In Search of the Lost Riddim

Ernest Ranglin had already had a glorious career as one of the key guitarists in the development of ska, rocksteady and reggae – playing on everything from Millie’s “My Boy Lollipop” to The Congos’ Heart of The Congos – and as a jazz player, when he hit a whole new hot streak in his mid 60s. His mid-90s albums Below the Bassline and In Search of Barber Mack created a very personal language spanning Caribbean and Black American musical traditions, and were joyous to boot. But In Search of the Lost Riddim in 1998 went a whole lot further. Recorded in Dakar, Senegal, with members of Baba Maal’s band on traditional West African instruments, it brought everything from the previous two albums into a transatlantic mix – even bringing in the modernist rhythms of dancehall – less fusing styles than finding highest common factors between them, and again absolutely radiating joy in playing and discovery. Ranglin continued making great records and performing up to his retirement in 2016, but in a catalogue studded with gems, this still stands out as one of his very greatest works.