For me, studying reggae has been similar to
studying the classic R&B recordings of Atlantic or Stax, the legendary
blues sessions on Chess or the wide-ranging recordings on Sun Records. The
label exists as a framework for all the great music that was released under its
imprimatur. The various studio players that orbited the studio became part of
the sound, the specific engineers and producers, even the tape-op guys
associated with that particular label would come to define the artistic and
commercial decisions made in the production of their albums. The classic era of
reggae (from approximately 1960 until the mid to late 70’s) was produced in the
relatively homogeneous environments of Jamaica and England. The communities of musicians
and engineers who were responsible for the classic sound were relatively few in
number and thus, as one studies this great music, it becomes clear that many of
the same people played on many of the best records and that they were produced
by only a handful of technicians in just a few studios. This is why, to the
uninitiated, much reggae sounds confoundingly similar. Like the R&B on
Atlantic, the deep pleasure and understanding of this music comes from an
overarching appreciation of the traditions and techniques used and then an
understanding of the individual strengths of each singer. With reggae, there is
a deep history of beats, riddims and lyrical insights which can be followed and
understood as the foundation, and then there is unlimited joy to be found in
the varying vocal deliveries of each individual or group. The Abyssinians were
in the tradition of other Jamaican vocal groups like The Paragons, The
Heptones, The Mighty Diamonds and Culture who twisted the vocal harmony styles
of Doo-Wop and early R&B into the hypnotic vocal attack of conscious roots
reggae.
Satta Massagana - both the song and the album - are at the very pinnacle of reggae.
The song has become recognized as the national anthem of reggae, and the album
embodies everything one could wish for in reggae - it is inspirational, deep
and danceable. All the elements are here: the lyrics are serious, political,
spiritual and poetic, the band is filled with the absolute cream of Jamaica’s
best (Sly & Robbie, Chinna Smith, Tyrone Downie, Mikey Chung et al.) and
the three-part vocals by principles Donald and Lynford Manning and lead
vocalist Bernard Collins are heavenly. If the band had only recorded "Satta
Massagana" and no other song, their reputation would still be as solid. It
is one of the most recognizable and wholly satisfying songs of its era; not
just reggae - all songs. Everything from its righteous lyric filled with equal
parts supplication and inspiration so beautifully sung and harmonized by the
vocalists, to the tough, punchy horns, the perfect guitar riddim, and burbling
keyboard - it all works wonderfully. In addition, there is the use of words and
phrases from the Amharic language adding an even greater air of philosophical
mystery. In the age of the internet it is easy to find out what these words
mean, but when the album was first released in 1976 (the single was recorded in
1969) hearing these words so lovingly integrated into the song filled the
listener with many questions and hinted at deeper meanings than those we were
used to in top 40 rock music. These guys were tapping in to something ancient
and profound while creating music that seemed unmoored from any specific time
period. Listening to it in 2018 has changed nothing at all - this album still
sounds fresh. And "Satta Massagana" is not the only masterpiece. The entire album is filled with
miraculous songs. Each one a perfectly crafted piece of golden-era reggae, as
well a lyrical triumph, nourishing spirit and intellect. "Declaration Of
Rights," "Know Jah Today," "Abendigo," "African
Race" or "Leggo Beast" are all equal to the title track, and the
entire album rewards endless listening.
If diving into reggae seems daunting to you and
you have no idea where to start, Satta
Massagana is the perfect entry
point. It is fantastic music that transcends any genre, yet it is also a
perfect exemplar of what reggae can and should be. The world is filled with
great music, but music that rises above fashion to “life-changing” - now that
is worth pursuing.
-
Paul
Epstein
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