The song “Marcus Garvey” taken from some Island
Records
compilation was my first introduction to Burning Spear, but its impact was
great enough to seek out the Spear’s latest release at the time, which was the
double Live In Paris
The appeal for me is hard to explain; Winston Rodney
possesses a unique voice, but certainly one that isn’t that impressive in terms
of style or range. What I can tell you is that there’s something inherently
honest about it. The phrasing suggests something of a higher calling at stake,
which is exactly right when you consider how many mantra’s this man has devoted
to his hero, Marcus Garvey, and his religion, Rastafarism.
While not as immediate as his first live release, 1977’s Live, 1988’s Live In Paris Zenith ’88 finds Rodney as more of a respected elder
of reggae music, one of the last remnants of the genre’s prolific and vital
watershed releases from the previous decade where everyone seemed to
incorporate a reggae style in their own material, and for some, going as far as
to start careers from the impact of the genre.
From day one, Burning Spear existed out of Rodney’s
spirituality, and it’s still in clear focus on Live In Paris with his frequent exclamations of “Rastafarai!” and
use of repeated phrasing, almost as if Rodney is trying to evoke the spirits on
stage for the crowd to behold and worship.
His band is top notch, tight, and very professional, giving
Rodney full reign of the stage to unleash an almost larger than life character
that the French crowd seems to respect and revere based on their recorded
reactions.
Live In Paris Zenith
’88 also seemed to serve as the beginning of Rodney’s resurgence (he signed
to Island’s Mango subdivision afterwards and even offered a great rendition of
the Grateful Dead’s “Estimated Prophet” for a Dead tribute album) which came in
the wake of this notable release which earned him his third Grammy nomination.
“You cannot kill this lion!” Rodney is known to declare, and
on Live in Paris
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