The young Frenchmen of Donkey Jaw Bone have a good nose. Once again. After their "Paris is Burning" project with Derajah, it is across the Channel that they went looking for inspiration. In their luggage, they brought back Winston Reedy, former leader of the legendary Cimarons, and a brand-new album, "Make a Change". It started with a meeting with Rico Faya Horns in London in 2009. Then looking for a voice to enhance, Donkey Jaw Bone had the chance to play a few ultra-roots riddims to a heavyweight of UK reggae in the person of Winston Reedy, who arrived from Jamaica at the age of 13 and took the Cimarons from being Dennis Alcapone's backing band to the top of the Jamaican charts thanks to their cover of Bob Marley's Talking Blues in 1975. "Make a Change" marks his big comeback.
Recorded in Paris at Wendo-Guenet studios in record time (3 weeks, Usain Bolt style), "Make a change" keeps all its promises. As technically rich as ever, Donkey Jaw Bone's compositional work seems to be in constant evolution, with a great deal of room left for spontaneity and movement. It moves easily from the Roots Rock of Open the Door or Think Twice to the airy skanks of The Kingdom Come or Make a change, the title track, without fear of jet lag. The only love song on the opus (Show some Love) is also one of the most successful. Note also the judicious reuse of riddims from Derajah's opus (Paris is burning, Did you know), admittedly a little tamer. The substance, the form and the approach are clearly roots, and here is the whole arsenal (flute, brass, keyboard) to crown Winston Reedy's sweet voice with that very particular glow. A homogeneous effort that confirms the (very high) level of the DJB.
