Birmingham is set to host a special concert celebrating its rich reggae heritage in honor of what would have been Bob Marley’s 80th birthday.
The Reggae Origins concert, scheduled for Thursday evening at the city’s historic Town Hall, will bring together an eclectic mix of musicians. Among them is Basil Gabbidon, a founding member of the legendary Handsworth-born reggae band Steel Pulse, who will be performing alongside the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group (BCMG).
This unique event promises a fusion of reggae and classical music, paying tribute not only to Marley’s legacy but also to Birmingham’s own contributions to the reggae movement.
Bob Marley, whose music became synonymous with the reggae genre, passed away from cancer on May 11, 1981, at just 36 years old. Yet, his influence remains as powerful as ever, continuing to shape music and culture worldwide.
Reflecting on the genre’s enduring appeal, Gabbidon remarked, “It’s amazing how it’s just spread across the world. When you hear Bob Marley’s music, it’s always been there.”
He speculated that even Marley himself would have been astonished at how reggae has flourished globally, evolving into a genre embraced by countless artists across different cultures and musical traditions.
The Reggae Origins concert will present a fresh take on reggae classics by combining the soulful sounds of strings with the deep, rhythmic pulse of reggae instrumentation.
Audiences can expect new arrangements of iconic songs from Birmingham’s reggae scene alongside some of Bob Marley’s most beloved hits. This innovative approach is a dream long in the making for Gabbidon, who originally proposed the project to BCMG several years ago.
At the time, funding was a major obstacle, but now that the vision is coming to life, he is eager to see the fusion of classical and reggae music take center stage. “It’s something I’m looking forward to doing,” he shared. “I love fusion, and I think it’s something that needs to be put across—that all music basically is one music.”
Gabbidon’s journey in reggae began in the heart of Birmingham, where he co-founded Steel Pulse in 1975 alongside fellow schoolmates from Handsworth Wood Boys School.
The band would go on to break barriers, becoming the first non-Jamaican act to win the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album. Their success helped put British reggae on the global map, inspiring generations of musicians in the UK and beyond.
Gabbidon credits Bob Marley’s influence as a key factor in his own musical path, particularly citing Catch a Fire, the groundbreaking album by Marley’s band, The Wailers.
“There’s a track on that album called Concrete Jungle—that’s what made me take guitar seriously,” he revealed. “If it wasn’t for that album, I don’t think Steel Pulse would have been born.”
Fusion has always been an integral part of reggae’s evolution, and Gabbidon acknowledges that Steel Pulse’s sound reflects this diversity. “If you listen to Steel Pulse, there’s a lot of fusion going on in there,” he explained. “There’s funk, a bit of rock… pop.”
This blending of styles mirrors reggae’s own journey from Jamaica to the world, adapting and integrating with different musical landscapes while retaining its powerful messages of resistance, unity, and hope. Gabbidon believes that the Reggae Origins concert will further highlight reggae’s versatility, proving that it can be reimagined in new and unexpected ways.
Beyond the music, Gabbidon also emphasizes the cultural impact of reggae in Britain, particularly the role of the Windrush Generation in bringing Jamaican sounds to the UK. “They brought the culture, you could say the music culture,” he explained. “We’re in an age now, in Britain, in Birmingham, where there’s a cross-cultural thing going on. We’re fusing all those various cultures together.”
As reggae continues to evolve, blending with different musical and cultural influences, events like Reggae Origins serve as a reminder of the genre’s deep roots and its ongoing power to connect people across generations and borders.
