NEW ON CD
"Tree of Satta: Volume 1"
The Abyssinians and Friends
(Blood and Fire)
CD shows you can never
get too much of the
‘greatest Rasta anthem’
"There is a land/far, far away/Where there's no night/ There's only day ... The King of Kings/and the Lord of Lords/Sit upon his throne/and He rules us all ..."
These are the lyrics to "the greatest Rasta anthem and a genuine roots classic." So rightly notes Steve Barton, compiler and annotator of this excellent compilation of versions of "Satta Massa Gana" ("give thanks" in the Amharic language of Ethiopia), a vision of paradise for the dispossessed everywhere.
This collection covers a 30-year stretch that dates back to the crucial 1969 original by the vocal trio the Abyssinians. You would think that listening to a 70-minute-plus CD of basically the same song -- albeit with its rock-solid riddim and a haunting sax/trombone harmony line -- would be wearying, but it's a fascinating march through the very best of more than 400 recordings. It's an apt representation of the constant rebirthing of this song.
"Satta Massa Gana" was actually considered a dance hall tune originally, but in these times of hyperbeats and rump shakin', it sounds pretty tame to what's out there now. But of the contemporary versions of the song, three stand out in particular: Tony Tuff's "How Long," Jah Mali's "Cornerstone" and "Good and Bad," filled with the exhortations of Anthony B. These interpretations are nearly strident and not cautionary in the older roots-biblical way.
The same can be said for current superstars Yami Bolo and Capleton's versions: "Conspiracy" is apocalyptic in tone, with the familiar waterhouse-style vocalizing of Yami Bolo, while "Dislocate" is downright militant.
Abyssinian vocalist Bernard Collins actually revisited the song twice later in his career -- his solo version titled "Satta Me No Born Yah" is an even more impassioned plea for justice, while "Satta Don" was recorded in 1995.
Not all the vocalists took a serious approach to the song: "I Saw Esau" has Dillinger doing some light, nursery rhyme-influenced toasting, and Guyana-born Natural Black is absolutely cheery on "It's a Joy."
The best straight-out singing found here is from Manchester, England-born Luciano on "Man of Jah Order."
There are also deejay-toasting and instrumental versions of the song throughout the compilation. Big Youth's "I Pray Thee" uses the original backing tracks, Prince Far I's "Wisdom" uses a dub version and, best of all, U-Roy chants "Blessed" over another dub version.
On the instrumental tip, tenor saxophonist Tommy McCook, trumpeter Vivian Hall and an unknown tambourine player grace the original backing tracks with "Mandela," premiere guitarist Ernest Ranglin gets jazzy on "Ranglin Satta" and another great Jamaican musician, saxist Dean Fraser, ends the compilation on a reflective note with "Dahina Dimps."
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