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Toots and the Maytals
tourdates
official Web site
articles/contests
Track List:
1. Still is Still Moving To Me - with Willie Nelson
2. True Love Is Hard To Find - with Bonnie Raitt
3. Pressure Drop - with Eric Clapton
4. Time Tough - with Ryan Adams
5. Bam Bam - with Shaggy and Rahzel
6. 5446 - with Jeff Beck
7. Monkey Man - with No Doubt
8. Sweet And Dandy - with Trey Anastasio
9. Funky Kingston - with Bootsy Collins and The Roots
10. Reggae Got Soul - with Ken Boothe and Marcia Griffiths
11. Never Grow Old - with Terry Hall, U-Roy, and the Skatalites
12. Take a Trip - with Bunny Wailer
13. Love Gonna Walk Out On Me - with Ben Harper
14. Careless Ethiopians - with Keith Richards
15. Blame On Me - with Rachael Yamagata
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Toots and the Maytals - True Love
(V2)
By Paul Rosner
Toots Hibbert is a larger than life figure in the annals of reggae music — a singer whose unbridled passion and joy have rarely been matched, a songwriter that effectively changed the course of Jamaican music and introduced it to the world, and a tireless performer who still tours extensively more than forty years after starting out in the music industry. His impact is so great, in fact, that Toots and his band the Maytals are even credited with coining the term "reggae" in their 1968 single "Do The Reggay." But it was the iconic singer's participation in Jimmy Cliff's 1972 movie soundtrack The Harder They Come that properly launched Toots to international stardom. His classic cut on the soundtrack, "Pressure Drop," effortlessly combined ska rhythms with newer ideas, inspiring a wave of emerging artists and reflective styles. Today, Toots Hibbert plays with a different set of Maytals but still exudes the same power, soul, grace, and emotional conviction that set him apart from the very beginning. A new "tribute" album called True Love reflects the impressive legacy of this reggae legend by pairing him with a variety of well-known artists across a broad range of genres.
Complete with moments of sublime beauty and a few that don't work as well, True Love is primarily a study in the empathetic singing skills of Toots Hibbert, who manages to make Willie Nelson, Trey Anastasio, Bootsy Collins, Bunny Wailer, and No Doubt each sound better alongside him, while trying his hardest to save the likes of Ben Harper and Ryan Adams. Though Adams rarely sounds as if he's singing in the same key after the opening moments of "Time Tough" (from 1973's heavy-hitter, Funky Kingston), the strength of the song and the dexterity of Toots' masterful voice are undeniable. Again, on the ballad "Love Gonna Walk Out On Me" (from the same record), Toots acts as a crutch to support the stiffer-than-brick Harper. Backing work from reggae luminaries like Sly Dunbar and Paul Douglas, among others, helps the music carry the day on these otherwise forgettable tracks. On the other end of the spectrum, Toots gets more able guest accompaniment from the Roots and Bootsy Collins ("Toots, Roots, and Boots," as Collins endearingly calls the ensemble) on a devastating version of the classic "Funky Kingston." With ?uestlove's signature drum sound, Bootsy's inimitable vocalizations, and Toots urgent singing, this song clearly has some urban/pop radio potential.
Elsewhere, Toots sounds equally comfortable with dancehall toaster Shaggy and the Roots' Rahzel on a totally reworked and beautiful take on the late-'60s track "Bam Bam." Shaggy starts things off singing strongly and with purpose in his unique nasal voice, effectively setting the table for Toots, who comes in like a breath of fresh air each time. The energy in this combination is infectious, and also has some obvious commercial appeal. Even Willie Nelson gets into the mix, offering up his own "Still Is Still Moving To Me" for a thorough reggae makeover. Nelson sounds relaxed and confident (though occasionally a bit like Kermit the Frog), and Toots immediately reveals his vocal brilliance on this disc-opening song. Collaborations with English guitar legends are plentiful, as well, including a sharp performance from Jeff Beck on Toots' "54-46 Was My Number," a terribly predictable spot from Eric Clapton on "Pressure Drop," and a truly surprising, lovely appearance from Keith Richards on the inspiring "Careless Ethiopians." With soulful guitar coloring and vocal work, the Rolling Stones guitarist proves to be one of only a few guests on True Love with the charisma to hang with Toots, though the ageless Bonnie Raitt does a pretty good job on "True Love Is Hard To Find."
Toots Hibbert deserves every ounce of the respect shown him on a classy, high profile project like True Love. From rasta legends to rock icons and everywhere in between, they're all lining up to show the hardest working man in reggae just how much they love him and his songs. Now, if we can only get a bunch of these guys to tour with Toots this summer…
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