Big Mountain will have a listening session for “Freedom”, their new album, on July 24 at Anchor Recording Studio in Kingston, Jamaica. The 12-song set was partially recorded there and is produced by Delroy “Fatta” Pottinger.
No official release date is set for “Freedom”, which is the San Diego, California band’s first album since “Perfect Summer” in 2016. It contains a cover of The Eagles’ classic, “Hotel California”.
In a recent interview with the Jamaica Observer, Big Mountain co-founder Quino McWhinney, said “Freedom” is a return to their reggae roots after experimenting with a guitar-driven, rock feel on “Perfect Summer”.
Several of Jamaica’s top musicians played on the album including drummers Sly Dunbar and Kirk Bennett, guitarists Earl “Chinna” Smith and Lamont Savory, keyboardists Paul Crosdale, Steven “Lenky” Marsden and Franklyn “Bubbler” Waul, and bassist Donald Dennis.
Big Mountain formed in San Diego during the late 1980’s. They came to international prominence in 1994 with a reggae version of “Baby I Love Your Way”, a pop hit for English singer Peter Frampton 19 years earlier.
“Baby I Love Your Way” entered the Top 10 of the Billboard pop chart and remains Big Mountain’s biggest hit.
To promote “Freedom”, Big Mountain are scheduled to do three shows in England, starting August 13 in Oxford. In September, they are expected to play dates in Mexico and Ghana.
Big Mountain's lineup also includes Quino’s younger brother, James McWhinney on vocals and percussion; Paul Kastick on drums, keyboardist Richard Campbell, guitarist Audley Chisholm, and bassist Mike Ortiz.
Written By Howard Campbell