Fourth Dimension

With its blend of English and Spanish, Jamaican roots reggae, ska and dancehall South Florida distilled to its rhythmic essence.

"[We're influenced by] world music in general. For me, personally, coming from Puerto Rico, there's tons of Caribbean music. There's tons of American music there also. We all listen to pretty much everything.''

This eclectic approach has earned the Broward quartet a loyal local following. And, so far, Calderon says the group's musical split personality -- ranging from rootsy, Steel Pulse-style reggae en español to instrumental ska -- hasn't caused too much confusion.
Fourth Dimension has been making a name for itself on the reggae scene, earning airplay on WLRN-FM (91.3) and playing various world-music festivals from Hollywood here in South Florida to Calgary, Canada.

Yet, Calderon admits that right now the loping roots reggae that is so much a part of Fourth Dimension's personality -- reminiscent of Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff -- is a bit out of fashion. The more up-tempo dancehall is the dominant reggae style these days. ''I think the roots reggae fans are always going to be there,'' he says. "But just like electronic music seems to be taking over, I think dancehall is going to keep on progressing. Now there's a new type of dancehall; it's pretty aggressive. It's not what I'm into. I'm more into the musicality of reggae.''

What traditional reggae needs, some claim, is a performer who combines the musical grace and burning charisma of Marley. But Calderon isn't holding his breath waiting for that to happen. ''A lot of people say that and I guess it's a possibility but Bob Marley just had the right timing,'' he says. "There's not really anyone like Bob Marley.'' - Miami Herald

THE BAND

South Florida is one of the most diverse places around, so versatility helps.

That makes the reggae group Fourth Dimension special. It can always relate to the crowd. If its Caribbean groove fails to fit the audience, it simply switches to a Latin version of the song. That makes it a big draw on Mondays at Tarpon Bend and Wednesdays at Original Fat Cats.

"Each area you play in is different," lead singer Jah Steve says. "We play music equally."

Fourth Dimension has had audiences vibing here for eight years with its blend of music. The band features dreadlocked members Pierre/Reggae Maestro, Strings and Joe Grind. Fans often sing along to the original songs.

"We've been down here long enough that we can get away it," Jah Steve says.

Fans lined up 30 minutes before a recent performance at Original Fat Cats, getting just a few feet from the stage.

"People here are a little more underground, more real," Jah Steve said. "We really catch our vibe here. We do good everywhere we go, but there is certainly a little element that happens at Fat Cats."
- Sun Sentinel- May 5, 2007

07/18/2008
If Bob Marley were alive today, I have no doubt that Fourth Dimension would make his Top Five list of favorite reggae bands. Once you hear them stir it up, you'll get up, stand up and will be jamming until the jam is through.


- The Miami Herald

Fourth Dimension celebrates eight years of creating a conscious reggae party

There's a tough balancing act that comes with being an active reggae band in South Florida. Groups that are serious about their craft typically promote spirituality and consciousness in their music — but the venues where they perform often do not. If a band wants steady gigs, it means it has to play in bars and nightclubs, where the real message behind the music gets lost in all the revelry.

Local reggae powerhouse Fourth Dimension, however, finds a way night after night to make sure its music is actually heard. The band plays up to four or five shows a week at smoky bars across Broward and Miami-Dade counties, but the soul-gripping lyrics attached to their original songs still seem to hit home with partying audiences. Since the multicultural band got its start in 2000, it has developed a hardcore following among reggae lovers all across South Florida, and it's not uncommon to see the same faces at its shows — folks of all ethnicities week after week soaking up the positive vibrations the band gives off when it performs.

That type of loyalty isn't easy to achieve, no matter what type of music market you're in. But Fourth Dimension supporters are a faithful bunch.

"We know there are a lot of people who believe in us and the music that we're making," says the group's keyboardist, Pierre "Reggae Maestro" Arnau. "It's a really cool feeling that our music touches people like that."

"But we don't get egotistical or boastful about it," chimes in Jah Steve, the band's lead singer and bassist. "We just stay motivated no matter what to keep creating conscious music for the people."

The racial makeup of the band is unusual. Arnau is of Argentinean descent, yet was born in New York and raised in Puerto Rico. The group's guitarist, Carlos "Strings" Calderon, is a native of Puerto Rico who didn't move to the U.S. mainland until after high school, while Steve and drummer Joe "Grind" Fagan were both born in South Florida to white and Jamaican parents, respectively. That's a strange brew, with each bringing distinct, well-trained musical elements to the band.

Although there's a definite Latin influence there, with some songs delivered in Spanish, they focus more on sounding like the foundation reggae groups of old with contemporary lyrics.

"We're not trying to take what the pioneers set out with and change it for our convenience," Steve says. "We maintain within the principles reggae started out with. Our music has fusion in it, but at the same time, we try to keep it within the authenticity of how Jamaican reggae was originally played."

While gathered inside the group's tiny rehearsal/storage space in North Miami, everyone's personality is on full display. Steve's rolling up the holy weed, Arnau is fiddling with a lighting rig, and Calderon is videotaping parts of the interview for possible use on the band's website, www.4thdimension.org.

