2 more great reviews LONDON JAZZ NEWS Sunday, June 15, 2014 londonjazznews/2014/06/cd-review-dub-colossus-addis-to-omega.html Dub Colossus - Addis To Omega (Echomaster EM002. CD review by Dan Bergsagel) Although Dub Colossus made their name fusing Ethiopian music with reggae and funk, in this, their fourth album, band leader Nick Page has rung a change in focus: a departure from the home of Rastafari icon Haile Selassie I for a thorough exploration of Jamaican influenced sounds. Addis to Omega is bursting with funk-influenced reggae and stripped back dub, brash dancehall, jumping ska, and sincere lethargic grooves. The album opens with Nick Pages alter ego Dubulahs bold fuzzy bass and Joseph Cottons post-Rastafarian vocals on Boom Ka Boom (and the Dub Disciples). At first appearances a strong dancehall track, key changes and eerie chord progressions hint at further depth. The record continues to feature prominent vocals, but Dub Colossus are at their strongest on their instrumental pieces Soft Power, Tale of 2 Cities, and the epic Orpheus Underground. Without the distraction of accomodating authentic vocals and traditional song structures a space is formed for composition, open improvisation and more profound mood changes. Although recognisably following a reggae-based theme, the impressive and diverse collection of contributors on the release occasionally introduces a surprise. Natacha Atlas and Samy Bishai bring a more exotic sound on The Shape of Things to Come - a song more Arabian than Carribean - or the atmospheric A Voice Has Power featuring the mesmerising low rumbling vocal work of Albert Kuvezin. Family Man and the title track give the brass contributors Horns of Negus time to develop classic long brass chordal lines, while the funky Fight Back provides opportunity for Ben Somers to channel Maceo in his tenor solo. A well-executed exercise in reggae-fusion, Addis to Omega is a fifteen track journey through the many facets of its sub-genres. Afro-beat percussion and pentatonic Ethio-Jazz have been swapped for political lyrics, fast-paced reggae and clean dub. While Dub Colossus have undeniably changed musical tack, the original twists and large collective approach remain the same. Dub Colossus: Dub Colossus: Addis To Omega (2014) ALL ABOUT JAZZ allaboutjazz/dub-colossus-addis-to-omega-dub-colossus-independent-records-review-by-fiona-ord-shrimpton.php By FIONA ORD-SHRIMPTON, Published: June 19, 2014 If youre a sucker for BIG horn sections, or something like the sounds of UB40 and Groove Armada, still have a lickle ting for Bob Marley and Finley Quaye records and your Pops obsession with Two-Tone (as do we all surely), then youre probably going to like Addis to Omega from Dub Colossus produced by Dubulah aka Nick Page. An album of skatalitic reggae dub delights, all sepia tinged in Studio One nostalgia with some heavy nods to Ethio jazz. This is music for pimped out sound systems, rolled down windows, sounds to make a city sing this summer and grandpops ears burn. Gwan, gwan, gwan— its said that this is the new era of rude boys and girls, a time to dress sharp and look dapper with tunes to boot. These are new beats to nod those noggins, and in the words of Dub Colossus get Mashin up the sterea. Addis to Omega is music for a long journey —to the festival, at the festival and back from the festival. It just feels good. One of those albums you wish youd found yourself...all warm and nicely mixed up, like a relaxing, cool summer drink. The title track is an anthemic-uniting-BIG-tune, which defies anyone with a pulse not to feel good, as does the end track. All the voices (mostly PJ Higgins and Dubulah) are warm and harmonizing, fit the beats and heavy bass sweetly and make a person want to enjoy the sunshine right now. These guys have the ingredients for an amazing outdoor gig—theres an archivists mix of Studio One reflections, big echoing B3 organ and some seriously classy brass peppered generously across the whole album courtesy of Horns of Negus (and trombonist Harry Brown—his names on the Adele album 21, and Jerry Dammers Spatial A.K.A. Orchestra). Keep on Rocking has an emotional guitar solo that gets you there (hand on chest), the organ solos are skatalitic and regardless of whether a listener puffs the Dutchie or not, the selection of tunes is wholesome. Tracks like The Casinos Burning Down and Madmen would make The Specials smile as much as Bob Marley, Sun Ra or Mulatu Astatke. Theres something hauntingly Nature Boy about Tale of Two Cities, all good instrumental arrangements throughout that keep the groove hooked. The Shape of Things To Come is a faith union song— East meets West -bows to each other and plays a tune together, with a mesmerizing violin solo by Samy Bishal and a hypnotic vocal by Natacha Atlas. No two tunes are alike, theres something unique every track on Addis to Omega with some fun surprises. For the ardent jazz fans, ok this isnt chopstick waving music, but hair down please, the Suns out and sometimes even vamps get tired of nightclubs. Gwan play some Dub Colossus and hydrate with a cool libation. Track Listing: Boom Ka Boom (and the Dub Disciples); Family Man; The Casino Burning Down; We Are The Playthings Of The Rich; Fight Back; Addis to Omega (Amnesis Remix); Keep on Rocking; Soft Power; Madmen; Mi Dad; Tale Of Two Cities; The Shape Of Things To Come; Happy Face; A Voice Has Power; Orpheus Underground. Personnel: Dubulah (Nick Page): drums, bass, guitars, vocals, keyboards, Dub FX, programming, percussion; Nick Van Gelder: drums; Dani Fabregas: drums; Winston Blissett: bass, vocals; Sebastian Martinez: bass; Bernard ONeill: double bass, piano; PJ Higgins: vocals; Mykael S. Riley; vocals; Toby Mills: keyboards, percussion; Tim Whelan: piano, zither; Horns of Negus (Ben Somers, Neil Waters, Bob Dowell): brass and woodwind; Paul Chivers: percussion, drums, keyboards; Harry Brown; trombone; Orphy Robinson: vibraphone; Samy Bishal: violin; Boleslaw Usarzewski: mandolins; Simon Smith: melodica. Record Label: Independent Records
Posted on: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 08:38:37 +0000
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