Aaron Nigel Smith And 1 World Chorus Live In LA Review

Aaron Nigel Smith And 1 World Chorus – Live In LA – Review

Aaron Nigel Smith and 1 World Chorus: Live in LA Album Review by Mr Topple for Pauzeradio.com.

Aaron Nigel Smith is an artist with a career spanning 20 years. So, deciding which songs to perform live as part of a new album couldn’t have been easy. But given his talent and that of his fellow musicians, he could have sung the alphabet and it still would have been superb.

Arron Nigel Smith And 1 World Chorus Live in LA was recorded in 2019 at the Broad Stage theatre in Santa Monica, California. It sees Smith joined by the Los Angeles wing of the 1 World Chorus, an international charitable/direct action group that promotes the arts for young people and that Smith co-founded. The concert also saw Smith’s son, Zion Lion, deliver some solo performances (plus background vocals with Justin Andres). And there was a band of equally talented musicians to make the live show as exceptional as possible: Jubba White on drums; Curtis Byrd on percussion; Andres on bass; guitars from Smith and Chad Mark and keys courtesy of Ryan Kinelski. Overall, the stellar line up plus the excellent record engineering from Brandon Duncan, mix engineering from Sean Gillies (DB Nations) and mastering from Specialized Mastering’s Dana White, has created an extremely good live album – full of fresh interpretations of classic tracks.

It opens with Dance To The Reggae Riddim, a veritable feel-good piece of music from his 2016 album One (where it was “Rhythm”, not “Riddim”, and featured Father Goose). It’s a clever choice for the opening track, as the infectious musical devices (the keys’ bubble rhythm, guitars’ skank, drums’ one drop and the syncopated bass) immediately set the tone for the concert. What works so well with the live version is it retains the unfussiness of the original, bringing some much-needed light in these dark times. But the one variation is a beautiful guitar solo, full of airy bending and working around chromatic notes. It replaces Goose’s bridge from the original and works perfectly. Gorgeous.

The track One, from the same album, originally featured Dubtonic Kru and Tommy Shepherd. Here, the track’s BPM has been upped slightly which gives the track a more swaying momentum; for a live version it works well. The inclusion of an electric organ, running slightly vibrato’d chords across the bridges, is a powerful touch. But the stars are the 1 World Chorus – who’s backing lines have been added on top of the original version. They bring additional depth to the track, bringing it to life more than the original – and it is perfect concert fayre. Brilliant, as is the youngers’ singjay section.

Next, and Fanga Alafia is from his and 1 World Chorus’s 2012 album Welcome to the Village! The live version is just as glorious as the original – full of traditional African percussive and vocal arrangement juxtaposed with some Roots and Soul sensibilities. Here, the latter have been expanded on – with the electric guitar line, riffing as a counterpoint to the main melody, being amplified. Moreover, the live version has a far denser tone overall with more intricacy of arrangement (not least because of the addition of the keys and extra drum instrumentation) – and it actually works better. And the backing vocals from 1 World Chorus are lovely. Very nicely done.

Man Gave Names To All The Animals is a brilliant cover of the classic Bob Dylan track; Smith’s original version featuring Laurie Berkner, Lucky Diaz and Secret Agent 23 Skidoo. Both Smith’s live and original versions not only show the genius of Dylan but the versatility of Reggae too, insomuch that the track’s transition from the original funky Blues to Smith’s Roots-tinged version is seamless. But these modern interpretations are equally very sympathetic to Dylan’s classic. Not least on the 2012 and live versions is the attention to detail with the guitar lines. They maintain the whining yet rich, bass on the amp up, mid and treble down, timbre of Dylan’s original (including a fully bending, chromatic solo bridge) – but with the recognisable Roots’ skank. Again the 1 World Chorus is glorious (more fyah singjay from the kids) – and the brooding yet warm track is pure class.

Smith’s historical focus on young people and family is none more so evident than in Simon Says – a musical reimagining of the children’s game. It also marks a musical shift in travel – taking the live concert into proper Funky Soul territory. The original came from the 2010 album Everyone Loves To Dance – and dance you can to Simon Says. It’s pure Funky Soul, a genius piece of composition with more than a whiff of the James Browns about it – helped by Zion’s tremendous solo. It’s also a great example of a live ensemble piece of music – as each instrumentalist gives improv breaks on Smith’s command, showing the calibre of the musicians involved. Stunning, highly creative and inclusive.

