Jahrusalem 3001
MEETINGS WITH REMARKABLE MEN
JAHRUSALEM 3001 — JULY 23, 1997
Meeting with the Legend — BUNNY WAILER
I entered the world of Rap and Reggae the way I entered every new venture in my life. Unexpectedly. I had the desire to become a filmmaker and a director. I had this desire from a very young age, but I knew the right time would arrive for me. In 1991 it arrived unexpectedly. I met an old friend from high school I told him I was a filmmaker and he hired me to shot a rap video. I went looking for a film studio and was offered the job of studio manager. This was the biggest studio outside of California at the time; Cinespace Studios. It was located right in the middle of my old neighborhood where I grew up. While I was managing the studios we signed the rap group to a record deal. Gangsta Rap was gaining popularity ar the time.
Everything changed when I had the chance to hang out with some serious Rastafarians; The difference between the Rastafarians and the Gangsta Rappers is in how they moved. It was like night and day.
The Rappers moved very aggressively and tried to intimidate motivated by anger and fear. The Rastafarians moved like Kings and Queens their heads held high without any fear or anger in their heart. I immediately got involved in Reggae music.
By the time 1996 rolled in, I had hit rock bottom; found myself in a totally stressed out state. I had finally spent all my money on my Recording artists (reggae & rap) unfortunately they could not keep themselves out of jail long enough to accomplish much, although they were most productive when incarcerated. I read an article about Bunny Wailer, (step brother and co-founder with Bob Marley of the Wailers) it went on and on of how this reporter tried in vain to find the reclusive Bunny in Jamaica.
I remembered my last performance at Solomon’s Pool in Jerusalem… it was an experimental piece on a beautiful sunny day in Jerusalem. The city walls were glowing and emanating a golden hue it is famous for.
Anne and I just finished a rehearsal and were thinking what to do next. I was in the process of figuring out how much longer could I stay in Jerusalem. Flora Cushman had left to be the artistic director of Mudra school in Brussels for Bejart. Other dancers I worked with drifted away. There were less and less opportunities to dance. So I suggested we go to the Solomon’s Pool and dance with the rocks. Solomon’s pool was an ancient reservoir outside the walls of the city at the foot of Mt. Zion. So we went off meditate on the rocks.
We headed for Solomon’s Pool. By the time we arrived at the stones which were at the bottom of the now dry Solomon’s’ pool we were pretty tired. We could see cars and tourist buses on the road that circles the old city of Jerusalem just above us. Just as we lay down each on our own block of stone, we meditated on motionlessness and went into a trance like sleep. It was the perfect temperature. Lying on the warm flat rock heated by the sun was heaven.
We were suddenly awakened by a security guard standing over us yelling. ”are you alright?” I look up and see a busload of tourists at the edge of the cliff standing outside their bus taking pictures. “Yes we are fine!” we reply in unison. “We thought something happened to you maybe you fell from the road and were hurt” he said with exasperation. I look up to see an ambulance just arriving behind the bus. I quickly stand up. “we are dancing” I reply “what do you mean you are dancing you are not moving we thought you were hurt or dead.” At this point he is screaming at us. “We are dancing with the rocks! They are not moving either!” I yell back at him. “Go get out of here you make people worry.” That is when I felt for the first time that it was time I left Israel. As I was boarding the plane to return to Canada, I remember thinking I am not returning to Israel unless I am greeted with a red carpet.
Solomon’s Pool had been recently transformed into a fantastic performance space seating 7,000… at the foot of Mt. Zion and the purported resting place of King David and King Solomon… It was my dream to perform there but dancing on the rocks was the closest I came to realizing that dream. As I began to look in the newspaper for a job, a light bulb went off! I had an idea! I remembered the film Woodstock.
What if I could book that space and hold a Reggae concert that would include Bunny Wailer, Rita Marley and the I Threes, Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare? I could have my artists perform alongside them. The idea kept expanding and engulfing my whole consciousness. it would be operatic in nature with the theme of rejoining the lovers; Queen of Sheba and King Solomon.
We would bring back Queen of Sheba to Jerusalem to reunite her with lover King Solomon riding on the waves of reggae music emanating from Solomon’s Pool and into the grave of King Solomon on Mt. Zion. She would be rejoined with her lover King Solomon in his final resting place by the music inspired by her direct descendant of that ill-fated union, His Majesty Haile Selasie… The name of this event would be “Jahrusalem”.
I sent out a fax to the mayor of Jerusalem, outlining the idea and its benefits to Jerusalem city… I told him the top reggae artists are eager to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the union of King Solomon and Queen of Sheba… what better way to highlight the Jewish roots of Jerusalem than by having this internationally recognized and beloved form of music be celebrated at the foot of Mt. Zion… there was no reply.