There's a synergy with those three members, a brotherhood of sorts, that's held strong for the past eight years. As founding members, they built Fourth Dimension's well-earned reputation as "the hardest-working reggae band in South Florida" through sweat and perseverance. The group plays a whopping 250 shows a year.

The band's drummer and newest member, Fagan, is running late. He's clocked only two years in Fourth Dimension, but he's a godsend, fellow band members say.

"We've gone through a lot of drummers over the years," Steve says as Calderon and Arnau nod in agreement. "At one point, we had like seven or eight drummers in rotation that we were using at our gigs."

Arnau interjects: "Sometimes we'd do six nights with six different drummers," adding that he thinks the number of drummers the band had in rotation was closer to 15.

Fagan admits he was a little wary of joining a band with so much history but says it's been one of the greatest rides of his life.

"The way people come out and appreciate this band is just a great feeling all around," he says.

Now that they've got a full-time drummer, there's a palpable cohesion to the band's sound. Nowhere else is that more apparent than on their latest release, Invazion, a 15-track rocker that's one of the best reggae albums produced locally in years. Songs like "Showdown" and "What a Situation" could easily have been crafted by an all-star reggae band in Kingston, and audiences are taking to the group's new material well. They spent five months in the studio working on that disc with acclaimed producer Karl Pitterson, who helped craft the sounds of Bob Marley, Steel Pulse, Bunny Wailer, and other reggae giants. Now that Pitterson has settled in South Miami, he has taken Fourth Dimension under his wing and helped create a disc that's drastically different from the band's first album, Around the World, which they put together in six weeks back in 2002. Band members seem almost ashamed of the haphazard approach they took b - New Times Magazine- 8/14/08

It took a few years, but South Florida's Fourth Dimension finally returns with a follow-up to their debut Around the World. Compared to that eclectic album, Invazion is more reggae-focused, thanks in part to the production of the legendary Karl Pitterson, who worked on Bob Marley's Exodus and on Steel Pulse's first three albums. The Steel Pulse connection is particularly appropriate, because that's probably the most obvious comparison. Like the renowned UK act, Fourth Dimension features a likeable, buoyant live-band sound with catchy hooks and layered harmonies. Also like Steel Pulse, there's a pop edge to Invazion, with bubbly melodies and electric guitar riffs, making it accessible without becoming saccharine sweet. Fourth Dimension never really falls into the trap of becoming a Steel Pulse clone, however. They establish their own sound with dancehall-flavored tracks like "Showdown" and "Everything Dun" and Spanish-language tunes "Muertos en Vida" and "Levanta," which fans of Gondwana should enjoy. All in all, there's plenty to like about Invazion for both diehard reggae fans and newbies. Standouts include the laid-back title track, the righteous "Highest Praise," and the luscious ganja anthem "Yes." Hear samples at 4thdimension.org. - reggae-reviews.com

Repping their Caribbean and South American roots, Miami's Fourth Dimension have been playing fiery, spirited reggae for almost a decade now. All that practice has whipped the band into a super-tight machine that can routinely blast out jams like they used to be played. Tonight, it takes its mission one step further with the release of its sophomore album, Invazion — produced by legendary engineer Karl Pitterson, who worked the boards on Bob Marley's Exodus. Fourth Dimension perform alongside reggae icon Mutabaruka the man standing at the epicenter of the dub-poetry movement.
Jason Jeffers-
- flavorpill.com

Karl Pitterson is again in the producer's chair for a very different project, the self-contained band Fourth Dimension's Invaz-Zion (Hypercube). Conjoin the fully orchestrated arrangements of the Wailers Band with Steel Pulse-style vocals (thought the accents aren't Kingston or Brixton) and a horn section a la Burning Spear and you'll get an idea of the sound of this four-piece(augmented by horns). Drummer Joe Grind, bassist Jah Steve, Strings on guitar and Pierre Arnau on keys, with three of the quartet adding vocals and some nice playing over the course of the disc. "Muertos en Vida", "Dis ya Music" and "Too Little Too Late"(about the government's response to Hurricane Katrina) are among the all-original songs. Irie vibes, high skankability factor, this one goes down smooth. - The Beat Magazine Vol 27 No.3 2008- Chuck Foster

Reggae isn´t the type of genre where you can fake it to make it. Plenty of musicians can try their hand at roots-rock reggae, but if they´re not familiar with playing it or singing it, the sound is going to suffer. Look no further than Snow or Matisyahu for evidence of that. So when you´re able to find a solid local four-piece like Fourth Dimension that can properly jam out on Caribbean rhythms, consider it a treat. Inspired by foreign reggae outfits like Aswad and Steel Pulse, Fourth Dimension offers a slightly more global approach to the genre and look as if it would be just as comfortable rocking in the favelas of Brazil as in Puerto Rico or at Tarpon Bend, the yuppie surf-and-turf bar in Fort Lauderdale. If you´ve seen it live, you know this group will throw down anywhere, and it gets the journeyman award for taking its conscious lyrics and one-drop reggae beat all over the tricounty area and spreading the love. Add to the mix that its brand of reggae is bilingual, catering to English and Spanish speakers, and Fourth Dimension is a genuine South Florida combination that can´t lose. - New Times Magazine- June 21, 2007

My buddy Jeremy called and said, ``Gabe, I hope you're sitting down.''

