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Bob's children, grandchildren to celebrate 'Kaya'

Published:Friday | March 30, 2018 | 12:00 AMShereita Grizzle/Gleaner Writer
Marley brothers (from left) Stephen, Ky-Mani, Damian and Julian in performance.
Ziggy Marley
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A family set which will see sons of the late reggae legend Bob Marley sharing the stage is being planned for Kaya Fest, slated for April 28 and 29. Stephen, Ziggy, Damian, Julian and Ky-Mani are expected to perform together at the two-day event honouring their father.

Also performing at Kaya Fest are Lauryn Hill, Cypress Hill, Action Bronson, Toots and the Maytals, SOJA, and Bob Marley's grandchildren, including Skip, Jo Mersa, Bambaata and Shacia Payne. The festival was founded last year by Stephen Marley in Miami and was moved to California this year.

According to Billboard.com, in honour of the 40th anniversary of Bob Marley's Kaya album, his sons are coming together with Fruit of Life Productions and OneRise Entertainment for Kaya Fest, set for the NOS Events Center in San Bernardino, California. Stephen, Ziggy, Damian, Julian and Ky-Mani will perform together for the first time in a decade. That will be followed by a special acoustic set of the Kaya album by Stephen Marley the next day.

Organisers have dubbed the event a "one-of-a-kind, socially conscious music and awareness experience that fosters unity, one love and peace amongst people from all over the world", and say patrons can expect nothing but quality performances over the two days. The festival will also include Kaya Village, featuring artists and craft vendors from around the world, and early-morning yoga sessions prior to the festival.

Released in 1978, Kaya features Is This Love?, Sun Is Shining, Running Away, Time Will Tell and the title track among its 10 songs. It spent 17 weeks on the Billboard 200 albums chart, peaking at number 50. The album's release was shortly before the historic One Love Peace Concert, which marked Marley's return to Jamaica after being in London for an extended period following the shooting at 56 Hope Road in December 1976, ahead of the Smile Jamaica concert.