The Harder They Come

Traveling across the United States as a reggae star has its pluses and minuses. With a new album, Light Your Light, on record shelves, there's no doubt that Toots Hibbert, charismatic frontman of legendary Jamaican band Toots and the Maytals, doesn't mind the exposure. His band is a crowd favorite in college towns and music festivals year round, and inevitably, it all equates to CD sales and dollars.

On the other hand, traversing the Rocky Mountains when you're more accustomed to the dank climate of Kingston can take a traumatic toll on your health. From the sound of his breathing during our recent phone interview, it's obvious that Hibbert is experiencing the latter. As he deeply wheezes over the telephone during the fifth week of a grueling eight-week tour, it's easy to forget that you're on the phone with reggae royalty and start recommending cold remedies instead of asking questions. He's got a bad fever and a flu that won't quit. Despite his lack of a speaking voice, though, he's got to throw it all off and be the energetic and ageless Toots Hibbert that the world expects. Reggae fans in Boulder, Colorado, anticipate his presence on stage in mere hours, and he refuses to disappoint them. It's not the worst life in the world, but if this has been your seasonal routine since the late 1960s without respite, it could grow tiring.

Don't let this worry you, though: Hibbert swears he's nowhere near retirement.

"I think playing reggae is what I come to do on Earth," Hibbert says via phone a few days later (at this writer's request, the original interview was postponed). "Jah want me to do this, so he make me do it, and I'm not stopping anytime soon." He won't answer questions about his age. "A lot of people are guessing, so I just let them guess," he says laughing. But barring the unexpected, there's no reason to suspect Toots won't be playing reggae until kingdom come.

He's been a core member of Jamaica's music history since age 15, when the Maytals were just a trio of Kingston youth doing session work at the legendary Studio One recording studios back in 1964. At the time, the group, which consisted of Hibbert, Nathaniel "Jerry" McCarthy, and Henry "Raleigh" Gordon, were singing gospel harmonies set to ska music all of which was recorded with the famous Skatalites as Studio One's house band. In those days, Clement "Sir Coxsone" Dodd, owner of Studio One, had more up-and-coming talent under one roof than he knew what to do with at the time, the Maytals were stealing the limelight from Dodd's other gospel trio, the Wailers.

"Back in those days, I'm the one who sang the most ska with Skatalites," Hibbert says, reminiscing. "We noticed that gospel would work in ska before anyone else, and we ran with it."

While historically this may not be precise, at the time, reggae was evolving recording by recording, and regardless of who did what first, the Maytals were, without question, there during the beginning stages of reggae. So much so that the Maytals are credited with using the word reggae on wax before anyone else, for the band's 1968 cut "Do the Reggay."

The original version of the Maytals played together from 1964 until 1981, but during that period, they had a whopping 31 number-one records in Jamaica, with a hit list that included timeless classics such as "Pressure Drop" and "54-46 (That's My Number)," among others. They're easily remembered for making The Harder They Come soundtrack sparkle, and they influenced a number of modern-day musicians, from Eric Clapton to the Rolling Stones.

These days, Hibbert carries the name forward, although his band is a different lineup of seasoned reggae veterans that put on one of the most energetic and dance-happy shows in all of reggae. They were recently awarded a Grammy for Hibbert's stellar 2004 release, True Love, which featured an all-star cast of musicians (Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Manu Chao, Keith Richards... etc.), all reworking classic Maytals material.

When asked if it was difficult trying to corral so many personalities into a recording studio for one project, he balks at the question. "No, mon, it was easy," he says. "They're my fans, and I'm fans of theirs. We just asked everyone to pick one of my songs that they liked, and they listened to my catalog and picked. It was very easy. They've been listening to my music for years, just like I've been listening to their music for years."

The solid 17 tracks got Hibbert his highest accolade yet, but he's not jumping for joy over winning a Grammy. "The people are my Grammy," Hibbert says nonchalantly. "I should have won a lot more of these awards over the years, but I take my accolades from Jah. That's enough for me."

Awards aside, the name Toots is highly revered within the world of reggae no matter what. He consistently opens for the Rolling Stones every summer in Europe, and last summer alone, he toured with the Stones, Dave Matthews Band, Jimmy Buffett, and Los Lonely Boys as well as headlined his own gigs. It's a big part of why he's looked at as an iron man within the genre and feels so keen about continuing to make music.