I was. ``I'm in the mall trying on running sneakers that I'll probably never use. What's up?''

''I have an extra ticket for (dramatic pause) the Police reunion concert at Dolphin Stadium.'' I passed on the invitation and then, after the shock wore off, he hung up on me. Unless Jimi Hendrix rises from his grave and starts touring again, I won't go to an arena show. Ticket prices are on par with the cost of an aggressive mutual fund and set lists read like the back of a band's greatest hits album.

I adore intimate gigs where local musicians play their guts out, sans jumbo screens and corporate sponsorship.

Original Fat Cats, 320 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale. Local reggae legends 4th Dimension have played alongside most of the Marley clan, Bob Dylan, James Brown, John Mayer and now can play for you at Original Fat Cats on Wednesday nights. There's rock every other night of the week. - Miami Herald Nightlife section Friday July 13th

Is it time for a different sounding reggae band? Is it time for Fourth
Dimension? As seen last month at City Limits, the ethnically diverse
quartet has been lighting up the local scene with their uplifting vibes
since 2000. Fourth Dimension’s bi-lingual repertoire is made up of a
variety of authentic roots reggae. The Latin stars’ melodic grooves
have gained an eclectic following, from Marley fans to middle-aged
Dead Heads. Fourth Dimension connects music lovers on spacious
dance floors every time they play live.
Fourth Dimension certainly did not disappoint their audience in Delray
Beach, nor will they in any other club that truly appreciates Jah. It’s
the kind of band that will take City Limits’ full room during a slow tune
and pump it up until everyone is moving their feet, then they’ll do a
psychedelic ditty that leads the crowd through an instrumental. Fourth
Dimension is led on vocals by Miami’s Jah Steve. Singing professionally
for years, the singer’s nickname is a reference from to the Bible, it is
abbreviated from Jehovah. “Our show consists of a positive message
on all levels like spirituality, humanity and things of that kind, and it’s
also an energetic performance,” he explained. “We are different from
the other reggae bands.”
Each of the four artists contributes to writing. Listeners can relate to
their messages about faith in the common man and our current living
conditions, as well as the future’s. According to Strings, they “are
singing to the people about faith. Anyone can relate to their themes,
as long as he or she is able to look at himself, regardless of color,
class or creed.”
“We are not another reggae show with a positive message. The song’s
underlying message is the all-one-love that Bob Marley was taking
about, stretching out your hand to your brother and not letting all the
things in the world get you down. Our material is uplifting to the
conscience and the soul. It’s not just reggae.”
The crew has kept themselves busy performing over 250 gigs a year,
while recording original work. “We keep the authentic vision that was
set out by the early pioneers in reggae influenced by Rastafarian
movement,” says Steve. “We play the radical sound of old school Jamaica in
the ’70s.”
In 2002, Fourth Dimension released their debut CD. It became a number one
hit on local reggae station WRLM 91.3. They’ve played the best clubs from
this year’s 420 Festival at Miami’s Tobacco Road, to a fine selection of West
Palm’s luscious venues.
Drummer Joseph “Grind” Fagan is a native Floridian with Jamaican parents
who have instilled the old school, laid-back Jamaican culture in their son.
The drum beats certainly have plenty of synthesized keyboard sounds layered
on top, which give Fourth Dimension a contemporary edge.
“Some people are like ‘that’s not reggae,’ but that’s how Fourth Dimension
does it, and that’s the artistry we put into our music,” says Steve. “Let the
people in to hear us. We want to lift up the conscience of the music listeners
who are coming with open minds.”
Originally from Puerto Rico, Carlos Caldero, also known as “Strings,” is a
master of both lead and rhythm guitar and provides the crew’s harmonies.
Sometimes you walk into a venue and expect a crowd lynching,” he joked.
“But the people end up becoming your biggest fans over the long haul.” Rather
than being products of the ’60s Woodstock era, each member of the band
was born in the ’70s. It all started as soon as Pierre Arnau got on the plane
and moved from Puerto Rico. Fingering the keyboards, “The Reggae Maestro”
contributes to Fourth Dimension’s cutting edge.
Strings pondered about the future of Fourth Dimension, remarking, “our main
focus is to get our new Invasion CD out there, and there will be a lot of
internet selling. Because Florida is so big, we will be doing extensive touring
around the entire state. Then we’ll try to tour throughout California and work
on some new material too.”
For now, the men of Fourth Dimension are making an honest living doing
what they love. They’re playing out to enormous crowds in fantastic venues
- they’ve even got a little fan base up and running. Go downtown this week
and take in Fourth Dimension’s uplifting messages. They are inviting. - Rag Magazine- October 2007