Performer Notes

Personnel: Justin Adams (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric 6-string guitar, banjo, lute); Juldeh Camara (vocals, fiddle, percussion); Salah Dawson Miller (percussion).
Audio Mixer: Tim Oliver.
Recording information: Black Earth Studios, Bath, Somerset, England; Real World Studios, Box, Wiltshire, England.
In Gambian singer and multi-instrumentalist Juldeh Camara, guitarist Justin Adams (who also plays in Robert Plant's band) has found an ideal foil for his African blues sound. Soul Science kicks off with "Yerro Mama," which sounds like primal rock & roll, with Camara's one-string fiddle roaring through a solo like any wild electric guitarist. And that's just the beginning. "Ya Ta Kaaya" tosses a nod to the ancient hambone rhythm that became Bo Diddley's trademark. With the addition of percussionist Salah Dawson Miller and bassist Billy Fuller on some tracks, there's a fiery little band working here. The mix of a Fulani griot -- Camara -- and Western musicians with a love and deep understanding of West African music makes for a charged mix that rocks its socks off while hewing close to Camara's roots. He's the central figure here, even though Adams' name is on the title, and Adams is happy to have him that way, acting as strong support but also creating this blend that manages to be rooted and forward-looking at the same time. It's a gem of a disc, electrifying and roaring, both musically and in spirit. Whether it's science or art is up for debate, but it certainly has soul. ~ Chris Nickson

Professional Reviews

Down Beat (p.78) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Their sensational Bo Diddley homage, 'Ya Ta Kaaye,' spews sparks like a downed, dangerous power line, with fiddler Camara as wild as Cajun Doug Kershaw and Adams as passionate as Johnny Ramone."

Dirty Linen (p.45) - "The links between North African music and punk have never been more clear than on SOUL SCIENCE....An exciting record of two master musicians using their whole arsenal of styles and techniques to create something entirely new."

Album: Soul Science *
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Yerro Mama
2)	Ya Ta Kaaya
3)	Sanakubay
4)	Njatigi
5)	Naafigi
6)	Blue Man Returns
7)	Subuhanalaii
8)	Ngamen
9)	Nayo
10)	Yo Lay Lay
11)	We Wairi Bainguray Am

Album: Soul Science *
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Yerro Mama
2)	Ya Ta Kaaya
3)	Sanakubay
4)	Njatigi
5)	Naafigi
6)	Blue Man Returns
7)	Subuhanalaii
8)	Ngamen
9)	Nayo
10)	Yo Lay Lay
11)	We Wairi Bainguray Am