Ernest Ranglin & Avila - Avila featuring Ernest Ranglin EP + Bless Up (Avila Street Records)

If their debut EP still sounded jazzy with some South African influences (drummer Inx Herman has South African roots and Ranglin himself already explored South African music on his 2005 release 'Alextown') thrown in, then on 'Bless Up' other genres are also explored: opener 'Bond Street Express' starts of as an Indian raga but then changes into a delightful reggae instrumental which thanks to Charlie Wilson's trombone playing could just as easily have been a track from Rico Rodriguez' 'Man From Wareika' album, the sound of Michael Peloquin's harmonica in songs like 'Sivan' and especially 'El Mescalero' provides them with a bit of a Toots Thielemans-vibe and with Abdullah Ibrahim's 'Bra Joe From Kilimanjaro' Ranglin just the once opts for a cover version (on 'Avila featuring Ernest Ranglin' Ibrahim's 'Manenberg' was also already featured). Absolute gem of an album for those who like instrumental ska, rocksteady and reggae with a jazzy undertone!