Today I will prove that Reggae/Dub has covered all the continents of the earth and has a firm grip on them. From the South Pacific it goes directly to Sweden, in the far north of the northern hemisphere.
A few years ago, Ras Teo, a native Swede of Armenian descent, turned to Magnus "Daddy Natural" Hjalmarsson with the question: "Why don't we work together?" The reason was that Ras Teo, who lives in California, wanted to come home and make an album with Swedish musicians from his hometown of Uppsala. The bassist, producer and man behind the label King Solomon Productions is Magnus "Daddy Natural" Hjalmarsson. He is one of the founding members of the Swedish reggae pioneers Natural Way, who released a 1995-track album entitled "17" in 1924. So "Daddy Natural" used his connections, got a few musicians together and the "Coming Home" project with Teodik Hartoonian alias Ras Teo was able to start. Speaking of drums: "Daddy Natural's" son Teodor Lindström alias "Junior Natural" is on the drums. The core of The Naturals consists of musicians from Uppsala. The backing vocals are provided by some Swedish reggae acts such as Papa Dee and others. International vocal support comes from Ashanti Selah and Roberto Sanchez, through whose label A Lone-Ark the album is distributed. The same applies to the brass section, which is supported by Zoe Brown, Patrick "Aba Ariginal" Tenyue and Trevor Edwards.
After "Ras Teo & The Naturals: Coming Home“ now follows the Dub- counterpart "Acoustic Vibes: Dub The Palace Prince Back Home“ (King Solomon Records). The first track “Dubkind" starts with a beautiful Nyahbinghi drumming, accompanied by some very beautiful flute passages that meander through the whole track. The real magic of the second track "Dub Timer" comes from the echoes of other genres, such as the blue notes known from jazz, which are brought into play by the brass. Of course I could continue in this style, but I want you to have something else to discover. The album contains an incredible number of soft, warm, soulful or simply beautiful sounds. The rhythm section is always pointed, the entire instrumentation is fantastic. Buttery smooth lead guitar runs, stoic bass lines, well-tempered brass and a slightly off-key sounding electric organ round off this wonderful sound perfectly.
All in all, an album that I have listened to many times with growing enthusiasm."Dub The Palace Prince Back Home" is a great achievement by all involved. It is a musically stirring project that ranges from roots to Dub to jazz, soul and Nyabinghi and back again. Not an easy task, but one that has been mastered here with flying colors. The album was mastered by Tomas Boden, who shows off his full skills and gives us this breathtaking, Nordic, cool record. I like this sound - just let it sink in.
Trivia: Until now, I did not know that Ras Teo's family had direct connections to Haile Selassie I. According to Ras Teo, his family was taken in and cared for by Haile Selassie after the Armenian genocide in 1915/16.
4 Responses to “Acoustic Vibes: Dub The Palace Prince Back Home“
I know that the Swedes can make good music, or rather we have known that for a long time since ABBA… er, nonsense, I have wanted to write since Papa Dee. The sound and especially the DubSound from the far north has always been of the highest quality. I just noticed that I – certainly not for the first time – cannot write much different or even more than our most diligent reviewer ;-) The sound and technology has Ras Vorbei also praised and the instruments leave the same deep and pleasant impression on me. The flute plays beautifully "spherically" and overall the wind instruments are used here in the way I need them to. They appear very effectively here, sound full and really fat and in no way feel the need to "save the evening" by not forcing themselves on me with excessively long solos and jazzy, cerebral "masturbation orgies" and ruining not only the evening but the whole day. That is DubArt, as I will always support it. I actually like every Dub. Even the most stoic and monotonous SteppaDub I can still get something out of it when I'm in the right mood, but it's albums like this one that I'm always looking for. It's all the worse that it completely slipped through my release radar. Sometimes the "DubThe jug is full and overflows. It is good that the DubBlog and especially Ras Vorbei, in addition to the very good service, also as a catchment basin for "Dubs That Time Forgot”. Sometimes I think my comments are actually read and every now and then I have the feeling that my sensitivities are taken into consideration. I once Dub by or with Papa Dee complained about the weak and too frequent use of rimshots and here, for my taste, exactly the right tone and the right sound was found. I really like that in "Dub And Sing”. The effect on the rimshots is exactly my thing. And while I’m on the subject of effects, I also have to praise the use and, above all, the sound of the RiddimGuitar to the highest degree. In addition, the mixer became a kind of “James Webb – Effects Telescope”, as I am pretty sure that the powerful reverb effect on the lively Riddimguitar should reach into the deep field of all emotions. For me, the whole thing is reinforced by the fact that the Riddim Guitar – on some DubVersions – was only briefly “pushed in” or plucked before she then gets to know what Dub really is. I think it's terrific, galactic and especially theatrical ;-)
Yes, as “said”, this is basically the confirmation of the review by Ras Vorbei, just again with my words and here and there, perhaps through one or other effect of my wording, somewhat reinforced.
I actually cannot understand “white Rastas” at all, since RASTAFARI is a freedom movement for the abused and eternally oppressed black inhabitants of our planet.
But after reading the epilogue in the form of trivia, I'm now beginning to wonder whether Haile Selassie wasn't, or is, the Jesus who wanted to visit us again about 2000 years after his first appearance. Perhaps he should have adjusted his time machine a little more precisely or the Bible didn't convey the truth quite accurately.
I still cannot understand how the woman could be made from the rib of the man…………
Ok, whatever, a great album and I am inclined to write, “Dub never dies, just becomes immediately probable“
Cool Runnings ……………….. lemmi
The album is truly very well done and the overall sound implementation corresponds pretty much exactly to what I like and want.
