FIFTY.NINETEEN THIRTY FOUR. HUNDREDS. A ZILLION.
Pablo J. Hierro Dori | 04/19/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"What do these numbers have in common? Nothing if considered individually but when referring to Jamaican living legend Rico Rodriguez, they evoke the prolific 50-year career of one of the founding pillars of Reggae music. Born Emmanuel Rodriguez in 1934, this acclaimed trombonist sunned his nomadic artistic pilgrimage recording in more than four hundred albums (some as a soloist, others playing with iconic figures as Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Skatalites, The Specials, Steel Pulse & many others) and performing live a zillion times joining first-rate artists like Madness, Jimmy Cliff, Sting and Paul Young (to name a few).
Deeply linked to drummer Count Ossie's Rastafarian community (which also encompassed leading trendsetters Roland Alphonso, Don Drummond, Jah Jerry and Lester Sterling), Rodriguez was part of the experimental crew that merged Jamaican music with the African drumming tradition Nyahbingi. Basically, the outcome of this synthesis is what later became known to us as Reggae music.
Today, Delanuca Records proudly presents Mr. Rodriguez's upcoming effort, Togetherness. Virtuous sequel of two dazzling performances he delivered in Buenos Aires (Argentina) in 2000 and 2001 fronting the Roots to the Bone Band (an All-Star A-List comprised by members of local Reggae/Ska heroes Dancing Mood, Los Cafres, Mimi Maura and Los Intocables), the cd is an effective update to the versatility that has always defined the endless trombonist's artistic set: from Jazz to Ska and Dub to Lovers, the Man from Wareika dishes out a flawless assemblage of laidback tones and clear-cut melodies.
The fact that Togetherness was recorded in Argentina may come as a surprise since the country seems far aside of the genre's main avenues. But in a region that constantly relapses in economic crises and where skepticism takes over every day life, some kids and youngsters have embraced the iconoclast legacy of diverse artistic expressions to voice their minds and hearts. In that sense, Reggae music turned into a constantly increasing analgesic formula set to sooth the apprehensive mood of a doubtful generation. "Today, Reggae music breathes in Latin America", said Jamaican star Mikey Dread when visiting Argentina last January and blessed the golden phase of the genre in the area.
A hard-to-get jewel or a newfound classic in the world of Jamaican music, Togetherness certifies Rico Rodriguez's ability to craft joyous melodies of captivating mood not only endures but, like a first class wine, gets better with age. Released all over the US, Canada & Puerto Rico under Delanuca Records/DLN Distribution, Togetherness kicks up Reggae & Ska sensitivity, jazzy flavors and irie ambiences. (Roman Kutnowski)"