Stolen From God

This 15th solo album from award-winning singer-songwriter Reg Meuross represents the fruits of over four years of research focusing on the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, with particular reference to the south-west of England. The ten original songs range from the scene-setting ‘The Jesus of Lubeck’ – the name of the ship gifted by Queen Elizabeth I to the naval commander John Hawkins, a man who became rich through helping to establish the transatlantic slave trade and whose own coat of arms included a chained and bound Black African slave – to the compelling yet understated title-track, which features a sensitive string arrangement by Dan Baker.

In a line-up which also includes Granny's Attic concertina player Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne and vocalists Jaz Gayle and Katie Whitehouse, both musically and symbolically the virtuoso Senegalese kora player and griot Jali Fily Cissokho is a key presence on seven of the album's songs. It's his sparkling kora playing that introduces ‘The Way of Cain’, Meuross’ powerful study of blind hypocrisy. Other standouts include the heart-rending open letter ‘Good Morning Mr Colston’ and ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’, which brings this eloquent, important and deeply moving collection to a close.