‘My Father’s Art’, the second album from Noel Ellis, will be released on June 30. It is a 12-song set that hears him covering songs made famous in Jamaica by Alton Ellis, his father.
The album is co-produced by Fitzroy Green and Courick Clarke. Fittingly, it was partially recorded at JaMin Studio in Trench Town, where father and son were born.
Ellis says the project took two years to complete. This was deliberate as he wanted to do justice to his father, one of reggae’s most influential vocalists who died in 2008 at age 70.
“We didn’t want to rush the process because this album means so much to me. Every song was approached with love, care and respect,” he said. “We wanted to create something that would honour my father’s incredible legacy, while also allowing me to tell my own story through his music.”
‘Rock Steady’, ‘You Make me So Very Happy’, ‘Willow Tree’ and ‘I’m Still in Love with You’ are some of the songs on ‘My Father’s Art’. They were originally recorded by Alton Ellis during the 1960s rock steady craze.
Selecting the songs was a deeply personal task for Ellis.
“These are songs I’ve loved all my life, and I wanted to reinterpret them while staying true to the spirit and emotion that made them classics. This album is my tribute to his timeless music and to the incredible legacy he left behind,” he said.
Like his father, Noel Ellis moved to Canada in the early 1970s. Initially, he recorded songs like ‘Reach my Destiny’ and ‘Rocking Universally’ for producer Jerry Brown’s Summer Records, based in Toronto. That company also released his first album, a self-titled set that came out in 1983.
Accompanying Ellis on ‘My Father’s Art’ are saxophonist Dean Fraser, guitarist Leebert “Gibby” Morrison, bassist Daniel “Axeman” Thompson, drummer Fitzroy Green, and an Australian orchestra.
Describing the production process as a team effort, Noel Ellis believes the album is a suitable tribute to his old man.
“My father is my greatest musical influence. He wasn’t just a legendary artist; he was my father, my mentor and my hero. He laid the foundation for me, and I see this album as continuing the journey he started,” he said.