General Jah Mikey’s tasty yard food

About a year ago Zion High Productions issued the excellent various artists compilation Jah Golden Throne. One of the many highlights was veteran Jamaican singer General Jah Mikey’s Set A Way. Zion I Kings – the producers behind that compilation – has now produced an entire album with this resonant voiced singer.

Zion I Kings is synonymous with well-produced, breezy and soulful productions and General Jah Mikey’s Original Yard Food is no exception. The live-played riddims are superbly executed and the arrangements with jazzy horns, easy skanking guitar and sweet flute and melodica are sublime.

The beautiful harmonies complement General Jah Mikey’s soothing, calm and no-frills vocal style very well. He sounds like a more whiskey-voiced Sugar Minott when he effortlessly rides the riddims.

General Jah Mikey has been in the music business since the mid 80’s and has tried and tested several music styles, including jungle and dubstep. I have not heard much from him prior to this album, but I really hope that he’ll continue in this vein.

Original Yard Food is now available on CD.

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Jah Golden Throne is a cohesive and soulful journey

U.S. production trio Zion I Kings – David Goldfine from Zion High Productions, Alfred Laurent from I Grade and Andrew Bain from Lustre Kings – have over the past two years delivered several accomplished sets from Jahdan Blakkamoore, Perfect and former soul singer Toussaint.

And now comes a compilation with 16 tunes signed and delivered by these extremely talented and passionate producers.

Jah Golden Throne features original and contemporary roots riddims voiced by old and new artists from across the reggae spectrum and from around the world. It’s a set with a rich, full-bodied and rootsy sound set to stimulate heart, mind and soul.

All tunes are recorded with live instrumentation with particularly tasteful horn arrangements and a laid-back soulful vibe, especially Toussaint’s Crown I Got with its powerful harmonies or UK veteran Lloyd Brown’s Just So That You Know, a tune perfectly suited for a hammock on the beach.

On multi-faceted singer Jahdan Blakkamoore’s World Needs Love it gets more progressive and up-tempo, while still with a gentle tone.

Other notable tracks include Puerto Rican singer Chet Samuel’s Empress Omega, the Tippa Irie and Lloyd Brown combination Make it Work with its rolling bass line, Jah Bless’ beautiful saxophone instrumental Highway To Zion or raspy voiced singer General Jah Mikey’s Set A Way.

The weakest track is surprisingly the U Roy and Cornell Campbell combination Babylon Yuh Wrong, their first ever studio recording, and the only tune that has been previously released.

Compilations are usually not as cohesive and solid as Jah Golden Throne, which makes this is a highly impressive album from a trio that obviously knows how to work as a team.

Jah Golden Throne drops on CD and digital download on April 3rd.