Review

We find Courtney John in a musical universe far removed from the one he was known for. Surrounded by The Wizard and Steven "Lenky" Marsden, the trio has given birth to a new genre, "rootstronic", a contraction of Roots and Electronics.   Reactions (1)    It goes without saying that fans of Courtney John's sweet lover's rock melodies will be surprised by the direction of his new project. Like his latest album to date, "From Letters to Words", his music draws heavily on the past, and his hits Love is and Lucky Man take up riddims from Treasure Isle, Duke Reid's label. But he is taking a completely different path for his new project, entitled "The Courtney John Project". Contrary to what the name might suggest, Courtney John is not alone in this new adventure: he has surrounded himself with the producer and drummer The Wizard (Anastasia Hammond to give her real name, like him a relative of Beres Hammond, and a longtime accomplice) and Steven "Lenky" Marsden, an award winner notably for the Diwali riddim in 2004. "It's safe to say they are the most innovative musicians and producers I know." "Something new" It all begins when Courtney John and The Wizard are asked to write a song for Oliver Stone's film "Savages". "We started working on what became the first single, Soul of A Man (to be discovered below, Ed.), and we needed additional keyboards." Steven "Lenky" Marsden comes in and the chemistry between the three does the rest. "While we were in the studio, we realised there was a tremendous energy between the three of us. We felt we were on the road to something new." They all share the wish to pursue this creation along other paths. The Courtney John Project was born, and with it a new genre, christened Rootstronic, a contraction of "roots" and "electronic". "We called it Rootstronic because 'roots' evokes foundations, and 'tronic' innovation. The word illustrates our combination of elements tied to our Jamaican culture and other styles of music. That's what gives it that innovative side." A genre whose watchword is versatility: "It's a different genre. A place where there are no rules or borders. Musically, we're not limited, and that gives us the opportunity to be different." For now, Courtney John, The Wizard and Lenky are putting the finishing touches to an album, "The Future", due out in early 2013 on the Fi Wi Music label. On stage too, the project intends to stand out, with a show combining theatre and music. Report written by Sébastien Jobart Tags : Courtney John (24)   Reactions (1)

Reactions

1 Comment General appreciation : j'attends ca avec impatience Posted by tryli Rating :  Wednesday, February 27th 2013