Bob Marley didn’t “invent” reggae, but he took it to the world. Duane Forrest takes us on an uplifting, deeply human journey through the music & legacy of the phenomenon that was Bob Marley. Duanne opens the show walking into The Arch Theatre from the back of the room, playing his guitar and just jamming it.

Forrest traces the roots of the genre that is reggae, honouring pioneers associated with it, like Toots & The Maytals before diving into a stirring Zion Blood. He dispels the cliché that reggae is merely “smoking weed”, giving us a rich history of the music, of the Rastafarian faith and its foundations and tracing the lineage of the slaves who were bought to America, of which some were Forrest’s ancestors.

As much as all this is interesting, it is Forrest’s own story that captivated the audience. Growing up Black in a very white school, of home life, travel adventures and on discovering his identity through Bob Marley. And yes, lots of Bob Marley songs filled the show, with explanations of how they came about. Buffalo Soldiers has an interesting history, as does No Woman, No Cry and One Love. He even played Bobby McFerrin’s Don’t Worry Be Happy, illustrating how reggae’s DNA has mutated and survived through the decades. Without reggae we may not have had bands like The Police or The Clash.

It is wonderful to see people like Duane Forrest carrying the torch for Bob Marley’s legacy with such grace and talent. Everything is alright!