Man in the Hills

Performer: Burning Spear
Artist: Robbie Shakespeare; Chinna Smith; Aston "Familyman" Barrett
Distributor: n/a

Notes: Burning Spear includes: Winston Rodney. Recorded at Randy's Recording Studio and Harry Jay's Recording Studio, Kingston, Jamaica. Includes liner notes by Carl Gayle. Personnel: Winston Rodney (vocals, percussion); Chinna Smith, Roots Kinsley, Ranchie (guitar); Marquis (alto saxophone); "Dirty Harry" Hall (tenor saxophone); Bobbie Ellis (trumpet); Trommie (trombone); W. Lindo, T. Harvey (keyboards); Robbie Shakespeare, Aston "Family Man" Barrett (bass); Horsemouth Wallace (drums); Sticky Skully (percussion). Recorded at Harry J Studios, Kingston, Jamaica. Along with fellow St. Ann's Parish native Bob Marley, Burning Spear was considered one of the main proponents of reggae when 1976's MAN IN THE HILLS was released. Although "Burning Spear" was used to refer to the vocal trio of Winston Rodney, Rupert Wellington and Delroy Hines, it was Rodney who was rightfully known as Spear (especially since he was the one who borrowed the name from Jomo Kenyatta, hero of Kenyan independence). Fueled by devotion to Rastafarianism and a keen interest in educating the world about black culture and history, Spear used a thick groove and plenty of horns as the glue for his fourth album. Always a keenly insightful lyricist, Spear used the desert as a metaphor for spiritual barrenness in "Black Soul," while the ocean becomes symbolic of bounty throughout the bubbly "Children." Spear denounces the evils of Babylon (a remake of his 1969 single "Door Peep"), extols the virtues of pacifism ("No More War"), and makes an uplifting call to enlightenment (the flute-driven "People Get Ready"). After recording this roots-reggae classic, Spear severed his ties with independent producer Jack Ruby, along with Wellington and Hines. DRY & HEAVY represents the delineation of a new chapter in Burning Spear's (a.k.a. Winston Rodney) career as this was the first album he cut after splitting with producer Jack Ruby and backup singers Rupert Wellington and Delroy Hines (who'd been incorrectly perceived as part of a group called Burning Spear). For this album, Rodney, who was always a shrewd judge of musical talent, surrounded himself with some of Jamaica's finest studio musicians, including members of the Wailers and Skatalites. Free of Ruby's heavy hand, Spear's production style is more upbeat and as a result, his voice soars as he sings about the Jamaican countryside on "Any River" and praises "The Sun" amidst some lively horn arrangements. Throughout DRY & HEAVY, guitarist Chinna Smith chimes in with crackling riffs as keyboardists Tonter Harvey and brothers Earl and Willie Lindo generously dollop in swirling keyboard runs as Spear preaches about pacifism ("Throw Down Your Arms") and Creationism ("It's a Long Way Around"). Burning Spear's fifth studio album perfectly merges this deeply religious man's musical and philosophic views.

Burning Spear (born Winston Rodney) was originally a protege of his neighbor Bob Marley, but even his earliest music exhibited his characteristically unique and intense style. His lyrical concerns--black culture and history, a hybrid form of Pan-Africanism, Garveyism and Rasta tenets, and (especially) universal love--have been consistently and powerfully expressed throughout his lengthy recording career. Perhaps most memorable is his 1975 breakthrough masterpiece, MARCUS GARVEY, where he emerged as one of the most distinctive and original talents in the history of reggae.

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