5-Minute Time Out: Ziggy Marley
The reggae star and father of five on his "Family Time" record.
by Jennifer V. Hughes
June 10, 2009
There is no bigger name in reggae than "Marley," and Ziggy, son of Bob, is holding up the family moniker with pride. He’s won four Grammy awards and released two hugely popular albums. But
perhaps more important to grade-schoolers, he also sings that jammin’ theme song on PBS’s Arthur, and did the
voice of Ernie, the Rasta jellyfish in the movie Shark Tales.
Ziggy’s third solo album, Family Time, is
his first kids' CD, and it’s got a mind-blowing
array of guest performers. (Willie Nelson! Laurie Berkner!
Paul Simon! Even Jamie Lee Curtis shows up — twice.) The album was also a
family affair. His mother and sister perform, as does his four-year-old
daughter, Judah. (Ziggy has four other kids, aged 20,
17, 14 and 2.)
Ziggy talked to Babble
about his interest in education, his famous dad, and the expertise he's gained
from raising all those kids. — Jennifer V. Hughes
You have some major stars on your new album. What was it like
bringing together such a wildly diverse group of artists?
It was a privilege for me, you know what I’m
saying? It was very exciting to bring in guest artists.
Is there a thread musically or emotionally between all of them and
your work?
I felt something for them, when I was going to put together a group of
people who I would work with, I had to find people I have a good feeling for,
it has to be a good vibe. It’s a cool vibe, the
spirit in their music. It’s hard to explain, but everything cannot always make
sense — sometimes it’s just a feeling.
The proceeds from the sale of the CD will go toward the Chepstowe Basic School in Jamaica — tell me about that project.
"Music is part of us from the beginning."
The school is for the very young. I wanted to get into education for kids so
I adopted a school and we started doing some development. Some of the money
will help with more classrooms, more books, better pay
for the teachers. I want it to be an example for the rest of Jamaica in
terms of what we can do.
You know, I read that Ziggy
is not your given name — it’s David. Where did Ziggy
come from?
Ziggy came from my father — it’s from how I used
to kick the soccer ball.
Maybe this is a silly question, but what do you think it is about
music and children — why are children so drawn to music?
I think that music, beats, melody, sound are a natural part of our DNA, our
vibe. It’s just a part of the cycle of our lives, we’re born, we have eyes, we have music. It’s part of us from the beginning. We’re
drawn to it because it’s a part of us.
Other than reggae, what other styles of music do you and your kids
listen to?
My kids listen to my father’s music, which is reggae of course. They just
listen to music that makes us feel good — rock, jazz, anything. For me it
changes depending on what I’m feeling. I’ve listened to Jack Johnson, Green
Day, I listen to African music. I listen to a wide variety,
I don’t think there is any constant. I go from one thing to the next.
©2009 Jennifer V. Hughes and Babble
About the Author
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Jennifer V. Hughes is a writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Mothering magazine and the Columbia Law School Report. She also makes a killer sangria. |
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