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Burning Spear
Winston Rodney, also known as Burning Spear, was born on March 1, 1945, in Saint Ann's Bay, Jamaica. He is a Jamaican singer-songwriter and one of the most brilliant and respected artists in the history of Jamaican roots reggae, a subgenre of reggae music. Over the years, he has released a series of landmark albums.
As a young man, he listened to R&B, soul, and jazz music broadcasted by American radio stations that reached the Caribbean island. Curtis Mayfield, mentioned by the artist himself, was one of the main American musical influences, along with James Brown.
Burning Spear, as a young man
Curtis Mayfield James Brown
Not only music played a primary role in the young Rodney's upbringing. It was primarily the political issues concerning civil and social rights of people of color that led Spear to embrace the ideas of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) movement led by Marcus Garvey. Garvey explored themes such as Pan-Africanism and self-determination. Burning Spear would later dedicate an entire album to him.
Marcus Garvey
UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association) Demonstrations
In 1969, Bob Marley, also from Saint Ann, advised Rodney to approach Coxsone Dodd's Studio One.
Although The Wailers (Bob Marley's group) had left Studio One three years earlier, in 1966, Marley still believed it was the best place to nurture new talent.
The Burning Spear was originally Rodney's group, consisting of him and bassist Rupert Willington.
The name derived from a military award presented by Jomo Kenyatta, the first president of independent Kenya and leader of the Mau Mau.
The duo took the advice and auditioned, performing three songs for producer Dodd in 1969.
Dodd immediately chose one of them, "Door Peep," as the debut for the duo (the session also included Cedric Brooks on saxophone).
Later, they were joined by tenor Delroy Hinds, the brother of "Carry Go Bring Come."
Robert Nesta Marley
Winston Rodney together with Rupert Willington and Delroy Hinds.
Cedric Brooks
Album Rocking Time
With this lineup, Burning Spear released a series of singles for Studio One, including the Jamaican hit of 1972, "Joe Frazier (He Prayed)". The following year saw the release of the group's debut album, "Studio One Present Burning Spear," followed by "Rocking Time" in 1974.
These two albums only hinted at what would come next. Rodney, as the main vocalist, captured all the audience's attention, while Willington and Hinds provided sweet accompaniment. The lyrics were filled with emotions, infused with anger towards oppression, yet burning with a deep sense of spirituality.
The song titles spoke for themselves: "Ethiopians Live It Out," "Zion Higher," "We Are Free" — all of them focused on cultural themes of oppression, repatriation, and religious devotion. However, their power was somewhat hindered by the typical Studio One arrangements. Nevertheless, Winston Rodney considered himself lucky, as Dodd was at least releasing their recordings.
Understandably, over time Rodney would revisit many of the songs recorded at Studio One, and they would gain immensely in atmosphere with new arrangements and production.
There were more singles released, but the trio seemed unable to replicate the success of "Joe Frazier." In 1975, they parted ways with Dodd and joined forces with producer Jack Ruby. Their initial session yielded immediate results, such as "Marcus Garvey," originally intended only for sound systems. Its success was so overwhelming that Ruby was compelled to release it as a single.
Track: Ethiopians Live It Out
His follow-up, "Slavery Days," proved that the previous album was not just a stroke of luck. Inevitably, Dodd sought to capitalize on the renewed popularity of his former trio and released a handful of singles in response, taken from the Burning Spear's previous sessions with him.
Meanwhile, the group began recording the album dedicated to Marcus Garvey, produced once again by Jack Ruby and accompanied by the Black Disciples, a phenomenal band comprised of great musicians from the island.
Producer Jack Ruby
The Black Disciples
The result was one of the greatest successes ever produced in Jamaica. The dreamy atmospheres and powerful lyrics captured the listener's imagination, delving into the roots connected to black culture, skillfully portrayed by the group. After this success, the record label Island signed Burning Spear.
However, the beginning was not the best, as the label released a remixed version of the album for a "white" audience. This deeply upset the trio, and the label tried to remedy the situation by releasing Garvey's Ghost, a light dub mix that did little to appease Rodney's anger.
To ensure control over future releases, the singer founded his own label, debuting it with the single "Travelling," which was a new version of "Journey."
Album Garvey's Ghost
Album Travelling
Album Spear Burning
Album Man in the Hills
Afterward, two more singles quickly followed, "Spear Burning" and "The Youth." In 1976, he released the successor to the Marcus Garvey dedicated album, titled Man in the Hills. The album revolved around rural themes, with the Black Disciples as his accompanying band and Jack Ruby overseeing the production.
The album also featured an impressive version of "Door Peep" and the extraordinary hit "The Lion," a superb dub version remixed by Sylvan Morris.
However, towards the end of that year, Rodney severed ties not only with Ruby but also with the band members. Keeping the name Burning Spear, the singer ventured on his own and released the album Dry & Heavy. Recorded at Harry J's studio with the Black Disciples still accompanying him, he revisited old songs, including "Swell Headed," which he renamed "Black Disciples." Sylvan Morris was once again enlisted to remix the entire album.
By this time, Rodney had gained a considerable following in the United Kingdom, and in October 1977, he made his first appearance in the country, supported by the local reggae band, Aswad. It was a fabulous show held at the Rainbow Theatre in London, later immortalized in the Live album.
