Branches of the Same Tree

Ghanaian-born reggae singer and humanitarian activist Rocky Dawuni has released a collection of uplifting ballads inspired by his travels through Ghana, Jamaica, Israel and his latest home, the US. The music is rich and colourful; opening track ‘Shine a Light’ brings together New Orleans-style rhythms with Brazilian percussion, and demonstrates the reach of Dawuni's ‘branches.’ Dawuni's cover of Bob Marley's ‘Get Up, Stand Up’ has a distinctly African pulse, and he slips naturally into Ghanaian Pidgin English vocals to match the briskness of its Afrobeat feel. Perhaps more of interest to Marley fans will be his version of ‘Butterfly’, a track the reggae legend only made public through a crackly yet beautifully tender demo recording. Dawuni keeps it sparse, using just a ukulele – a well-tested fast-track route to the heartstrings.

Positivity is the buzzword on this album, and with lyrics like ‘today we will build a community of peace and harmony’ you’d be pretty mean to contest his message. ‘Children of Abraham’ deals with the hot potato of Israeli/Palestinian relations, but again Dawuni's vision of a shared humanity puts the listener in a happy place.