Supporting Act: J Boog
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Bowl In The Pines
Ziggy Marley is a nine-time Grammy award-winning musician, Emmy winner, producer, Ziggy Marley is a nine-time Grammy award-winning musician, Emmy winner, producer, and humanitarian. He has spent his life using music as a tool for unity, self-reflection and upliftment. As the eldest son of Bob and Rita Marley, he carries forward a legacy rooted in history while continually forging his own creative path.
From his early days performing alongside his family to a solo career spanning decades, Ziggy’s music blends reggae, soul, rock, and global rhythms—always guided by messages of love, justice, and resilience. His work speaks not only to personal reflection but to collective responsibility, encouraging listeners to engage the world with clarity and compassion.
Brightside is the title of Ziggy Marley's ninth solo studio album and first since his 2020children’s album, More Family Time. Brightside’s eight songs – co-produced by Ziggy and his brother Stephen, and recorded at his newly built Rebel Lion Studio in Los Angeles – offers a different frequency of music, and messages of hope, perseverance and positivity in the face of troubled times. Rooted in honesty and lived experience, Brightside reveals a deeper, more intimate perspective while still carrying a universal appeal.
"The brightside is my world," explains Marley. "We are confident in the victory of good over evil. We're not guessing. We understand that. So no matter what you see going on, we have no doubts. We have to give life a chance. There's always a reason for life to goon." He points explicitly to the song "Why Let the World," with its brass-led reggae cadence and refrain of "Why let the world trouble me?," as Brightside's key thematic lynch pin.
"I was in a funky mood, a funky state of mind, state of emotion, when I wrote that song, "Marley recalls. "You see what's happening in the world, what’s happening to people, and it really brings me down sometimes. I already had a few songs that addressed what I was going through personally. But when that song found me, I realized the album was going to have a introspective side to it. So that song became my therapy; when I started playing that, it just uplifted me.
"So did the creative process of Brightside, which was entirely different than anything he's done to date.
Similar to his second solo album, Love Is My Religion -- which coincidentally celebrates its 20th anniversary this year -- Marley considers Brightside "a milestone," a venture into new methods and directions that extend from songwriting through the studio production process. "I'm still learning," he notes. "I'm a student, and I've been searching for music all my life. I'm still searching for music, step by step. Where I am now is a good time for the examination, you know?" For starters, Marley approached the songs as writings rather than creating them as music on the studio floor, as he has on previous efforts. "Sometimes I get into the studio and I focus on the music," he explains," and the beat captures you and you build the songs from there. But with this record I made a very conscious decision to work on the songs, the lyrics, the melody and the structure before I started the instrumentation.”
"What I know is that if you have good lyrics that you love, you can feel it. It's touching you. It's a greater feeling than ever before. So the words and melody became the dominant things. I didn't just go into the studio and start making the music. I came in with the songs.
"Once those were in place, Marley invited his brother to join him on the production in Los Angeles while rehearsing with the album’s musicians. This eclectic corps of instrumentalists have worked with Jimmy Cliff, Eric Clapton, Prince, Olivia Rodrigo, Beck, Death Cab For Cutie and others. "It's been a while since I rehearsed for a record, "Marley says with a laugh. "It was a vibe. I had the demos already laid out with the basic foundation and the ideas and we just listened and we made changes and we created and just made it happen.
"Marley's third "layer" of approach to the album, meanwhile, was more technical. Brightside ditches the modern standard tuning of 440Hz, and instead was recorded using 432Hz—a soothing sonic frequency regularly employed for meditation and other mindful practices. It brings a warm, soulful depth to the mix, which underscores the album's healing intent. "I've been hearing about it for years but never investigated it 'til recently," Marley says, noting that a new console -- designed by the legendary Rupert Neve -- and other gear at Rebel Lion Studio were also instrumental in creating the emotional vibration that runs through the album. "That was our dream, just bringing things through Earth, and we achieved that," he acknowledges.
That's certainly the case from the first drum roll and brass honks that kick off "JAH We Give Glory," a joyful prayer celebrating his own spirituality and faith. "Racism Is A Killa" incorporates elements of funk and Curtis Mayfield's conscious soul. Vocalist Nikka Costa, a longtime Marley friend, elevates "Hey People Now's" exhortation of activism and unity, while Trombone Shorty and Sheila E. add to the musical dynamics of "Why Let the World." Jake Shimabukuro's ukulele adds shimmer to the island-flavored "Make It Paradise." And "Many Mourn For Bob" takes moving stock of his father’s legacy --incorporating recordings of the senior Marley’s voice as well as a cameo by his brother Stephen Marley.
