| Burning
Spear (Winston Rodney) is one of the biggest
names in the story of Reggae Music.
It is said, that Bob Marley himself told
Winston Rodney to start singing and so he
did. The debut album "Rocking
Time", originally released on the
legendary Studio One label has reached a
legendary status.
"Live in Paris" is a crucial
Burning Spear album too. It's a double
album, even. And it could not have been
otherwise either. This is the kind of music
that you need to experience to the fullness.
This is the kind of concert that is worked
out from the top to the very last drop
(hours later).
The year is 1988. The CD and digital
recording techniqus are on the rise. Many
people complain how Dancehall and Ragga
replace Reggae Music and ofcourse they blame
the computer for that. But without that
computer, this release would be impossible.
The location is the Zenith in Paris,
France. Burning Spear playes an ultra-tight
concert full of long tracks with chanting,
singing and dubbing. The band is full, with
horn blowers, guitars, and ofcourse drum and
bass. They do their job very professionally.
The music is stricktly Roots. Strong,
strong and solid Roots Reggae Music. Every
track is well worked out, with impressive
introductions and well worked out long
patterns of Dubwise. Sometimes there's even
some soloing going on.
Even though the concert in itself is an
experience that needs to be released on CD,
"Live in Paris" goes beyond your
avarage Live Reggae album.
Reggae Music is predominatly a studio
music. Musicians playing the riddims
straight into the multitrack recorders,
after which the sound engineer mixes
everything in the studio.
Obviously, a recording for an album
requires a completely different mix then a
live concert. But for this double album, the
best of both worlds come together and that
makes this album a unique experience.
The recording is done with the use of a
digital 48 track multi-track recording
device. A novelty in 1988. Simply put, this
device enabled the production of such a
crucial double album. It sounded right in
the hall, and it sounds right on the double
disc too.
A master piece, definitely!
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