Name: The Way It Is
Brand: Shanachie Records
SKU: 63889
Price: 18.89 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 5 (2 reviews)

The Way It Is

Rating

Performer Notes

Personnel: Lucky Dube (vocals); Alan Pierce (spoken vocal); Skipper Shabalala, Mauritz Lotz (guitar); Soweto String Quartet (strings); Kevin Davidson (saxophone); David Lilley (trumpet); Dan Selsick (trombone); Godfrey Mokoena, Sipho Ngwane (keyboards); Moses Ngwenya (organ); Toto Moloantoa (bass); Doods Molefe (percussion); Thozama Matsoge, Vicky Vilakazi, Wendy Mseleku, Gugu Dlamini (background vocals).
Recorded at Downtown Studios, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Personnel: Skipper Shabalala (guitar); Soweto String Quartet (strings); Kevin Davidson (saxophone); Dan Selsick (trombone); Black Moses Ngwenya (organ); Wendy Mseleku, Gugu Dlamini, Vicky Vilakazi (background vocals).
Recording information: Downtown Studios, Johanesburg.
Photographer: Roy Carter.
Lucky Dube is widely considered to be Africa's "King of Reggae" and The Way It Is brilliantly continues his reign. Brandishing one of the most haunting voices in modern reggae, Dube tackles social and political issues with the style and sincerity of Bob Marley, coupled with the ferocity of his biggest influence, Peter Tosh. Opening with melancholy vocals on the sublime "Crying Game," capturing a touch of his South African Mbaqanga roots on "Let the Band Play On," and dabbling in a little classical chamber music for "Till You Lose It All," the singer manages to deliver hardcore roots reggae with a fresh perspective. This album showcases reggae at its best by one of the best. ~ Rosalind Cummings-Yeates