Sun 10/13 @ 5PM
Dave Smeltz was a legendary figure in the Cleveland music scene. He founded the reggae band I-Tal in late 70s, crossing the music over from the small Jamaican community to the wider music scene. In 1984, I-Tal spawned First Light, the area’s biggest drawing band of the 80s and 90s, while Smeltz took I-Tal on the road until he was sidelined by addiction in the 90s.
After he got clean in 2003, he found a passion for helping others in recovery maintain their sobriety and created his Clean House project, with a rehabbed house in the Buckeye Neighborhood to serve as a headquarters for programs for men in recovery. Sadly, Smeltz passed away from Covid-related illness in 2011. But a group of his friends is continuing his work. And this week they’re hosting their annual benefit for the program at the Beachland Ballroom.
Performers include Shake (pronounced Shaky) Ground —basically First Light without Carlos Jones, who fronts his own P.L.U.S. Band now — Latin jazz timbales player Sammy DeLeon, reggae artists Jah Messengers and JR Blessington, No Bad Daze featuring former P.L.U.S. band guitarist Ghani Harris, Cleveland’s premiere folksinger Alex Bevan, rock band Flowers Love Being Kurt and female drum ensemble Primal Rhythm.
Get tickets here.
Cleveland, OH 44102