JAH WOBBLE — Heaven & Earth (review)

JAH WOBBLE — Heaven & Earth album cover Album · 1995 · Dub/Ska/Reggae Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
Matt
Jah Wobble ( John Joseph Wardle) originally came out of the band "Public Image Ltd" and after 2 years called it a day and commenced with a Dub/World/Fusion style that he still records and performs today. Jah plays Bass and can he make it grumble and plummet to those grooves that a tasty Bass player can put down.He has done numerous collaborations, Bill Laswell being one.He is married to Zi Lan Liao who is very nifty on the Guzheng and Jah sure has put her to work with teriffic results and this one is her first recording with Jah. She has appeared numerous times since and would contribute to his last few albums in major contributions .Around 1997 Jah Wobble formed his own label "30 Hertz" and has recorded and released his own material ever since.This album was realeased through the Island label and was his last for a major company.Often I see this one in his top albums and rightfully so being a mix of World Music, Electronica and Jazz. Special mention must go to the contributions of Pharoah Saunders, Bernie Worrell, Nicky Skopelitis and Natacha Atlas.

"Heaven and Earth" is the starter and Liao ( Jahs wife) begins on the guzheng all instrumental with time changes comprising the texture of the tune and within this we have Jah doing Bass,Drums and gong,with also other musicians adding bamboo flute,keyboards,congas and bell. The guzheng sounds beautiful with that long sound that just hangs and the track is interspersed with Bamboo Flute and a modern style of music providing the substance..'A Love Song" follows and here we get Natacha Atlas doing vocals in Arabic and I just love her voice with how she hangs on to those notes in the Middle Eastern style.Jah is doing the Bass, Drums and Keyboards with Justin Adams on guitar. Track 3 and 4 are primarily Orchestrated with Jah doing Bass and drums on the 4th And now we come to " Gone To Croation" where Pharoah Saunders ( soprano sax and flute), Bernie Worrell ( keyboards), Nicky Skopoletis ( guitar,acoustic guitar) DJ Rob Smith ( turntable), Ayidb Dieng( shatan,gong), Jerome Bigfoot Bradley ( drums) make their first appearance on the album and one very nice slow bass groover with Pharoah playing soprano predominately over the top and one very relaxing song is the reasult.Of course Jah is doing bass. Track 6 'Hit Me is my fave maybe it is the tempo but it is the fastest on the album which it realy is one rapid beat interspesed to break it up with the use of 2 turntables ,and it works. Pharoah is all over this one on tenor and Bernie is doing synth. The last track is "Om Nava Shiva' and with a name like that you bet it is Indian influenced with some nice tabla.

Excellent album when one wants to hear something different. Since its release back in 1995 it has had many a play here at home.
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