“Come Mek We Forward” was a work in progress for quite some time – in fact spanning some five years. Like the group’s debut undertaking “Compress”, this new production “Come Mek We Forward” has been the brainchild of Islie Dabasha.
It engenders a special satisfaction for the musicians who were able to relax and lay tracks at their convenience and pace, in the delivery of their reggae sound.
This album embraces a mix of reggae’s varieties – roots rock, lovers’ rock, cross-over fusion and Nyabinghi, driven by lyrics articulating social commentary, romance as well as spiritual inspiration.
The “Roots United” musicians, and backing vocalists, are no strangers with the aggregation Islie, Tasha Settohle, Ras‘B’, Irino ‘Tony’ Hodge, Black Ites, Kerri ‘Keys’, Amelia, Priscilla, Sandra and Sharon, having served as the accompaniment for the well-known BankieBanx at concerts in the Caribbean including the celebrated Reggae Sunsplash at Montego Bay, Jamaica, in 1983 and further afield in Europe and the United States of America.
The Roots United fraternity lost two of their players of instruments – Irino and Black Ites respectively departed this earth suddenly through illness. This album is dedicated in part to their memory. May they rest in peace.
Happy listening
One Love.
There are no tree trunks, stems, leaves or branches without the roots. The roots are the inspiration of the people, and without them all would be gone astray (Iwandai 11 J H Gumbs).
– Contributed
