Exuma (album)

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Exuma
Cover for Exuma's debut album, it is a self-portrait of Exuma looking shocked.
Studio album by
Exuma
ReleasedMay 1970
RecordedRegent Sound Studios[1]
Genre
Length38:41
LabelMercury
ProducerDaddy Ya Ya
Exuma chronology
Exuma
(1970) 		Exuma II
(1970)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic4/5 stars[2]

Exuma is the debut studio album by Exuma, released on May 1970 on Mercury Records.

Background[]

In the early 1960s, Exuma (born Macfarlane Gregory Anthony Mackey) had moved to Greenwich Village and started playing guitar and singing in the cultivating folk rock scene developing in that area. After producer Bob Wyld came up to him offering a record deal, he chose to adopt "Exuma, the Obeah Man" as his name. The pseudonym draws from memories of Junkanoo festivals from his childhood.[3]

Production[]

Wyld adopted the pseudonym "Daddy Ya Ya" and recruited a few musicians for the album, including Peppy Castro of the Blues Magoos (who was credited under the pseudonym "Spy Boy Thielheim"). During recording sessions, Exuma would often turn off the lights and set up candles, recalling songs from his dreams.[1] The album cover was painted by Exuma himself.

Reception[]

The album received positive reviews and moderate airplay at the time of its release.[4] In a retrospective review, Richie Unterberger wrote, "Exuma's debut album was a real odd piece of work...it's kind of like a combination of the Bahamian folk of Joseph Spence with early Dr. John at his most voodooed-out...It's a little surprising that this stuff hasn't undergone a sizable cult revival."[2]

In popular culture[]

Nina Simone recorded a cover of "Dambala" on her 1974 record, It Is Finished.

Track listing[]

All tracks are written by Exuma.

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Exuma, the Obeah Man"6:16
2."Dambala"5:34
3."Mama Loi, Papa Loi"4:32
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Junkanoo"3:24
2."Seance in the Sixth Fret"7:14
3."You Don't Know What's Going On"3:27
4."The Vision"7.59
Total length:38:41

Personnel[]

Adapted from LP liner notes:[5]

  • Exuma – lead vocals, guitar, bells, foot drum
  • Daddy Ya Ya – producer, vocals, bells, foot drum, "sacred sand"
  • Spy Boy Thielheim – backing vocals, triangle, cabasa, whistle, bells
  • Lord Wellington – congas
  • Frankie Gearing – backing vocals
  • Geraldine McBride – backing vocals
  • Mildred Vaney – backing vocals
  • Princess Diana – backing vocals
  • Sally O'Brien – backing vocals

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Ehrlich, Brenna. "'Exuma' at 50: How a Bahamian Artist Channeled Island Culture Into a Strange Sonic Ritual". Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone, LLC. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Unterberger, Richie. "Exuma - Exuma". AllMusic. AllMusic, Netaktion LLC. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  3. ^ Gruno, Linda. "Into the Mystic". Westword. The Westword. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  4. ^ Merlis, Bob Moore (May 16, 1970). "Exuma Man for All Seasons" (PDF). Record World. 24 (1196): 50. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Exuma - Exuma (1970, Gatefold, Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 15 December 2020.

External links[]

Exuma (album) at Discogs (list of releases)

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