A new kind of mellow beat can be heard from your radio when you’re in need of a pick-me-up. WKMS introduces a new reggae show, March 22, The Off Beat.
Why reggae? The show’s host, Austin Carter, says, “why not reggae!”
Reggae encompasses a wide swath of music. With its roots in the dance music of Jamaica and the Caribbean, reggae extends to both sides of the Atlantic and around the world. While “reggae” in its widely used sense can generally refer to the popular Jamaican dance genre originated in the 1960s, the program will also examine the genre’s roots in ska, rocksteady, calypso and R&B while also delving in some of its derivatives like dub and dancehall.
Most of the music heard on the show will share a rhythmic predisposition for laid back grooves, making you want to tap your toes. In more specific terms, reggae emphasizes the “off-beat” instead of the “down-beat” or “on-beat.” Hence, the name.
Reggae, in some form or fashion, is a genre whose influences will continue to evolve for decades to come. While the “Golden Age” may have passed, there is still great music to be created that shares the reggae style and spirit. Because the steady, versatile melody and mellow beat of reggae meshes well with other genres, new generations of the genre will continue to unfold. The program will feature modern day artists who are building on the foundation of the reggae canon as well as the artists who started it all.
The Off Beat will have a blend of sounds that will appeal to any music lover, particularly those who could use an hour a week to kick back and mellow out to some upbeat, soul-altering, island grooves. Plus, it comes on right after The Jive House: Thursdays at 10 p.m. and Sundays at 8 p.m. What could be better?
