No, with the best will in the world that is not Dubalbum, but first and foremost one of the best instrumental albums I have heard recently. The Higher Notes album: "Double salute“(Roots Unity Music) grows with every listen and is literally a“ Double Salute ”, a very deep bow and tribute to the beginnings and the heroes of our favorite music. What The higher notes in the Earth Works Studio in Amsterdam, will delight both our deceased heroes Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso, Jackie Mittoo and the producers of that era Coxsone Dodd, Duke Reid, Leslei Kong and Prince Buster in the afterlife - if possible is. Anyway, I like the idea. The total of eleven ska and rock steady tunes, of which only two are cover versions (Smoke Rings; Solitude), are bursting with musicality and hooklines that only a deaf person can actually escape. What the Earth Works Posse around Jan "King" Cooper, Ras P (Peter Klaasen), Uta J. Maruanaya with the help of Richard "High Notes" De Ruige and Milan Van Wingerden deliver here is worthy of all honor. In addition, “Double Salute” pays a wonderful homage to the wonderfully warm, carefully arranged and orchestrated big band sound of the 1950s, played by the likes of Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Glen Miller and Eric Dean, to name but a few to name a few sizes. Jan “King” Cooper, Ras P (Peter Klaasen), Uta J. Maruanaya have put so much time, perfection and passion into the project “Double Salute” that it is a real pleasure to listen to the work. Nothing was left to chance, the band and producer carefully selected the right instruments, analog amplifiers and microphones. Great attention was paid to the placement of the microphone in order to create the most authentic sound possible. In my opinion, it worked perfectly. For me, every tiny note on this masterpiece fits.
3 replies to "The Higher Notes: Double Salute"
High Ras
What I definitely love here are (again) the riddims. I guess the Higher Notes are the continuation of Rude Rich and the High Notes, which I have "known" for a long time and have very fond memories. Sometimes I literally melted away because they brought the riddims from the Ska and RockSteady times so charmingly to the point and apparently are still in the process of celebrating the primordial soup of my (our) favorite music with joy and inner conviction. Even with “Double Salute” I don't keep an eye dry. The melodies and hooklines of the wind instruments are mostly good for me. What I'm particularly happy about is that none here
sprawling solos are played that exceed my horizon. Solos or solos (?) Always go through a certain tightrope walk with me. You can put me in ecstasy when you hit my "G-Spot" but you can also plunge me into the abyss of the deepest hell if you just want to shine through virtuosity, however
ultimately - for my taste - have no charisma. But I wouldn't be me if I 100% had nothing to complain about. Keyword big band sound of the 50s from the past millennium. Unfortunately, you get through here every now and then, those moments when I think that the fan is more suitable for a coffee party on a dignified Sunday afternoon than that at Hopes and Herbes they put me in my special Sunday afternoon ecstasy. But I don't find many examples in
“Just before dawn” I feel a little too lulled, I have to admit. Then there is a tune with “Desert Dance” in which “every smallest note” fits for me too.
Solitude also goes against the grain, although I'm generally in a bad mood for that. If I were a thoroughly positive thinking person who can talk about every bad situation, I would maybe like something like that too. But that's far from me. I like it best when ska, rocksteady,
Reggae and Dub really "scold" and not mince words.
What I like most about Double Salute is the perfect sound from the bass !!! On the one hand the bass lines are exactly my thing and on the other hand the bass bubbles and thunders with the full horsepower that can be got out of such a reggae bolide according to the current state of the art. Very fine sound!
There are only drawbacks in the “punk attitude” ;-) …………….
Ok, that's my opinion ………………. lemmi
Hi Lemmi,
Rude Rich aka Richard "High Notes" De Ruige plays according to the credits: Drums (Yes She, Earth Shuffle, Solitude) and Bass (room service). Whether this is a "sequel to Rude Rich and the High Notes", I can not tell you with certainty. In any case, Ras P used to play keyboard with Rude Rich and the High Notes. I completely agree with you, "Rude Rich" were / are a great band that I have very fond memories of live.
At the beginning I also found the cover song “Solitude” a bit “lax”. But that changed after listening to it several times when I discovered small nuances and subtleties. The last 40! Seconds of tune were also highlighted with reverb. Perhaps a small signal for a following Dub-Pendant, one would definitely wish. This is again one of the very rare albums from the category: "Predicate particularly valuable!"
If I can contradict you on one point or add something?
I have to honestly say that I do not find the albums with the predicate "Particularly valuable" that seldom. The list with reggae u. Dub Albums that could get this rating from me would be pretty long, I think.
I keep the entire genre “Roots Dub Reggae "for particularly valuable ;-)
Well, I could have saved myself that now, but sometimes (always) I seem to like to have "the last word". Even if I don't want to admit it.
If you were to look at the whole thing in terms of percentage, you would be right again.
Oh no matter, I just wanted to be nice and write something ………….
Being nice is not my “style” at all, that's why I write here again that all these “skabands” and especially the punkskabands could take a good example of how to play ska AT THE RIGHT SPEED. The Higher Notes have it all!
So actually very good that the "punk attitude" is missing!
And so criticism becomes a compliment within a few minutes ………. lemmi