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Bushman Sings The Bush Doctor

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Bushman Sings The Bush Doctor

Bushman Sings The Bush Doctor

By Angus Taylor on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - Comment

As both Tosh tribute and new Bushman album this is a long anticipated pleasure.

Sampler

After two years of negotiations and postponements, Bushman's tribute to Peter Tosh has at last been released via reggae giant VP. And although no one can sing Tosh quite like the Stepping Razor himself, Bushman's deep, authoritative recreations are worth the wait.

Bushman Having heard in 2004 that his singing reminded people of Tosh, the St Thomas parish singer began planning a series of songs to remind his younger fans of the great man. Buckingham Palace, recorded with Glen Browne and included on 2008's 'Get It In Your Mind', suggested the idea was sound.

We hear the forceful side of Tosh in Stepping Razor; the religious side in his hymn Ighziabeher; and his defiant love of ganja for Legalise It and Bush Doctor. Bushman's St Thomas neighbour Tarrus Riley takes the place of Mick Jagger for a value added reworking of the duet Don’t Look Back, while the now troubled Buju Banton sounds anything but worried on Mama Africa - voiced some years ago.

The music (co-produced by Penthouse, mixed by Jukeboxx’s Shane Brown, and featuring Robbie Lyn on keys and Mikey Chung on guitar, who played on the original 'Bush Doctor' LP) is nice and organic sounding enough not to besmirch the originals yet clearly in the modern one drop style. Bushman's impressive bassy brogue lacks the bite of Tosh's delivery; but his more peaceful, equally powerful vocals simply put his own mark on the songs.

As both Tosh tribute and new Bushman album this is a long anticipated pleasure. Tosh didn't tolerate shoddy work and there is none here.