"The music that we call reggae music is a living thing," explains Marley, who produced the record-breaking 2024 biopic, Bob Marley: One Love. "It's not something of the past that you just make a copy of. It's something that keeps on living. Living things move and breathe, so I think that is in my DNA to keep the music living. My mind is as curious and as open as it was when I was a baby. It has a lot more information now, but it's never closed off. You don't forget the past, you don't dismiss it, but you don't stop moving forward." That's been the case throughout Marley's life in music, of course.
Born David Robert Nesta Marley in Trench Town, Jamaica, he sat in on his first Wailers recording sessions when he was just seven years old. Ziggy then formed The Melody Makers in 1979 with brother Stephen and sisters Sharon and Cedella. With their third album, 1988’s Conscious Party – produced by Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads – Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers won their first Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album. The group won two more Grammys during a nine-album, thirteen year run. Ziggy went solo with 2003's Dragonfly, and added another six Grammy Awards to his mantle. He also received a Daytime Emmy Award, a UCLA George and Ira Gershwin Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement, and a Hall of Fame induction from the International Reggae And World Music Awards (IRAWMA).
Marley has collaborated on songs with Carlos Santana, Sting, Willie Nelson, Paul Simon, Tom Morello, Juanes, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morrisette, Busta Rhymes, Jack Johnson, Angelique Kidjo, Kenny Chesney, Ben Harper, Maluma, Carlos Vives, Natiruts, and others. Notably, Ziggy also recorded the theme song for the long-running beloved PBS Kids’ television series Arthur, “Believe In Yourself (A Wonderful Kind Of Day)”.
It's a formidable track record of accomplishments, but Marley who plans to tour in support of Brightside is not nearly finished. "Every day is new to me," he says. "Everyday feels like the first day. All the knowledge that I have, everything that I've learned over those years, all the people I've learned from...I take all that and I keep adding and growing. This is another step.
"Beyond being an artist, Ziggy is deeply committed to humanitarian efforts through his charity, U.R.G.E. (Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment), which builds new schools, operates health clinics and supports organizations such as Food for the Poor, Health Care International, the Chepstowe Basic School in Jamaica and Heart of Los Angeles. Whether in the studio, on tour, or in service to others, Ziggy Marley remains devoted to inspiring positive change — one song, one action, and one moment at a time. Visit www.urgefoundation.org for more information.
J Boog
Born and raised on the west coast and heavily influenced by his Polynesian born and raised on the west coast and heavily influenced by his Polynesian upbringing, J Boog is one of the top reggae artists in recent years. Mentored by island reggae icon Fiji, he honed his craft early on, blending reggae with soulful melodies and a distinctive vocal style. A chance encounter with Yami Bolo and Gramps Morgan led him to Jamaica, where he worked in the historical studios of Bob Marley, Don Corleon, Bobby Digital, Shaggy, and Sugar Minott—an experience that deepened his connection to reggae’s rich history and the islands’ culture.
His debut album Hear Me Roar dropped in 2007, followed by Backyard Boogie featuring hits like Let's Do It Again produced by Don Corleon and Sunshine Girl produced by Gramps Morgan and featuring the late Peetah Morgan. During the 2020 pandemic, Let's Do It Again went viral on tiktok, boosting its popularity to over 85m youtube views and 75k videos featuring dance trends led by celebrities like Jason Derulo, Noah Schnapp, and Charli d’Amelio. His 2016 album Wash House Ting, featuring Morgan Heritage and Buju Banton, topped billboard’s reggae chart and was nominated for best reggae album at the 2018 Grammys, while his Ep Rose Petals received a 2017 nomination along with recognition for topping the us billboard and itunes reggae charts.
J Boog’s repertoire boasts tracks with Soja, Iration, Tarrus Riley, The Green, Fiji, Chaka Demus, Richie Spice and more. More recently, J Boog’s collaborations have kept him at the forefront of reggae and island music as he continues pushing the sound forward. In 2021, he released Siva Mai Ft. Siaosi, and hosted a dance competition for the track that received entries from dance crews allover the world. His 2024 releases, including Too Hot with Savage and Fire Up Diroses with The Green, demonstrate his ongoing influence and innovation in the genre.
He has toured worldwide, including Europe, Africa, Dubai, New Zealand, Australia, Japan and across the US. He has performed and headlined festivals like Cali Roots, One Love NZ, One Love Cali, Good Love, Reggae Rise Up, Arizona Roots, Dry Diggings, Holo Holo music festival and the Mayjah Rayjah to name a few. With a career spanning over a decade, J Boog’s timeless appeal and cross-generational influence continue to shape the future of reggae. Whether headlining massive festivals or collaborating with the next wave of reggae talent, J Boog remains one of the most significant artists of his generation.
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