An Unplugged Experience with The Original Wailers featuring Al Anderson on the Sugarshack Music Channel
By Kurt Beyers
Guitarist Al Anderson has recorded and toured with Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and also performed with Bunny Wailer.
“That’s what makes us different from the tribute bands and imitators,” said Al.
Al and band performed an eight-song, Unplugged Concert for the Sugarshack Music Channel on YouTube - the improvisational acoustic version of the songs from legendary catalog, including newly recorded material from The Original Wailers feat. Al Anderson.
The band’s rendition of Bob Marley and The Wailers “Redemption Song,” is the first video to be released from the concert on the Sugarshack Music Channel.
“There is something special about “Redemption Song,’” Al said.
The version performed by The Original Wailers is more than seven minutes, beginning with almost a minute of solo guitar intro played by Al.
Then Chet Samuel’s powerful voice shines through the performance and the band’s five instruments lovingly render the music in their own unique way: Al Anderson, lead guitar and vocals; Chet Samuel, lead vocals and rhythm guitar; Omar Lopez, bass and vocals; Paapa Nyarkoh, drums; and Ras Klamps, keyboards and vocals.
The Original Wailers surprise the audience with the second song of the concert, that is a compilation of Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds”, Peter Tosh’s “Legalize It” and Bunny Wailer’s “Rootsman Skanking”.
“It’s three iconic figures that we are saluting on that segment,” said Anderson.
The concert includes two original compositions from The Original Wailers featuring Al Anderson. Those are “Song of the Divine” written by Al and Chet Samuel and “Empress Omega” written by Chet Samuel, the third and fourth songs in the set. “Song of the Divine” is on the concert video and also has its own official music video, shot in Bali.
The plan is to release one song a week, then release the video of the entire concert in April.
Al Anderson is mostly known as a lead guitarist for Bob Marley and the Wailers from 1973 to 1976 and again from 1978 to1981. His guitar solos and performances have been called some of the most memorable in reggae history. With Wayne Perkins, Al was one of the first to bring blues and rock guitar to Jamaican music that had a profound influence on reggae music around the world. Al Anderson recorded and toured with many artists throughout the years, including Carlos Santana and Lauryn Hill.
He formed The Original Wailers in 2006, inspired by the music of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. The Original Wailers plays its own original compositions and music from the legendary creators of reggae.
The band’s debut album, Miracle, was nominated for Best Reggae Album in the 2012 Grammy Awards.
Al says that Bob’s last words to him were, “Be yourself, don’t copy me,” and that is the band’s goal — honor, but don’t imitate.
At the moment The Original Wailers are recording their new EP “Mirror Of Heaven”. Two singles “Song Of The Divine” and “Si To Me Lo Das” are available for streaming.
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concert video Redemption Song
The Original Wailers featuring Al Anderson, Linktree