Impressions: International Reggae Day 2016 in NYC with Toots Hibbert

Photos by Ravi Lloyd

This past Friday, July One, LargeUp and Spur Tree brought the legendary Toots Hibbert to JIMMY at the James Hotel to celebrate International Reggae Day in New York City. One of numerous events held simultaneously worldwide, from Kingston to Singapore, the intimate gathering, sponsored by Blackwell Rum, featured an rare and powerful unplugged performance from the reggae pioneer and lead singer of Toots and the Maytals.

The performance was the latest stop on the comeback trail for Toots, who returned to the stage last month in California after a four-year hiatus. Following a warm-up set from Rice & Peas’ DJ Gravy and Micro Don and a series of on-and-off rain showers, Toots treated the crowd at JIMMY, located on the James Hotel’s 18th floor, to renditions of classic songs including “Bam Bam,” “Pressure Drop” and “Monkey Man.” Mr. Hibbert was in rare form, offering stories behind his hits and insight into the origination of the term reggae. (It comes from streggay, a patois term for an unkempt woman).

See some of the highlights in the photos below, and look out for our upcoming video featuring Toots’ performance at International Reggae Day 2016.