I called an old friend in Jerusalem. I had not spoken to him for over 12 years. He picked up the phone and said: “it is funny you should call… I was just speaking about how you came to dance here in Jerusalem…” I expressed to him my frustration at not getting a timely response from the city about my request… he informed me they are very busy because of the celebrations marking the 3,000th year of Jerusalem’s birthday, but if I send him the fax, he will make sure it gets to the mayor’s office. (I immediately changed the title to “Jahrusalem 3001”)
The following night I was awakened by a phone call from the minister of culture of Jerusalem… “We received your fax we like the idea, send us a full proposal and we will be very interested to book this event at Solomon’s Pool.” I call back my friend and ask him how he did it? “I sent the most beautiful woman in Israel and she put it right on his desk so it was the first thing that he saw when he sat down..” he replied.
I sent a full proposal to the city of Jerusalem claiming Bunny Wailer, Rita Marley, Sly and Robbie were eager to perform at Solomon’s Pool. This was going to be more than Reggae concert it was operatic in nature a modern day seminal event like Woodstock for Reggae. I was offered the only 3 days available for booking. only 3 booking dates available July 21–23. July 23rd was King Helassie’s Birthday!!! This was the holiest day for Rastafarians. Another important day for Rastafarians is April 21st 1966. This was the day Hele Selasie visited Jamaica and lit a fire in Jamaican culture and Rastafarianism. This was also the day of infamy for Greece when the military overthrew the democratic government and began a 7 year-long military dictatorship. I had no idea of these important dates at the time. The juxtaposition of these 2 days in my life colliding convinved me this event was destined to happen.
That night I made a promise to God and a challenge. “Since you gave me this idea you better give me the ability to see it through. Because if you did not I will come up there and demand an explanation.
From that point on everyone around me involved in Reggae told me it was impossible. Bunny does not like to fly. You cannot get in touch with him. By a strange series of events, I eventually met someone who had all the contact info for Bunny’s manager, Rita Marley and Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare phone numbers. I sent Bunny’s manager a fax… Bunny himself calls me back a few days later… here I am talking with a Legend of reggae music; he likes the idea… he asks me how I booked the space… I told him the most beautiful woman in Israel delivered the fax directly to the Ministers’ desk; Bunny laughed he liked that! From then on he called me Rasta Thanos. Rita Marley called me back and was excited to perform in Jerusalem.
I flew to Jerusalem, received a signed contract from the city, despite not having confirmed any artists yet. I flew to Jamaica was met at the airport by Bunny’s manager and driven to my hotel. A few days later Bunny’s manager took me to meet with Sly and Robbie. We drove to their studio Tactix as we entered the street was full of youth looking to be seen and heard, but also to protect the premises from any attacks from rival musical groups. This was not unusual in Jamaica. We meet Sly and he takes me on a tour of his studio. It was empty. No sign of any equipment. He had already gone digital in 1997. We walk out into the gated yard as Robbie arrives. We stand outside with a group forming around us leaning in to listen to what was being said.
I begin explain to him my proposal of having a Woodstock style event at the foot of Mt. Zion in Solomon’s pool. He knew the space. He asked me how I managed to book it. I told him the most beautiful woman in Israel delivered the request and put it on the minister’s desk. He smiled and said he liked that. I described to him the whole plan. The pay per view live stream, the full length documentary, the commemorative coins, the double CD set recorded live, merchandise sales. When I finished I stopped talking I went silent. We looked at each other and when he finally spoke, he said with a very serious tone: “How much you going to pay us?” I look at him straight into his eyes and ask him: “how much do you want?” He stares at me for a few seconds and replies: One million dollars”. I quickly reply with a question: “is that Jamaican dollars?” Before he can answer, I start laughing and said: “I am joking”.
You are worth one million USD. I know you just received one million dollars to do the soundtrack for Mission Impossible, but that is a Hollywood film. No Reggae artist has ever been paid anywhere close to one million for a live performance. I would love to pay you one million dollars, I would also like to pay one million dollars to Bunny Wailer. Rolling Stones get five million dollars per performance. Reggae Legends like Bunny Wailer deserve the same compensation. But to get that kind of budget I would have to secure sponsors like Coca Cola or Pepsi, and Microsoft, Adidas or Nike, Visa, Mastercard or American Express, and McDonalds.
This is not that type of concert I had envisioned. This will be remembered as the most important concert in the history of Reggae. Rastafarians will return to Jerusalem and take their rightful place in the old city. I can secure an office space very near Mt. Zion within the walls of the old city to open a Rastafarian center or I might even be able to get a space right on the Mt. Zion itself. Most of the real estate on top of Mt Zion was owned by the Greek Orthodox church. The Patriarch owed me a big favor. When I lived in Jerusalem in the late seventies and early 80s. I was instrumental in getting him elected as Patriarch. A story for another time…
Finally, the time came to close the deal. I looked straight into Robbie’s eyes and said. I will make you a bet: I am on the way to Jerusalem to sign the contracts for the space and the production. When I return I will make you an offer you can’t refuse; to perform for no money and you will say Yes, where do I sign? Robbie looks at me curiously, smiles and says: “I would like to see that.”
