Rootz Revealerz - Skylark EP (Self-published)

For this 'Skylark' EP (in Jamaican patois, skylarking is used to describe idling, hanging around for no apparent reason), the band was able to call on a truly impressive range of musicians: Errol 'Flabba' Holt, Dwight Pinkney, Robbie Lynn, Steven 'Cat' Coore, Dean Fraser, Nambo Robinson, Skully Simms, Duane Stephenson, Earl 'Chinna' Smith... they all lent a hand with commendable results. Title track 'Skylark' is a reggae adaptation of the 1941 jazz classic by Johnny Mercer and Hoagy Carmichael and closing track 'Back To The Island' is a cover as well, this time of Leon Russel's 1975 country classic of the same name. For 'Hard Times', a song over the Shank I Sheck riddim, Rootz Revealerz opted for the use of a classic riddim. Of course, the brothers Manning also managed to entice The Abyssinians themselves to join them in the studio ('Bed Of Roses'), but Ras Goudie (be sure to check the contagious 'Rudeboy'), The Tamlins and CP Ink also make an appearance on 'Skylark'. Amateurs of the better reggae art should finally also check out www.freestylee.net, the website of Michael Thompson aka Freestylee, responsible for the cover design of 'Skylark'.