KINGSTON, Jamaica — Naya Rockers, in association with Floki Studios (Iceland), has released Higher Education, an 11-track benefit LP uniting some of the most respected names in reggae, ska, dub, and New Orleans R&B.
Recorded across 15 studios in five countries and featuring Grammy-winning artistes, engineers, and musicians, the album was created to support youth music education at Alpha School of Music.
Backed by the powerhouse 10-piece Naya Rockers band featuring reggae legends like Earl “Chinna” Smith (Rolling Stone’s list of 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time), members of The Skatalites, John Brown’s Body, and Slightly Stoopid, Higher Education is as much a cultural statement as it is a musical milestone.
“I believe in authentic reggae music. I know I wanted to create a classic roots album from the beginning to end, with the recording, the compilation, to the selection of artiste, to the band, to the mixing to the pressing of the vinyl. My inspiration for the line-up was based on who Naya Rockers had worked with as a backing band before. That included: Sister Nancy, Clinton Fearon and Hector Lewis. For the others it was about reaching out to who I had some connection to in terms of recording to see who would be interested to be apart of the project,” Nathan Sabanayagam, founder of Naya Records, drummer and producer, told Observer Online.
From the opening track Come With Us by Clinton Fearon to the reflective closer Thanks Dub from Mad Professor, Higher Education is a journey through roots, rhythm, and global collaboration.
Side A boasts Ivan Neville’s (Aaron Neville’s son) title track Higher Education, Sister Nancy’s Teach The Youths, the soulful gratitude of Hector “Roots” Lewis’ Thanks, Stephen Marley’s uplifting The Right Path, and Mad Professor’s bass-heavy Dub With Us.
Meanwhile, Side B delivers Mike Love’s Long Way Down, Angelo Moore & The Tamlins’ unifying The Brotherhood, Queen Omega’s empowering Words of Wisdom, Micah Shemaiah’s roots meditation Same Lessons to Learn, and a final dub excursion from Mad Professor.
Sabanayagam also explained the reason for giving back to Alpha, through this project.
“Alpha is known as the cradle of Jamaican music. From all the great musicians that came from Alpha, like Don Drummond to Horsemouth, they all have had tremendous influence on me as a musician, so it was a way to honour their legacy but also support music education as it is the great structure from which all musicians can build,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Wade Koeman, director of Flóki Studios, recording engineer and musician, told Observer Online that he hopes the body of work is well-received.
“My ultimate hopes is that it is listened to and loved the world over and therefore it would be able to provide substantial benefit to Alpha. That it inspires others to either learn music or make music with intention. That it can be a catalyst to help others create music that is driven my intention and creating positive impact,” he said.
The album was mixed by Stephen Stewart and Sabanayagam, Naya Rockers founder, at the legendary Tuff Gong Studio and Anchor Studios in Kingston.