Pete Seeger and Lee Hays’ 1949 social justice and equality anthem If I Had A Hammer gets a Roots outing courtesy of Smith’s 2016 album One. It’s been covered many times before, not least by Sam Cooke, but here works particularly well. There’s something traditional Roots about the track, with its whining guitar line and Gospel-tinged backing vocals. But what Aaron Nigel Smith has done so well on both the original version and here, live, is that sympathetic arrangement again – as the lilting, elongated arpeggio chords on the guitars are a distinct nod to Seeger’s (and The Weavers’) original Folk version. And the track, ultimately about emancipation, is as pertinent as it ever has been – and Smith and Co. perform it with poise and moving sincerity.

In A Book (again from Welcome to The Village!) is another child-focused and also educational song. The live version gives 1 World Chorus a chance to shine once more. But it’s also a good example of Smith’s ability to interact with the audience, as he encourages them to join in the spelling lessons. It’s fun, carefree and infectious.

Next, and Natty Dreadlocks is almost a tribute to Bob Marley’s 1974 Natty Dread. Smith’s original on the One album featured the incomparable Ras-I. Here it’s been almost faithfully recreated, complete with the balafon solo tinkering delicately in, out and around. It’s overly Roots in its formation, with its simplicity being the key to its success. Because aside from a delicious bridge, where the rhythm shifts to a purposeful dotted crotchet-quaver riff, the ostensible Roots foundations allow Smith’s lyrics to shine through – addressing the discrimination and prejudice Rastafari face. The live version perhaps also shows Smith’s talent at its best, too. He’s a technically brilliant artist, here maintaining the fairly complex rhythms and melodic runs of the melody perfectly, while singing with compelling authenticity. A joy to experience.

Marley is featured in his actuality next, with Smith and Co’s version of Three Little Birds (originally done as part of the 1 World Chorus’s Celebrating Bob Marley album via Tuff Gong Worldwide). There’s something magical about Marley’s original. But that same principle applies to this live version, too. The sheer exuberance to be heard in 1 World Chorus’s background vocals is immediately pleasing on the heart and ear – and they pull the fairly complex arrangement off well. Zion features again – and throughout Live in LA he’s shown himself to be a potential, blooming talent; sitting equally at home across straight vocal as singjay. The whole arrangement is again sympathetic, yet still a forward movement from Marley’s original – and he undoubtedly would whole-heartedly approve. Soul-stirring work.

Another artist who’s guiding mantra is children and family is Ziggy Marley. His forthcoming project More Family Time is looking like another highly inclusive and important release. And he also teamed up with Smith on the Soul-Rock-Pop cut Everyone Loves To Dance, the title track from the 2010 album. Live in LA sees the song focus on the Rock of the original, with a vibe evocatively reminiscent of late 90s, feel-good sound of the likes of Hanson on MMMBop. It’s almost irritatingly earwormy, with a swing that gets in your body and mind and refuses to go. And Smith and Co. clearly enjoy performing it – as the head-bopping, hip-swaying rhythms and instrumental lines leap out of your headphones, making you want to stand up and dance. Great fun and a great vibe.

Aaron Nigel Smith Live in LA closes with an interpretation of Marley’s One Love. It’s a wholly appropriate conclusion, with Smith paying tribute not only to its originator but also the children of the 1 World Chorus. But moreover, Smith says it’s now the “moment… for one love” in the world, and hopes that we’re all “feeling” and “living the spirit of the message and sharing it with our youth”. His, the band’s and 1 World Chorus’s version is again up and to the side of Marley’s original, with the children’s voices bringing additional poignancy to the track. And there’s a glorious, Funky Soul bridge where the children really outdo themselves in terms of vocal precision and maintaining pitch and enunciation across rapid rhythms. It’s a fitting close, and a generous yet respectful interpretation of the Marley standard.

Credit across the album has to go to the engineering team and production from Aya World. It is no mean feat recording a live album. Not least in this is ensuring that the kHz balance of the instruments is so finely tuned that the recoded version is audible in all its glory. And also, to ensure that the intricate details of the musicians’ performances aren’t lost. But Live in LA accomplishes that in droves.

Moreover, Aaron Nigel Smith and the team have achieved another difficult task: giving your all the feeling of live intimacy, without actually being there. Live in LA is a wonderful antidote to coronavirus’s live musical lockdown, being cleverly crafted to appeal to all. The 1 World Chorus is sublime; a real credit to themselves along with the vision of Smith and the project. Zion is a revelation – and the whole thing is a wonderful, uplifting experience. A sterling testament to all involved. Delightful.

Aaron Nigel Smith And 1 World Chorus Live In LA review by Mr Topple (12th August 2020).

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