Black Truth Rhythm Band were something of an anomaly in their native Trinidad, pushing a pronouncedly Afro-centric path when their peers were in thrall to newly arrived US soul and funk. Formed in 1971, the group gave themselves African names, dressed in African clothes and pursued a sound rich in the influence of that continent.
Long out of print, their only release, reissued here by Soundway, proves an arrestingly eclectic listen. The opening title track fuses funky guitar and flute with thumb piano and Afrobeat rhythms, while Save D Musician throws some Trinidadian flavour into the mix with steel drums underpinning some silky smooth vocal harmonics redolent of the Congos. Kilimanjaro is all kitsch African theatrics with squawking parrots, tribal calls and congas aplenty before the sweetly lilting Aspire gives another native style, calypso, a funky twist.
Leaving the best till last, Umbala was perhaps a sign of where the band would have gone next: a beautiful, contemplative song that slowly builds its steel drums, dreamy Hammond organ and sad melodies towards an uplifting, sweet melodic refrain. It’s the perfect encapsulation of the band’s sound; an enchanting mix of styles with its head in the Caribbean but its heart in the motherland.
