Uwe Banton (bzw. Uwe Schäfer, so der bürgerliche Name des nordrhein-westfälischen Originals) ist weit über die Landesgrenzen hinaus bekannt, auch außerhalb Deutschlands und Europas hat er sich in seiner mittlerweile über mehr als 3 Dekaden spannenden Karriere einen festen Platz im Reggae-Olymp ersungen – in den Herzen seiner Fans sowieso.

Mit seinem soliden Roots Reggae bleibt er stets seiner seiner ursprünglichen Verbundenheit zu Rastafari treu. Die Philosophie mit stark spirituellen Zügen stammt wie der Reggae selbst aus Jamaika und wird von Banton gelebt, musikalisch zelebriert und als Botschaft in die Welt getragen. So gehören zu seinem Repertoire sowohl der leicht beschwingte „Cannabis Song“, mit dem er seit Jahren auch die Herzen der „Legalize It“- Bewegung erobert hat, ebenso schwere Roots Klassiker wie „Ithiopian Ites“, „JAH Roots“ oder auch die Lovers Rock Hymne „Thought I’d Let You Know“.

Für die Hanfparade 2024 mitten im Herz von Berlin hat er sich nun mit der Geez Roots Band zusammen geschlossen, einer in Berlin ansässigen Reggae Formation unter Leitung des Äthiopiers Bini Zion. Und diese Kombination verspricht musikalisch Außergewöhnliches als auch Erstklassiges.

Uwe Banton on Social Media:
www.uwebanton.com
www.facebook.com/uwebantonfans
www.youtube.com/@UweBanton
www.instagram.com/uwe_banton

Comes from the nature island of the Caribbean. He became involved with music at a very early age, influenced mainly by what was being played over the radio at that time. It soon became clear that music was a universal language that he had to learn. He started out by playing melodica together with his elder sister singing, and younger brother beating away at anything to have as „drums“. They soon were able to play their version of almost everything that was heard over the radio, which was at the time coming all the way from Trinidad. Throughout his teens, „Perri“ caught the eyes of the local bandsmen and was invited to join the „Ebonites“ band from Grand Bay. It was ranked as one of the top outfits coming out of Dominica at that time. They had a reputation for discipline, and were known to be able to read and write music, and not just „play by ear“. Starting out on bass, he then moved to learn keyboards to replace an outgoing member. From then on it was a smooth transition to guitar and other instruments.

The name “ Perez“ was given because of his love for Latin music especially that of the maestro Perez Prado. Years later, together with his brother and friends, the group „Black Machine“ was founded and recorded albums in Guadeloupe and Martinique respectively. After years of touring and recording in Dominica, Saint Lucia, Guadeloupe and Martinique, they disbanded but the drive to continue was always present. In 1988 after much thought, Ras decided to take a trip outside the Caribbean, and went to visit a friend in Salt Lake City. Some seeds of reggae were sown in that region, resulting in the formation of RAW (Reggae Ambassadors World Wide) by then local reggae radio host Papa Pilgrim.

After a year and a half it was time to move, and some time was spent with some friends gigging in and around Boston and New York, before making the trip back to the Caribbean and then to Europe. Ras Perez arrived in Paris in ’89 and found reggae to be in a ripe and ready stage of development. Five years was spent in the city of light recording and touring with the top DJs and local roots ensembles.

 In ’93 Ras Perez took a trip to Berlin and has been there ever since.

With decades of experience in music, Ras Perez has gained quite a notable reputation through his music. Not content to rest on his laurels, he is always working towards the next release, thus adding more to his repertoire.
Since It is a fact that music should be shared with listeners as much as possible, Ras Perez tours on a regular basis, making public appearances nationally and internationally.