Awake Zion Cedella Marley-Booker Danceteria Cedella Marley-Booker & Aston Barrett May 20, 1991 ½
Track Listings:
1. Awake Zion 2. He Is a Rastaman 3. Redemption Songs
4. Stay Alive 5. You've Got to Move 6. Something in a Something 7. Mother Don't Cry 8. Put It on (Lord I Thank You) 9. Don't Trouble Me Band 10. Goodnight (Just One More Time)
Credits Bob Marley (Composer), Betty Wright (Vocals (Background)), Alfa Anderson Barfield (Guitar), Aston Barrett (Bass), Aston Barrett (Producer), Carlton "Carlie" Barrett (Drums), Cedella Marley Booker (Composer), Cedella Marley Booker (Vocals), Cedella Marley Booker (Vocals (Background)), Cedella Marley Booker (Producer), Cedella Marley Booker (Main Performer), Errol Brown (Engineer), Errol Brown (Mixing), James Brown (Organ), James Brown (Piano), James Brown (Fender Rhodes), James Brown (Associate Producer), Eric Frater (Guitar), Eric Frater (Guitar (Rhythm)), Leroy Hamilton (Guitar), Leroy Hamilton (Guitar (Rhythm)), Amos Larkins (Keyboards), Amos Larkins, Earl Lindo (Organ), Tommy McCarthy (Photography), Dr. Toby Mountain (Digital Mastering), Oswald Palmer (Engineer), Mark Richmond (Engineer), Karen Smith (Vocals (Background)), Sporty (Producer), Mike Spring (Engineer), Mike Spring (Assistant Engineer), Stephen Allen Davis (Liner Notes), Ora (Vocals (Background)), Steven Jurgensmeyer (Cover Design), Mark Falls (Cover Design), Felicia Hines (Vocals (Background)), Derrick Malcolm (Vocals (Background)), Al Anderson (Guitar), Lynn Brown (Vocals (Background)), Junior Marvin (Guitar)
The mother of Bob Marley, grandmother of Ziggy Marley and mother-in-law of Rita Marley, Cedella Marley Booker pays tribute to her late son on the earthy Awake Zion. Drawing heavily on African-American gospel and R&B (especially the Memphis soul of Stax Records), the Jamaican singer offers music that's comparable to what one might expect from the Staple Singers -- except that her lyrics are inspired by the Rastafarian faith rather than Christianity. Especially poignant are "Stay Alive" and "Mother Don't Cry," both written by Booker (who turned 70 in 1996 and became a great grandmother with the birth of Ziggy's son Daniel) shortly after Bob Marley's death from cancer in 1981. Quite appropriately, most of the players employed on this CD were members of Bob's band, the Wailers. Avoiding pop embellishment and opting for simplicity, Booker and the band make Awake Zion a collection that is as honest as it is moving.
Smilin' Island of Song Cedella Marley-Booker Warner Bros. Taj Mahal October 27, 1992
Track Listings:
1. Introduction 2. Tingalayo 3. Chi Chi Buddo 4. Elena 5. Sweet Guava Jelly Dehya 6. Matty Roll 7. The Banana Boat Song 8. Ooey Gooey The Silly Worm 9. Colon Man 10. Jah Wanna Dance 11. De Buggy Bruk 12. Brown Girl In The Ring 13. Three Little Birds 14. Instrument Identification
Credits Taj Mahal (Guitar), Taj Mahal (Vocals), Taj Mahal (Producer), David Lindley (Banjo), David Lindley (Guitar), David Lindley (Mandolin), Cedella Marley Booker (Vocals), Cedella Marley Booker (Main Performer), Par Cockett (Guitar), Par Cockett (Ukulele), Warren Dennis (Synthesizer), Warren Dennis (Assistant Producer), Poncho Graham (Guitar (Bass)), Rita Lackey (Vocals (Background)), Kandice Love (Vocals), Kandice Love (Vocals (Background)), Fred Lunt (Slide Guitar), Imani Nyah (Vocals), Leib Ostrow (Producer), Jim Rothermel (Clarinet), Jim Rothermel (Recorder), Jim Rothermel (Sax (Soprano)), Jim Rothermel (Whistle (Instrument)), Jim Rothermel (Penny Whistle), Kester Smith (Arranger), Kester Smith (Conga), Kester Smith (Drums), Kester Smith (Triangle), Kester Smith (Handclapping), Kester Smith (Cowbell), Kester Smith (Cabasa), Patrick Cockett (Ukulele), Patrick Cockett (Slack Key Guitar), A. Reid Reynolds (Art Direction), Fred Dente (Associate Producer), Ami Goldberg (Editing), Winston "Horseman" Williams (Voices)
Smilin' Island of Song is a musical tour of Jamaica hosted by Cedella Marley-Booker (mother of the late Bob Marley), is nowhere near as fun as it should be. As the disc begins, we join a young girl named Jenny on her trip to visit Mother Booker in Jamaica, where we'll meet various human and animal personalities as we journey around the island. The music is great, a sort of reggae/calypso fusion with traditional folksongs that kids will love. But the between-song patter that links the tunes together is difficult to follow and sometimes downright obnoxious -- one of the characters, an unidentified animal whose name seems to be Mattie, punctuates everything he says with a nerve-shredding hyena laugh. The album's highlights are provided by multi-instrumentalist David Lindley and the wonderful singing of Taj Mahal.
Radio Shows 
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