Original Article posted @ Respect Magazine online on Dec 24th 2020
Listen to the Interview
Grammy winning producer and Band leader + drummer of The Wailers, Aston Barrett Jr took over as bandleader for The Wailers when his father Aston Barrett retired from live performance. The group released their first album in 25 years featuring collaborations with legendary 19x Grammy winning producer Emilio Estefan, the legendary Shaggy, Skip Marley, Cedalla + more. Their first single ‘One World, One Prayer’ from the album merges Urban Latin and Jamaican Reggae, all at once giving us beautiful Afro-Latin sounds. A few of the band members of The Wailers, also performed alongside the legendary Bob Marley. Bob and the Wailers recorded, toured and made history together between 1972 and 1981.
The album was released under Sony Music Latin and was recently nominated for a Grammy for ‘Best Reggae Album’. Featuring 14 beautifully-written songs. Co-written by Emilion Estefan alongside Aston Barrett Jr and Josh David Barrett. The album also features guest artists including Grammy nominated Julian Marley with Latin-Grammy nominated Natiruts on “When Love is Right,” rising star Emily Estefan performing lead vocals on “Destiny” and “Good Time”, Kush Gad with a featured verse for “When Love Is Right”, Urban Jazz harmonicist Frederic Yonnet on “When Love Is Right” and “Only in Jamaica”, a featured verse from Jesse Royal on “Good Time”, and from Brazil, the legendary, Carlinhos Brown on percussion for “When Love is Right”.
We got a chance to speak with Aston to talk Grammys, merging Latin and Jamaican Reggae, artist he would like to work with in the future, favorite Bob Marley song of all-time + more. Get into the interview audio below.
Image Credit: Cover Art
One World Track List:
- One World, One Prayer (Featuring Skip Marley, Farruko, Shaggy & Cedella Marley)
- Philosophy of Life
- When Love Is Right (Featuring Julian Marley)
- Walk and Talk (Never Go Astray)
- What A Shame
- Destiny
- Only In Jamaica
- Love Will Find You
- It’s Alright, It’s Alright
- Can’t Handle The Truth
- Good Time
- Can’t Get I Out (Rastaman)
- Stand Firm Inna Babylon
- When Love Is Right (with Natiruts and featuring Julian Marley)
Listen to or purchase ‘One World’ here!
Interview Highlights:
- The first album in 25 years, the feeling being nominated for their work.
- Working with Legendary producer, Emilio Estefan on the 1st single ‘One World, One Prayer’.
- Merging Urban Latin & Jamaican Reggae in ‘One World, One Prayer’.
- How was it working with Shaggy, Skip Marley + Cedalla on the single.
- His Favorite Bob Marley Song of all-time.
- Any artist in the industry he would like to work with?
- What the word RESPECT. means to him.
