Tchiya can be described only as a learning experience of the spirit. In fact, it should appeal to just about anyone who enjoys good music. All in all, this is an excellent set that should please fans of reggae, but also prog rocker and jazz followers. However it’s labeled, though, it is a great tune and a perfect closing piece. There are some great retro sounds here, perhaps leaning towards something like early Yes or Vanilla Fudge. It’s clearly progressive rock, but could also fit under “jazz,” too. Jazz meets reggae on Amet’s intriguing rendition of the classic tune, “Wonderful World.” The closing piece is “Egyptian Bluez Instrumental.” As potent as the original version was, this one seems even stronger. This tune includes another of those tasty male reggae raps. The cut is a nice change, though and stands apart from the rest of the album, while still seeming connected at the same time. There’s reggae built into it, but it’s harder rocking and heavy than that might indicate. Musically, though, progressive rock is certainly the order of the day. With a title like “Fucked up System,” it’s obvious parents need to consider listening to the tune around their children. There are some more progressive rock like bits later in the piece, though. “Great Purification of All Things” starts in more pure reggae territory, bringing things back to the king of music heard early in the set. The bass sound drives it and multiple layers of vocals bring the magic. The language of the song “No Kwi Si Iga (Star Days)” is Cherokee. “Precession of the Equinox” is a short and quite pretty piano solo. The lyrics and vocals really feel like they belong to the piece, rather than an afterthought. The result is a tune that’s essentially great jazz music. On “Equinox” Amet provides a rendition of a John Coltrane cut, but with original lyrics added to complete the picture. That jazz element is reinforced through the guitar solo later in the number. It’s one of the most unique arrangements (both musically and vocally) of the whole set. ![]() Organic and quite jazzy, there are elements of prog on “Fire Water,” too. When the arrangement builds out later, it’s another that seems closely related to progressive rock. It’s a powerful piece, in terms of performance and lyrical content. It seems mellower and slower than the rest of the music on the disc. Reggae and retro rock sounds are both present on “Where the Dog Ran” but it is a change of pace. There are some really mystical layers of sounds and the vocals are among the best of the album. The bass brings a great groove to the table and sort of dances around in the backdrop. “Po Tolo” is truly a standout of the set. The male reggae vocals are nice and the keyboard sound is classic. There is some reggae in the mix, but it’s got that smooth, melodic sound and vibe that Sade’s best music always had. “AST MAAT” is particularly reminiscent of Sade. In fact, the cut would probably qualify as progressive rock. ![]() ![]() The musical arrangement again seems rather like some of Jon Anderson’s music. The ethereal vocals on “Egyptian Bluez” stand out. Both the horn section and bass line are quite noteworthy. There is a spoken section on the piece, later. The overall mode is a slow, fairly mellow reggae sound. “Master of Desire,” as a lot of the other pieces, features some classic retro keyboard sounds. The music is certainly not lacking, either. The vocal layers here might be even better than the ones on the opener. In some ways, the arrangement and song in general here seems like something Jon Anderson might do. The music that opens “Keep Chanting” is magical. There is also some male reggae rapping included in addition to Amet’s voice. While there is some nice vocal work on the tune, the instrumental arrangement and performances can’t be ignored, either. There’s a cool horn section at the opening of the album and the first cut (“Esho Funi”) is an inspired reggae number. The music is well thought out, varied and delivered with skill and style. The vocals are great, many times conjuring up references to Sade. In fact, this often works towards jazz and progressive rock. ![]() Sure, there is a lot of reggae here, but that’s far too limited a vision. The easiest is clearly not the most accurate, though. The easiest answer in describing this disc would be to say that it’s reggae.
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