REVIEW: Ultimate Shines "Flava" (SINGLE SONG)

 

Ultimate Shines, born Mark Anthony James in West Kingston, Jamaica is a seasoned conscious reggae singer who has recorded one album (Teach Them, 2005)  and a slew of singles, starting back in 1987 with the single “Mob Kill Him”.  Having recorded and performed as an artist in Junior Reid’s JR Productions camp as well as touring in Canada along with Singing Melody and Thriller U, Shines career has shown itself to be one of continued persistence and growth. His latest single, “Flava,” was recorded on the Jah Jamaica Music label in collaboration with Jamaican rhythm producer Robbie Tuff.

Musically, “Flava” incorporates a variety of programmed synthesizers and beats, all blending into a pulsing mid-tempo dancehall rhythm, carrying with it a sense of urgency. Shines’ voice, a combination of raspy soulfulness and smooth caress, is commanding and somewhat similar in style to Fred Locks, Frankie Paul and Howie Hutchinson.  With “Flava,” Shines displays versatility as he seamlessly moves from crooning on the infectious chorus to more of a singjay style on the verses, all the while revealing a great balance of clarity and melody.  Much like Reid and Mykal Rose, Shines clearly has the artistic range to effectively sing over both roots and dancehall rhythms.


The “flava” Shines is singing about extends well beyond simply entertaining. With lyrics such as “take care of children and old people / tell the world say a good over evil” and “stop put your vanity over people / go and set a better example,” this is perhaps a call to be the distinct flavor that is the salt of the earth.  What Shines expresses is the necessity to take the message of righteous living beyond mere words and into the streets of every day life in order to make a positive impact on society.  In a genre marred by slackness and hypocrisy, Ultimate Shines has been a consistent voice for positive social and spiritual themes, and with the refreshing and encouraging “Flava,” he effectively carries the torch forward.

Review by Mike Roots
Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5)

REVIEW: Micky Paap "Show Me The Reason"

Lucky Dube, Alpha Blondy, Majek Fashek and Ben Okafor are among a handful of artists from Africa who have managed to gain international reggae acclaim.  Among others, an artist whose music deserves a greater audience is Ghanaian singer and songwriter Micky Paap.  While absorbing the sounds of Jimi Hendrix and Santana and fusing them with the rhythms of his homeland, Paap gained experience playing guitar and recording with the likes of Talal Fatal, Blay Ambrolley, and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation band. Later, after relocating to London, England, he performed with numerous reggae bands, which opened up new avenues of musical exploration for Paap.  Show Me The Reason, his third and most recent release, is an impressive reggae offering.  With a voice somewhere between Burning Spear and Cat Stevens, only sweeter, Paap delivers a dozen songs that inspire, encourage and entertain.  While Show Me The Reason
has an undeniably African reggae feel, the sturdy melodies and English lyrics throughout make this a highly accessible album.

The title track is an emotional plea to God for understanding, direction and strength, filled with subtle African-styled guitar licks and keyboard melodies. As Paap sings, “Show me the reason why I’m here / Show me the reason why I’m here, O Lord / Show me the reason why I’m here,” a mellifluous one-drop rhythm, incorporating a bit of soukous flavor, provides the ideal complement.  A lovely guest vocal by Melissa Durazo creates the musical equivalent of sun breaking through clouds.  In addition, lead guitarist Adam Hawley adds some wonderfully syncopated soloing.

“Without You” is light and airy lover’s rock with a deep bass line, punchy clavinet and swirling organ flourishes.  Lyrically, Paap uses clever similes to illustrate the incompleteness that exists due to separation from his lover.  Some deejay vocal passages and cooing background vocals add just the right amount of energy and sweetness in this yearning for “two hearts that beat in a reggae riddim“.  With the touching “I Count My Blessings”, Paap ponders the realities of his own suffering and dissatisfaction as largely a matter of perspective.  Far from pedestrian, the message here is filled with poetic illustrations and reflections, in which Paap comes to the realization that he is indeed blessed, especially considering the challenges and struggles others are facing.  With renewed vision, he expresses gratitude to God for what he has and resolves to reach out to and pray for those less fortunate.

