Roots Archives Forum

I just bought the new Makasound release :
Mikey Ras Starr - Fire and Rain
This album was recorded in 1979 and has never been released before.

Singer on Orthodox by The Rastafarians under the name of Haile Maskel.
[cover=1310,1509]

A really excellent roots album (13 tracks out of 16 are great). Worth buying for sure !

(i have no link with Makasound )

hi there
go to:www.makasound.com
i hope this new release will do justice tomy friend haile maskell,as i consider he has paid his dues and muist have been given the due recognition long ago given the tremendous and outstanding landmark reggae classic albums he performed on.i never knew he was playing bass on the seminal"graduation in zion"by kiddus i as robbie is playiong bass in the studio alongside horsemouth in "rockers"hear his lead guitar lines on"top control by israel vibration and"black woman"by judy mowatt,not to mention the outstanding work he did on"orthodox"which unfortunately is not really known to the great public,but which is an album to be reckoned with when dealing with roots albums.
i had listened to someof his singles,but not all of them,but woul enjoy listening to it.i really hope and pray that theese guys from makasound will help topputtogether a little tour of france alonside winston mc anuff and some other artists from their roster so as to give him the deserved exposure.
shine on little ras starr.
fadel

Micahel ras star AKA Haile Maskel is a very talented musician indeed. has anybody here heard his first full solo album released in 1985 called "Let's make it". He practically plays every instrument on this album (very impressive) with the exception of some help from his former mates in the Rastafarians group along with Shaka Man. On the back of this album it speaks of some of his forst singles released under the name Michael Ras Star, but I have never heard any of this material. So I am very happy to finally hear some of his true first solo music. BTW , I have a copy of the rastafarians LP if anyone is interested in owning a copy...as Fadel said, great Roots MAterial!!

indeed jahmadown,i always and consistently repeat to haile that the rastafarians should have led reggae in the 80's given the tremendous gathering of talents in this band."orthodox"is the most overlooked classic in reggae.haile toldme that he is still keeping a video tape of one of their live performances and was waiting for someone to banroll it.i really hope and pray that this project sees the light of day."let's make it"is a great album with "candy girl" which is my favourite but i have never had a chance to have thisrecording oncdandwander whether it ever found it's way into cd?
fadel

Michael Ras Star also sing vocals for Light Of Saba in reggae but i have listen to it and sound different to Haile Maskel in Orthodox...Can anybody clear this up???

they are the same.he even sung"holdon jah jah children" and "rasta them" in llight of saba before giving them a much sweeter treat in "orthodox"he alsoplayed bass in light of saba.he is truly a great musician who has paid his dues
fadel

great info friends but for those who have been listening to this new release , is it worth buying ? Crucial or middle class ?
thanks

Yes-I! dis is tru Roots Rasta Reggae stuff where yu can find nuff Blessed gems full of Consciousness an creativity. Half of tracks get top sound quality, other half get nuff worst (even awful) sound quality. I&I high ina these days wid great stuff like Jah Higher High, Cornfield, Some Say This, Market Place Revolution, Old Time Religion...

BLESS

Very rootsy, very rasta but for me, this release is a hit&miss case.

Some songs are really great like Market Place Revolution or Cornfield, while other are way too much pop.So, when it hits, it hits really good, but few tunes should be cut out.

Sound quality is very poor on some tracks, generally it varies form track to track.

I wouldn't say it's crucial, but for at least 10 songs it's wort checking out. I hope it helps:)

it does ! thank you guys