Happy Birthday Ernest Ranglin
- Thread starter Mapleman54
- Start date
Mapleman54
Member
HAPPY 91st BIRTHDAY to Ernest Ranglin!!!
A pioneering force behind the rise of Caribbean music, guitar virtuoso Ernest Ranglin was born in Manchester, Jamaica, in 1932.
He began playing ukulele as a boy, soon graduating to guitar; while in his teens he began performing live both locally and in the Bahamas, often in tandem with the young Monty Alexander. Ranglin's session work at the famed Studio One helped give birth to the ska phenomenon, which during the late '50s began taking Jamaica by storm.
He finally began attracting international notice in 1964 when he traveled to London to perform at Ronnie Scott's jazz club, so impressing its owner that he remained on as the venue's resident guitarist for the next nine months. There he made a number of solo records for the fledgling Island label, and also collaborated with Prince Buster; additionally, Ranglin teamed with Jamaican singer Millie Small to cut the international smash "My Boy Lollipop." He soon returned to session work, arranging classics including the Melodians' majestic "Rivers of Babylon"; with his guitar leads on the Wailers' "It Hurts to Be Alone," he also laid the foundation for the rise of rockers reggae.
Though remaining perhaps best known for his jazz prowess, in the '70s Ranglin toured with Jimmy Cliff; in 1973 he was awarded the Order of Distinction from the Jamaican Government for his contributions to music, and continued touring and recording regularly throughout the decades to follow, most notably signing to Chris Blackwell's newly formed Palm Pictures label to issue 1998's In Search of the Lost Riddim. E.B. @ Noon and Modern Answers to Old Problems arrived two years later, Grooving appeared in early 2001, and Alextown and Surfin' followed a year later by Earth Tones and Innovation. Both were collaborations with Jamaican guitarist Earl "Chinna" Smith and American jazz guitarist Charlie Hunter. Ranglin toured sporadically but shied away from recording.
The second decade of the 21st century, saw an extensive series of reissues from his early back catalog reissued by several labels including Japan's Dub Store Records. In 2016, at age 84, he embarked on the Ranglin & Friends Farewell Tour accompanied by Courtney Pine, Tony Allen, Cheikh Lo, Ira Coleman, and others.
Source: Jason Ankeny
A pioneering force behind the rise of Caribbean music, guitar virtuoso Ernest Ranglin was born in Manchester, Jamaica, in 1932.
He began playing ukulele as a boy, soon graduating to guitar; while in his teens he began performing live both locally and in the Bahamas, often in tandem with the young Monty Alexander. Ranglin's session work at the famed Studio One helped give birth to the ska phenomenon, which during the late '50s began taking Jamaica by storm.
He finally began attracting international notice in 1964 when he traveled to London to perform at Ronnie Scott's jazz club, so impressing its owner that he remained on as the venue's resident guitarist for the next nine months. There he made a number of solo records for the fledgling Island label, and also collaborated with Prince Buster; additionally, Ranglin teamed with Jamaican singer Millie Small to cut the international smash "My Boy Lollipop." He soon returned to session work, arranging classics including the Melodians' majestic "Rivers of Babylon"; with his guitar leads on the Wailers' "It Hurts to Be Alone," he also laid the foundation for the rise of rockers reggae.
Though remaining perhaps best known for his jazz prowess, in the '70s Ranglin toured with Jimmy Cliff; in 1973 he was awarded the Order of Distinction from the Jamaican Government for his contributions to music, and continued touring and recording regularly throughout the decades to follow, most notably signing to Chris Blackwell's newly formed Palm Pictures label to issue 1998's In Search of the Lost Riddim. E.B. @ Noon and Modern Answers to Old Problems arrived two years later, Grooving appeared in early 2001, and Alextown and Surfin' followed a year later by Earth Tones and Innovation. Both were collaborations with Jamaican guitarist Earl "Chinna" Smith and American jazz guitarist Charlie Hunter. Ranglin toured sporadically but shied away from recording.
The second decade of the 21st century, saw an extensive series of reissues from his early back catalog reissued by several labels including Japan's Dub Store Records. In 2016, at age 84, he embarked on the Ranglin & Friends Farewell Tour accompanied by Courtney Pine, Tony Allen, Cheikh Lo, Ira Coleman, and others.
Source: Jason Ankeny
Blues&BebopFan
Junior Member
Waw !!! I'm so happy to see this post !!!!!
Ernest has been one of my favorite guitarist for years!!! He's the reason I've started jazz guitar and bought my Guild X175.
I wrote my master thesis on Jamaican Jazz & Mento and have been in contact with him. I transcribed a lot of his songs if you are interested in send me an email : alexis.nootens@gmail.com, I'll gladly share my transcriptions. I also have rare albums of him like Reflections and what he recorded in trio (Wranglin' & Guitar In Ernest (not the 4tet version)) that I can share!
Here is my favorite song of him :
with Monty on Rhodes
a transcription I put on Youtube long time ago
I also encourage you to check other jamaican jazz musicians like Wilton Gaynair (tenor), Joe Harriott (alto), Coleridge Good (double bass), Cecil Lloyd (Piano), Lennie Hibbert (vibra), Harold McNair etc.
Ernest has been one of my favorite guitarist for years!!! He's the reason I've started jazz guitar and bought my Guild X175.
I wrote my master thesis on Jamaican Jazz & Mento and have been in contact with him. I transcribed a lot of his songs if you are interested in send me an email : alexis.nootens@gmail.com, I'll gladly share my transcriptions. I also have rare albums of him like Reflections and what he recorded in trio (Wranglin' & Guitar In Ernest (not the 4tet version)) that I can share!
Here is my favorite song of him :
with Monty on Rhodes
a transcription I put on Youtube long time ago
I also encourage you to check other jamaican jazz musicians like Wilton Gaynair (tenor), Joe Harriott (alto), Coleridge Good (double bass), Cecil Lloyd (Piano), Lennie Hibbert (vibra), Harold McNair etc.
ClaytonS15
Member
I love, love, LOVE Ernest Ranglin! Below the Bass Line and Rocksteady with Monty Alexander are a few of my favorites. Happy B-day!
Blues&BebopFan
Junior Member
If you love their work together, I recommend you to check this one too :
They play a lot of soul tunes... truly mind blowing!
They play a lot of soul tunes... truly mind blowing!