In Search of the Lost Riddim

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In Search of the Lost Riddim
Studio album by
Ernest Ranglin
Released1998
Length70:14
LabelPalm Pictures[1]
ProducerErnest Ranglin, Ira Coleman, Bart Fermie
Ernest Ranglin chronology
Memories of Barber Mack
(1997) 		In Search of the Lost Riddim
(1998) 		Soul D'Ern
(1999)

In Search of the Lost Riddim is an album by the Jamaican musician Ernest Ranglin, released in 1998.[2][3] It was among the first releases from Chris Blackwell's Palm Pictures label; Blackwell's Island Records had signed Ranglin in the 1950s.[4] The album title refers to Ranglin's decades-long absence from making music in Africa.[5] Ranglin supported the album by playing North American shows with Baaba Maal.[6] The album was a success on the Specialist albums chart in the United Kingdom.[7]

Production[edit]

Recorded in Dakar, Senegal, with members of Maal's band, the album was produced by Ranglin, Ira Coleman, and Bart Fermie.[8][9][10] Ranglin wrote three of the 11 songs.[11] Maal sang on "Minuit" and "Haayo"; Maal and Mansour Seck also played guitar.[12][13] Dion Parson played drums on the tracks.[14] A balafon was used on a few tracks, as were koras and tamas.[5][15]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Age[13]
AllMusic[16]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[17]
Houston Press[9]
MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide[15]
Orlando Sentinel[5]

Orlando Weekly called the album "an intoxicating aural bath that matches Ranglin's eclectic six-string leads and fills and the steady bass work of Ira Coleman with traditional percussion and string instruments and luxurious chanting and singing."[18] The Guardian deemed it "a gently rhythmic, refreshingly original and contemporary-sounding fusion that is both joyful, subtle, and remarkably classy."[19] The Sydney Morning Herald considered it "a beautifully recorded album—an all-acoustic session using just percussion, stringed instruments and vocals—with the relaxed, celebratory atmosphere of musicians reaching across the diaspora to find common ground."[20]

The Financial Times labeled In Search of the Lost Riddim "a lovely, sunny sound, all tinkling guitars and delicious variations of rhythm."[21] Newsday wrote that "Ranglin's fat, juicy notes on his electric guitar blend in perfectly with the acoustic accompaniment of the Senegalese musicians."[12] The Observer noted that "the music is filled with Ranglin's melodious warmth and easy good nature."[22]

AllMusic wrote that "the English bass and drums style gets all mixed up here with reggae and Afro-pop, resulting in a scintillating dance party."[16]

Track listing[edit]

In Search of the Lost Riddim track listing
No.TitleLength
1."D'accord Dakar"4:35
2."Up on the Downstroke"4:37
3."Minuit"8:57
4."Ala Walee"6:23
5."Cherie"5:52
6."Haayo"10:16
7."Anna"4:12
8."Nuh True"6:17
9."Wouly"6:05
10."Pili Pili"5:44
11."Midagny"7:16
Total length:70:14

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for In Search of the Lost Riddim
Chart (1999) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[23] 85

References[edit]

  1. ^ Schurman, Dewey (November–December 1999). "Soundwaves...". Islands. Vol. 19, no. 6. p. 33.
  2. ^ "Ernest Ranglin Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  3. ^ "Ernest Ranglin". NPR.
  4. ^ Newman, Melinda (16 May 1998). "Blackwell's Islandlife has wide-ranging goals". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 20. pp. 1, 97.
  5. ^ a b c Gettelman, Parry (24 July 1998). "Beautiful Marriage of African Elements". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 13.
  6. ^ Shuster, Fred (7 August 1998). "Rhythmic nomads". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L5.
  7. ^ "The Official UK Charts: Specialist – 8 August 1998". Music Week. 8 August 1998. p. 25.
  8. ^ Oumano, Elena (4 July 1998). "Palm debuts with Maal, Ranglin". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 27. pp. 11, 87.
  9. ^ a b Poet, J. (13 August 1998). "Rotation". Music. Houston Press.
  10. ^ Lien, James (August 1998). "Reviews". CMJ New Music Monthly. No. 60. p. 46.
  11. ^ Chapman, Geoff (29 August 1998). "Baaba Maal joins Jamaican experiment". Entertainment. Toronto Star. p. 1.
  12. ^ a b Lipp, Marty (16 August 1998). "World Music". Newsday. p. D18.
  13. ^ a b Reilly, Terry (11 September 1998). "Album of the Week". Entertainment Guide. The Age. p. 8.
  14. ^ Davis, Clive (2 August 1998). "On Record – Jazz". Features. The Sunday Times. p. 17.
  15. ^ a b MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 2000. p. 629.
  16. ^ a b "Ernest Ranglin In Search of the Lost Riddim". AllMusic. AllMusic.
  17. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. Muze. p. 767.
  18. ^ "Review - In Search of the Lost Riddim". Orlando Weekly.
  19. ^ Denselow, Robin (10 July 1998). "Hot African strummer". The Guardian. p. T020.
  20. ^ Guilliatt, Richard (11 September 1998). "Ernest Ranglin In Search of the Lost Riddim". Metro. The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 7.
  21. ^ Aspden, Peter (24 July 1998). "Intoxicating results from blend of styles". The Arts. Financial Times. p. 18.
  22. ^ Gelly, Dave (16 August 1998). "Jazz CDs". The Observer Review Page. The Observer. p. 10.
  23. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 229.
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