Known for the hits, “One Day” and “King Without A Crown,” Grammy-nominated Jewish reggae rapper Matisyahu returns to The Ridgefield Playhouse on Thursday, December 26 at 8pm. Dubbed by Esquire Magazine “The most intriguing reggae artist in the world,” Matisyahu combines rap and reggae with his orthodox Jewish beliefs to bring integrity to both the music and the community.
This performance will highlight his voice and beat boxing with inventive guitar arrangements, lyrical intensity, and musical improvisation. Back after a sold out show in 2014, Matisyahu returns to The Playhouse stage with a community of like-minded musicians to celebrate unity and to transcend barriers. Opening Act is ska, reggae, dub artists Bedouin Soundclash. This show is part of Pepsi Rock Series powered by Xfinity with support from Federation for Jewish Philanthropy of Upper Fairfield County. Ticket holders can enjoy a free craft beer tasting, courtesy of Mikkeller Windy City, in the lobby before the show! Visit The Hideaway (30 Grove Street, Ridgefield) for dinner the day of the show and enjoy a complimentary draft beer or glass of wine with your entree when you show your ticket.
“I kind of think that music, in general, is a sacred thing, and that's what music has kind of always been for me,” states Matisyahu. He goes on to say, “When a person listens to a good song, and they can look out at the world and their lives and see the dark and the light, the negative and the positive, all the different elements, all come together in one holistic poem, that is a very healing and very reductive thing, and that's what my music is about.”
What makes his music so engaging and unmatched, is that Matisyahu; a vocalist with no other instrument at his disposal, is an integral creative part in the improvisation. At its most basic moments the music feels alive; an entity unto itself, being born in the moment and evolving each night. No two performances of a song are alike. At its most exultant moments the music becomes a full-band improvisation. Lyrics are rearranged on the spot to serve the energy of the jam. Matisyahu allows his band to breathe within each tune, finding his place with a wordless melody that serves to enhance the harmonic elements of improvisation, developing the rhythmic ideas with his beatboxing, or crowning a jam with a full-on lyrical call-to-the-heavens and the great unknown. It’s that cathartic moment, as a jam summits and the audience lets out its release, that tells the performers we are all in it together.
When Matisyahu first started touring to packed clubs more than eleven years ago, it was prior to the release of Live at Stubbs, the now Gold record, and prior to that record’s single “King Without a Crown” reaching #1 on the alternative rock radio charts. His performances were a raw expression of his spirituality at that time and were supported by musicians who played a foundation of roots reggae augmented by the energy of a rock trio.
Fans latched on quickly for a variety of reasons, but in August of 2005, just months after the release of Live at Stubbs, Matisyahu found himself on stage at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival with the de facto leader of improvisational rock-n-roll; Phish’s frontman Trey Anastasio. Many early fans of Matisyahu remember that moment clearly not because of the songs he played in front of the 80,000 person crowd, but because of his seemingly unfettered confidence (or perhaps naiveté) in helping lead Trey and his band through an improvisational display of beat boxing and lyrical gymnastics during the two songs performed. It may have been unrefined, but Matisyahu’s passion for full band improvisation was laid bare. Fans within the improvisational-jam scene began flocking to Matisyahu’s shows shortly thereafter. “King without a Crown” climbed the charts and Matisyahu’s follow up record Youth was nominated for a Grammy.
For tickets ($50) call or visit the box office, 203-438-5795 or go online at ridgefieldplayhouse.org. The Ridgefield Playhouse is a non-profit performing arts center located at 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main Street, Ridgefield, CT.
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