The next day I get a call from Bunny’s manager. Bunny Wailer was ready to meet with me.
I sat there for over 2 hours explaining the full range of promotional activities… it would be the Woodstock for Reggae music, the merchandising, live pay per view, the film, the gold commemorative coins, (Jerusalem gave me the rights to use their logo on one side and the Jahrusalem theme on the other) and a double CD set. I showed him a 20 million profit over 2 years minimum, etc. etc., but still he did not respond.
What I see is that Rock & Roll has conquered the world of popular music. But Reggae has conquered their hearts. Rock & Roll was part of the American policy to spread the way of life to the world in order to gain market access. Rock & Roll had the benefit of the support of the most powerful nation in the world. But Reggae keeps growing in popularity without any support from any government not even from the country where it was born; Jamaica.
Then I told him my theory of why this is so. “Reggae is a more pure form of the African rhythms that were developed and evolved over many hundreds of thousands of years uninterrupted. Africa was the true paradise and the people there had no need to develop technology to heat their homes or develop farming so they can feed themselves during the winter months. Africans did not require mush technology so they spent their time developing as human beings in harmony with nature. The Europeans were the Africans that left Africa and went north for one reason or another. The changing seasons forced them to focus on survival. Their evolution slowed down but their technology developed rapidly.
A couple of years later DNA testing was completed on a global scale. What they discovered shocked the world. The only continent whose people had no Neanderthal DNA were the Africans…
Finally, I decided to come clean and tell the truth: “The bottom line is this. I know this is an idea that has to be true. because, this idea brought me inside your compound and you have been sitting here listening to me for the past 2 hours. I am a nobody, I am not even a Rasta, I am Greek. I am in your compound, in your home, I have a small unsuccessful record label in Toronto, therefore it is not because who I am that has gotten me this far. I know many people more important and accomplished than me, were not allowed to enter your home or to even find you. It is this Idea for a concert at the foot of Mt Zion that has brought me here not who I am. It is the Idea that you opened your home to. It is the idea you have to say yes or no to.” Then I went silent. We sat there for the longest time looking at each other. He had a penetrating look that reached deep into my soul. I kept repeating to myself like a silent mantra: “Don’t look too deep Bunny, I am not here because of who I am; This idea has brought me here. It is the idea that you have to say yes or no to.”
Finally, after what seemed an eternity, he said “Yeah man let’s do it”. The next day I was given a letter calling all the Reggae Artists to “Jahrusalem 3001”
The following day Bunny Wailer gave me this letter inviting all the Reggae bands to participate.
Unfortunately, the concert never happened due to many complications such as the City of Jerusalem at the time refused to accept a letter of credit from Ticketmaster for the rental fees. The man responsible for that decision was later accused of taking cash bribes… He demanded full payment in cash. A bomb going off on a bus near Solomon’s Pool, did not help either to convince the investors this was a doable event. My Russian investors got cold feet an wanted to trun it into a peace concert. I refused. The theme was rejoining of the lovers — Solomon and Queen of Sheba. Although the concert never actually took place it did get done on paper; everyone signed on to this magnificent event that could have changed history. But, it did get me to cross the threshold of impossibility, and prove the power of and idea presented honestly and truthfully, and with great enthusiasm.
It also broke me financially. As I was walking on the street one day lamenting my failure. My inability to overcome the obstacles, wrapped in self pity. A thought sprung up up uplift me. “you are still here! You tried to bluff God! You promised to go up there and pay him a visit. You are still here!” I began to laugh uncontrolably. My pain disappeared and I went on to the next venture. I called Bunny Wailer and he agreed for me to organize a concert in Toronto. That is a story for another time.
The greatest asset we all have in us and the most unused power is truth. Shocking to see how few people use it. They prefer lies because then they do not have to look at themselves in the mirror. When someone speaks the truth with humility and without fear he cannot be denied.
Bunny was not a singer or a business man he was a “Griot”. In African tradition a Griot was an elder of the village who during gatherings would speak about history in poetry and song. It was an honor to know him. He taught me a lot by his presence. https://youtu.be/wlNIzM7_pzM
If you are going to dream, make sure you dream big. Be true to yourself, and take responsibility for making it happen, be bold about where you are going, be humble about where you are, be truthful about your present circumstances, be enthusiastic about your prospects for success, seek out your limitations, and you will find you are limitless… what is a limitation after all? It is an agreement between you and your self, or between you and others. Limitations are there only if you and others agree to it. Change your sense of being and you will become limitless.
Thanos Rastaman vibration.
