Album Review
Genre: Dub
Format: CD Album
Reviewer: Henrik Bæk
Added: Tue, Jan 1, 2008
Solomon Jabby ››
Firmly Planted
Within the last decade Christian reggae music has become a popular alternative to the typical Jamaican reggae music, which traditionally has its stronghold deeply planted in the Rastafarian faith. With the rise of bands like Christafari and the founding of the Christian reggae distribution company Lion Of Zion Entertainment and reggae radios like www.reggaegospel.com most of the Christian reggae activities comes from the States.
The multi instrumentalist and producer Solomon Jabby is no exception and used to work out of his self made studio in Georgia until he decided to move to Los Angeles in order to pursue his musical career. With two highly acclaimed dub albums to his credit Jabby has already earned himself a reputation in the world as a very talented producer successful in grabbing the sound of old school reggae producers like King Tubby and Scientist and shaping it into new productions. However Firmly Planted is Solomon Jabby’s first vocal release and what a debut!
The commitment to the old roots sound is truly evident, but Jabby also proves himself to be an excellent songwriter, which can be heard on the albums 13 tracks all of them aiming to “blow down the walls of Babylon.” The lyrics are all about giving praises and honour to God and Jabby’s personal belief in Jesus Christ can be found in the Bible sentences and verses used in the songs. Positive messages can be found in every track and titles like Bright Star Revolution, Words Of The Nazarene, Prayer & Meditation, Zion Shepherd and Firmly Planted speaks for themselves.
Singing wise the album is influenced by the old vocal trios of the Jamaican roots heydays with straight lines to groups like The Abbyssians, The Viceroys and The Congos with some dense vocal harmonies complimenting the voice of Jabby in the lead. The musical arrangements are outstanding throughout the entire album with some mind blowing horns, solid bass riddims, bubbling organs, crisp guitar riffs and heavy drumming and percussion patterns. Somehow the deep and heavy roots riddims seems to walk hand in hand with the singing, making this a magnificent production.
Firmly Planted proves that traditional roots reggae production still has a place in the modern reggae soundscape and might perhaps be the most surprising album of 2007.
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