Forgotten Treasure: Joe Harriott & Amancio D’Silva Quartet ‎”Hum Dono” (1969)

The combination of a Jamaican sax player and an Indian jazz guitarist getting together with a UK jazz elite in its hay day could be the stoned out fantasy of many pot smoking vinyl collectors. It’s also a music and cultural melting pot making up a real lost treasure in jazz music. Fantasy meeting reality.

“Stephano’s Dance” is the perfect example of the high music level of this album. The fundament of the track is cool bass line laid down by Dave Green, a silky soft sax by Joe Harriott and the humming of Norma Winstone. Green played with the Don Rendell and Ian Carr Quintet, and Carr is also the guy operating the trumpet on this track. The interaction between Carr and Harriott is one of the reasons why this album stands out to me and perfectly exemplified on “Stephano’s Dance”. When Carr has cried out his soul on his horn, Harriott takes over and tops it – and vice versa. When they’ve done with their reeds love affair, Amancio D’Silva puts the final toping on the cake…

I cannot claim to be a music critic of Hemmingway dimensions. Not will I claim to be a connaisseur of modern music. But to me the title track on “Hum Dono” is a small rave sensation. The tablas and guitar make out the intense rhythm section here, while the sax is luring the snake out while seconds later setting it loose on the bystanders. That’s my kind of rave.

For the people who know this treasure, it’s needless to say the price tag on an OG copy of this record requires a bank robbery or organ sales on the black market. But for all music lovers, this is also obtainable on reissue. Which ever you prefer, go treasure hunting for “Hum Dono”.

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