Outstanding Goldwax soul, unreleased at the time.
A once-bitten-twice-shy wailer, backed with some rocking Northern.
Magnificent, hypnotically insurgent, boogie-down bubblers, with Sugar Minott at the mic, leading burnished horns and dapper, soulful backing vocals. Like a cross between Ain’t No Stopping Us Now and Armagideon.
Jerry Johnson heads out on the flip: a killer uptempo instrumental, with swirling brass over a pared-down, propulsive rhythm.
‘As with many other ethnic groups of the area, a traditional singing pattern is used with each singer adapting words to context. Many of these songs express intimate, strong emotions that bring tears to the performers while they are singing. The cascading mournful feel of this music is beautifully transcendent. You’ve never heard anything like it.
‘Instruments used by the ensemble include the babi (single tree leaf ) and mepa (tree leaf rolled up into the shape of a horn or mirliton), a chiwo (three-stringed bowed instrument), a labi (six-holed bamboo flute), a lahe (three-stringed small lute) and a meba (vertical reed instrument).’
‘Stunning, moody, spiritual jazz from Ireland, recorded in 1979; featuring original compositions such as the deep collectors’ cut Spon Song, subtle Latin flavours on Spacer’s Delight, and a beautiful modal arrangement of the traditional Irish air Castle of Dromore.
‘A legendary recording in Ireland, Ozone reflects Kelehan’s keen appreciation of classic quintet-era Miles, with touches of the cerebral fusion of Ian Carr and the arranging genius of Neil Ardley. Not just a landmark Irish jazz set, Ozone is a lost classic of European jazz more widely.’
Licensed from producer John D’Ardis. Remastered at Abbey Road using the master-tapes; cut at D&M; pressed at Pallas. Presented with previously unseen photographs of the band, and their commentary.
A deadly trump card from Outernational. Essential, startling stuff. Bim bim bim.