Appointment with His Majesty
| Appointment With His Majesty | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1997 | |||
| Recorded | 1997 | |||
| Genre | Reggae | |||
| Length | 57:54 | |||
| Label | Heartbeat Records[1] | |||
| Producer | Burning Music Production | |||
| Burning Spear chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 Burning Music release | ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| 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.
- "The Future (Clean It Up)" – 4:47
- "Appointment With His Majesty" – 4:20
- "Play Jerry" – 4:39
- "Reggae Physician" – 4:25
- "Glory Be to Jah" – 5:04
- "Don't Sell Out" – 4:33
- "Come in Peace" – 4:23
- "African Jamaican" – 5:02
- "My Island" – 4:54
- "Commercial Development" – 5:21
- "Music" – 4:54
- "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]
- ^ a b Larkin, Colin (May 27, 2011). "The Encyclopedia of Popular Music". Omnibus Press – via Google Books.
- ^ "Appointment With His Majesty - Burning Spear | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ "Burning Spear Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ Thompson, Clifford (October 7, 2020). "Contemporary World Musicians". Routledge – via Google Books.
- ^ "Burning Spear". Billboard.
- ^ Prahlad, Anand (November 9, 2001). "Reggae Wisdom: Proverbs in Jamaican Music". Univ. Press of Mississippi – via Google Books.
- ^ "Nightlife". New York. 30 (36): 119. Sep 22, 1997.
- ^ "BURNING SPEAR". The Washington Post. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ Cawley, Jimmy (11 Sep 1997). "BURNING SPEAR APPOINTMENT WITH HIS MAJESTY". The Boston Globe. Calendar. p. 35.
- ^ Milano, Brett (Jan 1998). "Appointment with His Majesty". Stereo Review. 63 (1): 94.
