ArtistInfo

Brother Joe Pilgrim, The Ligerians
Step Out

Album FR 2018 on SoulNurse Records label
Reggae (Dub, Reggae, Roots Reggae)

Three years ago, Joe Pilgrim invited us to follow our Intuitions. Today he is calling for action with his 6-track EP Step out to be released March 30th. Backed up by the ever-dynamic Ligerians, the French-Beninese singer makes the most of his delicately genuine and airy voice to convey a spiritual message, as he opens new avenues for reflection on the major current issues of our world. New EP Step out follows the path started with the LP Intuitions with one major change : “Brother Joe” doesn't just describe a society and it's system perverted by the power of money, he is now calling for action. The Opening track of the EP “Step Out of this Jungle” is a call to free ourselves of our dehumanising and stressful lives by following a brighter way of life. The song can be seen as a users guide : to step out of this jungle, just lift up your head and face reality to move forward. On a dynamic stepper beat, the tempo is a source of courage. The 80's references in the sound can remind us of Pablo Moses in 1981 who invited us to Pave The Way. As on Intuitions, The New EP offers us an acoustic meditative Track called “Divine Power”. The song is an ode to the women and also to the ancient civilisations, before christianisation. Joe Pilgrim celebrates these pagan societies who treated women as equal to men. This song is indissociable to the next one : “Wherever I go” in which Joe denounces the “preachers preaching iniquity, pretending woman is the evil”. On this very Soulful One Drop Riddim, Joe condemns the Judeo-christian, and capitalistic values which glorify the father at the expense of women. Joe Pilgrim calls for a universal love. A traditional topic in reggae that we can find in the single “Use your time” . Humanist and apolitical, the message is perfectly orchestrated by the Ligerians who revisit the Rockers style. The Drums and percussions will make you want to move your feet, as the backing vocals give a feeling of fullness. A beautiful way to talk about human rights. This cause is also promoted in the song “Migrants.” Sudanese, Eritreans, Afghan, Syrians...Many are those who run away from armed conflicts and risk their lives to reach Europe, thinking maybe they will be welcome...But all they face once there, is barbed wire, police and fences. The reality is brutal, and Joe has witnessed this : in 2016, he went to Calais in the North of France, a few month before the dismantling of what was called “The Jungle”, there he met refugees and lived with them for a few days. The experience was filmed by his friend and filmmaker Julie Beaudot who then made the videoclip for the song with the footage. The lesson Joe Drew of this experience is : We are the power. Action and mobilization are within the reach of everybody. All the benefits of the downloads are given to an organisation called “L'auberge des migrants”, which helps refugees by defending their right and by giving them food, shelters and medical help. The song “Migrants” is a powerful tribute to these women, men and children who left everything, hoping for a peaceful life, far from guns and bombs. The melody on the keyboard sounding like an alarm reminds us of the emergency of this migratory crisis. The Dub version by Pilah (ex Kaly Live Dub, member of the Dub Addict Sound System) reminds us of the chaotic crossing of the Mediterranean sea and all the souls which drowned there. Recorded and mixed and produced by Soulnurse Records, Step out fights against fatalism and helplessness. Musically, we can find a reggae roots close to the foundation, but ever so actual in the message. We can immediately recognise the sound of the Ligerians, but in a way this record is more rough, with clear references to the 80's digital era. The recent collaboration of the band with Pilah, which started in 2016 at the Telerama Dub Festival, is once again highlighted. These two different musical styles share the same root. Fusion, unite, and put forces together, these are the goals of Joe Pilgrim.

Musicians

	Brother Joe Pilgrim voc, composed by, written by, album by
	The Ligerians , album by
	Bongo Ben perc, dr, artwork, percussion
	Gabriel Bouillon bvoc, g, backing vocals, guitar, mixed by
	Yoann Minkoff bvoc, g, backing vocals, guitar
	Jakub Trzepizur bass
	François Lattouf dr, perc, drum
	Emma Hocquellet key, keyboards

Producers

Composers

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