And of course Rastafari comes from a deeply black idea of freedom and equality. Now some years have passed (not 400 years yet), but Rastafari has certainly changed and developed and has arrived at a different place than it was in the 1930s and 40s at the Pinnacle in Jamaica. It has spread internationally, so to speak, with the success story of reggae music. Furthermore, there is no Rastafari canon that prescribes exactly how Rastafari should live and who it is intended for; Rastafari is not "led" centrally. From what I have heard, there are many different local Rasta groups, some stricter and narrow-minded, some more open and progressive. Last but not least, "reasoning" is an important cornerstone; many questions and topics are "meditated" on, discussed and exchanged. And in my opinion there can be reasons for everyone to live Rastafari or at least to sympathize with it, since there are universally valid principles and values. Terms like justice, one love, equality… are central concerns of the movement. Many people can identify with them.
In this respect, I have decided to respect and accept "white" Rastas. For me personally, that's not anything, but I do feel a lot about the Rastafari philosophy and Livity...
Blessings
High Philip!
Through reggae and my enthusiasm for it, I quickly became a Rastafarian sympathizer and of course I wanted to have dreadlocks when I was 16. And that's where it all started. Dreadlocks with straight blonde hair are not only very difficult to do, they don't really look real either. But I could be interpreted as thinking that Rastafarian only "consists" of dreadlocks and a well-filled chalice. And when a musician on stage held the microphone up to the audience, I would of course shout a fervent RASTAFARI if he or she wanted to hear it.
I am not an editor. In other words, it has to be a book about reggae or Dub so that I can read something. And so it was quite convenient for me that as a white reggae fan I don't necessarily have to concern myself with the teachings of Haile Selassie I, because I always thought that this religion (which it isn't) wasn't meant for me. But that doesn't mean that we can't all learn something from Haile Selassie. And if nothing comes up, I'll have a lot of time in about 9 years. I can read all day.
and it is supposedly never too late to learn.
In short, I think every white Rasta will twist it around in his head so that he can deal with it, but for me personally it's not for me. Especially since I can't just accept the Bible or the Koran as "The Word of God".
I wrote this here because I have recently seen one or two of Mutabaruka's reasonings on "TV" on YouTube. And recently he said something like that about the "black freedom movement". And he added grist to my mill by advising the Rastas not to look to the Bible for justifications, explanations or even proof of their particular beliefs. The Bible and Christianity were imposed and forced upon almost everyone outside of Europe with brutal force. Without taking the slightest consideration of the respective history of the oppressed population. How am I supposed to have any respect for Christianity or even for the church?!
But I was very happy for Mutabaruka, because if the Rastas learn, or at least realize, that the Bible only contains "things" that people thought up or cobbled together at some point, then I think that's great! They've finally got it. Mutabaruka said that with regard to Rasta Far I, the Rastas should only concern themselves with the teachings of Haile Selassie, as they will not find the truth in the Bible. May Mutabaruka forgive me if I misunderstood him and reproduced it too superficially. I was definitely superficial, but I hope not entirely wrong. Now and again I've even been asked what it's all about, and I could have given a presentation here at our institute about Rastafari, but I don't presume to do that. The Rastas should and must explain their philosophy of life themselves. Besides, I can't give presentations, I can only read out "stuttering rates."
I'm sorry, but I don't have the skills to properly reason about this topic. I'm not saying whether I think it's right or wrong, I'm just saying that I can't understand it when people like us act like dreadlocks.
I am Reggae and Dub Fan and nothing else. Rastafari is a bit too much for me.
I hope nobody misunderstands me. In the end, my arrogance towards Christians and the Bible and also towards the Koran and Muslims may be something like blasphemy, but I can't shake the impression that they are all victims of brainwashing. They are supposed to be kept quiet and hope for a better life after death.
Of course, it could be that God Allah or JAH at the gates of heaven says to me, “You can’t come in here.” Hopefully the Holy Spirit will then at least engage in some reasoning with me.
So long ……………… .. lemmi
So long ……………… lemmi
Sorry, I forgot that!
Maybe I've already mentioned this somewhere here.
I once saw a documentary that was mainly about these so-called BoboRastas. For me, they are not role models and, on the whole, I don't like them. Firstly, they didn't make any particularly good reggae (exceptions almost always prove the rule) and, secondly, they didn't exactly cover themselves in glory when it came to "homophobia". I admit that everyone has their own homophobia, although I look at it from my own perspective. Phobia doesn't mean hatred, it means fear. There is no reason to hate homosexuals, but you don't necessarily have to try to become one yourself. To put it a little ironically or perhaps even polemically.
What I found really unpleasant in the documentary was the "doorman" who seriously said that visitors should first tuck their shirts into their pants before they could visit the BoboRasta. Yes, that's clear, it's his home and he decides how you should behave there, but in my opinion I'm allowed to find it extremely stuffy and strange when someone is like that. Even the Rasta scene seems to be very divided internally and I wonder what's going on with all these young people. Does palm oil in food affect common sense too much? Well, and the fish are all full of plastic. It could well be that all this has a negative effect on the brain. And yes, I eat fish too ;-)
That's why I like the reggae of the real, original Rastas the most, because they have already summed it all up perfectly. Just think of Bunny Wailer, for example, who sang about the Amagideon back then.
Oh dear, I hope I still get a key to the lock on the gates of heaven.
Cheers ………………. lemmi