Pablo Moses ADD

Review

Album Review: Ashanti Roy, Pablo Moses, Winston Jarrett – Natty Fly Again

06/16/2014

by Valentin Zill

Harrison “Professor” Stafford must be a tireless workaholic. In between touring the world with Groundation, solo projects here and there, producing documentaries, and preparations for the release of Groundation’s next studio album this October (it’s called A Miracle), the Professor found some time to produce an album of nine original tracks sung by three honorable veterans: Ashanti Roy, Pablo Moses, and Winston Jarrett. They recorded Natty Will Fly Again at Harry J’s in Jamaica and in the Professor’s own studio in California.

The Professor doesn’t sing this time, but the jazzy 70‘s roots reggae of Natty Will Fly Again manifests his audible influence on this project. Since whatever he touches turns gold, it is no surprise that his latest production is a thorough, serious and ambitious labor of love. Stafford himself played bass, drums, and the rhythm guitars. His good friends Dalton Browne (lead guitar), Sticky (percussion), and Obeah (on organ, piano, and synthesizers) are on board again. The dense riddims tantalize the listener inevitably, take him back in time while leaving a connection to the present open through carefully inserted digital mosaic stones. It takes quite some experience and a strong, distinct voice to surf this wave of sound in style. Like the ones of Ashanti Roy, Pablo Moses, and Winston Jarrett.

Winston Jarrett, the oldest in this natural trio, goes first and proclaims Jah Prophecy. The softer voiced Pablo Moses suggests More Mandela, and Ashanti Roy demands that Satan Let Go off his soul. You get the exact full cultural package you expect from the eminences. Natty Will Fly Again offers a pleasant musical variety you might not expect, but is careful enough to integrate it all seamlessly to keep the vibes of the era of our three veterans’ first hits alive and develop them further. And their voices have aged well. None of them sounds as if he wanted to retire anytime soon. Jarrett, Moses and Ashanti Roy fly high again on this addictive album.

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