Music Banter - View Single Post - Bulldog and Jackhammer Present: Your Introduction To Reggae

jackhammer · 06-10-2009, 08:54 AM

Burning Spear-Marcus Garvey (1975)

Burning Spear (AKA Winston Rodney) distinctive vocal style along with his fellow vocalists in the band Delroy Hines, and Rupert Milligton coupled with political lyrics produced a pivotal album that was considerably heavier than what many of his contemporaries were producing at the time.

Whilst Reggae was gaining evermore international appeal and a glossy Pop music sheen, Burning Spear slowed the tempo back down, adding subtle horns and emphasis back onto the bass line and a keyboard/guitar syncopation that is a classic roots template.

Marcus Garvey was a Jamacian national hero and Rastafarians hold him in very high esteem so for Burning Spear to both celebrate him and keep the music as close to it's roots as possible gives us a superlative and definitive roots Reggae album. Major standouts are the lazy and deep sounding Invasion and the sublime Resting Place.

The Abyssinians-Satta Massagana (1976)

An album with a protracted history it was released 4 times after being originally recorded and released on a limited run in 1975. Since then it has been proclaimed as one of the quintessential Roots albums and even the title track has been adopted as a hymn by some Rastafarian communities.

The album is a much more gentle offering than Burning Spear with vocal harmonies, soulful singing and instruments such as the flute making an apppearance. This doesn't however lessen the music at all, although many of the songs have the same tempo which is something that can be a hindrance to non Reggae listeners. However the smooth vocals and classic anthems (title track and Forward Unto Zion) still ensure it's classic status and another piece of the Roots Reggae jigsaw.

06-10-2009, 08:54 AM	#5 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	Burning Spear-Marcus Garvey (1975) Burning Spear (AKA Winston Rodney) distinctive vocal style along with his fellow vocalists in the band Delroy Hines, and Rupert Milligton coupled with political lyrics produced a pivotal album that was considerably heavier than what many of his contemporaries were producing at the time. Whilst Reggae was gaining evermore international appeal and a glossy Pop music sheen, Burning Spear slowed the tempo back down, adding subtle horns and emphasis back onto the bass line and a keyboard/guitar syncopation that is a classic roots template. Marcus Garvey was a Jamacian national hero and Rastafarians hold him in very high esteem so for Burning Spear to both celebrate him and keep the music as close to it's roots as possible gives us a superlative and definitive roots Reggae album. Major standouts are the lazy and deep sounding Invasion and the sublime Resting Place. The Abyssinians-Satta Massagana (1976) An album with a protracted history it was released 4 times after being originally recorded and released on a limited run in 1975. Since then it has been proclaimed as one of the quintessential Roots albums and even the title track has been adopted as a hymn by some Rastafarian communities. The album is a much more gentle offering than Burning Spear with vocal harmonies, soulful singing and instruments such as the flute making an apppearance. This doesn't however lessen the music at all, although many of the songs have the same tempo which is something that can be a hindrance to non Reggae listeners. However the smooth vocals and classic anthems (title track and Forward Unto Zion) still ensure it's classic status and another piece of the Roots Reggae jigsaw. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”