Come Around
The Senior Allstars
LP - 2008
„My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style“ – that is how the Dream Warriors described the totally natural flirt of Hip Hop artists with Jazz in 1991. The Senior Allstars proclaim the essence of their new album „Come Around“ as: „My Definition – Of A Jamaican Jazz Style“.
The band earned its first reputation with years of collaboration with Ska- and Reggae- artist Dr. Ring-Ding, gaining international acclaim through numerous releases and countless tours. But it was already then that the Senior Allstars indulged in their love for the strictly instrumental version of Jamaican music. Their first EP „Sniff“ in the year 1999 was followed by more albums, singles and contributions to compilations. Stimulated by the positive, even enthusiastic reactions on their „Red Leaf“ album from 2006, The Senior Allstars provide one further personal contribution to easy going, urban music styles with „Come Around“ on Skycap Records / Liquidator.
The Jamaican artists (such as Doreen Shaffer or Lord Tanamo) with whom they collaborated both live and in the studio complimented the band on their competence and their sound. The Senior Allstars know their roots: instrumental Reggae, Dub and Ska, yet leaving imitation or purist discussion to others. And yes, they admire the work of border crossers such as Ernest Ranglin and Monty Alexander. On „Come Around“, they form once again handy musical themes and atmospherically rich excursions to a contemporary layout all their own – indeed an own definition, emerging out of the fertilizing dialog between traditional styles and modern ambiance.
The loose and light hearted opener „25 Cent“ or the tune „Wha‘ppen“, deeply rooted in Jamaican soil, already communicate visibly that the Senior Allstars attach great importance to an organic growth of their creations. These develop all their unobtrusive and irresistible power of painting a picture in a space of sound that both takes you beyond spheres and lets you get in touch with the instruments as close as possible. Spanning from the slacking charms of the title track to the funky Reggae of „T-Bird Skank“, the Senior Allstars invite you to „Come around“ – without words, but never speechless.
