This is Bob Marley’s 70th birthday year and, to celebrate, the Marley Family Vaults and Private Collection are planning a number of new archive releases.
Up first is Easy Skanking Boston ’78, capturing Marley’s show at the city’s Music Hall from June 8, 1978. Available February 17, the album marks the first time that the Marley family has allowed access to the personal material from their private collections and vaults.
The set will be released on CD, DVD/CD combination, Blu-Ray/CD combination and via digital download. The video footage was shot with a hand-held camera by a fan that Marley allowed to sit right in front of the stage. The result is remarkable imagery that captures Marley from just a few feet away, allowing one to experience the intimacy of his set. While the cinematographer was shooting with film and forced to change rolls of tape, the gaps in the live footage have been augmented with specially created animation over the existing audio. The animation video elements were produced and created by the animation team of S77 whose credits include recent projects for Bruno Mars, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Disney, ESPN and many others. The 46-minute video includes seven of the 13 songs in the full set.
Highlights of the performance include a lively Jammin’ and The Heathen, a song Marley and the band didn’t perform during the second set. The show features them at their most comfortable, truly enjoying themselves in the spotlight, basking in the appreciation of the audience.
Track list for the CD:
Slave Driver
Burnin’ and Lootin
Them Belly Full
The Heathen
Rebel Music
I Shot the Sheriff
Easy Skanking
No Woman, No Cry
Lively Up Yourself
Jammin’
War/No More Trouble
Get Up Stand Up
Exodus
Track list for the DVD/Blu-Ray:
Rebel Music
I Shot the Sheriff
No Woman, No Cry
Lively Up Yourself
Jamming
War/No More Trouble
Exodus