The California Roots Music and Arts Festival delivers top tier reggae and roots music to thousands of fans in Monterey, California each year. The festival and organizers are dedicated in their commitment to creating an environmentally conscious event that benefits the surrounding community, educates and engages the attending fans, and provides a music festival model that is truly sustainable. Previous years included successful partnerships with REVERB, The Offset Project, and TripZero.

When your music is so diverse that suitable comparisons include No Doubt, Sublime, Katchafire, Inner Circle and even Rihanna (via singer Katherine Ramirez) you know you have a lot of eyes and ears wondering what you’re going to do next. For Mystic Roots Band, a group who came together by throwing college backyard parties in Chico, CA to touring the world as Pato Banton’s backing band, the answer lies in their latest album, CHANGE.

Bay Area band Beats Antique has announced a new music video for their song “Le Refuge.” The video features footage from Richard Wolf’s acclaimed documentary “A Requiem for Syrian Refugees,” which the New York Times called “powerfully direct.” The footage was edited by the band’s own David Satori.

In a time when people need to come together more than ever, Big Mean Sound Machine is spreading positivity through communal dance by creating music that moves people of all ages and backgrounds. Breaking new sonic ground, the ten piece band creates a unique flavor of instrumental music with their fourth full-length studio album, Runnin’ for the Ghost, co-released by Peace & Rhythm and Blank Slate Records; the album is now out and available everywhere. 

Summer will start a little early this year with the Easy Star All-Stars kicking off their West Coast Tour 2017 at the legendary Monterey Fairgrounds, as the band’s first ever appearance at the California Roots Music and Arts Festival marks the first show on a 16-stop outing. The tour will run through late June as the band returns to reggae-friendly cities across the West Coast and Mountains. Supporting acts include The Late Ones and The Elovators.

Collie Buddz is proud to announce the release of his new album, Good Life, to be released on May 19, 2017 on his own Harper Digital label.

The announcement of this year’s “biggest little festival” in Massachusetts just drew lots of attention with a top-tier lineup with headliners including fan-favorites Dispatch and GRAMMY Award-winning Ziggy Marley. The festival, which started off as a humble friendly barbecue, has since grown into a two-day event in its fifth year with an expected draw of over 10,000 people per day. With the announcement of daily lineups (listed below), single ticket sales are sure to surge as budgeting fans are able to prioritize their summer wish list.

Ethnomusicologist Amanda Villepastour and Cuban producer (Sendero Music) Luis Bran have teamed up to tell the unlikely story of the spirit of music in a small Cuban town through the heartbeat of a set of multi-generational religious drums named Ilú Keké. The 21-track album, titled Transmisión en la Eritá Meta, is available now digitally worldwide under exclusive license to Music Works NYC.

In the early 2000’s, Jah Sun, was a young man without a plan. He had found some early local success in hip-hop music, but was no longer walking a clear path. A spiritual awakening, in the form of discovering Bob Marley, rocked Jah’s world.  The once “misguided youth” began learning about Rastafari, growing out his dread locks and committing to a healthy lifestyle while emerging himself in the beauty of the culture. He returned to making music, releasing his first album, The Height of Light, in 2006 and never looking back.

Progressive reggae-rock pioneers Passafire will be releasing Longshot, their sixth full-length album - and third release on indie reggae powerhouse Easy Star Records - on May 12. The record will be available for pre-order starting March 31st, which will include two advance songs, “Longshot” and “Blow.” Those songs will also be on Spotify and other streaming services. The band begins a co-headline tour with Ballyhoo! March 31st and has also been added to the bill on four 311 shows during their Summer Unity Tour.