Fifty years. That’s how long it’s been since Third World formed in Jamaica. Half a century.
Despite numerous personnel changes that have left just two original members – guitarist Cat Coore and bassist Richie Daley – the group continues to release new material and to tour regularly.
The latest iteration of Third World played for about 90 minutes on the opening night of Summerfest 2023, Thursday, June 22, at the Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard.
While most of the band’s former members have simply moved on, lead singer Bunny Rugs, whose voice and personality were a major attraction to Third World during its heyday – when it scored hits like “Now That We’ve Found Love” and “Try Jah Love” – died after a battle with cancer in 2014.
The others who departed the band simply moved on to new things.
Today, Coore is joined by bassist Richie Barr – who is filling in for Daley who broke his knee recently in a fall – drummer Tony "Ruption" Williams, keyboardist Norris "Noreiga" Webb, keyboardist/guitarist Rupert Bent, singer AJ Brown and guitarist Wendel “Jr. Jazz” Ferraro, who also plays with The Wailers. A second keyboardist/guitarist also performed.
The latest studio record from the band – which has always fused reggae with tinges of R&B and rock guitar – is 2019’s “More Work To Be Done.”
Here are five reasons you should have seen Third World at Summerfest on Thursday night:
1. We’re lucky to have the only U.S. show before a European tour
That’s right, after the Milwaukee gig, which is their first show since last September, Third World jets off to England to perform at the famous Glastonbury Festival on Saturday. Following that is a tour of the U.K. and Europe before the band returns to the U.S. in mid-July for a tour. So the Milwaukee gig was not only a warmup for them, it was something of a sneak peek for us.
2. The band is a rarity in Jamaican music
Third World was, and remains, a rarity in Jamaican music, in which self-contained bands have never been the norm. Instead, vocal groups and solo singers are more typical with hired musicians supporting them in the studio and on tour.
Third World has its singers and instrumentalists in-house, focused almost exclusively on the band, rather than being an agglomeration of musicians who are primarily studio musicians or guns for hire.
3. Third World played most of its biggest hits, which have long been classics by now
At Thursday night’s show, the group performed pretty much all of its best-known material, including the early “96 Degrees in the Shade,” the Stevie Wonder-penned “Try Jah Love” and their 1978 cover of The O’Jays’ “Now That We’ve Found Love.”
So great to catch up with @ThirdWorldBand Thursday night at @summerfest pic.twitter.com/PZ61F8SXea — Bobby Tanzilo ð» (@BobbyOnMKEcom) June 23, 2023
They also played fan favorites like “Irie Ites” and “African Woman,” as well as three great tracks from their 2019 LP, “Sheep in Meadows,” which got an extended jam, "Loving You Is Easy" and “You’re Not the Only One.”
4. There were some crowd-pleasing, unexpected moments
Long-time fans have come to expect Cat Coore to bring out his cello, but this time it was for a medley of Bob Marley tunes – “Small Axe” and “Redemption Song” – with a symphonic bent. The crowd even spontaneously began singing the lyrics to the latter tune, which was performed as an instrumental by the band.
Afterward, lead singer AJ Brown displayed an impressive tenor as he covered Andrea Bocelli’s hit, “Time to Say Goodbye.” Especially when he hit the high notes, the crowd went wild.
5. The night offered Summerfest’s 2023 only reggae lineup
With the Easy Star All-Stars performing at 6, Third World at 8 and The Wailers – who have no original members anymore, though they’re fueled by the ace drummer Aston Barrett Jr. (whose dad and uncle were the original Wailers band anchors) – Thursday night was the Big Gig’s sole reggae night.
Dancehall superstar Sean Paul performs twice on July 1, but without any other Jamaican acts on the bill.
Setlist:
Dreamland (acapella snippet of Bunny Wailer cover)
Reggae Ambassador
Now That We’ve Found Love
Forbidden Love
Loving You Is Easy
Sense of Purpose
Committed
Irie Ites
Sheep In Meadows (extended jam)
Instrumental
96 Degrees
You’re Not The Only One
African Woman
Bob Marley cello medley (Small Axe/Redemption Song)
Time To Say Goodbye (Andrea Bocelli cover)
Try Jah Love
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
