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Sample Track 1:
"The Camel" from Live at Roundhouse London
Sample Track 2:
"Flashback" from Live at Roundhouse London
Layer 2
CD Review

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Star-Telegram, CD Review >>

In the world of Caribbean pop music, the classic, loping reggae of Bob Marley has been shoved aside by the more up-tempo styles of dance-hall, reggaeton and their offshoots. But there’s a place far from Jamaica where old-school reggae still rules: New Zealand.

Such traditionalists as Katchafire and the Black Seeds, as well as more electro acts such as Salmonella Dub and Shapeshifter, have kept the flag flying. But it’s Fat Freddy’s Drop which, after topping the charts at home, is making waves in the U.S. The band just finished dates on the West Coast, and its latest album, the boomingly infectious Dr. Boondigga and the Big BW, was just released here.

While the new disc has a more varied sound than its 2006 predecessor, Based on a True Story, reggae remains the Drop’s musical pulse. "[New Zealand] very much has an island culture like Jamaica. The pace of life and culture have a lot of parallels," says DJ Chris Faiumu, also known as DJ Fitchie and Mu, by phone from Wellington, the group’s hometown. "When Bob Marley came here in the late ’70s, the Maori people drew parallels with their own struggles."

Fat Freddy’s Drop builds on a reggae base with elements of jazz, R&B and electronics — onstage, a song can twist in many directions for up to 15 minutes — that can appeal to American fans of both jam bands and dance music.

"We’ve always wanted to come to America," says Faiumu. "When you live in New Zealand, you look at America as this vast place with no idea of where to start. That’s why we headed to U.K. and Europe first; it’s physically easier to tour there. . . . With this album, we’ve got proper distribution, and we’ve started paying attention to America."

Faiumu doesn’t know about any Texas dates yet, but he hopes to broaden the Drop’s U.S. base when the group tours here next summer. "It’s halfway between [New Zealand] and Europe," he says of North America, "so it makes sense."

To take a listen, visit www.fatfreddysdrop.com.

Around the World: One of the best things about KXT/91.7 FM, North Texas’ new public-radio station, is the exposure being given to global music during regular programming. But be sure not to miss the specialty programs on world music, including World Cafe (5 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday), Putumayo World Music Hour (noon Wednesday and 2 p.m. Sunday), and Thistle & Shamrock (8 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday) . . . A lot of touring African music doesn’t come through North Texas, and that makes the Feb. 10 appearance by Bela Fleck’s Africa Project at Dallas’ Granada Theater all the more special. The world-famous banjo player will be playing with Bassekou Kouyate, Ngoni Ba, Anania Ngoliga and John Kitime. $25-$40; www.granadatheater.com.

 12/03/09 >> go there
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