No group connects reggae's rich and spiritual heritage with today's music scene like Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. Blessed both by heredity and by singular talent, the Melody Makers have carried on their father's legacy by delivering stirring "roots" music and a dizzying array of other styles on the eight acclaimed albums they have released since the mid '80s. Along the way, they have sold million of records, won two Grammy awards and played to countless devotees worldwide. 
    
The Marleys -- Ziggy, brother Stephen, sisters Cedella and Sharon and a loving cast of other family members who are destined to step into the Marley spotlight -- have been performing songs and stories in one way or another since they were teenagers. They have often held to the original delivery style of Jamaican patois but have also learned to echo the sights and sounds of today's varied reggae and R & B scenes. The group experimented with hip-hop on 1991's Jahmekya and a roots-driven sound on 1993's Joy and Blues. On their new album, Fallen in Babylon, the Melody Makers pick up the vintage sound on their last album, 1995's Free Like We Want 2 B. Though there may appear to be a conscious progression, Ziggy is quick to point out that they just do what comes naturally. "Each album is something new," Ziggy says, simply. "We don't look back and we don't think about it that much. The music evolves by itself." 

The Melody Makers produced the album themselves at the rebuilt Marley Music Studio, which as Tuff Gong Studio was the site of Bob Marley's historic sessions. The band took the extraordinary of reconstructing the legendary studio themselves prior to recording Free Like We Want 2 B in 1995. "There is such a great vibe there," says Marley, "and so much history -- it was really like our home for so many years." The album's crackling energy, inviting warmth and effortless grooves show that the band continues to grow in the studio, comfortable in a setting so rich with their own past.  

Fallen Is Babylon captures the sounds, textures and colors of Jamaica in voices resonant with heritage and a
"Fallen is Babylon is our message for the new millennium. It's very timely. For people who have spiritual knowledge, we feel it's a wise album."  

The group's keen political awareness is evident right away. Full of biblical imagery, the title track is a cautionary tale about the suffering caused by straying from the spiritual path to a path of oppression and conquest. "Everyone Wants To Be, "featuring a rap by The Fugees' Wyclef, is a biting commentary on violence in America, built on a loop of familiar western movie theme music. "In the U.S., so many people have this attitude of wanting to be 'bad'. Everyone plays this gangsta character," Ziggy says. "The kids think that if you don't act tough, you're nothing. No one wants to be spiritual, which is the only way to become truly strong. So we did this song for all the youth." And "Diamond City" is about the plight of poverty- stricken Sierra Leone and Zaire.  

Ziggy's social and political sensibility is neatly countered by brother Stephen's simpler approach. On "Postman," "Notice" and "Five Days A year." all written by Stephen and the traditional "lone Winter," which he sings, Stephen brings out some soulful Marley heartache to group's love songs. 

One of the most striking aspects of the melody makers' music is it's unflagging optimism. Even when the lyrics speak of oppression and anger, there is joy in their voices and a certainty that things will get better. Ebullient songs like "Born To Be Lively," "Jah Bless," "Brotherly Sisterly Love," "Day By Day" and the group's cover of Curtis Mayfield's classic "People Get Ready" radiate a positively that is utterly infectious. Indeed, "People Get Ready," the first single, is such a natural fit for the band that it sounds like they could have written it themselves. The song has been covered many times, but the Marleys' version is surely among the definitive. "We have great respect for Curtis Mayfield, personally and musically," Ziggy says. "Our father quoted 'People Get Ready' on 'One Love,' so we feel many connections with it. We relate to it. It's a part of us." 

Perhaps no other songs on the album better encapsulate their uplifting attitude than the faith-in-strength anthems "Day By Day " and "Jah Bless." 'Life is full of ups and downs/No matter how hard it seems/Never forget your dreams/just take it day by day," sings Ziggy on "Day By Day." And in a voice full of hope on "Jah Bless,: Stephen sings, "Hey stumbling block move out the way/We're gonna make it through the day." "That strength comes from faith in the almighty," Ziggy asserts. "No matter what happens, keep yourself up. When people listen to our song, they can understand that even though life is hard, they can still feel good about themselves spiritually." 

The spirit that permeates Fallen Is Babylon is a regular part of their daily lives, whether it is at home, on the soccer field (one of their favorite hobbies), or on the stage. "It's there for all of us," says Ziggy. "That is where our inspiration comes from in the first place. And everyone has something they can get out of it." 
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