Dezarie - Gracious Mama Africa [2003]
If I am ever called upon to name what I consider to be the best or my personal favourite female artists I have a problem. Call me a misogynist or Chauvinist pig(which I am definitely not as I just ADORE women! Especially the female form) but no matter how hard I rattle my brain, I struggle to think of any female singers, bands or artists that I like to listen to. My music collection is almost exclusively male except for the more generic 'world' music or classical stuff that would sound crap were it not for the strength of the female vocals. Pink Floyd too..A lot of their stuff would be flat if you removed the female vocals. That isn't my point here though: I am talking about a female band or artist in their own right, not as a part of another male oriented band!!
Ok I will try just as a test...
1. Sophie Ellis Bextor
2. Bjork
3. Madonna
4. Kylie Minogue
5. Geri Halliwell from the Spice Girsl!
Ok now let me explain the above choices. Can you see any kind of pattern? A thread that links them all and I have to say it isn't their voices!
I always thought Sophie Ellis Bextor was cute. She has the face of an angel. aaw. So that's why she tops the list!
Bjork also has a strong face. Her features are very Icelandic and that is great. She's a bit weird too so I like her!
Madonna? Need I debase myself further by trying to explain this one? She is a sexy female!
Kylie Minogue is also a sexy female!
Geri Halliwell used to be a very attractive lady/girl(!) but nowadays she has turned into a victim of the media/success and insecurity. When she was a fresh-faced spice girl I always thought she was the cutest one.
So as you can see from the above, I do not have a favourite female singer. Not one who I like for their SINGING right?!
The point behind all of this is now coming:
I found a female singer that literally left my jaw open and dropped on the floor. I am listening to her now and I am struggling to find the words to convey how fucking impressed I am at this album dammit!
I can't just say DOWNLOAD IT NOW OR YOU ARE A FOOL but it's worth a try anyway.
Maybe this will help you decide..
Review (taken From ireggae.com)
Roots empress Dezarie has blessed the reggae community with the deliverance of her newest recording "Gracious Mama Africa". Released on the Afrikan Roots Lab record label, this album emerges from the seeds planted on her amazing debut album of 2001 "FYA".
Gracious Mama Africa transports the incredible voice of Dezarie to a whole new level - the highest heights. Her foundation is firmly established in songs such as "Travelers" and the title track. The brilliance and clarity of DezarieÂs voice is reverently unveiled on "Exhalt". Gracious Mama Africa abounds with pleas for social justice and racial equality with selections like "Poverty", "Strengthen Your Mind" and "Justice".
But to this listener, the strength and power of Dezarie is most strikingly displayed in her condemnation of so-called civilization. "Gone Down", "Not One Penny", "Law Fe De Outlaw", "Slew Dem An Done" and "Judgment Come" all deliver conscious punches that penetrate the soul.
"Do what you want, wheresoever you please. Bombing Vieques, yes your bombing the seas. Lock up anyone that was opposing. Speaking against the nonsense that you were doing. But babylon you gone down, you gone down. Babylon funeral, you gone down." - Dezarie
After receiving AtlantaÂs "Best New Female Reggae Artist" award in 2001, Dezarie returned to her native island of St. Croix. Since that time, she has been working closely with Midnite, the players of instruments for "Gracious Mama Africa". MidniteÂs trademark sound is fully displayed on this album. Momentous bass lines from Phillip Merchant, classic one-drop from Dion Hopkins and the bubbling of Ron Benjamin on keyboards prevail throughout, accentuated by AbijahÂs charismatic guitar playing.
From the excellent overdubs of DezarieÂs voice to the flying symbols on "Slew Dem" it is evident that Ron Benjamin worked tirelessly in the production and mixing of this album. The fruits of this labour are eloquently displayed on Gracious Mama Africa which is sure to be one of the best roots albums of 2003.
Daniel @ Ireggae.com
Read the review page HERE and hear a preview HERE (realplayer required!)
Please you lot, do yourself a favour and get a hold of this album. I am addicted to it. Lying out in the garden yesterday in the blazing hot sun, it fitted the surroundings and atmosphere perfectly Relaxing and mellow with a beautiful voice put to some serious dub beats.
LINKS:
part 1
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part 2
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MIRROR LINKS(badongo):
part 1
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part 2
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MIRROR LINKS(sendspace):
part 1
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part 2
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Ok now go and have a great time chillin out to this one.
I would be interested to read some of your comments on this as I have just downloaded a veritable VAULT of this kind of music...some rare shit too.
Over and out.
No we haven't turned into a softporn site...but you have to agree with me on dear Sophie...I mean look at her!
Tags:MP3 Downloads:music:media:download music:download:MP3
18 Comments:
seems a problem with badongo pt2
wrong pass?
will try another.
