Well people, it has been 20 years since the sound called ‘The Mighty Aba Shanti-I’ first turned up unannounced at ‘Leicester Carnival 1990’, with a mobile generator and a great deal of assistance from some local bredrins, set up outside the cafe and started playing.

Strictly banduloo business, yuh no see it.

Aba played throughout the day and a large crowd gathered to see what all the commotion was about.

They came, saw, liked what they heard and kotched for the duration.

When the sun went down, people went and got their cars and made an arena lit by their car headlights, just to keep the vibes rolling. Aba stopped at two o’ clock in the morning, not because he was tired, but because the generator had run out of diesel!

From Aba’s Falasha Recordings Website

Many regards from this direction – the first time I saw Abashanti soundsystem in session was a revelation.

Needless to say, Aba himself has been in the business a lot longer than twenty years – he started out as a mic man for Jah Tubbys in the eighties.

Check this video and transcript over at the Red Bull Music Academy for a nice overview of the Abashanti history and philosophy.

And of course the wider context of the Abashanti/Falasha crew must be mentioned – check the interview with them here on uncarved.org by Greg Mario Whitfield.

But most importantly, try and catch them in session if you get the chance.

20th anniversary event at Dingwalls, Camden, 26th September.

Here’s to the next twenty years!