“Devil in a Bottle” is a groovy roots tune that describes the woes of drunkenness and alcoholism.  Rather than condemning, Paap comes across like a concerned friend walking alongside one who is struggling, even using a bit of humor in order to expose inherent danger and deception.  Durazo’s backing vocals and Hawley's searing lead work effectively to punctuate the musical statements.  With astute lyrics such as, “Saying things that you should keep inside / Soon you find yourself kicked outside / Then you get a DUI, yeah / Then you ask Who am I?“, “Devil in a Bottle” is conscious reggae at its best.

In “Rules of Mt. Sinai”, Paap sees himself as an ambassador, encouraging people through pointed social commentary to consider the moral and social pillars that are the ten commandments.  African-influenced call and response background vocals are the ideal counterpoint for his admonishment.  As he sings “We know You are a jealous God, but we are so weak in the flesh and the mind / Lord, we pray for Your mercy / Help us to overcome and show us the way“, Paap avoids coming across as self-righteous.  It is clear that he sees himself as a man in need of that mercy as much as anyone.

Coloring himself unimpressed with technology merely for the purpose of convenience and curiosity, and sounding quite a bit like Burning Spear both vocally and in terms of musical backing, Paap delivers the smooth roots track, “Achieve Peace.”  A buoyant and bubbly rhythm underscores the reggae gospel of “Get Behind Me Satan,” which contains lyrics of Christian devotion and commitment to fighting the good fight and rebuking the enemy.  Here, as in many places throughout Show Me The Reason, Paap’s approach to the keyboards reveals his Ghanaian roots in a way that nicely complements the reggae flow.

The synth flute, percussion, keyed notes and harmonized vocals which make up the intro to “Gossip Mongers” offer perhaps the most vivid influence of Paap’s African homeland in a tune that wouldn’t sound out of place on one of Lucky Dube’s albums.  A cavernous bass line anchors the proceedings in this rebuke to gossipers and warning to those who could be object of their vitriol.

“A Simple Man” offers Paap’s life philosophy with poignant snapshots of dysfunction within the family unit and society at large.  Singing, “We say we are grownups and act sophisticated, but we have to learn from our children,” Paap dispenses encouragement as he points to the words of Jesus who said we must become like children if we want to see the kingdom of God.  The lively “Don’t Know What You Got” yields an appropriate closing message as Paap expresses the need to appreciate life and relationships rather than allowing them to slip away due to quarreling or neglect.

Clearly, Micky Paap is an artist deserving of more attention from reggae enthusiasts and lovers of positive music in general.  Though there are a few flaws in Show Me The Reason, revealed in a couple of weak intros and some less than stellar programmed drum and synth sounds, the overall quality of songwriting, singing and arrangements make this album a winner.

Review by Mike Roots
Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)

The Koffee Klatch

Get your day started off right with the "Koffee Klatch" with Sam Grover and Mike Roots this morning from 7-9 with a mix of music, news, sports, weather and corny jokes. Following, at 9 o'clock, is Barrie Soucy with "The Folk Show". It's all on WAPJ 89.9 & 105.1 FM- Torrington Community Radio.

What is one significant area in which you want to grow personally in the next several months?

I would like to grow in reaching out to others. I would like to be less selfish and more selfless, and to connect with people in deeper, more meaningful ways.

How about you?

REVIEW: John Scalici - "RhythmMusic Vol. 2"

Following is a music review I recently wrote. I thought some of you might be interested in checking it out.

Based in Birmingham, AL, John Scalici is an internationally recognized drum circle facilitator, speaker, musician, clinician, and master teacher whose creative artistry is perhaps paralleled only by his desire to encourage and build individuals through the gift of music.  He is also an artist of high caliber, bringing to mind stellar percussionists such as Glen Velez, Trilok Gurtu and Alex Acuna.  Whether in schools, churches, community centers or health care facilities, Scalici’s infectious enthusiasm and positive nature serve to bring joy along with a sense of teamwork and therapeutic accomplishment to the participants in his workshops and programs.  His enthusiasm and artistry effectively inform his latest project, RhythmMusic Vol. 2, which mostly showcases Scalici’s instrumental prowess, but also includes guest vocals from friends.

