JAH Trinity - MEDIA

With the, um, explosion in the popularity of African, roots, reggae and dub sounds in Australia over the last few years, the Corner Hotel's bi-or-sometimes-tri- annual festival of all things afro-reggae returns this week for its biggest ever incarnation. The Afro-Reggae Explosion started at the Prince Patrick Hotel about seven or eight years ago, but transferred to the Corner about three years ago, where it now occurs every three to six months. Organiser Simon Raynor, from PBS' Big Mob Aboriginal music show, can't wait for this latest instalment. "It goes without saying that I'm really excited about it.I just love this music and it's been such a passion of mine for such a long time."

Simon had been involved in Aboriginal music for many, many years, from growing up in an Aboriginal Community up where the reggae scene is quite big.

His interest in African and reggae music grew organically from that background, as he started to travel, both in Africa and also in England, where he got into the Dancehall and reggae scenes.

He comments that the Melbourne and Australian scene has grown a lot in the past couple of years, especially in the roots-reggae and dancehall arenas. "We're now getting international acts here that have been around for 30 years or more but have never toured Australia before; acts such as Sly & Robbie, Lee Scratch Perry. And they're getting a new following of people in an age group that weren't around when these guys were first playing. There's definitely resurgence in popularity:'

Consequently, this week's show involves the most acts ever, and the most from outside Melbourne as well. It is also, according to Simon, "a little bit less African than in the past, and more focussing on dancehall, dub, roots and reggae. Really the only African band we've got on this line-up is Musiki Manjaro.'

This was a deliberate move, simply because there's now so much territory to cover. The last show Simon put on was by Mozambique group Mabulu, so this time round he's focussing on the other end of that musical spectrum."The whole thing I try to achieve with the Afro-Reggae Explosion is to give people who are from Africa or Jamaica, or who have been involved with that scene, an avenue to play. It's also about bringing people across Australia together for one massive celebration of roots music, from African right through to dub and dancehall, styles which all really originate from African in a way:'

In accordance with this, the line-up for Saturday includes Adelaide's DJ Jah Trinity, otherwise known as Milton Naphtali. Originally from the UK, where he was a founding member of one of Britain's leading Roots Sound Systems. Jah Trinity Sound System, Milton moved to Adelaide about four years ago (for our beaches and our weather, mainly, but also because he enjoys being a part of an evolving scene). Having played the Afro Reggae Explosion once before, he's really excited to be playing in Melbourne again.

"The crowds rock and it's always a great atmosphere. I always look forward to playing in Melbourne;' he says, echoing Mikey Glamour from Sydney's Nasty Tek Sound System, who is adamant that there's something special, and unique, about Melbourne audiences.

"I'd love to see someone do a thesis on the difference:' Mikey says."Melboume crowds are just more into the music it seems. There's a more exciting vibe in Melbourne, both playing to the crowd and being in the crowd."

Nasty Tek Sound System will be making their debut at the Afro-Reggae Explosion on Saturday, and their London style (Mikey is another UK immigrant) of mixing hip-hop and dancehall reggae will no doubt get those Melbourne crowds bouncing.

Other acts featured on the bill include Melbourne's Randy & Jah Roots, whose experience and passion has seen them, tour Australia extensively, both on their own and in support of acts such as Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, Toots and the Maytels. There's Musiki Manjaro, playing a blend of high- energy, infectious Soukouss dance music from Central Africa, and Nicky Bomba, with Bustamento, who'll be delving into the roots, calypso, jazz and mento sounds of early Jamaica. The DJs and MCs will include RuCL, with his Jamaican style. Dancehall Ragga, Hip Hop & Roots Reggae, hooking up with DJ Laroz to mash it up in a Dancehall style; 3CR's Rasta Rhythms DJ Dirty Harry; Ghanaian DJ Monrovia, who specialises in Soukouss, Afro-Beat, Rumba, African Reggae and Highlife; and DJ Ras Crucial, known as a specialist of cool roots sounds.

The shows have been known to sell out in the past so if you're salivating for a massive explosion of the finest roots "reggae, dub and African sounds, book tickets and get there early.