Legendary Jamaican guitarist Ernest Ranglin, is the architect of ska, reggae, and Jamaican jazz guitar.
Ranglin’s influence can be felt in the explosion of the late Seventies English punk and ska music through bands such as The Specials and The Clash, and even beyond to Nineties acts such as No Doubt.
He recently launched a historic Kickstarter campaign to fund an expansive box set anthology that celebrates his unparalleled musical legacy.
This crowdfunded project invites fans and music lovers worldwide to help preserve the story of one of the most influential yet under-recognised figures in world music history.
“ We’re just getting into it now,” Ranglin, who is now 93, tells Musical Musings about the upcoming box set.
“I’ve told everyone I want to review the list of songs, go over everything, and even contribute new and original ideas—not just the same tracks from the past.
“I still have old tapes in the closet and melodies and songs on paper.
“And I still have songs in my head all the time, too!”
During the mid-Sixties, Ranglin was also part of the house band at Studio One, Jamaica’s most renown recording studio that saw him work on sessions with such legendary artists as Bob Marley.
He also played a pivotal role on “My Boy Lollipop” by Millie Small, which introduced ska music to the world.
“It was an incredible time,” he says.
“We were making music non-stop and had much talent come through.
“The creativity was flowing, and we were all developing this new sound together.
“I was lucky to bring my background in jazz and my early experiences across the Caribbean to help shape the music.”
Ranglin believes rhythm and tempo are the most important elements of ska and reggae music.
“And songwriting, of course, too,” he says.
“Music grows, transforms…especially Jamaican music.
“Really, it just comes down to the feel.”
Ranglin hopes the box set will keep his legacy alive for the next generation of musicians.
“Music has always been my way of sharing love and unity with the world,” he says.
“This project means so much to me because it brings together all the chapters of my journey and gives thanks to everyone who helped shape the sound of Jamaica.
“I hope it inspires the next generation to keep the music alive and progressing.”
For more on Ernest Ranglin and his kickstarter campaign, go to: https://ernestranglin.com/
Music News
The biggest music news of recent weeks is the announcement of an Australian tour by rock’n’roll legends AC/DC.
The band will be performing shows as part of their Power Up tour in November and December with further dates, due to demand, already being added at the time of writing.
The group already have two Melbourne shows, the first on November 12 at the MCG and the second on November 16 also at the MCG.
Don’t be surprised if more shows are added in coming weeks. AC/DC last toured Australia back in 2015.
Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan is set to release her tenth album, Better Broken, on September 19.
After a two-year break away from music, Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi released a comeback single last week titled, “Survive”.
One of Germany’s biggest musical exports, hard rock group The Scorpions, are getting their own biopic.
Titled, Wind Of Change, it will chronicle the group’s incredible sixty-year journey. Production is currently underway at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden in England with the film scheduled for a theatrical release later this year.
Pop-punk rockers Good Charlotte are set to return with the release of their new album Motel Du Cap, scheduled for release on August 8.
If you’re a Billy Joel fan, and have a subscription to Netflix, July 25sees a two-part documentary series titled ‘And So It Goes’ on the piano man himself hit the streaming platform.
It features never before seen concert footage, brand new interviews and participation from Joel.
40 Years Ago…Behind The Song – “Kayleigh” by Marillion
Forty years ago this year, British neo-prog rockers Marillion released their single, "Kayleigh" which went onto become their most famous and well-known song.
At the time of the song’s fame, its title also sparked a popularity in parents naming their children Kayleigh.
While the single reached number two on the UK charts, it only managed to peak at number 88 in Australia.
But it remains today one of the playlist staples on Australian radio.
“I came up with a riff when my girlfriend, who later became my wife, asked me how I approach writing ideas,” Marillion guitarist and one of the songwriters of the song Steve Rothery explained to me last week.
“And I said, ‘it's all about trying to combine rhythm and melody’.
And from that, I came up with the Kaleigh riff. And I thought, ‘oh, that's pretty good.
I'll remember that!’
And that song allowed me to finish paying off my mortgage!
So, it turned out to be a good conversation we had.”
Interestingly, the song’s success and popularity occurred inadvertently.
‘We recorded the B-side for “Kayleigh”, a track called “Lady Nina” and our A&R guy basically loved it and thought that it should be the A side,” says Rothery.
“But we said, ‘no, ‘Kayleigh’ is the A-side’. Anyway, we agreed on a compromise of a double A sided single.
Of course, everyone ended up playing ‘Kayleigh’ instead, and it became a monster hit where it got played all around the world.
And it still gets played around the world today.”
This Week’s Global Music Singles Charts
AUS – ARIA Top 50 at No.1 is “Ordinary” - Alex Warren
US – Billboard Hot 100 – at No.1 is “Ordinary” - Alex Warren
UK – Official Top 100 at No.1 is “Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
Germany – Offizielle Top 40 Chart at No.1 is “Ordinary” - Alex Warren
Fun Fact
On The Beatles 1966 song, "Eleanor Rigby”, none of the group members actually played an instrument.
They only provided vocals and harmonies.
The instrumentation was instead performed by an octet of studio musicians, comprising four violins, two violas and two cellos, with producer George Martin conducting.