Album: A Tribute To Studio One
Artiste: Sugar Minott
Label: Tads Records
THERE ARE times when a tribute album comes off as a cheap shot at making a quick buck the easy cover version way. Sugar Minott's A Tribute To Studio One, released on the Tads Records imprint, is not among them.
After all, Sugar Minott is a Studio One alumni and is actually interpreting songs of his contemporaries, such as Delroy Wilson on Conquer Me, as well as some who came before including Alton Ellis with Willow Tree.
The tribute comes on two discs, the first having 19 tracks of vocals. The last song is the bonus Too Long Will Be Too Late from Freddie McGregor and Jennifer Lara, the second being the 'versions' of excellent music from the drums of Sly Dunbar and Style Scott, the basses of Lloyd Parkes and Flabba Holt, the guitars of Dwight Pinkney and Willie Lindo, horns from Dean Fraser, Nambo Robinson and Chico Chin and harmony from Pam Hall and the Tamlins, among others.
The excellent result is almost foregone.
There is no attempt to reinvent well made vinyl that has been spun on the wheels of steel repeatedly, the musicians playing over the originals and Minott sticking to the melodies already spun into our consciousness. However, I find myself appreciating the roots of the Abyssians Declaration of Rights, Dennis Brown's No Man Is An Island and, of course, Wilson's Conquer Me than the lover's rock of songs, such as Ellis' Willow Tree.
Maybe it is because Minott's voice already has the required emotional content for the lover's songs and said sugary quality gives an added touch to the roots songs.
A Tribute To Studio One is high quality homage from the digital era to the days of one and two track recording and timeless music, delivered by a lead singer and musicians who have in large part spanned the time divide, having the correct feel for the old yet not ignoring the new.
- M.C.
