SISTER NANCY MEETS FIREPROOF

So you're walking along some sunny Jamaican shore when you stumble across an old, sealed plastic container. You open it. Inside: an apparent master recording. One of those reel-to-reel deals. You go into town, to find the nearest recording studio. The engineer agrees to play your newfound treasure for you. He's just as curious as you are. The first thing you hear? The echoed "singjay" vocals of Jamaican superstar Sister Nancy. Then the music kicks in. Crystal clear quality. The engineer looks at you and says it must be the long-lost recording session of some really obscure reggae outfit from 30 years ago. Sister Nancy's presence must have been a way to draw some immediate attention to the band. But then you find the album info, taped to the other side of the reels. The band's name? Fireproof. The album? Sister Nancy Meets Fireproof, recorded in New York, May - August of 2001. Damn. Four Sister Nancy tracks, and four instrumental tracks of solid groove reggae music. Old school style, with new school energy. An underground all-star team of sorts: Tom Mayer (bass), Mark Allen-Piccolo (guitars, organ), Cale Brandly (tenor sax), Anders Nelson (drums), Ras Kush (nyabinghi), and the ubiquitous Mush One (trumpet, piano, etc.). My prediction? With a strange blend of old and new style, these cats could be big, even among the most die-hard traditionalist crowds. But let your ears pass their own judgement. Drop Fireproof a line at fireproofcrew@hotmail.com, or visit their site here.