Roots Archives Forum

Anyone that has heard the album One Essence by Cedric Im Brooks? Basically a Light of Saba release from the 70's. Some incredible songs on it. Not as strong as the Light of Saba LP on Total Sounds but a very fine album still.

there is a very interesting Light of Saba 12 inch as well:

http://www.popsike.com/MICHAEL-SMITH-LI ... 73988.html

To kalcidis: I am collecting reggae music since at least 15 years and have never heard of the "one essence" LP. Sounds great and very rare! Unfortunately very expensive..3 copies can be found at popsike..2 of them 500+...
That band (or maybe group of musicians fits better as they switched quite alot) really fascinates me!
Do you have a copy? There is also a repress of some unreleased Cedric IM Brooks Stuff which is called "One Truth". This seems to be a mixture of Count Ossie and Light of Saba stuff.

This is the first Light of Saba release, although this site has wrongly listed it as a compilation:

http://www.roots-archives.com/release/3083

Cedric Im Brookes' "United Africa" is highly recommended also.

Can't say I've ever come across "One Essence" either. It sounds very interesting indeed!

Lee Kingston wrote:From my point of view the first two light of saba LPs (light of saba / light of saba in reggae) are amoung the best and heaviest stuff ever to come from Jamaica! For these guys only the sky is the limit! Their musi goes far beyond the normal reggae limits as they added a lot of free-jazz in it. I also paid big money to have them - but I am very happy! Though 450 (UK Punds, USD, Euros?)sounds very high...

USD

CEDRIC BROOKS - ONE ESSENCE - HIGH NOTE DISK PRESSERS - 1977

It's been a number of years I held this LP in my hands and made a copy on cassette. This was in pre-MP3 times. I should have it somewhere. Time to rediscover and digitalize it! The LP was from a private collection, impossible to find copies in the market. I remember that it was rather jazzy, more similar to "United Africa" than to "Light of Saba" or "Light of Saba in Reggae". One of the songs, "Blackness of Darkness" is included on a sampler called "Calypsoul 70 - Caribbean Soul and Calypso Crossover 1969-1979" and should still be in circulation as a free download on one of the thousands of Reggae-blogspot sites.

It's a nice album. Wouldn't mind having it at all.

There are a few really strong songs on it. Not surprisingly the albums feels like a meeting between nyahbinghi drumming and jazz with reggae being the foundation (as most Saba albums do).

The song »Blackness of Darkness« I can understand why it's so hyped since it's so damn funky. It has a majestic horns arrangement which segues into a latin-esque trumpet and a thumping funky bass line. It must have gone down well with the funk-crate-diggers.

Some of the tracks have steppers rhythms but the arrangement make them more akin to the disco sound than what we generally know as steppers in reggae.

Other tracks are mellow arrangements and might perhaps be best described as soft reggae ballads or even jazzy lounge reggae.

It's a nice album but if I had to chose between all of their albums I'd go for the eponymous Light of Saba album or the sophomore album every time. One Essence is great but not nearly as great as those two are.

uhuru label had some nice 7s too - lambs bread collie ,reissued? i thought honest jons re done the lp ,i may be mistaken

Back to ONE ESSENCE. I completely agree that the Light of Saba-Albums are stronger, their first LP under this name (the first release "From Mento to Reggae..." went under the group name "Divine Light") being really seminal. It's a pity that Honest Jon's issued only a compilation of Cedric Brooks & The Light of Saba and never a reissue of this milesstone-album. Some very strong titles are lacking.

ONE ESSENCE however is NOT a Light of Saba production. I think it's important to note that Cedric Brooks went into a different direction after separating with this group. But I agree, the magic that Brooks developped with this group gets lost in the later recordings. The Light of Saba went on recording SABEBE without Cedric Brooks and Brooks continued with other ensembles and Solo projects. Both are not as strong as the early stuff. In my opinion Brooks was strongest as arranger with Count Ossie and the Mystical Revelation of Rastafari and then with the Light of Saba, producing 4 or 5 albums that are about the best ever to be produced in terms of Rasta Music.

However, the somewhere above mentioned single of Light of Saba with Dub-poet Michael Smith is indeed very strong. The version of "Roots" delivered here is much stronger than those on Smith's own LP. The combination Light of Saba plus expressive Dub Poetry works 100% and it's a pity they never did more. Great stuff if you can get it!

tron wrote:uhuru label had some nice 7s too - lambs bread collie ,reissued? i thought honest jons re done the lp ,i may be mistaken

Yes, the Honest Jon's press is great! Wicked enveloppe folded sleeve and superb sound quality. Also, the blend between reggae, jazz & afrobeat is second to none imo.
Wasn't aware it's a compilation, though..

http://www.honestjons.com/label.php?pid ... =14815&g=1