Light Your Light is less of an international production than True Love; Raitt makes a guest appearance, but the album's mainly an in-house one. The few covers that do show up are like audible slices of heaven. With Hibbert's raspy drawl, his reworking of Ray Charles' "I Gotta Woman" sounds like a perfect fit, as entire stanzas pass by in which it's nearly impossible to distinguish the vocal differences between the two great singers. And by the time the Maytals get finished with Otis Redding's "Pain in My Heart," the wicked reggae groove played underneath it makes you almost forget it was a soul standard first. In that regard, Hibbert's always been good at keeping listeners on their toes, and it's one reason he can't help but laugh at talk of retirement.

"I'm just thinking of living a good life and playing music, not retiring," he says. "I eat a lot of garlic and exercise to keep fit, so I'm not going anywhere.

Swiss ball might prove to be a great addition to training routine. Once you know the type of exercise, you can do a Swiss ball, you together, we can be more diverse and thus more effective . why the Swiss Ball

The use of the Swiss ball exercises focus on your core areas. The core zone is one of the most important places, your body, to develop and strengthen. Your core muscles, help control your back, keep your balance and keep you moving forward.

Swiss ball exercises will not only help you gain strength in these places, they can also help to improve the balance and stability, as well as for the ability to control the muscles in your core areas. Not to mention the attractive look at the six-party packages.

No matter what level is the core of leadership training, you, you can start a routine exercise, and your Swiss ball. As you gain strength, you can conduct more advanced exercises.

Each of the Swiss ball movement in different areas of your core, helping to establish the overall strength you have in your back and your abdominal muscles. pelvic separation

Pelvic separation is a more basic Swiss ball exercises. First of all, this exercise, sit on the ball with your feet hip width, in addition to your arms and to your either your side or buttocks.

Then, slowly moving forward, your buttocks, your legs in place.n

The ball should roll-call, you as you move). Remember keep your back straight.

Return to your starting position, then repeat, this time moving backward, your buttocks.

As you even more handy, and these movements, and as your core strength, and raising, and you can from side to side in advance, or move into full circle.

Pelvic separation, a great warm-up match after doing more core Swiss ball exercises. spinal strength

After warming up, you may ask, to strengthen your spine and back.

While sitting on the ball, move your feet you lean back to the ball.

Ensure that you are using the Swiss ball in the exercise, as the main support your back.

Continue to tilt and move your feet, and slowly forward. When you can stop the ball is in the first part, your back, your shoulders and around the blade.

Raise your arms in your head, and correct your knees. Ensure that your back is straight, like.

Hold this position for 10 seconds, before reversing direction and rolling back to your starting position. on the spinal extension

You can also use the Swiss ball to strengthen your upper back.

For this exercise, change the position of your kneeling on the floor with the ball in front of you.

Place your chest on the exercise ball. Then roll up to your chest on the ball and your knees correct.

Hold this position for 10 seconds, than roll back to the beginning of kneeling position.

Although these beginners exercises like stretching gymnastics, you will find that the core strength of their building, effective.

When you are ready, you can enter into more complex Swiss ball exercises. If you are interested in building abdominal muscles, many Swiss ball exercises, will be isolated in this area. ball less

This was the use of the CD-Switzerland, in order to increase effectiveness of the practice less. Depending on your current capacity, you can start with the full - or half the CD has not yet reached.

So the ball has not yet reached the first sit on the exercise ball. As semi-crunch, Lean to return to the half way point, not moving your feet, then return to the sitting position. For the full moment, just lean back to the full.

Good start with 5-10 duplication, and increase your strength has increased. strike

In addition, the Swiss ball movement s ideological core strength is a strike. A strike can be varied to focus on core strength, whether sitting in the front or back.

Focus on your front began to kneel on the floor and the ball in front of you.

Forward to your chest is resting ball.

Take your hand forward, and rolling your body over the ball until it is your feet.

Then, heading in the opposite direction, back to the ball to your chest.

Focus on your back, the first sitting ball.

Walk your feet forward until the ball is in your shoulder or neck.

Then, walking in the opposite direction back to the sitting position.

If you add these exercises to exercise routine, you will find a big improvement in strength, your core. Do you want to have a strong back or flattering the abs, using the Swiss ball is a great way to obtain a quick and comfortable. Switzerland is also a ball to add some interest and variety to your daily work. At any time at all, you will find that your exercise routine is rolling you into a better expectations.

Additional information :

From www.browardpalmbeach.com:
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