Brothers, Damian 'Jnr' Gong Marley( left) and Stephen Marley. - File

CALL IT a royal affair. Sons of reggae king Bob Marley will be sharing 'a joint' with American jazz icon Nat King Cole in a project set for release early next year.

According to the website nowpublic.com, reggae Grammy winners Stephen and Damian Marley - with the aid of technology, of course - will be teaming up with the late baritone pianist on an album titled Re:Generation which is scheduled for a March 10 release.

Re:Generation, which has Cole's daughter Carole as executive producer, is intended to reintroduce the hit-making crooner of the 1950s and 1960s to a new generation of listeners and incorporates spliced remixes of Cole's extensive catalogue.

Distributed by Capitol/EMI, the album will feature artistes from various genres.

In addition to the Marleys, who cover Calypso Blues, the line-up includes American neo-soul sensation, Amp Fiddler, rap superstar Nas, hip-hop singers Cee-Lo and will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, as well as Latin jazz superstar Bebel Gilberto.

Another of Cole's offspring, Sarah, was quoted in the article as saying that if her father were alive he would have endorsed the project.

"We have no doubt that if Nat were here today, he would embrace all of the artistes," she said. "He would encourage them to leave their own indelible mark."

Digital duets are not new to the Marleys.

Back in 1999, executive producer Stephen Marley embarked on a similar project to spread his father's message with a modern flavour.

Collaboration

That album - a remix of 12 Bob Marley and the Wailers songs titled Chant Down Babylon - featured the reggae icon in collaboration with American Rhythm and Blues, hip-hop and heavy metal artistes.

The Tuff Gong/Island offering included Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu and Busta Rhymes and Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of hard rock band Aerosmith.

The most successful of these projects, however, is Natalie Cole's 1991 album Unforgettable. It featured a remixed duet, Unforgettable, of her and her father. The album sold seven million copies in the United States and won seven Grammy awards, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

Cancer deaths

Both Bob Marley and Nat King Cole succumbed to cancer at the height of their popularity.

Marley died in May 11, 1981 of melanoma as a result of an injury to his right big toe, sustained while playing football. He was 36.

Cole died of lung cancer on February 15, 1965 at age 45. It was rumoured that he was a chain smoker who consumed up to three packs of cigarettes per day, as he believed it gave him his soothing sound.

Nat King Cole performed at the Carib Theatre in 1953.

Nat King Cole with Jimmy Tucker at the Carib Theatre in 1953.