Peanut Whitley ADD
A Day In The Life of a Musician #94 - Sons Of Legends in Brazil 9/6/2011
09/08/2011 by Peanut
Greetings Brothers and Sisters. Peanut here once again.
Well I just got done with the Kenyatta " Culture " Hill summer USA tour and was home for a few days to do a Corey Harris & The Rasta Blues Experience show ( 8/31/11 ) at the Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville Va.
Next up was Sao Paulo Brazil [9/6/2011] for a show with The Sons Of Legends Tour at the HBC Arena with Ky-Mani Marley, Andrew Tosh and Kenyatta Hill.
The musicians on the tour backing up Andrew Tosh and Kenyatta Hill : Drums- Wayne Fletcher, Bass-Rupert McKenzie, Guitar-Greg Ward, Keyboards-Darryl Burke and myself on keyboards.
Met Greg and we drove to the airport together in DC. Funny thing we went to the wrong airport which was Dulles Airport and had to hurry and get to the other one. Just made it in time to catch the flight to NY to meet the rest of the band.
Reached NY and had a 9:45pm flight to Sao Paulo which took 9 hours.
Got to Sao Paulo and got picked up and went to the hotel for a few hours before we headed over to rehearsal with Andrew Tosh and Kenyatta Hill. I must say after flying for so long and getting hardly any sleep on the plane ride, the 9 hour rehearsal was murder... ha ha but we had to get it tight.
Got back to the hotel and chilled out with Ky-Mani Marley's crew for a little bit in the hotel lobby before I went to my room and crashed. The next morning I had to deal with some band business in the am and we headed over to sound check after. The venue was nice. It was called the HBC arena.
I noticed as I was going to the dressing rooms Brian McKnight was playing the next night there. Hum I thought about coming to the show and checking it out.
Anyway we did sound check, then we headed back to the room to get a little rest and eat before the shuttle picked us back up for the show. Got back down to the venue and the place was filling up fast. It was a nice vibe in the room and people was very excited for the show.
We all just hung out in the dressing rooms upstairs. I chatted a little bit with some of the opening bands from Sao Paulo. They where very good.
Soon it was time for us to go on. First up was Kenyatta Hill. I felt the energy as soon as I took to the stage and the MC brought on Kenyatta Hill. As he touched the stage it was electric and the table was set. Kenyatta mashed up the place with songs like Iron Sharpen Iron, Jah, Jah See, Jah Rastafari, Fussing & Fighting, Money Girl, Two Sevens Clash and I'm Not Ashamed.
The crowd was in awww as Kenyatta worked the crowd and had them in the palm of his hands. He did Joseph Hill proud and started off the Sons of Legends Tour with a bang and was the only artist called back on for an encore. They people wanted to hear Mariuana off the Pass The Torch album.
Next up was Andrew Tosh, we didn't even leave the stage. I just turned to the next set list and drummie started counting as the MC brought on Andrew. First I have to say the mystic-vibe and energy was all there of a Peter Tosh show as Andrew walked on stage and the crowd went wild. Songs like Pick Myself Up, Rastafari Is, I'm Coming In Hot, Mama Africa, African, Glass House, Why Must I Cry, Bush Doctor, Not Gonna Give It Up, Stop That Train, Johnny B Goode and Get Up, Stand Up. I trully enjoyed playing these songs and watching the people reaction to each one. A true Tosh experience. Andrew moved around the stage just like how his father did and the people was giving up the love. They knew every song and sung along.
The band was in full swing. Everyone was enjoying themselves and caught up in the moment.
Ended our section and they started to set up real quick for Ky-Mani Marley.
Got back to the dressing room everyone was hype and full of energy. People every where. Reasoned with Andrew Tosh for awhile and his manager Copeland Forbes about Peter Tosh and how and when alot of his songs where written and why. Priceless I say, priceless. Very uplifting.
After the reasoning session I went and checked out Ky-Mani Marley set. I love watching him mix up the reggae and hip hop and how he threw in a few of his dads songs. The crowd loved it and the band was tight.
Funny thing is Whiteboy from I Love NY is on tour with Ky-Mani and works for him. I chatted with him for awhile, He is a trip. I also talked with Ky-Mani about his leg injury. I told him he was a soldier out her on tour with a torn MCL in his knee and still mashing up the place with lots of energy.
At the end of his show Ky-Mani brought Andrew and Kenyatta onstage. They all took turns singing One Love. The crowd loved that. Seeing the next generation of the Legends they call there fathers, Joesph Hill, Peter Tosh and Bob Marley. It was a blessing to be part of history. They all told the crowd, We Shall Do This Again And Take It All Around The World.
Backstage after the show, we all took pics and signed some autographs and packed up and headed back to the hotel.
Check my facebook page for pics of the tour.
Until next time Bless
Peanut