| Dejazzmatch (Ion, 1998) Shaka Man is a veteran reggae musician who founded the respected Los Angeles group The Rastafarians in the '80s and has released several solo albums since then. While the highly regarded Rastafarians album Orthodox is -- as its name implies -- a strict roots affair, Dejazzmatch -- again, as the name implies -- is a more diverse offering. Oddly, jazz isn't the most immediate influence; it's more pop and R&B with a touch of gospel and calypso, but the reigning sound is dancehall. Dejazzmatch showcases Shaka Man's range, as he switches from roots singer to dancehall DJ with surprising ease and competency. It's expected that he'd be adept at the roots style of "Fire Fire" and "Another Wake Up Call" -- which has all the makings of a classic -- but the dancehall vibe of "Black Man Kill a Black Man" and "Poor Man Skanking" are unexpected treats, the latter in particular an ominous, sparse tune that runs contrary to the smiling face on the album's cover. When he ventures into R&B territory, Shaka Man usually goes the Curtis Mayfield route, complete with falsetto -- as on "Keep It Strong in the City," "Get to Heaven," and "Only Just a Dream," -- with some success. (However, his attempt to rap on the insufferable "Get to Heaven" conjures up memories of "The Super Bowl Shuffle.") Mere competence in dancehall, though, doesn't make for a great album. Tracks like "New Year New Style," "Need Not Look No More," "Babylon in a Problem," and "No Tell Motell" are the sort of generic '90s digital tunes that unfortunately dominate this album. Dejazzmatch is not a great set by any means, but if you can pick it up cheap (and you probably can), there are a few goodies waiting for you to savor. |
| Track Listing 1. Dejazzmatch 2. Another Wake Up Call 3. Keep It Strong in the City 4. Black Man Kill a Black Man 5. Poor Man Skanking 6. Get to Heaven 7. New Year New Style 8. Fire Fire 9. Only Just a Dream 10. Argument 11. No Tell Motell 12. Need Not Look No More 13. Babylon in a Problem 14. Old de Moon |
 |