The 6th of February 1945 saw the birth of a man whose music transcended all barriers and borders: Bob Marley.

I fondly remember growing up listening to his records, which my parents played at home, back when gramophones were an everyday thing and not something reserved to melomaniacs and vinyl collectors. Time went by, new formats were introduced in the market, and yet Bob Marley’s music and his legacy in reggae never went away, not even after his passing in 1981.

I have many of his songs in my repertoire, including Three Little Birds, No Woman No Cry, Redemption Song and Is This Love. No matter if I’m playing at a corporate event, a family gathering, a private celebration, or even a funeral, Bob Marley’s music always touches the heart of my audience. Truly, very few artists have managed to speak to the core of humanity beyond our differences in age, background or culture.

Today, when it’d be his 80th birthday, I want to commemorate Bob Marley by sharing with you this version of Is This Love, as I played it during my Not Just Jazz IV show:

What about you? Did you grow up listening to him as well? What’s your favourite song by Bob Marley? I’d be happy to know!