Surfin

Ernest Ranglin | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 28, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Telarc
• ASIN: B0009K7R2U
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #116,629 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Septuagenarian Jamaican guitarist Ranglin has seen and done it all. A long-time big band player, he is also widely credited with having invented ska, an infectious shuffling rhythm that presaged rock-steady, reggae, ragga and practically everything that has emerged from Jamaica since. A master of smoothly melodic instrumental music, he is comfortable with large or small combos and is equally gracious whether he is acting as as a lead player or sideman. His long study of American jazz has informed his arrangements with an urban sophistication as redolent of New York City's Harlem or 52nd Street as downtown Kingston. But his sound also encompasses an endearing squareness, a mainstream 60s soundtrack vibe that narrowly misses becoming a more evolved species of elevator music. The album recalls festive Island holidays of yore, when pastel-clad tourists enjoyed long rum drinks and a water view while dancing all night to the world's best hotel band. With Bo Pee on rhythm guitar and Robbie Lyn on keyboards. --Christina Roden

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ranglin is groovy., May 19, 2006

By 

P.J. Le Faucheur (Canada (ex- U.K. resident)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Surfin (Audio CD)

By far one of the fastest and most accurate guitar players whose presence has graced about a thousand classic calypso,ska and reggae l.ps from way back in the 50s.. I heard him first on a Monty Alexander record called "Jamento" (1977) It's still available on CD and is the ultimate showcase for Ernest's talent. His speed and dexterity will stun you.

Here he sticks to traditional rock steady grooves and the result is wonderful.

Ernest Ranglin is almost a Jamaican version of Joe Pass.

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice to be introduced to Mr. Ranglin!!, September 20, 2007

By 

T. Kane "Kane" (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Surfin (Audio CD)

Well, for me this was an introduction to Ernest Ranglin's music. I first heard the cut "Nyah" on satellite radio, and felt I had to know more. I soon copped this album, and was not disappointed. The majority of the mixes are found to be pleasant, and stays in fine tune with calypso and island jazz. I was an immediate fan from the first track, and started searching for more albums. Unfortunately, I found it hard to find Ernest's other albums in the local stores other than Surfin', but the music is worth checking for. For one who enjoys this style, I recommend Ernest's version of Bob Marley tunes as well. A legend I regret finding so late.

11 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best experienced in small doses, July 9, 2005

By 

Jan P. Dennis "Longboard jazzer" (Monument, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Surfin (Audio CD)

Unless you're a rabid fan of jazz-tinged reggae (which I'm not), you'll probably share my interesting experience of having quite enjoyed this music, but finding yourself worn out about half way through. And it has nothing to do with shoddy musicianship or poorly chosen selections. Both are beyond criticism. It's just that I found myself getting antsy listening to musical development across such a narrow range.

Let's face it. There just isn't that much variety in reggae. Yes, there is variation in tempi: some pieces are slow and some get to mid tempo or slightly beyond. But there are no out-and-out reggae burners, at least not that I'm aware of. Nor is there a great deal of variety in instrumentation, with keys, guitar, bass, drums, and, often, winds constituting the basic sound image. There can be some variety in types of percussion employed, but you're not going to find anything from the clarinet family, or any accordions, or mallet instruments (vibes, marimba, etc.), or strings. Combine that with a strict adherence to the trademark chuck-a-chuck syncopated beat and you have music that tends to begin to sound pretty much the same after about a half a dozen cuts. That's why you probably don't have a lot of jazz/reggae discs out there.

If you're totally hooked on reggae and would like to see its musical horizons slightly expanded by its being combined with a slightly jazzy vibe, this might be the record for you, although I think both Dean Fraser's The Big Up or Ranglin's disc with Monty Alexander (although it's really pre-reggae) are better. If you're pretty taken by a wide variety of world-jazz artists (e.g., Egberto Gismonti, Omar Sosa, Jan Garbarek, Cyro Baptista), you'll probably find this quite listenable but not essential.