In 2020 there was a lot of time to practice all alone. And the Sedel was quite quiet. The idea to loop this tune came while I was walking to Sedel. I prepared the loop as a tune to practice over the theme. After a few sessions I was ready for a solo recording session on friday, march 27. One flute track is only the off. All the way down. I mixed it to the left side. On the right channel there is the solo flute played in one take. I mixed it that same night, march 28. It’s the second tune in the playlist below.
After finishing this version, I was thinking about the tempo and that it would be cool to begin with the melody and ending with it, without the loop from the Skatalites.
Friday, April 24 I recorded the flute for the slow version up in Sedel straight onto my MacBook Pro from 2007. On april 25 I mixed the slow version. I can’t remember how many tracks I filled with flute, at the end, you can hear three flutes at the same time.
The two versions of Exodus with the loop taken from The Skatalites interpretation of the fame soundtrack theme.
Here’s the original version from The Skatalites. I own this 7inch since the late 80s or early 90s. The Skatalites / Delroy Wilson – Exodus / One Two Three.
In Paris I’ve found this old reissue of the original 1960 version of the film soundtrack. Exodus by Ernest Gold. I just love it.
As far as I know, Eddie Harris took that melody into Jazz in 1961 and opened it for all kind of styles. What a great inspiration, I mean the theme was Academy Award (Oscar) winner in 1960 and became a number two billboard hit for Ferrante & Teicher. To take this melody (and also the message behind – This Land Is Mine) could be difficult. I’m happy he did it, maybe that’s the reason why it became a Ska standard.
In 1962 came this album of The Workshop Jazz Jamaica with a jazzy version of the theme. Brilliantly with the everliving Don Drummond and Tommy McCook, Rolando Alphonso and Ernest Ranglin. Cecil Lloyd on piano, Carl McLeod on drums, Lloyd Mason on bass and Billy Cooke on trumpet. It seems that this version lent to The Skatalites interpretation by Tommy McCook.
In 1963 there was Quincy Jones who took this amazing melody into a jazzy funky version.
Ernest Ranglin took that theme in 1963 again into a another Ska version which was released again in 1966 on Ska At The Jamaica Playboy Club on Island records.
And finally my story around this tune? I know it ever since but never thought of playing it. I’m still scared of it and the loop I took doesn’t change at all. It’s boring and unfinished. But I love it anyway, even if it’s stupid. I mean, my version is unique. Haha. And Rico told me, make your own style. It is not because your the best or the greatest or the fastest or whatever. It’s because you’re unique. Thank you Rico Rodriguez for this everliving message. I recognize my flute, wherever I play. Only I can play that bad. Haha.
Exodus also reminds me of my visit in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt. When I was all alone sitting in the dead sea and was looking at the mountains around me, it was that feeling of being in the promised land. There was no house as far as I saw. And no road and nothing but water (full of salt) and sand mountains. Only the minister for water was at the border of the sea and meditated. He invited me to stay at his home for two nights, because his wife and children were on a travel (I guess to Amman). A retired police colonel found me a few minutes before walking on a road to the dead sea. He asked me, what my plans are. I told him, I planned to stay over night at the dead sea to take a bath. But he replied, this would be too dangerous. He asked me to enter his car and drove me towards the sea. I was wondering how far that was. But then he drove me to the only bath on this side of the sea. There was this minister sitting already. The two men were talking something. After a while the colonel came to me and explained, that the minister doesn’t speak english, but I could stay with him. The colonel left and I went into the dead sea for the first time (I was laughing for myself, because it’s too funny to sit into water! I still can’t believe…). After my bath, the minister took me in his car to the next police station where he was talking something. Then the police officer explained me in english, that every police officer in Jordan went to the university because the king wants intelligent policemen who can help foreigners and also are smart enough to help the natives too. I remember those days very clear. I don’t have too many pictures, but a few.
Exodus remembers me to this locations. I know, it’s the story of the Jews coming to Israel. But that region at the dead sea is about the same landscape as on the Israeli side. When I was there, the border was closed, it was no good idea to go to Israel, while you’re travelling Syria, Jordan and Egypt. It was just weird to imagine, that there is such a different lifestyle and it was so close. I mean, I’m not Arabic nor Jewish, I’m Rasta. And that was no problem for none. I was respected, because I wasn’t that kind of disbeliever as most of the Europeans. I was something different, but welcomed. The great thing about that travel was, that the border opened between Israel and Jordan just in that time when I was there.
This gallery of my photos from my travel that are made between july 20th to august 17th in 1994 bring back so many memories. It was too brutal to hear, that there is war. I pray for those people to be safe and happy and far from war very soon.
Yours truly, Ras Claude
One comment