Jesse I has been a pioneer of the Australian radio, gig and festival scenes since 1997.
Based in Melbourne, he is one half of the reggae sound system, Chant Down. In 2001 they began hosting a monthly reggae night, More Fire, which soon established itself as the cornerstone of the city’s reggae scene, still going strong over seven years later.
In 1997 Jesse began the reggae radio show, Chant Down Babylon, which began on SYN-FM and later moved to PBS-FM. The show continues to broad-cast over ten years later, now under the name of Babylon Burning.
He is also a regular fixture on Melbourne’s concert and festival circuit, and has played support to artists including Jr Reid, Jah Mason, Horace Andy, Luciano, Third World, Lee Scratch Perry, The Mad Professor, The Wailers Band, The Gladiators, Michael Rose, Sly and Robbie, Lucky Dube, Big Youth, Dry and Heavy, Amon Tobin, Hexstatic, and Thievery Corporation. With Chant Down he has also performed at festivals and shows including the Rastafari Reggae Splash in Singapore, Good Vibrations, the Meredith Music Festival and the St Kilda Festival.
Over the last decade, Jesse I has travelled to Jamaica many times, conducting interviews with reggae’s biggest artists for Australian radio, and voicing custom ‘dubplate specials’ for exclusive air-play.
He has also established a successful import business specialising in Jamaican 7″ singles, ensuring not only that Chant Down always stays in touch with what is happening in reggae’s homeland, but also making it easy for others in Australia to find the tunes themselves.
The New Zealand massive can catch Jesse I in Auckland and Wellington on 28 and 29 of November. More details soon come!
More info:
Chant Down website
Big up Jesse I for his Top Ten track selections for November 2008.
1. Morgan Heritage – Rasta We Seh (Birch)
2. Tarrus Riley – Save Our Souls (Maximum Sound)
3. Queen Ifrica – Keep It To Yourself (Don Corleon)
4. Pressure – Putting Up Resistance (Don Corleon)
5. Collie Budz – Hustle (A-Team)
6. Million Stylez – Police In Helicopter (Necessary Mayhem)
7. Morgan Heritage – Nothing To Smile Bout (No Doubt)
8. Anthony B – Can’t Stop The Fire (Rootdown)
9. Alborosie – Rainy Day (Soul Vybz)
10. Tarrus Riley – One Two Order (VP)
