The Wailers with Jah People playing Havana New Hope May 8

(Photo: Tsuneo Koga)

The Wailers with very special guest Jah People will be playing at Havana for one night, May 8, from 7-10 p.m.

Reggae music is still defined to a large extent by the songs of Bob Marley and the Wailers. It’s their heartbeat rhythms that have inspired so much of what’s followed since, as evidenced by the enduring popularity of the “one-drop” reggae sound.

Marley and the Wailers’ music has sold in excess of 250 million albums worldwide. In England alone, they scored over twenty chart hits, including seven Top 10 entries. Apart from Marley, the Wailers have performed with international acts such as Sting, Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana, as well as reggae legends Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer and Burning Spear.

Their most recent collaborators include Kenny Chesney, Eve, Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat, according to their website. They’ve also completed numerous tours over the years, playing to an estimated 24 million people across the globe, including groundbreaking performances in Africa and the Far East.

The anchor of the band is Aston “Family Man” Barrett, who in addition to being Marley’s most trusted lieutenant, played on countless other classic reggae hits throughout the seventies, says the promotional literature. The authenticity he brings to the Wailers’ sound is indisputable and yet today’s line-up combines old school know-how with lead vocals from one of Jamaica’s most exciting new singers.

Show 7-10 p.m.; Doors 6 p.m.; Jah People 7 p.m.; The Wailers 8-10 p.m. General Admission – Standing. Must be 21 to attend.

Tickets: $35; also Havana Ticket Line (215) 862-1933. No refunds on ticket sales.