Sorry to be so slow in responding to your post,
mr dave. TBH, I was intimidated by such a knowledgeable comment about an artist and genre that I`m not familiar with !
I can at least say that I enjoyed this album a lot, even though at first I had hoped for something a bit rougher and more powerful. But I quickly came to appreciate the considered, and considerate, musicianship that has gone into this album. None of the players are swept away into crass, ego-tripping solos; they`re always working together as an ensemble that maintains a consistent but varied sound right the way through the album. No weak tracks here; just different ones catching your attention at each play through, like the irresistible beat of “ 54-46 was my number” or the delicacy of the title track. On ”Surfin`” piano player Monty even weaves in a really famous bit of classical music. I wonder if anyone can put a name to it for me?
Trying to remedy my ignorance a little, I dug into ER`s past achievements, and came across this 1970 Rocksteady song, “an anthem of the Rastafarian movement,” which ER arranged, and so is perhaps playing guitar on :
Not all the words are clear, so they are worth quoting:-
Quote:
By the rivers of Babylon, Where he sat down, And there he wept When he remembered Zion. Oh, the wicked carried us away in captivity, Required from us a song, How can we sing King Alpha's song in a strange land?
So, let the words of our mouth And the meditations of our heart Be acceptable in Thy sight. Oh, verai!
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