Burning Spear Man In The Hills CD

Along with fellow St. Ann's Parish native Bob Marley, Burning Spear was considered one of the main proponents of reggae when 1976's MAN IN THE HILLS was released. Although "Burning Spear" was used to refer to the vocal trio of Winston Rodney, Rupert Wellington and Delroy Hines, it was Rodney who was rightfully known as Spear (especially since he was the one who borrowed the name from Jomo Kenyatta, hero of Kenyan independence).

Fueled by devotion to Rastafarianism and a keen interest in educating the world about black culture and history, Spear used a thick groove and plenty of horns as the glue for his fourth album. Always a keenly insightful lyricist, Spear used the desert as a metaphor for spiritual barrenness in "Black Soul," while the ocean becomes symbolic of bounty throughout the bubbly "Children." Spear denounces the evils of Babylon (a remake of his 1969 single "Door Peep"), extols the virtues of pacifism ("No More War"), and makes an uplifting call to enlightenment (the flute-driven "People Get Ready"). After recording this roots-reggae classic, Spear severed his ties with independent producer Jack Ruby, along with Wellington and Hines.

DRY & HEAVY represents the delineation of a new chapter in Burning Spear's (a.k.a. Winston Rodney) career as this was the first album he cut after splitting with producer Jack Ruby and backup singers Rupert Wellington and Delroy Hines (who'd been incorrectly perceived as part of a group called Burning Spear). For this album, Rodney, who was always a shrewd judge of musical talent, surrounded himself with some of Jamaica's finest studio musicians, including members of the Wailers and Skatalites.

Free of Ruby's heavy hand, Spear's production style is more upbeat and as a result, his voice soars as he sings about the Jamaican countryside on "Any River" and praises "The Sun" amidst some lively horn arrangements. Throughout DRY & HEAVY, guitarist Chinna Smith chimes in with crackling riffs as keyboardists Tonter Harvey and brothers Earl and Willie Lindo generously dollop in swirling keyboard runs as Spear preaches about pacifism ("Throw Down Your Arms") and Creationism ("It's a Long Way Around"). Burning Spear's fifth studio album perfectly merges this deeply religious man's musical and philosophic views.

Out-of-print in the US. Man in the Hills is a reggae album by Jamaican musician Burning Spear (Winston Rodney), released in 1976 on Island Records. Man in the Hills was follow-up to the seminal Marcus Garvey; Man in the Hills is usually considered a worthy follow-up produced by Jack Ruby. It is a simple and unadorned album, with songs that reminisce about Spear's childhood in St. Anne's Bay, Jamaica.Recorded at Randy's Recording Studio, North Parade; and Harry J Studio, Roosevelt Avenue, Kingston, Jamaica.

Recorded at Harry J Studios, Kingston, Jamaica.

Recorded at Randy's Recording Studio and Harry Jay's Recording Studio, Kingston, Jamaica. Includes liner notes by Carl Gayle.

Personnel: Winston Rodney (vocals, percussion); Chinna Smith, Roots Kinsley, Ranchie (guitar); Marquis (alto saxophone); "Dirty Harry" Hall (tenor saxophone); Bobbie Ellis (trumpet); Trommie (trombone); W. Lindo, T. Harvey (keyboards); Robbie Shakespeare, Aston "Family Man" Barrett (bass); Horsemouth Wallace (drums); Sticky Skully (percussion).

Burning Spear includes: Winston Rodney.