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Tchiya Amet &
the Light House
Band
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TEXAS PLATTERS by David
Lynch from
the Austin Chronicle 02-04-00:
Crucial Reggae ain’t dead,
not if Tchiya Amet’s even-tempoed debut Rise Again Truth (Milky Way) is any indication. Local
singer/keyboardist Amet and handpicked area musicians supply the intricate
and airy musical red carpet for this Soul Sista’s reasonings on living a
natural, ital life. Still, two
things distinguish Rise Again Truth from other lyrically intense reggae: jazzy
arrangements and the incorporation of Native American tradition. On the
propelling “Lakota: 4 Directions” for example, Amet mixes Rastafari
Theology with indigenous mythology, the music evoking a hypothetical blend
of Finnish sensation Varttina vocal harmonies, Burning Spear’s saxophone,
and Aston “Family Man” Barrett bass grooves. Likewise, a Native American
Mallard flute flows through the Cherokee song “Tsalagi Thankful,” with the
outcome being a far cry from New Age thanks to drop riddim beats and dub
breaks. On opener “Natural Life,” Amet’s voice evokes the glassy phrasing
of Sade, but with more straight-ahead conviction. Edwin Livingston’s
donates killer basswork throughout, but shines on “Reservation Ragtime
Blues” and “Rastafari is Universal,” a tune in which Amet alludes - like
Dizzy Gillespie’s brilliant “Kush” - to the great African Kingdom that gave
rise to the Pharaohs. Some may find the dread lyrics a bit preachy, but Rise
Again Truth is - musically and
lyrically - head and shoulders above the lovey-dovey pop reggae. Some
tracks (“Natural Woman”) can stand alone as
instrumentals. Jah Live!
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Milky Way Records & Productions
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