~AKA
Thanks for sharing Dezarie. A great new 'discovery' for me! And the photos ... well, they were just icing on the cake! But Bjork and Geri ??? :) I visit your site often and always enjoy your selections and your comments. Keep up the exceptional work and know that it is appreciated here in my part of Canada.
Rick Steel
Ottawa
Hey xcome on! Geri was a nice kind of girl next door when she was younger. Not all polished and uptight like most of the women in the limelight these days. Nice curves too...hehe a REAL woman. Although nowadays she looks cruddy and I find her unattractive!
Glad to hear you liked this latest choice album...bloody good innit!
Much more to come so keep downloading. I am going to have to have a little 'DUB? PHASE' after downloading dub for a few days constantly. Some of it is amazing stuff. I thought I knew a lot of reggae and dub artists but now I realise I knew nothing.
Regards,
HitMeWithIt
Hi
I know this is an odd place to post this(maybe),but if you uploaded the BeBop Deluxe @ avax,then I wanted to tell you that the 3rd part of the BBC album was mistakenly posted as the 3rd part of Sunburst Finish instead.I just thought you might be the one,because of the wonderful Camel Posts,that the amazing'Dicecracker' may want to correct that.
Thankyou so much for exposing more nd more people to these 'never played on the radio' Giants of music!
Peace
Thanks Mate!! You put the hook in me; I've never heard of this singer before(she's probably never heard of me, either) but your discription is so scintilating, I just had to D/L it(to go with all the Trojan Records box sets I've been D/L-ing as of late). Thanks again. And if you get the urge to post more of this("be interested to read some of your comments on this as I have just downloaded a veritable VAULT of this kind of music...some rare shit too
"), please do not resist, please post MORE. Thanks from an appreciative Duke
-Clean forgot: I downloaded both files from Badongo and had absolutlely no problem unzipping either of them. Would suggest that 'anonymous' got a corrupted file and needs to download again. Oh and thanks again for uploading this - can't wait to see what's up next!!! >>>> Kindest Regards from an appreciative Duke
@ boy Howdy. nope mate, it aint me! Wrong guy Im afraid. Why not just post a reply to one of diceCrackers camel posts and he may reply?
@duke.
Glad to hear you like it. I love her voice...listening to it a lot!!
Make sure and stay tuned for a lot more DUB. Today we have Hugh Mundell. Not bad at all.
Cheers and thanks for the comments :)
HitMeWithIt
I had the fortune to hear Dezarie at a festival here in northern CA a couple years ago. she was great! thanks for the songs.
Well I am so so pleased to announce that I just got two more albums of her 'FYA' (a pity but it is 128kb, sounds good though until I find a better option!) and the other is 'Live at the Sierra Nevada Festival'(not sure of the year but I can find out).
Expect them very soon...
Damn. I was a bit premature with my stating I had these two more albums of hers. As I already said, the FYA album is only 128 bitrate but that isn't really a problem. It sounds fine.
The Live at Sierra Nevada Festival, it is 2004- album is encoded at 192k but there is a problem, the last two tracks (11 and 12) are corrupt. I have tried everything to repairing them and trying to work out the corrupt part and played around with them but no dice.
So I will still upload both albums until and ONLY until, I find them, in better condition. They are definitely worth keeping to me and especially to anyone who liked the album already posted of hers.
You know if I do not track down her albums soon I might actually BUY them! Then you will have nice top quality rips!
:)
Back again. Your discription of Dezarie was bang-on and then some. Am absolutely enthalled with her voice. More, More, MORE of her please?!!! Sorry, don't mean to be a greed-head.... Thanks again for this post(and you'll not get a single wank about 'low bitrate' from me. 128 kbps FYA Dezarie will sound just fine on my system). Thanks for your efforts, HitMeWithIt. Very much appreciated. Am grateful and very much appreciate this introduction to Dezarie(due largely to your reccomendation and a small sneaking suspicion, on mine ;o). Cheers to you
@ Duke..
Great to hear mate!
I am the same as you...completely and totally impressed by her music.
Ok I will upload those two albums even the one with two tracks missing at the end...it is still better to hear them than not right?
Cheers.
She definitely rules...any idea where to find concert info?
I had a scout ancert dates as she doesn't seem to be doing any! done a few in the ea:
http://www.dezarie.com
It doesnt seem to mention on there about a show she is doing in 71 days time...and boy does it sound great. I wish I could get to USA for it!
http://www.reggaeontheriver.com/
Some great artists going to be there.
Always worth checking here too:
http://www.vireggae.com/tourdates.htm
wow ... thanks for this! sound really great!!! :)
Simply the best, I discovered this sound 2 days ago, and now I love it, I'm really glad to find it here today. Thanks.
Hey, you brought some Sunshine into my f*ing cold German Summer :o)
I love this Album a lot and listen to it very often. Dezarie is great!
Hope you are feeling better. Thx for all the Music :o)
Cheers,
Olli
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