Earl & Jimbob are better than Sly & Robbie.......
 

well that's what Aldi has learnt in the last six years...........

In fairness to Sly & Robbie, Ali had worked with Earl and Jimmy for 28 years in the same band. So they all knew each other's ins and outs. Ali knew what they expected from each song, and they knew what Ali was wanting as well. Whereas, Sly & Robbie have been learning Ali's ways over the past few years. So, while Jimmy and Earl are very brilliant at what they do, I don't think it would be a fair statement to say that they are better than Sly & Robbie...and I wouldn't say that Sly & Robbie are better than them either. Both duos are great at what they do!

I agree GM!!

:love: Jolene

Surely that is the point.

Sly & Robbie are hired guns for Aldi, do as they're told, take the money and leave. They have nothing invested in the creative process and when it comes to the live aspect the 'Dep Band' take over.............just as Ali likes it!!

Sly & Robbie at RAH in 2008 just looked like they were going through the motions but then that's what happens when don't innovate the art within the music................

Can't really say I'd blame Sly & Robbie for acting like they are going through the motions with Ali. They've recorded thousands upon thousands of songs with probably hundreds of artists throughout their careers. They are two of the biggest innovators of reggae music, so I would imagine they were/are probably very bored with a lot of the solo work that Ali has been doing. For a man who professes to love dub and heavy hitting reggae so much, Ali records very little of either! All of his solo stuff is pretty light-weight reggae. Nothing really heavy at all. I know that last bit was a little off topic, but I thought it bears saying. His solo stuff is yawn-worthy for the most part!

well I don't know if sly and Robbie write lyrics but Jimmy and Earl are excellent song writers and both very different too.

I agree with Matt, they are all talented and have their own fields of musical expertise

Pretty hard to make a comparison based on what both rhythm sections have achieved over the years. Sly and Robbie have been true innovators of their field, JB & Earl must been influenced greatly by them in the early years, having said that JB & Earl have also been great innovators in their own right ever since.
There have been some fantastically innovative reggae bass players over the years....Robbie, Familyman, Earl, Flabba Holt, Leroy Sibbles, Dennis Bovell, the list could go on, same as the drummers Style Scott, Sly Dunbar, JB, Carlton Barrett, Horsemouth Wallace, Steve Nesbitt.
Some list there!!!!
On the fence again here hahahaha