Ernie
Smith - Child Of The Light
South African guitar music is best known by
SA's great mu
sical
ambassador Jonathan Butler.
It's not unusual that Ernie
Smith is influenced by this guitarist, who has earned many merits
in the past especially by his
natural play of the acoustic guitar.
His album Child Of
The Light is an awesome collection of popular melodies. What
you get? Soulful music - a mixture of
African, jazz and gospel with a definate R'nB slant. Cool and smooth
for late night chilling or dancing.
Take for example Lonely.
A heartbeating love song which let you hum the melody in a happy mood.
Thapelo Yaka (My Prayer)
is played in the typical Jonathan Butler style. Ernie Smith
is a skillful guitar player who has already reached the professional
level of his mentor.
Crazy
starts with the typical South African brass music but is changing in
the main part his character to a pop-styled love song. Nevertheless
lie the strengths of this piece in his well arranged vocal parts.
If Only You Were Here
has its mainweight on the guitar music again. Ernie Smith plays
his guitar in a relaxed way managing even more demanding structures.
With the uptempo
Come Dance Ernie
Smith reachs the first time on his album a more jazzy ground. This
impression may be provoked by Marcus Wyatt 's muted trumpet.
The title tune Child
Of The Light (vocal
version) reveals Ernie Smith's religious position intonated in
a convinced attitude.
Mary Kate is
the name of Ernie Smith
's mother to whom he has dedicated not only this piece but the
whole album. His smooth guitar strokes elucidate the tender and
intimate relation to his parents.
The South African people
must be in a good temper listen to music like Wentworth,
an uprising tune with a positive feeling.
Everything About You
features Gloria Bosman's smoking and mellow vocals. She
has an outstanding timbre and the choir arrangement makes it to a
passionate passage.
Those who will miss the
original African music style will be appeased by the rhythm emphatic Invitation.
Neil Conzales develops a jazzy fire on his piano pushing Ernie
Smith to a breathtaking jazz improvisation. Now I understand why
this album is labeled under jazz.
More jazz is to discover on
An African Lullaby.
Especially Bernard Ayisa's tenor sax solo finds my recognition.
Child Of The Light (guitar
version) is
a worthy final curtain. Starting gingerly the tune increases to a
glorious crescendo.
Friends of guitar music
familiar to Jonathan Butler's music will find in Ernie Smith's
album an advantageous addition.
© HBH
