In 2011 Harrison “Professor” Stafford Groundation’s vocal and spiritual leader was recording Madness his first side project.
This very personal album is the result of meetings and discussions he had during his travel in Israel and Palestine. He’s telling us: “The idea to record this album came from decisive discussions I had in Ramallah with an Arabic poet. He told me that he knew reggae music and mentioned Bob Marley particularly. I was surprised to hear that he didn’t like reggae music because of the negative message it was conveyed. I was stunned. I never heard somebody associate Marley’s music to something different of positive vibrations and positive messages. The poet told me: “let me ask you something: why reggae music is so Zionist in his message?” Wahou, everything became clearest to me!”
So Harrison Stafford wants to prove that reggae can and should talk to everybody and that it’s an universal language which cross borders and conflicts. He’s doing it splendidly through this new album Throw Down Your Arms which is offering some revisited live versions of his first album. An improvised captured moment… You will discover some new pearls too like “Rockfort Rock”, this instrumental introduction sublimated by Eric “Rico” Gaultier (saxophone and flute) and Thomas Henning’s (trombone) brasses and “Throw Down Your Arms” where we can listen Lloyd “Obeah” Denton (keys) and Dalton Browne’s (guitar) singing. What is only missing in the presentation is mister Leroy “Horsemouth” Wallace on percussions! They are exceptional musicians who are backing the “Professor” sinuous and poignant voice, masters of reggae roots who are engaged in a significant and positive project.
Thanks to a fastidious and liberated music Throw Down Your Arms invite us to reflection and give us tools for a better future. We hope that his sound will allow us to exceed the sad world’s realities.
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