Listening today
February 1, 2008 | 4 Comments
Satta Massagana
The Abyssinians
So beautiful. Such harmonies. So ridiculously laid back. National anthem of reggae, some say.
I hear that the non-English sounding lyrics (Satta Massagana Ahamlai, for example) are Hebrew. But I speak Hebrew and I don’t understand these words. But what do I know. Jah Rastafari.
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4 Comments
Here I am in Jamaica, eating lunch almost daily in our neighborhood Rastafarian cafe, in love with Reggae since high school, and yet–I never heard the Abyssinians until now.
Thanks, Susan! What a good song you posted. I have to look for their albums now.
I was hoping that the band was still here, but it seems they emigrated to the States. Too bad. I hear there still are great legends of Reggae here in Kingston, and I will keep my ears open for them.
Michael Carroll and his mindful leadership disciples are all talking of a reunion in Negril in January 2009. That would be wonderful, and maybe we can convince other interested Shambhala folks to crash the party. And if you get the urge to experience Jamaica’s sunshine and beaches any other time, please let us know as we’d love to host/meet you and your family.
Are you a Michael Franti fan? Such good energy … robust, you know? Kinda driven, but ?what? w/o bitterness or cynicism … wrathful, perhaps, but loving.
When he was here, solo, towards the end he invited the kidz to get up on stage and dance … it was quite wonderful.
There’s an old strand to the wisdom tradition that has given us “rule of law”. It goes something like the guilty deserves to face his consequences. I am burdened with a Zen vow that’s something like that … it’s just not right to enable the oppressors. We can’t indulge them. It’s tricky.
thanks for the link!
Ben, yes I like Michael Franti for exactly the reason you suggest-great energy. Sharp and warm at the same time; unusual. That said, I’m a bigger fan of his that I am of his music. Which is totally fine, just not totally wild for it.
I hear (and feel) your commitment to holding oppressive feet to fire. Not to indulge. Tricky, indeed. Very tricky. I bow to whoever wields the phurba with truly right intention.
Robert, great to picture you in Rasta cafe! And also great to hear you’re a reggae fan. I’m a johnny-come-lately to the genre, but my sweet husband, Duncan, is a major reggae guy. He was one of the founders of a reggae label, Heartbeat, and has met/worked with all the old school greats including Coxsone Dodd the legendary Studio One producer who first recorded Bob Marley. He’s also hung with Burning Spear, Lee Perry (maybe my very favorite), Mikey Dread, etc. He’s the man when it comes to reggae.