“Boomsmacker” is a fascinating amalgam of West African rhythms with hand drums and shakers, along with kalimba, or African thumb piano.  What give the track a particularly interesting twist are syncopated blues guitar riffs which reveal the blues background that makes up part of Scalici’s musical resume’.  A listen on headphones offers a real treat as the roots of the blues are taken back to the mother land.  A variety of hand claps, producing various tones and timbres, are woven with hand drums to provide the polyrhythmic framework for “Clappit”. With a light improvisational touch, various percussion instruments add just a bit of spice to enhance things in what amounts to an inventive yet groovy listening experience.

With foot stomps and hand claps reminiscent of rock group Queen’s “We Will Rock You” forming the foundation, Scalici’s “Culture” provides the introduction of vocals on the project as chants come together with simple kalimba melodies to form a chorus.  As the assorted musical parts fall into place, the Queen reference is all but forgotten.  Talented poet Sharrif Simmons delivers his thought-provoking and contemplative message as the rhythm strips down to make the right canvas for his recitation.  With lyrics such as “culture is memory redeeming stories” and “songbirds sing symphonies” and “valleys of dry bones”, Simmons thoughtfully expounds on a number of topics while tying them into the central theme.  “Culture” also features imaginative production techniques characterized by cool separation of various percussion instruments in the soundscape.

“Nature in a Cup” features a sparse rhythm comprised of Agogo bell, hand drums and percussion instruments played with sticks.  Scalici’s use of restraint allows for sparingly played swampy guitar chords and notes to provide a hint of melody.  African-American spoken word samples bring “Nature in a Cup” to the back porch of rural Alabama, or maybe Mississippi, in this pleasantly creative fusion of styles and colors.

While RhythmMusic Vol.2 is a mostly organic and acoustic affair, Scalici uses a throbbing synth in the intro to “Ricky’s Rhythm” as he sets things up for crazy interlocking rhythms and guest vocal injections (“this is a really craaaazy scenario!”) on this made-for-headphones track. Distorted guitar is also added to the mix in a non-intrusive way while thundering drums percolate in the background and various assorted percussion instruments work just to the forefront with great panning effects.

“Things on the Line” begins with a spoken word intro followed by ancient-sounding bells.  Unexpectedly, a drum kit comes in with a funky kick and snare beat, though it never overwhelms the bells or spoken words.  To reinforce the backbeat, Scalici employs a synth bass which seems to be approached more like a percussion instrument than anything else.  As diverse as these sounds are, they somehow work together very nicely.

The project concludes with the Native American-influenced “Two Friends”, which includes a tranquil flute, trickling water sounds and assorted shakers over a tribal beat foundation.  The percolating rhythm, with some drums played by hands and others with sticks, offers just the right pulse.  Simple, bird-like flute melodies drift in an out as the track comes to a close.

While some percussionists seem to fall into the trap of jamming to no end, John Scalici never does this here.  Instead, he has melded exotic and ethnic rhythms with subtle colors, textures and influences to make RhythmMusic Vol. 2 an inspired and entertaining work of art.

Review by Mike Roots
Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5)

The Koffee Klatch!

For the past month and a half or so I've been co-hosting "The Koffee Klatch" with Sam Grover, who was gracious enough to ask me to join him for the morning show which can be heard from 7:00-9:00 on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Along with a music mix (some of Sam's picks and some of mine), you'll hear news, sports, weather, the community calendar and more. It's been a challenging and fun experience for me as I have the opportunity to read the news, chat with Sam and have the opportunity to work with him, which makes this much different than presenting my regular show, "Reggae Explorations" (Thursdays 7:00-9:00PM, Fridays 10:00-Noon [R]). Remember, you can catch all the programming on Torrington Community Radio WAPJ 89.9 & 105.1 FM!

REVIEW: Twinray "The Train You're On"

The duo of Desiree Irwin and Mike Poupko, collectively known as Twinray, draws from  backgrounds rich in performance and recording and represents the convergence of diverse backgrounds and musical styles. Irwin, having worked with the likes of blues legend Buddy Guy, and having served as musical director in a theatrical setting, is an accomplished vocalist/pianist, reminiscent of artists such as Natalie Merchant and Sheryl Crow. A talented and tasteful guitarist, Poupko honed his chops playing with Chicago-based rockers Dearborn while also doing session and theater work in the Windy City.  Along with fellow members of the aforementioned band, Poupko gained notoriety by opening for a number of major acts and contributing music used on NBC television programming. Twinray's sound is an organic brand of pop with elements of rock, folk, soul, blues and country. The Train You're On is the Chicago-based duo’s formidable debut, encompassing these styles and incorporating subtle touches in mature and
uncluttered fashion.

