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Roy Burrowes was a trumpet player who originally hailed from Jamaica, but by the 40s was already working in America and during the following decades played with a wide range of top talent from Duke Ellington to Archie Shepp. In 1987 Roy was invited by his old Jamaican friend, top producer Coxsone Dodd, to drop by his studio in Brooklyn and play trumpet on some old classic Studio One tracks. Roy also invited tenor sax man Clifford Jordan to help out as well. Unfortunately the album was still not finished by 1993 when Jordan passed away, leaving Dodd and Burrowes to finish the album with baritone saxophone ace Charles Davis filling in for Jordon. Finally in 98 they were finally ready to release “Reggae au go Jazz”.
This is a fun album, but I can’t help getting the feeling that this could have been much better. Listening to this album gives one the impression that they were tired of this project sitting on the shelf and decided to rush things at the end and just get it out there. There is no problem with the horn players and their solos, they are great throughout, but it sounds like the Studio One tracks were just played back in their already previously finished two track mix with absolutely no alterations or dubbing at all. That is the biggest disappointment, it’s a Dodd Studio One record with no dubbing effects, dang! It does help that they are all well loved classic Jamaican tracks, but it would have been a lot more effective if there had been more of an attempt to blend the horns with Dodd’s pre-existing tracks.
Along with the Studio One tracks, this album also has about four songs that feature a very dated 80s drum machine. Most of these tracks are clumsy and forgettable, except the sublime “Soul Sender”. On this one the drum machine plays a very sparse beat while Burrowes and Jordan float beautiful echoed melodies. It sounds like they are mixing Miles’ 60s “Silent Way” with his 80s “Amandla”. It’s a great track and would be a real prize for a DJ seeking that chill ambient cut that no one else has.
Overall this is a good record, but if they had really taken their time with it, it could have been much better. Maybe some day someone will give this album a well deserved remix.