From Paris-based Guillaume Metenier, known as Soul Sugar or Booker G, and French trio Dub Shepherds comes the collaborative album Blue House Rockin’. The project was born from two days of live recording at Blue House Studio, engineered by Christophe ‘French Kiss’ Adam. Embracing a vintage aesthetic, the sessions featured ribbon and tube microphones from the ’50s and ’60s, capturing the warm tones of a Hammond organ, upright piano, Fender bass, Gibson guitars, classic amps and preamps, as well as drums, syndrums, and percussion. The recordings were laid down on a 24-track tape machine, then handed over to the Dub Shepherds for mixing at their Bat Records Studio, where they used analog consoles and vintage hardware effects to complete the album’s rich, retro sound.
Blue House Rockin’ offers a vibrant collection of nine tracks, blending vocal cuts and instrumentals that span both reinterpretations of timeless classics and fresh original material. Among the covers are reggae-infused renditions of Curtis Mayfield’s Give Me Your Love and Aaron Frazer’s My God Has A Telephone, with Dub Shepherds’ Jolly Joseph lending his voice to lead vocals. His performances on these tracks as well as in the original lover’s rock tune Hold My Hand, anchoring these three songs with warmth and soul. UK vocalist Shniece McMenamin deliveres a dynamic performance in the hip-hop-infused reggae rendition of Mary J. Blige and Dr. Dre’s Family Affair.
The instrumental tracks on Blue House Rockin’ offer a rich treat for reggae aficionados, with Guillaume Metenier paying homage to the legendary Jackie Mittoo. His masterful Hammond organ work shines on Disco Jack, Choice Of Music, and Drum Song, all originally composed by Mittoo and produced by reggae icons Bunny Lee and Coxsone Dodd. These renditions come alive through a vibrant interplay of organ, guitar, and a tight riddim section, enhanced by lush spring reverb, dub-style echoes, and sweeping filter effects that give the tracks a warm, analog depth.
Blue House Rockin’ delivers a rich mix of soulful roots reggae and funk, crafted for full impact when turned up loud.