Stewart Copeland - The Rhythmatist (1985)

Stewart Armstrong Copeland (born July 16, 1952) is an American musician, multi-instrumentalist and composer best known as the drummer for the band the Police and for his film music soundtracks. He has also written various pieces of music for ballet, opera and orchestra.
With the breakup of the Police, the bandmembers found themselves free to indulge their personal musical obsessions. And so while Sting made a very lucrative venture into working with jazz musicians a logical step for a bassist Stewart Copeland made a drummer's pilgrimage to Africa. Combining field recordings with Copeland's multi-instrumental work in an Assyrian studio, “The Rhythmatist” is light years ahead of his sophomorically amiable work as Klark Kent.
The album and accompanying video didn't make much of a dent in any market, except among fellow drummers and die-hard Police fans. It's an unfortunate oversight, because its enthusiastic world music fusion has held up better than the other Police solo efforts of this period. The album as a whole focuses on (not surprisingly) the rhythm section of tastefully syncopated drums and percussion against a backdrop of atmospheric synthesizers. Ray Lema's chorused vocals over the pulsing beat of "Koteja" are absolutely hypnotic, while Copeland's dry narration after the clattering drum solo of "Serengeti Long Walk" is awkwardly endearing.

Track listing

01.  "Koteja" (Oh Bolilla)  (Ray Lema)  - 3:31 
02.  "Brazzaville"  (Stewart Copeland)  - 4:10  
03.  "Liberté"  (M.D.Baliardo, P.Baliardo, T.Baliardo, J.Bouchikhi, S.Copeland, R.Lema, A.Reyes, N.Reyes  - 4:04  
04.  "Coco"  (Stewart Copeland)  - 3:55 
05.  "Kemba"  (Stewart Copeland, Ray Lema)  - 5:55  
06.  "Samburu Sunset"  (Stewart Copeland)  - 6:16    
07.  "Gong Rock"  (Stewart Copeland)  - 3:36  
08.  "Franco"  (Stewart Copeland)  - 2:11  
09.  "Serengeti Long Walk"  (Stewart Copeland)  - 4:27  
10.  "African Dream"  (Stewart Copeland, Wasis Diop)  - 3:25 

Credits
Vocals – Ray Lema
Composed By – Ray Lema, Stewart Copeland
Guitar, Bass, Piano, Keyboards, Percussion, Vocals, Computer [Programmes] – Stewart Copeland
Engineer, Producer – Jeff Seitz, Stewart Copeland

Notes
Recorded By [Studio Sounds]
Genre:  Instrumental, Score, Pop
Length:  41:28
Label:  A&M Records

© 1985