LP: Stranjah Cole – Morning Train (Jah Shaka Music 652)

Tracklist Red Eyes Red Dub Babylon Way Babylon Dub Victim Of Society Victim Dub Morning Train Train Dub Rastaman Chant Rastaman Dub Eyes Of A Lion Eyes Of A Dub Hour Glass Hour Dub httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqhc93VTnVU [MUSICIANS] BASS: Flabba DRUMS: Flabba KEYBOARDS: Tony Asher HORNS: Deadly Headly PIANO: Kiezy Sutherland PERCUSSION: Skully A Roots Reggae Classic from Two Generations of Jamaican Musical Heritage Originally released in 2006 on Jah Shaka Music, Morning Train brings together the unmistakable voice of Jamaican ska and rocksteady pioneer Stranger Cole with the deep-rooted musical vision of the legendary UK sound-system operator and producer Jah Shaka. A meeting of Jamaican musical heritage and British roots reggae culture, the album stands as a powerful expression of the enduring connection between Jamaica’s foundational vocal traditions and the spiritual, cultural and musical legacy of the UK roots reggae movement. For Stranger Cole, Morning Train marked a significant return to recording, arriving as his first original album in approximately two decades. Renowned for his contributions to the formative years of ska, rocksteady and reggae, Cole brought decades of experience, distinctive vocal character and an unmistakable sense of Jamaican musical identity to this collaboration. Jah Shaka’s production provides the album’s foundation, drawing on the heavyweight roots reggae aesthetic that defined his influential approach to music. Known for championing Rastafari consciousness, spiritual upliftment and uncompromising roots music through his sound system and record label, Shaka created a setting in which Cole’s voice could speak to a new generation while remaining firmly connected to reggae’s foundations. Recorded and mixed at Leggo Studios in Jamaica, the album features an accomplished group of musicians, including bassist and drummer Errol “Flabba” Holt, horn player Deadly Headley Bennett, keyboardist Tony “Asher” Brissett, percussionist Noel “Scully” Simms and pianist Vernon Sutherland. Engineered by Gaylord Bravo and Perry Hendricks, the sessions combine experienced Jamaican musicianship with a roots-conscious production approach. The album features seven vocal selections, including “Red Eyes,” “Babylon Way,” “Victim of Society,” “Morning Train,” “Rastaman Chant,” “Eyes of a Lion” and “Hour Glass.” Each composition is followed by a corresponding dub version, extending the original performances into instrumental territory and placing the album within the longstanding Jamaican tradition of vocal-and-dub pairings. From the title track to the accompanying dubs, Morning Train celebrates the relationship between singer, musician, producer and engineer. It honours the power of the human voice while embracing the space, rhythm and atmosphere that have made dub an essential part of reggae’s worldwide influence. Released through Jah Shaka Music, Morning Train remains an important meeting of two musical legacies: Stranger Cole, whose career reaches back to the early days of Jamaican popular music, and Jah Shaka, whose uncompromising commitment to roots reggae helped carry that tradition into sound systems and communities across generations. More than a collaboration, Morning Train is a testament to the continuity of Jamaican music, the enduring strength of roots reggae and the timeless dialogue between the vocal tradition and the art of dub!