A visit to his Big Ship studio/residence finds "The Captain" and his cicrcle of young protojes absorbed in the televised social and survival habits of big cats, water buffalo, wild dogs and other animals.
Of course, Freddie, after "50+" years of striding Colossus-like yet with great agility through the "jungle" of the Jmaaican and global musica business, of racking up awards and associations enough to fill several rooms (He has two walls of fame emblazoned with photos and plaques in the Big Ship complex to verify), of being the soundtrack to countless new romances, affairs, break-ups, conceptions and other life experiences, of seeing his progeny establish their own tracks and their own varied impacts.
After all of that, Freddie McGregor is still "on the hunt" still hungry, just not for the trappings that seem to occupy so many lesser lights. No, Freddie McGregor is hungry to become better to show more of his love for the music and thesound and to show just how much further there is to go, even as he takes stock of the leagues he's already covered.
And that quest is exemplified in his latest disc, entitled "True to the Roots" Upon our visit, Freddie was stil lhuddled with engineer/producer "German" (from Stuttgart, no less) in seeking to go through the tracks and making the hard choice of paring all the fantastic material down to a manageable 13 or 14 tracks.
The lead-off tandem is the title track and Dennis Brown's "Love's Got A Hold On Me" two tasty slices of modern rtoots which serve as sort of bio notes on his illustrious career. "Yeah man, Dennis ah me bredda man," in describing the closeness between him and the late Crown Prince of Reggae. The "Roots" track offers some concrete foundational points on values without sinking into preachiness.
And yet, Freddie at this stage can manage to roam stylistically beyond the roots reggae and lover's rock that made his name and still retain a trademark sound, that warm, rolling lower register that song after song transmits both a knowing and an eagerness for new experiences.
That duality is reflected in a stirring mix of tracks like Little Anthony's 'Falling in Love" and the original "A Song in My Head" the latter which Freddie says just evolved out of his regular writing process with the likes of Dalton Browne, one of many collaborators on the project. Dean Fraser is featured, as is
But the end result is, as stated, vintage Freddie. Regardless of tempo, complexity or subject matter, these songs attest to the experience, intensity and wisdom that are uniquely Freddie. It's a disc that genuinely has something enjoyable for every demographic but can be listened to and enjoyed without the burden of trends, market values or any other preconceptions. This is not the "phoned-in" exercise of a weary veteran content to coast on the past, but the sound of a leader scanning the landscape with a positive view, with an eye to opportunity, not content to pick at consumed carcasses, but mindful always of the need to stay grounded "true to the roots" as the title track proclaims.
Its an outlook that no doubt will enable "the Captian" and head of the pack to rack up many more accolades and more loyal fans
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