BoomShaka Seeks to Spin Reggae Rhythm Into Crossover Success

An obscure Topanga Canyon-based reggae band is putting a lot of stock in its music.

The six members of BoomShaka anted up the $4,000 tab for an album they recorded in only three days.

About 1,000 copies of their first effort, “Creation,” were distributed to local radio stations, booking agents and record store managers.

Somehow, the record found its way to radio stations as far away as Florida and Texas, bass player Mark Tumolo said.

How it got there, nobody seems to know.

But band members aren’t complaining, especially because this has been an important month for the group.

BoomShaka recently opened for the legendary Wailers at the Roxy. They performed Sunday at the Reggae Times Music Awards at California State University, Dominguez Hills, where they will won over five other groups in a Reggae Times readers’ poll for best new performer/band.

On the other hand, it has not been an especially profitable month.

The band was not paid for its Roxy performance.

Trevy, the group’s 24-year-old lead singer and songwriter, said the chance to open for the Wailers, who backed the late Bob Marley, was sufficient payment. “I’ve been listening to them cats for so long,” he said.

Trevy and other members of the band say it is a struggle to make it big in reggae, especially in a city and a country dominated by pop, heavy metal or oldies.

“When they do play reggae, they play a little Bob Marley, and that’s it,” said Pat Cameron, owner of Silver Shadow Records and the Jamaica Royale Restaurant, both in the Crenshaw area.

“Reggae Revolution” on KROQ from 1 to 2 a.m. on Wednesdays, is the only regularly scheduled reggae program on a major commercial Southern California radio station. The show’s host, Roberto, said his listeners mostly are between 15 and 21.

Public radio has been receptive to reggae, although KCRW’s popular “Reggae Beat” recently was cut back from four hours to two with the departure of host Roger Steffens.

These programs have helped build a steady, if comparatively small, reggae following in Southern California. Audiences for local reggae shows are mostly white and often young. For many of these people, reggae is a mellow alternative to head-banging rock or the slickness of MTV.

BoomShaka incorporates some of the same sounds prevalent in contemporary pop. Thundering drums and funky keyboards augment a few of the songs on “Creation,” reflecting the band’s broad range of interests. “We are checking out all kinds of music,” said Rhodes.

Record store owner Cameron said reggae can be separated into two categories: roots and crossover. As he defines it, roots reggae is characterized by lyrics in patois, a Jamaican dialect Americans find difficult to understand. Crossover groups, such as BoomShaka, sing closer to standard English.

Cameron said that crossover groups currently enjoy the biggest success. That’s what BoomShaka is counting on.