Upon securing support from Island Records after they heard an early demo of Africa in 1976, Emmanuel Rico Rodriguez returned to his hometown of Kingston to create an album which showcased his unique musical and spiritual life-journey.
From his education at the prestigious music school of The Alpha Institute, to his decade as an in-demand session musician in London, Rico draws on his exposure to a diverse array of musical environments in order to form an inspired sonic landscape of Jamaican jazz and roots reggae. But it was the period during his early adulthood, living in Count Ossie’s Rastarfian settlement in the hills of Wareika which lends its name to the record, as Rico opts to pay tribute to this formative experience by using his gift of music to consciously represent his people.
Having spent years as a collaborator and contributor to the likes of Georgie Fame, Dandy Livingstone, Toots and the Maytals and Bob Marley; on this record he flourishes at the helm of the project, proving himself as an astute arranger and talented composer. Orchestrating a firm undercarriage of a smooth-roots rhythm, he tactically conveys sentiments of spirituality and suffering through a horn-lead exploration into his musical mindset. Perhaps for the first time in the history of roots reggae, the spotlight is placed firmly on the role of the trombone as it assumes melodic responsibility amidst an impressive line-up of renowned musicians and Alpha Institute alumni including Ansel Collins, Junior Marvin, Tan Tan, Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare.
Interestingly, instead of using this opportunity to show off his finessed technique and highly-accomplished prowess as a session trombonist, Rico instead prefers to deliver a range of more measured, calm and calculated riffs which project a more infectious and soulful arrangement. Encapsulating his history of playing ska, blues, roots, jazz and calypso, Rico paints a picture of his musical imagination through the forceful and striking call and response in the title track, the hypnotic tranquility of Over The Mountain and the free-jazz experimentations during Gunga Din.
After supporting Bob Marley and The Wailers during their 1977 Exodus tour of Europe, this seminal album formed the basis of Rico’s live repertoire for the following 35 years as he became one of Jamaica’s most celebrated musical ambassadors and an international pioneer of reggae and ska. Man From Wareika stands as his most creative manifestation of his musical identity, becoming one of the most heralded and significant demonstrations of a roots instrumental LP as well as serving as a blueprint for a generation of budding reggae trombonists.
Written by Julian Ball Rodriguez