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earl rodney - friends & countrymen - em records - cd

Genre: World - Misc

1. Juck Juck
2. Peace Pipe
3. Strife In The Village
4. Midnight Man (O Mo ORu)
5. Conversation Of Love
6. Friends and Countrymen

Steel band funk from Earl Rodney -- a really wonderful record with a very unique feel! Although Rodney uses tuned pans, the overall sound here is quite different than the regular steel band groove -- thanks to a very open, almost experimental approach at times -- one that seems almost more concerned with the overall sounds in the process than the structure of the tunes!

Basslines build up most of these numbers slowly -- rising up from the earth, almost with a Cymande-like feel at points, but a bit funkier too -- especially when guitar starts grooving along to the rhythms. There's a bit of vocals on the record, plus touches of alto sax and trumpet -- and the overall sound is totally great -- with just the right blend of steel band notes and more familiar funk.