RUDY ALBA

Rudy Alba is a singer-songwriter and recording artist who performs reggae with links to Scotland and Jamaica. He is described as a Scottish reggae singer, although his origin is given as France. His work centres on reggae and related styles, and he is associated with Scotland, alternative music, ska and Germany through tagging and performance context.

Career

Alba performs as a solo artist and is also the lead singer of The Worries. He is based around reggae performance and songwriting, with lyrics that focus on social commentary and spirituality. He describes his approach as combining entertainment with education, and his live shows include projected artistic and cultural images.

He performs with The Worries, with whom he has released three albums. The group plays venues and festivals in the UK and appears at events including Glasgow Mela Festival, Glasgow West End Festival, Leith Festival in Edinburgh, Edinburgh Festival, Skye Festival and Knockengorroch Festival. The Worries also play venues such as Hackney Empire, Clapham Grande, Albany Empire, Hard Rock Café, O2 Glasgow, The Arches Glasgow, Renfrew Ferry Glasgow, Liquid Rooms Edinburgh, Jazz Bar and the Doghouse Dundee.

Solo releases

His first solo album is Defender of the Faith, a collection of 15 spiritually themed songs. The album is issued online and is also planned for CD and vinyl on Scomaican Records, a Scottish label he helps to form. The first single, All JAH Wants, features musicians from Jamaica and the UK, including Bob Marley’s original horn section. It is produced by Lewis M, who has worked with Judge Jules, Gregory Isaacs, Michael Rose and Ken Boothe.

He later prepares a second solo album, Defender of the Faith Part 2 (Armagideon), for recording at Room in the Sky Studio in London.

Collaborations and performances

Alba supports and collaborates with a number of reggae artists, including The Congos, U Roy, Mikey Dread, Toots, Max Romeo, Sugar Minott and Yellowman. He does two support slots for U Roy in Glasgow and Edinburgh in 2006, after which U Roy calls him “King of Scotland”. He also works with hip hop artist Da Royce 59 on Fire, with reggae drummer Maxi Edwards on Reel Me In, and on three recordings for the Dutch label Not Easy at all Productions. He appears on the Vitaminics compilation Reggae Party with artists including Sugar Minott.

Media and other activity

He has TV exposure through ITV London’s The Warehouse and airplay with The Worries on BBC 1Xtra. In reggae dancehall circles he records special commissions, known as dubplates or specials, for sound systems in the UK, Europe and the United States.

He also plans to launch Scomaican Caribbean, described as a musical charity aimed at helping people affected in Jamaica and educating Scottish and UK audiences about Scottish-Jamaican connections.