(this article was originally published on May 14, 2008 by Matthew Everett for Metro Pulse)

Marla and Jahti Allen, the principals of East Tennessee reggae band the Natti Love Joys, met in New York in 1983. Marla’s group, the Love Joys, had come from London to record at Lloyd Barnes’ Bullwackie Studio. Jahti had just returned from a European tour with the Congos. (A native of Kingston, Jamaica, he had joined the group as a bassist after the release of 1977’s Lee “Scratch” Perry-produced Heart of the Congos, widely regarded as the best roots reggae album ever made.) He was also a member of the popular New York band Itiopia.

“The Love Joys was my girl group, with my two cousins,” Marla Allen says. “We had a few hits in London. But we were just kids then. We were working in New York, and Jahti wanted to work with me. First we were Abel and Allen—Abel was my maiden name. Then we were A & A Reggae, and then the Natti Love Joys.”

Click here to read the rest of the article. [Metro Pulse - Knoxville, TN]

View more photos from Camp Reggae [Flickr]

Bonfires burst blazing as camps crop up around the natural amphitheater that surrounds the stage. This is Jah-T and Marla’s home that they open wide for a weekend of music and spiritual searching. During camp reggae strangers become family and a different world emerges in mountains of Sassafrass, Tennessee. The campsites stretch far back into the forest on either side. Rings of friends sit, sing, smoke, dance, and share the love.

The Natti Love Joys are the founders of Camp Reggae, a reggae musical festival that resides in the Smokey Mountains of East Tennessee. Camp Reggae focuses on the cosmic connection between nature and music and promotes dharma as a universal force to create peace and inner transformation.

In addition to live reggae music, Camp Reggae features camping, hiking, and swimming on scenic mountain property. Camp Reggae takes place on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. The festivals are sponsored by Natti Love Joys. With roots that stem from the legendary greats such as Bob Marley, Toots and the Maytals and Jimmy Cliff, the sound of The Natti Love Joys is a dynamic blend of reggae, modern rhythm and blues, drum and bass, hip hop, and various forms of jazz. This creative style of music gives way to a unique one of a kind sound that captivates and amazes its crowd show after show. Voices of the Congos, Natti Love Joys, Nadine Sutherland, Bunny Brown, Shaggie Williams, Mystic Vibrations, A.K.A. Rudie, Selah, and many more still echo through gentle woodlands. Suitable for large groups.

For more information, please visit Camp Reggae Online.

Click to Enlarge - Directions to Camp Reggae

Jati and Marla in Jamaica

Based in the mountains of East Tennessee, the Natti Love Joys are a roots rock reggae band that perform classic reggae as well as their own hybrid form of modern, eclectic reggae. Fronted by Anthony “Jah-T” Allen and Sonia “Marla” Allen, the Nattis create a rich sound that is grounded in rich cultural history. Once practitioners of voodoo, Marla and Jah-T are now both ordained Universal Life Church priests. Their music and philosophy blends Rastafarianism, Christianity and Buddhist dharma.

Vocalist and bassist, Jah-T, comes straight from Kingston Jamaica, where reggae music originated. Jah-T trained under the legendary Cedric Brooks during the golden age of reggae in the late 1960s. He also became a core member of such legendary acts as The Congos and led New York Citys hottest roots reggae act, Itopia.

Vocalist and keyboardist, Marla, came out of Brixton, England where she was born to Jamaican parents. Marla’s journey began in her early teens when she, Sonia Abel, formed the lovers rock group, the Love Joys. The Love Joys quickly became a hit sensation in Europe. At that time, Jah-T was playing at the legendary Wackies studio in the Bronx, where the Love Joys were recording. Marla and Jah-T met and decided to record an album together, Two Loves in my Life, but eventually the pairs collaboration led to combining Marla’s Love Joys and Jah-T’s natti vibe, to form the Natti Love Joys.

The Natti Love Joys are also the founders of Camp Reggae, a reggae musical festival based out of the mountains of Isabella, Tennessee that celebrates the outdoors and promotes the importance of family.

Links:
• Camp Reggae: Natti Love Joys Official Site
• Official MySpace Page
• Natti Love Joys Entry on Wikipedia