Jimmy Cliff To KIck Off 'Celebrate Brooklyn' Concert Series With A Free Show

Reggae legend Jimmy Cliff will kick off the Celebrate Brooklyn summertime concert series with a free concert at the Prospect Park Bandshell on Tuesday June 5th. Cliff.  Noted for classics like 'Sitting in Limbo' and 'You Can Get It If You Really Want,' Cliff is touring with Tim Armstrong of Rancid and a new backing band (featuring J. Bonner, Scott Abels (Aggrolites, Hepcat) and Dan Boer (Sandollars, Dynamic Pressure), behind his recently released EP 'Sacred Fire.' He and Armstrong are currently putting the finishing touches on a new album that will be released this spring.

Cliff is an inspired choice by the organizers, as 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of Jamaican independence and Cliff’s performance will pay tribute, not only to his origins, but to the large West Indian population that calls Brooklyn home.  Cliff started recording as a child in the early 1960s with producer Leslie Kong. In the late 1960s, he moved to Britain where he enjoyed considerable success with the song 'Wonderful World, Beautiful People'. He became a massive star after starring in 'The Harder They Come', the 1972 low-budget movie based on the exploits of Ivanhoe 'Ryghin' Martin, a gunman who terrorized sections of west Kingston in 1948. The film's soundtrack contains songs that are Cliff standards, including the title track, and 'You Can Get It If You Really Want'.

New York's own Deadly Dragon Sound System will be spinning at an after party immediately following the show. Formed in Chicago over fifteen years ago as a way to share an appreciation of Jamaican music, Deadly Dragon Sound System has become a well-respected force in the reggae community nationwide. As collectors and curators of Jamaican music, their love is reflected in the diversity of their projects including a radio show and a Manhattan-based record store.

Before the free show, Celebrate Brooklyn's organizers will hold their annual fundraising gala, so if you've got $325 (or more) to burn, step right this way. (Proceeds go to fund the annual lineup of free events.) And for $50, you can get a season-long membership, which gets you a reserved seat up in front of the stage, and access to the after party.

Below are three tracks from 'Sacred Fire' including The Clash's 'Gun's Of Brixton,' Bob Dylan's 'A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall,' and Rancid's 'Ruby Soho' to get you in the mood!