Reggae On The River with Prezident Brown, Tuff Lion & Lujan

"A PEACEFUL GATHERING"

Okay so, I wanted to make sure I got this one in before the festivities actually began and made you aware of what a few people you probably know are getting into later this week in California in the US. If you are unfamiliar, there is a big festival called "Reggae On The River" that goes off every year and it's set to embark on its 37th [!] installment in 2026 and to celebrate, loooooooooongtime favourite of ours, Tuff Lion has linked up with the equally esteemed Prezident Brown as well as talented Californian veteran, Lujan to produce something of a theme song for the event, also called 'Reggae On The River'. 

Something really interesting happens with this tune to my opinion. Obviously, it's dealing with something very specific but, it just happens that it's speaking (at least to me it is) to something further.

"When the DJ plays your favourite song-

That old time feeling you get cannot be wrong"

...you don't actually need to be THERE for this song to be applicable. YOU DON'T EVEN NEED A DJ TO PLAY YOUR FAVOURITE SONG! YOU CAN PLAY YOUR FAVOURITE SONG! Whenever you want and for as long as you want! So it has legs outside of this event but it's also perfect for what I'm picturing they'll have in its name. 

"AH WHO SEH REGGAE DEAD WHEN IT'S THE LONGEST LIVER??"

Also included in the release is a "Toaster's Version": Got skills?? Try the riddim out for yourself! And we also a lovely Dub track which, as always, does a fine job in highlighting the instrumentation (about a minute into it, the dub literally starts to GLOW) (IT IS BEAUTIFUL!).

Along with his musical contributions (master of the guitar with a Modern Classic, "Ten Strings" being to his credit and everything else he does), I have to say that Tuff Lion was probably one of the very first actual makers of music who got in touch with us as... well over a decade now and probably over fifteen years - he sent me a 'thank you' for a review that I wrote for one his projects which really made me feel good at the time I remember and due to his involvement with I Grade Records and, subsequently, the Zion I Kings, I've probably been writing about the output of the brilliant Cruzan for almost a quarter-century now, whether I realized it at the time or not.

So, if you're getting out this year to ROR (which begins on Friday which is my birthday), here's a look at the LINEUP (on Sunday alone, you get Prezident Brown, Samory I, DEZARIE, Baby Cham and Don Carlos in succession)[BOOM!] do enjoy yourself and if not, you can join the rest of us in enjoying this big tune from Prezident Brown, Tuff Lion and Lujan, courtesy of Rising Love Music.