Toby Tobias
Album: Africa You Belong To Me
Label: Sweet Spot
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.tobytoby.com

I recently asked if I could review Judy Collins but as someone else had also asked for the same album, I was sent Toby Tobias by the editor instead. Nothing like Judy Collins but we, Toby and I, have something in common. We both love Africa. Toby was born there and I lived in Zambia for five years so it will always hold a special place in my heart. For the record, not the musical one, Cape Town is also quite possibly my favourite place on Earth with the possible exception of my home town, Knaresborough.

The Toby Tobias Ensemble is an American, Long Island, based band playing Modern Folk/Jazz influenced by Funk and World Rhythms. You will certainly hear the sound and rhythm of Africa coming through a number of tracks on this album. There is even a touch of Country in one of the tracks.

Toby is the main stay of the band supported by Mike Nugent, Steve Blatt, Mario Staiano and Ray Hauck. All of these play for other bands as well so the album provides a real eclectic mix of styles and sounds.

The opening track is "Africa you belong to me" which took me by surprise as, having never heard of the band before, I was not sure what to expect. What I did hear was a very upbeat, melodic song with great harmonies not unlike West Coast American music from the 70's. It has a really nice guitar riff in the middle. "Peace on mind" has more than a touch of Leonard Cohen about it. The intro to "Don't say" has a fabulous bit of harmonica in it, setting the scene for what is a terrific track. "An African Freedom Dance" is the sort of track I imagine being played at a gig with the lights down low and a film of the African plains with herds of Wildebeest showing in the background. Listen to the words. It is an incredibly poignant song at this current time of the Ebola crisis although it is as much about the abhorrence of apartheid as much as anything else. A man truly after my own heart!

"Don't Relax" and keep the pedal to the metal is a wonderful line. No chance of doing that while this album is playing. "Dream machine" paints a superb picture of the greed and the daily grind of New York. Why anyone would want to work in this city is beyond me even if as a tourist I thought it was magical. I really like Mike Nugent's guitar work in the middle section.

I rarely review each track on an album so will not do so now either. One track however deserves more than a passing mention. Madiba" is dedicated to Nelson Mandela arguably the most influential man in African history. If you have not yet seen Idris Elba's stunning performance in the recent film biopic of Mandela's life, do so, it is totally believable and a fitting tribute to this amazing man. He may have split opinions but nobody can doubt his passion for freedom. This song is a touching tribute to the great man's life. As the song says, "be inspired by the life of Nelson Mandela."

Putting politics and the problems of Africa aside, this is a brilliantly put together album of quality musicianship and songs each with their own identity and style all from a man who has not forgotten his life and musical roots. As they would say in Zambia (Bemba), "Zikomo" Toby.

Rory Stanbridge