Live Review: The Original Wailers, One Planet

Known most prominently for his lead guitar work on four Bob Marley records including Natty Dread and Rastaman Vibration, Al Anderson was a long time touring member of Marley’s band.

Continuing to play with the Wailers in the years after Marley’s death, business and personal discrepancies lead Anderson parting ways with them and creating The Original Wailers. The all-star group includes Chet Samuels singing and playing rhythm guitar, Stephen Samuels on keys, Omar Lopez on bass and some additional session musicians for drums, synths and organs. Together they performed a set of Marley’s greatest hits at The Gov.

Local group One Planet warmed up the crowd by performing reggae covers and versions of classic songs by artists such as Michael Jackson and Jimmy Cliff. It was certainly fun and light-hearted, but it could have been more fitting to enlist a band who writes and performs their own original reggae tunes.

Samuels did a great job in his position of strong scrutiny, he filled Marley’s shoes without simply trying to emulate his sound exactly. Sing-alongs ensued all night, from the opening rendition of I Shot the Sheriff to the universally known hook of Buffalo Soldier.

It was certainly cool to see classic songs interpreted live with the gear and equipment of the 21st century. All the songs performed were also jammed out for extra effect. There were emotional moments, such as in No Woman No Cry, and moments that had punters grinning from ear to ear, such as with Three Little Birds.

A highlight from the show was during Get Up, Stand Up, where Anderson soloed ferociously in what seemed like an endless portrayal of skill. Jaws where left on the floor as his blues background, years of experience, improvisational skill and reggae influences all melded together into a scorching foray that helps assert Anderson as one of the underrated greats of our time. Lopez also delivered a very memorable bass solo, as the band culminated their set on Jammin’.

For dedicated fans of reggae music, one can’t go wrong with Al Anderson and his band.