.::GUIDELIGHT MOVEMENT::.

REVIEW: RAS DANHI - Nowhere/DAVID MADDEN - River Flow On/PABLO PAUL - Respect/HERMAN MARQUIS & DAVID MADDEN - Take 5 (Kingston Connexion)

It was just recently that I got to know that the Kingston Connexion label was the one responsible for the many hard to find reggae singles that's been re-pressed lately. Kingston Connexion is a Jamaican distribution and production company based in France and dedicated to release very hard to find vinyl and never released rarities from the past days of roots reggae. Through contacts with artists and labels they've been able to dig up and re-release some classic material from the Uhuru, Big Sax and Jahlovemuzik label among others. Plus they've been able to present long lost treasures like Omar Bernard's "Sitting and Waiting" who's never been officially released before.

This time around Kinston Connexion has chose to release their first twelve inch under their own name. The vinyl features four heavy weight tracks from the mid seventies. All songs are linked to the Jamaican reggae band Zap Pow, who serves as the backing band playing on all four songs. Zap Pow was formed in the early seventies and consisted of seven first rate musicians. Dwight Pickney, Max Edwards and David Madden only to mention a few. Zap Pow went through a few vocalists before a young Beres Hammond came along in 1977. It was about this time Zap Pow recorded their most known material like "This is Reggae Music" and "The System". Three years later Zap Pow had dissolved after releasing four albums between 1973-1980. Zap Pow is known for their soulful reggae with jazzy overtones but could easily deliver a raw roots rhythm as well. The tracks on this vinyl takes us back to the early days of 1974-75 when Zap Pow was still a young roots outfit using the odd vocalist.

Soundclip - Ras Danhi - Nowhere

First off we have "Nowhere" with Ras Danhi which is a beautiful piece of early steppers with great horns provided by David Madden. Ras Danhi's vocals of resistence and African awareness is a serious statement from a firm rastaman sure of himself and his beliefs declaring "Jah Rastafari is I'n'I culture". This one serves a serious highlight as it passed rather unnoticed after its making in 1974. To make this release even better there's a version of "Nowhere" coming second entitled "River Flow On". The version is a straight instrumental cut with no vocals or dub engineering. But don't take it for dull because the rhythm is simply so strong that it manages the hard task of standing alone as it is. The spacy thumping drums and jumpy guitar skanks along with the rest of the soundscape indicates that these two tracks could have been recorded at Lee Perry's Black Ark. The vibe is certainly there but since there's no such information who knows?

Soundclip - Pablo Paul - Respsect

When turning the vinyl over to its B-side we'll find Pablo Paul exhorting us to show respect unto God because we owe that to him. Pablo Paul's easy singing sounds great on this groovy one drop which more or less is bass, drums, guitar and a wicked sounding synthesizer. Pablo Paul's simple reasoning is more like a chat than actual singing but as many reggae singers before and after him its sometimes more a question of timing and phrasing than actual singing talent that makes an artist interesting. Sadly there's no version of this track but following it is a rocking rockers cut of the ultra classic "Take 5" by Herman Marquis and David Madden. The two of them really lets loose their jazz influences over this one and blows wonderful melodies going high and low. All done over a steady beat and bass with snares all over the place as a tamburine firmly shakes its way all through.

The militant "Nowhere" has seen light before although never in this version feautred here which apart from being a different mix also adds one and half minute to its length. "River Flow On" serves its first ever release while both "Respect" and "Take 5" have been available before although never on vinyl to what I know of. All to all a great first release from the Kingston Connexion label.

/Jakob Levi 23/3-06