A fresh and fun start, "Do You Want to Go" features a loping, funky groove courtesy of a rumbling bass line, Poupko's vintage Motown-styled riffs, an inspired horn section and organ. Irwin's voice, possessing a playful, girlish quality with a hint of Taylor Swift-ness, is pure and emotive as she sings feel good lyrics about hitting the open rails and taking the music coast to coast. As she sings, "I'm ready to jump in and start our life long journey," you begin to get the sense that the lyrics may be more metaphorical than anything else. "Every Day" is pretty, acoustic-based rock with Irwin offering words of comfort and encouragement. Poupkos adds a bit of slide guitar for color as the tempo skitters along, reminiscent or MercyMe's "Finally Home." Here, and throughout The
Train You're On, producer Sean O' Keefe (Plain White T's, Fallout Boy, Hawthorn Heights) reveals his knack for allowing songs to breathe, revealing lots of texture and subtleties within the grooves. For all of its artistic quality, though "Every Day" lacks a strong hook.

Irwin reveals her blues-steeped vocal roots on the pointed "Who Do You Think You Are." Rather than being vindictive, Irwin lets her subject know that she is on to him and his self-absorbed and manipulative ways. In a surprising twist, she reveals that even though she sees all of the negative qualities that she thinks she might actually have feelings for this guy, but she's confused. Apparently she either finds these qualities appealing or, as she sings "I want to see what makes you tick," she sees something more behind the facade.

Acoustic roots rock gets a bit of soul infusion on "My Heart's Not Breaking," as Irwin's vocals are revealed in their splendor. The story of a break up, her steely denial gradually melts to reveal hurt and betrayal. With a strong chorus, abundant with vocal harmonies, a smart bridge and effective chord progressions, "My Heart's Not Breaking" is clearly a highlight of The Train You're On. Poupko's hooky riffs along with the earthiness of an organ and variety of percussion serve to keep everything flowing and connected.

On "Crazy In My Mind" Irwin's wistful piano and Poupko's rustic slide and rhythm guitar bring to mind Nora Jones at her least sedate. What sounds like a tune perfect for a lounge or coffeehouse changes quite dramatically as energy builds into a cathartic bridge with heavy drums and squealing guitars. The results here are quite good with Irwin's
impassioned vocals a focal point.

The R&B-tinged "No Such Thing As Better" reveals a different and unexpected side of Twinray as a throbbing yet restrained synthesizer, congas, organ and funky guitar establish the structure. Irwin sings as she offers words of warning against the impending danger of greed and the selfish pursuit of success. As she sings, "Enticed by Eve and her apple / Bright and red made of plastic / When it's gone there's nothing but the core / And you're left wanting more / There's no such thing as better when you've got to best", the message is loud and clear. "No Such Thing As Better" proves to be a high-water mark for The Train You're On in terms of structure, meaning, and Irwin's vocal prowess.

"You Can't Be Found" is an understated yet heartfelt ballad, filled with yearning for emotional intimacy. Soaring vocals, folk-jazz guitar, and violins are layered and woven together nicely. Lyrically introspective, Irwin reveals a disarming vulnerability as she expresses the frustration of searching for an evasive love. The bubbly Sheryl Crow-
like "Twisted" showcases Poupko's guitar playing as well as ambient qualities in O'
Keefe's production technique.

With its shifting and shuffling rhythm, "Sleeping Prophet" doesn't connect quite as well as some of the stronger tracks on the album, despite some cool backing vocals and piano parts. "Waiting," with its acoustic guitar, subtle horn charts and lush, yet spacious arrangements, brings The Train You're On to a strong and tasteful conclusion. Poupko's distorted guitar, reminiscent of Paul McCartney & Wings, offers a pleasant touch, augmenting the retro feel already in place. Irwin's vocals are warm and rich as she articulates the struggles of being patient while trying to see and experience the blessings of the present.

Twinray's The Train You're On is an impressive debut. It’s not without flaws, but containing a number of gems, revealing terrific interplay and musicianship along with quality songwriting.

Review by Mike Roots
Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)