Joseph Israel

  • Joseph Israel

JOSEPH ISRAEL
9 p.m., Revolution. $10.

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Bob Dylan, several years back, channeling Charley Patton, dressed like a gay Confederate general. That’s the last time I can remember a whiter display of black face than what Joseph Israel, the Fayetteville-based Rasta man, promises to bring on Wednesday, when he comes to Rev, swingin’ red dreads and singing about “Jah” in patois. Minstrelsy, of course, is one of American music’s oldest traditions, with much great art to show for it: the best of The Rollings Stones’ catalog, The Beastie Boys, Dylan’s latter years, “Porgy and Bess.” And, naturally, much racist, culturally insensitive and just plain silly art, too. Where you put Joseph Israel in that spectrum might depend on your opinion of reggae or your opinion of white jam culture’s embrace of it. Maybe this message, from Israel on his MySpace page about his latest EP, will help you along: “This music is like a tree planted by the river of water that brings forth fruit in due season — fruits of Joy, Hope, Unity and Healing. I look forward to the day that the Earth will be restored, no more war, suffering or strife, only LIFE! I realized instead of just talking about these things I could share them through song and really have a positive effect. This message is healing people all over.”

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