Tarrus Riley

Tarrus Riley, dressed completely in army style camouflage, stands center stage with a keyboardist, guitarist, saxophone player, and drummer flanking him. He paces the stage as he sings, clapping his hands and encouraging people to move and dance to “Start Anew”. The stage is lit with small, crystal like lights in purple, gold, and orange which pick up the metal on the instruments, making them shine. The crowd cheers and bobs up and down, enjoying Riley's energy and reggae beats. Tarrus Riley is a Jamaican reggae singer born in the Bronx and raised in Jamaica. He is also part of the Rastafarian movement, as the audience can tell from his long, thick dreads. He started performing as a teenager, no doubt inspired by his father, Jimmy Riley, who was also a reggae singer. Tarrus Riley's first album, Challenges, was released in 2004. He followed that in 2006 with Parables, then Contagious in 2009, Mecoustic in 2012, To The Limit in 2013, and Love Situation in 2014. His music is internationally renowned, and he tours Europe yearly with his group. His has consistently won awards, starting in 2007 with the Jamaica Observer Artiste of the Year, down the UNIA Marcus Garvey Award for Contribution of Music. The long list is a tribute to his skill and strong, positive stage presence. Tarrus Riley brings fresh talent, enthusiasm, and seemingly endless energy to the stage. Watching him have fun and hearing him play his music is a must do for reggae fans.