by Howard Campbell
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Veteran reggae band Big Mountain have a busy 2023 on the cards and their first stop is Rebel Salute which takes January 20-21 in St. Ann parish, Jamaica.
The California sextet, best known for the 1994 hit, Baby I Love Your Way, are scheduled to perform on opening night. They will be joined by special guest Honorebel with whom they and Groove Galore Muzik did the song, If I Only I Knew.
“It’s always an honor to play in Jamaica. Big Mountain is very proud of being reggae musicians. Everywhere we go around the world we remind people that reggae music comes from Jamaica and we are blessed to perform this music and bring reggae’s message of peace, love and redemption,” said Quino McWhinney, the band’s lead singer and guitarist.
Big Mountain is currently in India for shows in major cities like Mumbai. After Rebel Salute, they are slated to perform in California in February and March.
Quino said their management is negotiating a return in June to India where they have a strong following.
Freedom, Big Mountain’s first album since 2016, was released last year. Recorded in Jamaica and produced by Delroy “Fatta” Pottinger, it features drummer Sly Dunbar, saxophonist and the late bass guitarist Chris Meredith.
They did a 25-date summer tour of the United States this year with Maxi Priest, the Original Wailers and UB40.
The other members of Big Mountain are Quino’s younger brother James McWhinney on percussion and vocals. In addition, bassist Mike Ortiz and Jamaicans Paul Kastick on drums, keyboardist Richard Campbell, and guitarist Audley Chisholm.
