BURNING SPEAR SAVES THE DAY

I had the jazz station on today. I'm cautious, During the day it an be hit and miss. From noon until one they played an hour of Charlie Parker, so I left it on. An hour later came the miss, a too breezy, too light, reggae-jazz tune. I was about to turn it off, then I caught myself humming along to it. What the fuck? They're playing Burning Spear?!? "Marcus Garvey"? After checking the playlist I found out it was Monty Alexander and Ernest Ranglin who I know are capable of heavier shit. Yeesh! As soon as I got home I cleared my head with the original.

Here's Alexander and Ranglin's version, and the original. Burning Spear's was released in 1975. which is mindblowing when you consider that it was just a year after "Rocking Time" and "Call On You", both from his second LP. His first two albums were on Studio One, both are insanely barren, in a good no-frills way. But, man, compared to them "Marcus Garvey" is some sort of thick, heavy roots bomb.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Monty Alexander and Ernest Ranglin - Marcus Garvey (streaming) at YouTube 2004
Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey mp3 at Online Nigeria 1975
Burning Spear - Rocking Time mp3 at Pixie Radio 1974
Burning Spear - Call On You mp3 at Brobots 1974
Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey (Entire LP) (streaming) at YouTube 1975
Burning Spear - Garvey Ghost (Dub version, entire LP) (streaming) at YouTube 1976