Etienne Charles explores history and connection on new album Gullah Roots

Laura Dowrich

In a time where some African Americans on social media are distancing themselves from any lineage to slavery and from African and Caribbean people in general, Etienne Charles’ 11th album, Gullah Roots, is a timely reminder of how connected we all are.

The 10-song album, nine originals and one cover, pays homage to the Gullah Geechee people, descendants of enslaved Africans who worked on rice, cotton and indigo plantations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, known collectively as the Lowcountry. The album captures their culture and traditions and tells the stories of those who survived the Middle Passage from West Africa to the American South. The title track, Gullah Roots, is a musical story tracing that journey from West Africa through the Caribbean to the United States. Watch Night I - Prayer and II - Ring Shout captures the ritual that the Gullahs observe on Old Year’s Night to commemorate the eve of their emancipation on January 1, 1863.

The album underlines the ties of the Gullahs to Africa and the Caribbean. Bilali, featuring Samir Langus on guembri, evokes the humanity of two men named Bilali, both enslaved Africans who, according to Charles’ liner notes, had the agency, skills and open adherence to Islamic practices which elevated them to trusted leadership positions. The guembri, a three-stringed bass lute from Morocco, creates a deep, resonant sound that mirrors the weight of their history. On this track, Charles presents the polyrhythms of those who share ancestry with some Gullah people

And of course, Charles roots the story in his homeland of TT. On Gullypso, he tells the story of the Merikins, Gullahs who escaped plantations to claim freedom. In 1811 and 1812, some volunteered to fight on the side of the British during the American Revolution in exchange for freedom. True to their promise, the British later resettled them in Bermuda, Canada and eventually Trinidad, where they were granted land in places like Moruga.

Gullah Roots began as a commissioned piece from the Savannah Music Festival, but after spending years in the Low Country doing research, Charles expanded it into a full album.

“Learning that Gullah people came to Trinidad in the 1800s, learning about different rituals, this recurring story of people being recaptured and sold to plantations in the Caribbean and then being resold to plantations in the US,” he said, reflecting on the discoveries that shaped the music.

As is his style, Charles combines music and history to create a work of cultural storytelling, inspiring listeners to seek out their own understanding. At the core of the album is the theme of connection.

“At this time, it is relevant because we live in such tense times, with the ideas of anti-wokeness and anti-this and anti-that and diaspora rivalry stories. Literally, we were on the same ship,” said Charles.

“Even the tribal wars in Trinidad, Africans and Indians were on the same ship. It stopped in India, stopped in Madagascar, stopped on St Helena Island, picked up some Africans and they went to Trinidad. In the US, a very large percentage of Black Americans have Gullah roots.”

That connection is tangible in Trinidad through Moruga Hill rice. Charles explained that the Gullahs came from low country in Africa where rice cultivation was common, and they carried that knowledge with them to the Southern states where the terrain was familiar. When the Merikins came to Trinidad, they brought rice seeds, preserving an edible link to the life they were taken from.

“It is an important story,” said Charles. “The way it ties in migration in pre- and post-war, for me, is a special thing.”

Jazz listeners seem to agree. At the time of writing, Gullah Roots was number three on the Jazzweek Charts. Last year, Charles ended the year with the number one Jazzweek album, Creole Orchestra. He believes the momentum from that project has opened doors to a wider audience eager to hear more of his work.

Like Creole Orchestra, Gullah Roots marks another first for Charles. While the earlier album was his debut composing for a big band, this latest project introduces him as a chorale composer. The album features a choir led by conductor Damien Sneed on the track Kumbaya, the only remake on the album.

Co-produced by Quentin E Baxter, who contributes on big drum, tambourine and washboard, the album also features Christian Sands (piano), Alex Wintz (guitar), Russell Hall (bass), Harvel Nakundi (drums) and special guests John Davis (drums), Samir Langus (guembri and castanets), Damien Sneed (organ), Alex Tosca (piano), Ben Williams (bass), and vocals from Chris Anthony, Charles Carter, Olana Goodeau, Chenee Campbell, Chelsea Green and Mykal Kilgore.

Gullah Roots is available at www.etiennecharles.com.