Son of a Cuban revolutionary and Che Guevara’s comrade Leopoldo Morales and Russian Noblewoman from Zakharyin’s boyar lineage, Gera Morales is a frontman and creative leader of “Jah Divizion”, the most respected and one of the first roots reggae bands to be established in Russia. From the late 80’s onward he was forming the conception of the band and rasta movement at large in Russia, and it was then when Gera composed a series of songs, which are still remain as legendary hits. The songs were composed in a traditional roots reggae style with strong elements of rastafarian beliefs of Jah, positive vibrations, Babylon resistance and legalization of prudent medicine, and in 1991, with the first cast of musicians, the band “Jah Divizion” began performing for wide audiences.
Gera Morales is a living symbol of freedom and ideological rastafari culture in Russia, and being the founder of “Jah Divizion” movement, he is constantly contributes to development and support of roots reggae culture in post-soviet territory, where the band has a cult like status and is still very popular.
Before getting immersed in reggae music and culture, Gera was performing solo with acoustic guitar, singing his own poetry in gypsy romance style, as well as songs of great Russian singers and poets from early 20’s century like Vertinsky, Galich and Gumilev, besides other known ones. He still performs with this program under the “Reggae Romances of Great Silver Era” title.
In 1991 a legendary song “Cuba Cuba Cubana/Legalize Marihuana” was composed, and according to MTV Russia in 1994 the video for this song was acknowledged as the most scandalous music video of the year.
Gerbert Morales appeared in several feature movies and composed soundtracks to numerous Russian motion pictures. Besides very notable collaborations with Caribase, Komitet Okhrany Tepla, Marshksheider Kunst, Dubska and many others, he collaborated early on with the band “Bravo”, creatively contributing to composition of a famous hit sang by Zhanna Aguzarova “Veru Ya” (I belive).
In 2012 Gera Morales presented with new exclusively rhythmic sound of “Jah Divizion” following the philosophical concepts of Rastafari beliefs and modern multilayered vibration of reggae music, and placing his unparalleled vocals as the epitome of a vibrant flow of a band.This new musical language of roots reggae correlates with main accents of a progressive youth culture, such as existential search for meaning of life, goodwill and foundations of spiritual path.
“Jah Divizion” performed alongside global reggae roots stars like Yellowman, Mad Professor, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Toots and The Maytals, Max Romeo, DUB INC, Misty in Roots, General Levy, Ijahman Levy, Manu Chao and many others. The band performed at many big festivals in Russia, Europe, USA and Caribbean like Nashestvie, White NIghts, Bob Marley Tribute Festival, Reggaeland, Sun Splash Riga, Przystanek Woodstock, Ostróda Reggae Festiwal, Reggae nad Wartą, Jetlag Festival in New York and others.