FOR 30 years, London's The Four Aces club was an essential place to go if you wanted to hear good soul and reggae, but and see leading soul and reggae musicians play live.
Club owner Newton Dunbar, born in Jamaica and who moved to London in 1956, opened the club in Dalston in 1967, and booked concerts by soul legend Ben E King and reggae stars Jimmy Cliff and Desmond Dekker. The club finally closed in the late 1990s, but Dunbar's passion for music remained undimmed and he had no plans to retire.
“When The Four Aces was taken away I was left in a void with nothing to do,” he told the East End Review, "but I saw it coming and I prepared mentally. I decided to have a good rest and I looked around. Travel-wise I went back to Jamaica and when I got back and it was reality time.”
Today, the vibrant septuagenarian works as DJ Newton Ace, spinning old school reggae in London clubs and on radio. Galway will get a taste of Dunbar and The Four Aces when he spins the decks at Monroe's Live on Friday July 24 at 9pm, as part of the Galway International Arts Festival.
Dunbar's set will be part of an overall reggae night that will see a live set from Natty Wailer, who toured with Bob Marley & The Wailers and recorded and toured with King Tubby, Lival Thompson, Johnny Clarke, Earl Chinna Smith, Barbara Paige, and The Uniques. Also on the bill are The Clandestinos who will perform songs by Bob Marley, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Peter Tosh, and The Clash.
Tickets are €15/10 through www.giaf.ie
