Ranglin Roots (Water Lily, 1976)

*GUEST REVIEW*
In an era of declining record sales, digital dominance, and the rapid loss of "Mom and Pop" record stores across the nation, I constantly find myself having to search far and wide outside my domain for rare gems. Quite frankly, there are few better feelings than digging in the crates and unleashing yet another long forgotten masterpiece. The quest has again paid off in full with the unearthing of Ernest Ranglin's Ranglin Roots. To this scribe's ear, this may be the first (and only?) Jamaican album of reggae-jazz-funk fusion. It sounds somewhere in between Herbie Hancock's Headhunters, Bitches Brew, and the Mahavishnu Orchestra (name dropping ends here), yet at the same time it puts a whole new spin on the world of fusion. Here, we find Ranglin back in Jamaica after a year's stint as the in-house guitarist at the legendary Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London. In command of a massive band, Ranglin sounds elated to play once again with his JA brethren, and he is full of newfound inspiration from his jaunt abroad. Legends are found all over this album, from Junior Douglas to Mikey "Boo" Richards on drums, to the uncanny horn section of Cedric Im Brooks, Herman Marquis, Joe McCormak, and Jackie Willacy. In addition, the great Bongo Herman is found on percussion, and finally Mikey Chung and Billy Johnson round out the polished sound on guitar. Chung and Ranglin trade lines to jaw-dropping effect on numerous occasions, but the standouts must include the title track and "Love is Loving June." The horn arrangements (credited to Ranglin) are beyond hypnotic and require repeated listening. The capstone arrives, fittingly, at the end with the Jazz-Nyabinghi ode to the late great Count Ossie.

- John Francis