CD: Runn RN 0015 /NL, 1990s
Tracks :
1. I Don't Like Reggae, I Love
It (featuring Macka B)
2. Tell Them
3. Over There
4. Lei Lila
5. Together, Yes!
6. Bif Baf Boof (Mr. Chatterbox)
7. Rise And Live
8. Land Of Ancient Kings
9. Give A Little Something
(featuring Super Ranking)
10. Dub
Release
Info :
From out of the unlikely reggae
stronghold Belgium comes a very strong debut album from Panache Culture,
who with help from a few friends in high places whip up a classic-sounding
upful mix of various roots reggae styles.
The core of Panache Culture is four
young Morrocan brothers named Hamra. The surnames of the four other
members - Pastecchia, Gueye,
Bazimas and Kalala,
hailing from Italy, Senegal, Greece and Zaire, respectively - indicate
the international scope of the band. Throw in veteran roots trombonist
Rico
Rodriguez, Aswad hornsman Michael "Bammie" Rose, Ariwa
Posse musicians and Macka B, with the Mad Professor himself
stirring it all together, and what you have is a very tasty stew. Eight
of the 10 cuts are originals, but Tell Them! kicks off with a clever
remake of '70s English popband 10CC's humurous spoof/tribute, "I Don't
Like Reggae, I Love It". Here Macka B is in fine form, detailing
the positive aspects of his chosen musical genre. The band also covers
the early Marley tune, "Mr. Chatterbox", here retitled "Bif,
Baf, Boof", which itself makes for a cool, catchy chorus.
There's a fair amount of variety
in the original songs, from the standard but strong reggae of the title
cut, "Over There" and "Rise And Live", to the uptempo instrumental
skank of "Together, Yes" or the rai-reggae (at least that's
what it sounds like to me) of "Lei Lila", sung in Arabic. A dj named
Super Ranking works out well on "Give A Little Something", and the
disc concludes with a 13-minute dub medley of all that has gone before,
but in reverse.
There's nothing really startling
here, and the Mad Professor wisely reigns in some of his wilder proclivities.
The lyrical convictions expressed are solid roots and culture, but extol
a generic God in place of Jah. It all fits. Tell Them is an extremely
enjoyable and heartening dose of mostly straight-forward, expertly played
and produced reggae.
Album review by Steve Heilig,
published in The Beat Vol. 12 #1, 1993.
Go to:
Panache
Culture