The Ethiopian: Open the Gate of Zion

After recording solo ska singles at Studio One, Leonard Dillon formed The Ethiopians harmony trio in the rock steady era with Stephen Taylor and Aston Morris, their hit ‘Train to Skaville’ yielding a British tour in 1967. Scoring further reggae hits during the late 60s and early 70s, the trio slimmed to a duo and after Taylor was tragically killed in a road accident, Dillon continued his solo career as The Ethiopian, often double-tracking his voice to retain the harmony format.

Recorded at Channel One Studios in 1978 with the Revolutionaries house band, featuring drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare, Open the Gate of Zion is a deep roots delight. Songs like ‘Wondering’ and ‘Corruption’ explore the challenges facing Jamaica’s common citizenry, and ‘Culture’ and ‘Africa’ retain a yearning quality as Dillon ponders issues of identity during a time of growing black consciousness. There are languorous recuts of ‘I’m Gonna Take it Over’ and ‘Selah’ too, and bonus track ‘Rastaman Song’ is included here in a previously unreleased extended mix that segues into a throbbing dub section. Issued in a gatefold sleeve with an alternate cover image, everything was transferred from the original master tapes, making for an optimal listening experience.