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Appointment with His Majesty

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Appointment With His Majesty
Studio album by
Released1997
Recorded1997
GenreReggae
Length57:54
LabelHeartbeat Records[1]
ProducerBurning Music Production
Burning Spear chronology
Living Dub Vol. 3
(1996)
Appointment With His Majesty
(1997)
Living Dub Vol. 4
(1999)
Alternative cover
Burning Music release
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[1]

Appointment With His Majesty is a studio album by the Jamaican reggae singer Burning Spear.[3][4] It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album at the 40th Grammy Awards, in 1998.

The album peaked at No. 10 on Billboard's Reggae Albums chart.[5]

Production

[edit]

The title track is thought to be a polemic about the rise of dancehall music.[6] "Play Jerry" is a tribute to Jerry Garcia.[7]

Critical reception

[edit]

The Washington Post wrote that "the reggae ... is typically swirling and hypnotic, but this is first and foremost message music."[8] The Boston Globe thought that "the formula is simple: mesmerizing bass lines, snappy horns and Spear's own time-worn voice, reflecting conscious themes and Pan-African concerns."[9] Stereo Review concluded that Spear "remains a quietly persuasive singer with often overlooked knacks for melody and topical bite; 'Commercial Development' and 'Don't Sell Out' strike back at the industrialization of both Jamaica and reggae."[10]

Track listing

[edit]
  • All songs written and arranged by Winston Rodney.
  1. "The Future (Clean It Up)" – 4:47
  2. "Appointment With His Majesty" – 4:20
  3. "Play Jerry" – 4:39
  4. "Reggae Physician" – 4:25
  5. "Glory Be to Jah" – 5:04
  6. "Don't Sell Out" – 4:33
  7. "Come in Peace" – 4:23
  8. "African Jamaican" – 5:02
  9. "My Island" – 4:54
  10. "Commercial Development" – 5:21
  11. "Music" – 4:54
  12. "Loving You" – 4:57

Credits

[edit]
  • Published by Burning Spear Publishing, ASCAP.
  • Executive producer – Sonia Rodney
  • Recorded at Grove Recording Studio, Ocho Rios, St. Ann's.
  • Edited by Barry O'Hare
  • Mixed by Barry O'Hare and Winston Rodney.
  • Assistant engineer – Bobby Hawthorne
  • Project Coordinator for Heartbeat - Garret Vandermolen
  • Sequencing - Chris Wilson
  • Mastered by Dr. Toby Mountain at Northeastern Digital Recording, Southborough, MA.
  • Photography by Dana Siles
  • Design by Jean-Pierre LeGuillou

Musicians

[edit]
  • Winston Rodney - vocals, congas, percussion, background vocals
  • Nelson Miller - drums
  • James Smith - trumpet
  • Lenval Jarrett - rhythm guitar
  • Num H.S. Amun’Tehu - percussion, background vocals
  • Steven Stewart - keyboards
  • Rupert Bent - lead guitar
  • Ronald "Nambo" Robinson - trombone
  • Howard Messam - saxophone
  • Barry O'Hare - keyboard
  • Carol "Passion" Nelson - background vocals
  • Edna Rodney - background vocals
  • Rachell Bradshaw - background vocals
  • Yvonne Patrick - background vocals
  • Sharon Gordon - background vocals

Additional Musicians

  • Tony Williams - drums
  • Trevor McKenzie - bass
  • Collin Elliot - bass
  • Robbie Lyn - keyboard, background vocals
  • Ian "Beezy" Coleman - rhythm, lead guitar ("Play Jerry")
  • Junior "Chico" Chin - trumpet ("Play Jerry")
  • Uziah "Sticky" Thompson - percussion ("Play Jerry")
  • Tony Green - saxophone ("Play Jerry")

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Larkin, Colin (May 27, 2011). "The Encyclopedia of Popular Music". Omnibus Press – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "Appointment With His Majesty - Burning Spear | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  3. ^ "Burning Spear Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  4. ^ Thompson, Clifford (October 7, 2020). "Contemporary World Musicians". Routledge – via Google Books.
  5. ^ "Burning Spear". Billboard.
  6. ^ Prahlad, Anand (November 9, 2001). "Reggae Wisdom: Proverbs in Jamaican Music". Univ. Press of Mississippi – via Google Books.
  7. ^ "Nightlife". New York. 30 (36): 119. Sep 22, 1997.
  8. ^ "BURNING SPEAR". The Washington Post. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  9. ^ Cawley, Jimmy (11 Sep 1997). "BURNING SPEAR APPOINTMENT WITH HIS MAJESTY". The Boston Globe. Calendar. p. 35.
  10. ^ Milano, Brett (Jan 1998). "Appointment with His Majesty". Stereo Review. 63 (1): 94.