****AL PANCHO - RIGHTEOUS MEN****

.....

RIGHTEOUS MEN

TRACKLIST


1. Start All Over Again (With Jah Mason)
2. Poverty
3. Good Draw
4. For So Long (With Jr. Kelly)
5. Don't Worry
6. Pollution
7. My Number
8. Things And Times
9. Stay Far (With Bounty Killer)
10. Righteous Man
11. Keep Focus (With Natural Black)
12. Children (With Luciano)
13. My Reputation (With Lutan Fyah)
14. Olden Days


LABEL Minor 7 Flat 5-INDIGO
RELEASE 28 - 07 - 2003

This is the debut album of Rastafarian DJ Owen Ricardo 'Al Pancho' Brown, born on the 8th of June, 1974 in Mayriver, St. Mary, JA. He had a tune on the Marley Boyz' "Educated Fools" riddim album, but him meeting Gran Canaria, Spain based German producer Andreas 'Brotherman' Christopherson resulted in a first recorded for Brotherman's Minor7Flat5-label, the title track of this album. In 2004 Al Pancho visited Europe again, and together with Brotherman - who already has the big albums "Different Thing" by Turbulence and "Tell It From The Heart" by Luciano under his belt - he began laying tracks for this album.


Opening with a fine combination with Jah Mason "Start All Over Again" over the 'Wadada'-riddim, a live backing recorded at Tuff Gong in Kingston, on the great sufferer's tune "Poverty" over the 'Campo'-riddim, that was also used for Spectacular's "So Long", Taffari's "People Are You Ready", Luton Fyah's "Clearance", Luciano 's"Babylon Go Down", Mikey General's "Bad Boy Natty" and Turbulence's "Facts", Al Pancho shows he doesn't need to rely on the great names featured alongside him on this album. The vibes are kept with ganja-tune "Good Draw" over the 'Freedom Train'-riddim, another nice all Brotherman built and played riddim. Then whether with Junior Kelly on "For So Long" over 'Knowledge' another at Tuff Gong live recorded riddim or "Don't Worry" over 'Grow', "Pollution" over 'Private' and balladish "My Number" over the heavy keyboard-riff-based 'Holiday' and another slower paced tune "Things And Times" over 'Step On', Al Pancho's singjaying convinces.


A typical either-love-it-or-hate-it riddim is the 'Classic'-riddim for his combination "Stay Far" with Bounty Killer is in my opinion one of the strongest tracks of the album, that should have been pressed on a 7" and could really stir up the dance. More strong combinations follow after "Righteous Man", the first track recorded by Al Pancho in 2002 for Brotherman over the 'Lili'-riddim, the minimalistic riddim that was also used for Turbulence's "Marihuana", CéCile's "Rain" and Luton Fyah's "Who Draw Last", starting the combination sequence with "Keep Focus" with Natural Black over the Firehouse Crew's one drop 'Summerfield'-riddim, "Children" with Luciano recorded like the other Tuff Gong recorded tunes with the like of Leroy 'Horsemouth' Wallace, the legendary drummer, Andrew Campbell on bass, Lloyd 'Obeah' Denton on keys, Brotherman himself on guitar and with the great horn section featured all through this album of Dean Fraser, Nambo Robinson and Dwight Richards and the percussion of Uzziah 'Sticky' Thompson over the rootsy 'Sweet.Com'-riddim. "My Reputation" alongside Luton Fyah over 'Upside Down' is yet another killer combo over a classic reggae riddim, and it is justified that the slow jam "Olden Days" over an almost early UB40-ish riddim called 'Mein Haus' has Al Pancho solo closing the album.


Proving he is so much more than a Buju Banton sound-alike, this is an album recommended for anyone who likes rootsy riddims, cultural lyrics and strong singjays and all already impressed by the earlier mentioned Minor7Flat5 releases.