Ohio might seem an unlikely place to start a reggae group, but the Cincinnati-based Cliftones are passionate about the music genre and the culture surrounding them.
“(Reggae) is a unifying style of music,” said Diedrich Jones, singer and front man for the band. “Going to a reggae festival has some of the coolest vibes because it’s people of every age and race.”
The Cliftones’ first show in Athens since they headlined Halloween fall quarter will be Saturday at Jackie O’s Pub and Brewery, 24 W. Union St.
The group formed two years ago when Jones moved back to Cincinnati after spending time in Austin, Texas. Soon after, the group’s bassist, Michael Van Horn, moved to Ohio as well, and the two began seeking additional members to form a band.
Despite Texas roots, Jones said they are not a country-reggae band, and that they strive to keep the traditional reggae style intact.
The result is an eight-member band complete with a horn section. Jones said the band strikes a sweet spot between roots reggae and a more modern style of vocals.
“We do old-school roots as far as the rhythms go … the vocals are somewhat grounded in roots but also have a dance-off flavor to it,” Jones said. “It’s the combination of the old and new.”
The Cliftones are nearly done with their first full album. The tracks have been recorded and all that remains is the editing and mixing, which will be done by Lion and Fox Studios in Washington D.C.
The band’s own guitarist, Chris Madine, recorded the tracks himself and has experience mixing music for the band in the past.
“(In reggae), there is a lot more creative mixing involved with special effects and adding the horn section in,” Madine said. “It gives us an upbeat, high-energy sound that gets people up out of their seats and dancing.”
However, as hard as they may try, American reggae will never be the same as authentic Jamaican reggae because of the cultural disparity.
“A reggae show up here in the states is going to be different than a hardcore dance-all in Kingston, Jamaica,” Jones said. “It’s taken on its own scene up here — everybody comes together at a reggae show.”
wh092010@ohiou.edu
