Twinkle Brothers -" higher heighs"

[rasfael]

I wonder - if do someone know Twinkle Brothers albums with polish strings section- how do u like that kind of combine?I like it very much, that kind marriage between roots reggae and polish roots music is successful. How do u think about that?

[Dubac]

Rasfael,

The vocal album I have is actually called "Higher Heights - Twinkle Inna Polish Stylee" and the dub version (but with the tracks in a different order) is simply titled "Dub With Strings". The CD versions are numbered NGCD537 & NGCD535 respectively.

I bought the first from HMV (UK) several years ago, and liked it enough to buy the second a couple of months ago from Ernie's on the web.

So if you only have the first one, you might want to try that dub album?

I have also heard of a third 'Twinkle Brothers in Poland' album, but don't know much about that one. It might just be normal reggae played live rather than a mixture of music from two cultures.

I too like the style of this. It's always refreshing to hear regaae played a different way, whether (in this case) with violins, or with heavy guitars or harmonica or whatever.

I think my favourite tracks are The Source/Spod Jawora and the extended Don't Betray My Love/Pierso Godzina.

For others who don't know about the album, the 'Twinkle Brothers' in this case are just Norman Grant and Dub Judah. The Polish artists are three members of a family called Trebunia - a father with his son and daughter, I think. Between them they play violins, upright bass and 'pipes'. The original recordings were made in 1991 for Polish radio.

All songs are traditionally Polish melodies, and seem to be based on the same folk story. There are no old (or new) Twinkle songs performed Inna Different Stylee so to speak.

As well as the mix of musical styles, I particularly like the way a lot of the songs are sung in both languages - either with Jacob telling the story in English after the original, or with him on lead and the Polish element doing the backing.

It's difficult to give proper opinions on something as unique as this. We won't know until or unless other people join in, but I guess it's something that most will either find novel and interesting, or will not like at all.

One thing I've noticed is that it's best when listened to on its own. By that I mean stick the whole album(s) on and then switch off and go and do something else entirely. It doesn't work quite so well if you try and mix in listening to the tracks with other more normal reggae tunes - and I certainly haven't ever tried slotting this stuff into a live reggae set. Maybe I'll change my mind if I ever get a booking at the Polish Club down the road .

Not sure how much this is helping, or just telling you what you already know, so I'll leave it there...

Regards

Dubac

[rasfael]

Rasfael,

The vocal album I have is actually called "Higher Heights - Twinkle Inna Polish Stylee" and the dub version (but with the tracks in a different order) is simply titled "Dub With Strings".

Yes - exactly, i put it in shortly version of title. I remeber (i came from Poland)when Twinkle come to make those records, Wlodek Kleszcz (inspirator of those sessions) play some tracks on the radio. From those combination (Twinkle/ Trebunia) we have also "Our Twinkle home" , and few more.
Twinkle in Poland - very good roots album, also recorded in Poland - it was first vivist of Twinkle in our country in 1988. Another is New songs for Jah with polish jazz horn section Young Power (dub version is New Dub for Jah). Twinkle became friends with polish people

[skunkride]

Don't Forget Africa LP also have some collaborations with that polish string band - about 4 or 5 tracks if i remember correctly. Interesting combination.