Mother Earth were a acid jazz outfit based in London, basically comprising Matt Deighton on guitar and vocals, Bryn Barklam on Hammond organ, Chris White on drums and Neil Corcoran on bass.
Mother Earth's second album "The People Tree" was a masterful mix of soul, funk and rock. The original 1994 album was beautifully recorded in analogue and featured incredibly soulful vocals pitched somewhere between Curtis Mayfield and Stevie Wonder.
From the Acid Jazz stables, Mother Earth could almost be described as the Small Faces for a new generation: uplifting organs and body-moving bass carve a steady groove that carries a poignant message of harmony and peace. Their love for Steve Marriott and the Small Faces is apparent on "Dragster", a vocal rendition of their guitar funk instrumental originally from the "Grow Your Own" EP. The Modfather and the Samba King join the band on "Mr. Freedom" when Paul Weller meets Snowboy for a latin rock extravaganza. The pace slows for the beautifully moving "Jesse" a tale of unrequited love and guardian angels that is filled with tearful strings and gospel harmonies. When an album can boast a number of guest appearances, including James Taylor (without his Quartet), it's hard to imagine a time or place where The People Tree is not an essential for any devotee of original Acid Jazz.
Track listing
01. Institution Man (Matt Deighton) - 5:26
02. Jesse (Shauna Greene, Matt Deighton) - 5:01
03. Stardust Bubblegum (Matt Deighton) - 4:00
04. Mister Freedom (Matt Deighton) - 4:44
05. Warlocks of the Mind Part 1 (Mother Earth) - 3:05
06. Dragster (Matt Deighton) - 2:40
07. Find It in the End (Bryn Barklam) - 5:13
08. The People Tree (Matt Deighton) - 3:40
09. Apple Green (Shauna Greene, Matt Deighton) - 4:24
10. Time of the Future (Matt Deighton) - 6:17
11. Saturation 70 (Matt Deighton) - 4:23
12. Illusions (Neil Corcoran) - 3:02
13. Warlocks of the Mind Part 2 (Mother Earth) - 3:13
14. A
Trip Down Brian Lane (E.Piller, M.Deighton, M.Kenton) - 11:10
Released: 1993
Label: Hollywood
Genre: Acid Jazz, Funk, Soul
Length: 1:06:18
Producer: Edward Piller
Personnel
Matt Deighton - vocals, acoustic, electric guitars
Bryn Barklam - piano, Fender Rhodes, Mellotron, Hammond
Neil Corcoran - bass
Chris White - drums, percussion
Meryl Kenton - vocals
Simon Bartholomew - guitar, Mini-Moog, percussion
Chris Lawrence - lap steel guitar
Simon Bartholomew - mandolin
Michael Smith - saxophone
Gerrard Presencer - trumpet
Dennis Rollins - trombone
James Taylor - Fender Rhodes
Greg Boraman - Mini-Moog
Pablo, Snowboy - percussion
DC Lee, Destry, Obe, Sherine, Paul Weller, Shauna Greene - background vocals
No comments:
Post a Comment