In 1978, he made some modifications to Social Living.
The next album, Civilized Reggae, was a blend of jazz influences with deep reggae roots. Co-produced with Karl Pitterson, and still accompanied by the Black Disciples and supported by members of Aswad, the recording took place at both Harry J's and Compass Point in the Bahamas. Sylvan Morris's dub mix was released the following year.
Track: Swell Headed
Album Social Living
Album Spear Dry & Heavy
Album Civilized Reggae
The year 1979 was a significant year for Rodney as he played a leading role in the film Rockers. His acapella performance of "Jah No Dead" was one of the film's highlights.
In the same year, he inaugurated Reggae Sunsplash, a reggae festival that would become not only a regular stop for the singer but also a landmark for music enthusiasts over time. His relationship with the Island label came to an end with the release of "Nyah Keith".
Movie poster: Rockers
Historical scene from the film Rockers where Burning Spear sings
At the dawn of the new decade, he signed with a new label, EMI. Rodney had severed all ties with his past and recorded his new album, Hail H.I.M., at Bob Marley's Tuff Gong studio with the Black Disciples and Family Man Barrett co-producing it.
Sylvan Morris was once again called upon and tasked with remixing a dub version of the album.
Album Hail H.I.M.
These five studio albums, starting from Marcus Garvey, remain precious gems not only for the artist but for the time itself.
In 1982, he signed a deal with the Heartbeat label in the United States and recorded the album Farover for them.
The album featured a new group, the Burning Band, and it was evident that Winston was entering a new musical era. For the first time, he was seriously exploring non-cultural themes, which was noticeable with the single "She's Mine."
The Fittest of the Fittest continued this path, but it was with the album Resistance the following year that he received a Grammy nomination. It was also the last album for the American label, and shortly after, he signed a contract with the independent label Slash. The debut came with People of the World, which garnered another Grammy nomination.
In 1988, Mistress Music followed, but it suffered from poor production. Things improved with the album Live in Paris: Zenith, recorded at a show in May of the same year. He experienced a series of great successes, received another Grammy nomination, but witnessed the dissolution of the Burning Band at the end of the European tour.
Album Farover
Album Live in Paris Zenith '88
Album People of the World
Album The Fittest of the Fittest
Two years later, Rodney emerged with a new supporting band, which astonishingly saw him returning to Island, signing a new contract, and recording the album Men We Dweet. This time, the artist had managed to find the right mix he had always desired, a bubbling blend of jazz-infused jams, pop, and light reggae, a departure from his earlier albums for the same label.
His performances in the United States also thrived, fueled by great showcases, giving his best at the Sunsplash festival.
In 1991, he decided to record a tribute album to the Grateful Dead, titled Deadicated: A Tribute to the Grateful Dead. In the same year, he released another album, Jah Kingdom, which, although "light" like its predecessor, contains a hypnotic atmosphere.
At that point, he once again decided to leave Island and return to the Heartbeat label, where he recorded the album The World Should Know in 1993, earning him another extraordinary Grammy nomination.
In 1994, he released Love and Peace, an album that features live recordings, some of the hottest in recent years.
The artist remained constantly and successfully on tour throughout the decade, at the expense of recording time.
Album Jah Kingdom
Album Mek We Dweet
Album Love & Peace
Album The World Should Know
However, he continued to release albums on a semi-annual basis, starting with Rasta Business in 1995, which also earned a Grammy nomination. The same goes for Appointment with His Majesty, which saw him experimenting with a distinctly folk sound. It seemed that the musician was in an eternal cycle of Grammy nominations without ever achieving a true victory.
But everything changed in 1999 when he finally won with the album Calling Rastafari. A well-deserved recognition. He repeated this feat in 2009 with the album Jah is Real.
In 2000, he performed in Cape Town, South Africa, alongside another reggae music icon, Joseph Hill, as part of their Home to my Roots Tour.
Album Rasta Business
Album Calling Rastafari
Album Live
Album Jah is Real
In 2002, he and his wife, Sonia Rodney, relaunched the Burning Music Records label, giving him a greater degree of artistic control and releasing nearly forty singles. Since the mid-1990s, he has been living in Queens, New York.
On October 15, 2007, he was honored with the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer.
In 2016, Rodney announced his retirement, but in 2022, he returned to perform in Spain at the Rototom Sunsplash, in London, United Kingdom, and in the United States, in the cities of San Diego, Los Angeles, and Denver.
In conclusion, I leave you with the words written directly by him in his website BIO.
"The future is mine. The road is foggy, I will travel slowly through the mist. To reach My destiny, of freedom.
Musician, community icon, educator, spiritual upliftment; Burning Spear's importance to the culture existed before the media spotlight, and it has only grown since.
For nearly four decades and 25 albums, he has carried the torch of the gospel of political activist Marcus Garvey, promoting self-determination and self-sufficiency for African descendants through lyrics and rhythms that truly convey messages of peace and love for all."
Performance at the Montreux Jazz Festiva,l in Europe.
Source Articles:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Winehouse
Official Burning Spear Website: https://www.burningspearwebsite.com/bio
All Music: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/burning-spear-mn0000641994/biography?1669818274519
© All image copyrights belong to Winston Rodney (aka Burning Spear).