Cali Roots Presents: J Boog & The Green in Monterey

On the evening of August 28th, Top Shelf Music I descended upon Monterey County Fairgrounds to photograph a magical night of reggae music. The lineup included GRAMMY-nominated J Boog, The Green, Josh Heinrichs and special guest Saritah. It is nights like this that remind us of simpler times spent dancing in ‘The Bowl’ with friends […]

Reggae Rise Up finally heading to Vegas Fall of 2021

The iconic inaugural Reggae Rise Up Festival is coming to Las Vegas on October 9th and 10th at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, after being postponed due to COVID last year. Good news is, the lineup stayed relatively the same, including reggae heavyweight headliners Slightly Stoopid and Dirty Heads, with other incredible groups joining […]

First ever Cali Roots Sessions: San Francisco announced

The reggae rock festival kings who brought the world over 10 years of Cali Roots is proud to announce a kickoff series of shows, slated to take place throughout the next year leading to the beloved (and long-awaited) 2022 California Roots Music & Arts Festival in Monterey, CA. Included in this rundown is the inaugural Cali Roots […]

Get ready for Soulshine at Sea, with Michael Franti & more

After spending 2020 secluded and soul-searching at home, I’m certainly ready to let it shine with Michael Franti and Spearhead on their fabulous Soulshine at Sea cruise! You are not going to want to miss out on this! We are talking four unbelievable days of music, wellness and good vibes around the Caribbean aboard the […]

Keyth G. debuts with self-titled reggae EP

Up-and-coming reggae artist Keyth Garcia (aka Keyth G.), based out of Oxnard California, is set to release his first solo EP — a reggae and jazz-style mixture of sound! Top Shelf Music is proud to feature this soulful and uplifting reggae EP and had the opportunity to sit down and talk to Garcia about his […]

The Olés capture isolation & recovery in “Island” single

Continuing to storm the country from coast to coast, SoCal hybrid-reggae band The Olés are back with another new single to add to your summertime playlist. “Island” is a fresh, moody, mostly-instrumental ballad that is for sure going to get the windows down and the speakers up on your next cruise to the beach. It […]

Kolohe Kai shares “Feel The Sunshine” single, feat. HIRIE

Two island reggae powerhouses collide in this enchantingly warming single — just in time for an early Spring! Rising superstar Kolohe Kai has teamed with Hawaiian reggae chanteuse HIRIE in “Feel The Sunshine”, an ode to homecoming. The sky is the limit for these two and, together, they are simply unstoppable. As lone entities, Kolohe […]

Fia releases “Morning Time (Acoustic)” for lovers

Hawaiian reggae artist Fia slows down his recent dancehall jam “Morning Time (Awoia)” in this extra special acoustic rendition. The original version, released last year, garnered the island artist a spot on the Ineffable Records roster — no small feat for an aspiring singer-songwriter! With renewed warmth & staccato guitar, “Morning Time (Acoustic)” is straight […]

The Irie reveals “Never Alone” single & video off upcoming EP

Arizona reggae band The Irie return a week after unveiling the music video for love song “Never Alone” with the single’s official release! Following the band’s summery “Turn Me Up” track (featuring The Elovaters), “Never Alone” stands as the first song off The Irie’s forthcoming Can’t Get Enough EP, due out February 5th. As previously […]

Katchafire’s Jordan Bell talks new tunes & tours

Drummers, with the exception of a few backline frontmen, rarely get enough love. Katchafire’s Jordan Bell likes to live a little differently. His family band, originally started by father Grenville Bell and alongside brother Logan Bell, has since grown to be a staple of New Zealand and roots reggae music altogether. Jordan Bell goes centerstage, […]

Top Shelf Music News: Episode 11

Happy holidays! Celebrate the season with Top Shelf Music News and your holiday hosts Matt Cook & Kristy Rose. Not only are we talking about recent music releases (like Paul McCartney and Taylor Swift), but we’re having a Collie Jolly Christmas with special guest Collie Buddz! ‘Tis the season to be Collie, after all… With […]

Sammy Johnson drops “Cool & Easy” off forthcoming album

Island reggae-meets-R&B artist Sammy Johnson returns with the lead single and title track off his forthcoming album, Cool & Easy. The LP is set to launch off Mensch House Records January 22nd, 2021 — a relaxing and reassuring soundtrack for wintertime. Not only that, but after a year like 2020, Sammy Johnson’s Cool & Easy […]

Nattali Rize x Kumar is “Indestructible”

Activist reggae artist Nattali Rize teams with fellow soldier Kumar in her upcoming “Indestructible”, a single due out December 11th via Ineffable Records. This release follows the conclusion of the pair’s global sustainability campaign, an initiative successfully aiding Kumar’s mother’s prep school in rural Jamaica during the current COVID era. Now together in music, the […]

WORLD TRACK PREMIERE: Jack Hinson “Heart Meets The Mind”

Island reggae artist Jack Hinson returns in his latest happy-go-lucky single “Heart Meets The Mind” — premiering here today before hitting all digital outlets tomorrow! Masterfully self-produced, “Heart Meets The Mind” is the second single of six Hinson plans to debut within a six month trajectory. Whether or not these singles are leading to an […]

The Steppas return with “Stay” single

Hawaiian reggae staple The Steppas return from a brief dormancy with “Stay”, a song equally about loss and acceptance. The single off Easy Star Records follows a string of personal grievances for the band over the past few years, including the sudden and saddening death of longtime friend and band manager Kaliko Keawe’ehu. Not willing […]