The Pump House Music Works: Clatta Bumboo , ft The Water Project

With a voice that effortlessly transcends Roots Reggae and Soul, music that brings in Soul and Rock, and lyrical poeticism that stirs the mind and soul – ‘unique’ is a word perhaps best reserved for Clatta Bumboo; an artist whose craft has gone from strength-to-strength in recent years.

STAR!

This talented individual has been a firm fixture on the Roots Reggae landscape for over four years. After the release of his breakthrough EP, We Are Chosen (2019), Clatta followed this with Future Water (2020), and Catalysis: Miles Deep in the Attic (2021). Now, he has finally released his debut full-length project – but the road to this point hasn’t always been clear.

Clatta’s artistic and cultural experience has been shaped from a young age. Having grown up in the hamlet of Moreland Hill in Westmoreland, Jamaica, there were some community Sound Systems that influenced a young Clatta. However, things changed at the age of around 14, when he started as a warm-up for DJ Jonathan on the Extra Flex Movement Sound System.

Then, Clatta began attending the St Elizabeth Technical High School in Santa Cruz. The daily commute gave him the chance to visit record stores in larger towns – including the legendary Vincent “Randy” Chin’s “Randy’s Records” in Kingston. Extra Flex Movement charged him with collecting the vinyl for the Sound System, and Clatta developed an excellent ear for the culture through this:

He then got his first professional break of sorts, as an Entertainment Coordinator at the Sandals resort, Negril – of course, DJing as part of this. However, his love of Roots Reggae was never to far away.

Clatta says of his early influences:

“I am a student of Reggae – any Reggae sound I listen to has an influence. Some more than others: Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, Bob Marley, Prince Fari, Soul Syndicate, Steven Marley, Ragin Fyah, and Morgan Heritage just to name a few.

I am also very keen on the “label sound”; Channel One JA, Rockers International, Channel One UK, Prince Jammy, and Taxi Gang; I love the Black Uhuru Sound. Where there is a solid drum and bass chemistry, I look in that direction.

New Skool Reggae also has a place on my chord of influence; heavyweight rockers (Unga and Welsh) especially”