SOUNDTRACK: BLACK UHURU-Tiny Desk Concert #917 (November 29, 2019).
I don’t have a very good overall feeling about reggae. As a person who listens to a lot of music that people have said “all sounds the same,” I can’t help but admit that to me all reggae sounds the same.
Or, perhaps all of Bob Marley’s reggae sounds the same and that’s the only reggae I’ve really been exposed to.
Because this Black Uhuru concert is clearly reggae, but it sounds new and exciting to me (even if the band has been around for 40 years).
I’ve been aware of Black Uhuru forever–they always seemed to be in the Columbia House 20 albums for a penny ads back in the day (along with Boz Scaggs, another artist I’ve heard of since I was a kid but have never actually heard a note from).
Considering the state of global politics, there’s never been a better time to get reacquainted with the righteousness of Black Uhuru. The iconic reggae band, whose name means “Black Freedom” in Swahili, is still going strong after more than 40 years, and they brought their much-needed songs of solidarity to the Tiny Desk. Fittingly, the set begins with “Here Comes Black Uhuru,” a telling and literal re-introduction to the group’s legacy for audiences that may be unfamiliar with their extensive catalogue.
This song is clearly one that I needed, as I didn’t know anything about their music.
While most-known for their late-’70s and early-’80s classics — years defined by a game of musical chairs within the group as played by founding members and/or collaborators Michael Rose, Garth Dennis, Don Carlos, Sandra “Puma” Jones, Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare and even Junior Reid — this incarnation of Black Uhuru, with frontman and co-lead Andrew Bees, has been touring and recording since about 1997 or so, longer than any of the configurations that precede it.
“Here Comes Black Uhuru” has some groovy bass from Daniel “Axemon” Thomson (who plays a white five-string Steinberger). The verses feature some cool synth sounds from Horace “King Hopeton” Campbell and the drums are chock full of fun percussion from Rolando “Phanso” Wilson. The biggest surprise to me was the ripping guitar sound from Frank Stepanek.
The vocals are shared between Derrick “Duckie” Simpson and Andrew Bees, with additional backing vocals from Elsa Marie Green.
This song has simple but catchy riff and it ends with a big powerful rocking sound.
“As The World Turns” comes from their new album of the same name. “As The World Turns, is an album that was mired in issues around its master recordings, was finally released in 2018 — six years after it was recorded — and earned a Grammy nomination for best reggae album.” The song opens with the stereotypical Egyptian riff while Duckie and Elsa Marie Green sing the main verses. I love that there’s spacey effects from the keys and Stepanek plays a blistering solo (twice).
“I See You,” is a love song “led by Derrick “Duckie” Simpson, a co-founder and the only steady member of the group since its beginnings in the early ’70s.” It has the most conventional reggae sound and I like the way Andrew Bees works as a kind of hype man in this song,
“What Is Life” is their most well-known song. It
explores the hopelessness endemic to those who are economically and socially disadvantaged, and explores the complexities of the human experience — what life could be, versus what it is. Despite being written and recorded in 1984, you can probably recognize the endurance of its themes.
Andrew Bees sings lead which adds a very different tone to the song.
While I really liked the first two songs, the second two weren’t quite as exciting to me. Maybe I don’t need more reggae in my life, but I’m glad that there are different style out there.
[READ: February 1, 2020] DPR Korea Tour
I was really surprised to see this book at work. I didn’t realize that North Korea sent propaganda to English-speaking countries I assume this isn’t meant for American eyes specifically, more likely to European eyes, but who knows.
The book is written in English, Chinese and Cyrillic, but the writing is all just captions for the photos.
And I have to say that the landscape of North Korea is absolutely gorgeous. I had no idea their land was so lovely.
Mt Paektu shrouded in clouds is striking. And Lake Chon underneath the mountain is crystal clear and beautiful. Taehwa Peak on Masikryong Pass has chair lifts that look like they are thousands of feet in the air (no people on them in the picture though). It is a large skiing mountain–I didn’t know they skied there.
There are also wondrous waterfalls like the Hyongje Falls at Mt Paektu and the Rimyongsu Falls with a mansion atop them. Isonnam Falls is peaceful and serene while the Saja Falls are roaring (its hard to get a sense of scale though). I’m also very impressed by Kuryong Pool and Eight Pools Under It. (more…)
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