and holding an open mind and heart toward it’s many different cultures. It’s understanding you know very little of the world’s combined knowledge but that you are willing to learn and connect with others in order to better our collective future…Get WORLDWIZE!”  -  Natalie Pa’apa’a

 

 

 

 

Kingston, Jamaica, 2009. Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, lean over the console as Blue King Brown's Mo' Truth shudders through the speakers. Without a word, the legendary Jamaican rhythm duo fade down 60 tracks of live horns, strings, drums, bass, guitars, pianos — until one vocal remains.

 

From a strong vocal you can build a strong song, Sly reinforced, listeners connect with the voice first, then the drums and bass.

 

So evolved the powerful double-punch of Blue King Brown's second album: On the Northside is a voice seeking connection, and to the Southside is the irrepressible groove on which it travels.

 

WORLDWIZE is a massive undertaking for Australia's righteous purveyors of globally conscious Urban roots music. It began in the band's rehearsal HQ in urban Melbourne in 2008, and evolved over months and continents to encompass a vast vision of musical unity. Part 1: North & South is only the beginning.

 

"In many Native American cultures and practices, the four directions hold great importance for balance in daily life and recognition of other cultures and creeds," says singer Natalie Pa'apa'a, whose personal background includes Samoan, Native American, Basque and Mexican heritage. "This was the inspiration for calling on the four directions to represent each volume."

 

Northside is an epic in itself. It was conceived and pre-produced by BKB co-founders Natalie and Carlo Santone with New Zealand producer/ engineer Chris Macro (Scribe, Katchafire). Its sonic horizons expanded beyond recognition with the arrival of New York mixing engineer James ‘Bonzai’ Caruso (Gwen Stefani, Nas, Damien Marley, Madonna), before the entourage hit New York, Las Vegas — and Jamaica.

 

"Jamaica was an incredible place to visit & record, many more trips there are inevitable for us" says Natalie. "The place is flowing with inspiration, there are many talented musicians with many stories to tell. It can be a very tough life for some, and the music runs very deep in their culture.”

 

 

 

 

Apart from Sly & Robbie, BKB hooked up with a host of inspirational Kingston artists. Queen Ifrica brings the weight of untold experience to the first single, Women's Revolution. Jah Mason features on The March, which is perhaps the beating heart of the record, with Resist and Mo' Truth being other vital organs.

 

Other guests on the record include Elliott Martin of USA’s ‘John Brown’s Body’, & Voodoo Dred (Haiti) who is now based in Melbourne. “Australia is home to only around 80 or 90 Haitians,” says Natalie, “So we are blessed to have Voodoo Dred representing on our album.”

 

Southside, the dub disc of this set, was also vividly coloured by the Kingston experience. “Colin 'Bulby' York (Rihanna, Jimmy Cliff, Britney Spears, Madonna, Michael Franti, UB40) is 'da man' when it comes to dub," says Natalie. "We became familiar with him through his work with Sly and Robbie and Michael Franti and Spearhead. He may have been the first Jamaican engineer to come to Australia to mix an album." Combined with their work with New Zealand’s Chris Macro, BKB’s Southside opens up a new world for Australian Dub.

 

The combined effect of North & South is like taking a long journey in two directions at once, with a travelling carnival of world class musicians, producers, MCs and a righteous harmony chorus — horns swinging, bass sliding, keys, guitars and FX assembling an irresistible offbeat groove.

 

From Say Peace to Ride On, Teachers Are Leaders to Free Your Mind, Our Word Is Our Weapon to Sending Strength, the signposts accumulate into a manifesto of shared political purpose, but they lead to the same ultimate destination: Celebration.

 

"I grew up with a strong sense of good music, I was exposed to a lot of great artists like, Louis Armstrong, Janis Joplin, Angelique Kidjo, Santana, Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Nina Simone, Neil Young”… there’s a long list of conscious musicians that are part of Blue King Brown's oral history.

 

“Our intention as touring musicians, travellers, singers & human beings is to become more learned in the cultures and ways of the world that we’re living in today and also to spread & celebrate that knowledge.”

 

"We hope WORLDWIZE will connect with people of all walks of life, give strength to those constantly fighting for a better, more righteous future, and reach those just looking for a good groove to connect with."

 

Blue King Brown intend to release Part 2: East & West within 2011. Meanwhile, Part 1: North & South has its own journey to complete:

 

"Hopefully to more festivals, countries, towns, villages, living rooms, car stereos, radios, headphones, and TV sets around this world," says Natalie. "We’re here to share, to learn, and we're in it for the long haul. We're blessed with our achievements to date, and it's onwards and upwards from here.”