Decode Yourself

Decode Yourself
Studio album by Ronald Shannon Jackson and The Decoding Society
Released	1985
Recorded	1985 Electric Lady Studios, NYC
Genre	Free jazz
Length	41:06
Label	Island ILPS 9827
Producer	Bill Laswell
Ronald Shannon Jackson chronology
Barbeque Dog (1983) Decode Yourself (1985) Live at the Caravan of Dreams (1986)

Decode Yourself is an album by Ronald Shannon Jackson and The Decoding Society recorded in 1985 for the Island label.^[1]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]

The Allmusic review by Stephen Cook stated "The range of styles found on drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson's Decode Yourself is amazing, but what really impresses is the way Jackson unifies the disparate strains with his unique arrangements and varied rhythmic support".^[2] Jeff Eldredge said "Despite the return of the violin, the addition of the trombone, some interesting stylistic forays into country, bebop, and space funk, and the promise of a Bill Laswell production, the third Island release, Decode Yourself, is marred by a thin sound, gimmicky electronic drum and synthesizer timbres, and (surprisingly) a plodding, four-square rhythmic monotony".^[3]

Track listing

All compositions by Ronald Shannon Jackson except as indicated

1. "Bebop" (Dizzy Gillespie) - 0:49
2. "Decoding" - 4:15
3. "Thieves Market" - 3:56
4. "Behind Plastic Faces" - 4:55
5. "Software Shuffle" - 2:35
6. "Snake Alley" - 3:44
7. "Undressing" - 7:56
8. "Love Words for a Queen" - 6:29
9. "Tricky Vic" - 3:55

Personnel

• Ronald Shannon Jackson – drums (Sonor and Simmons)
• Robin Eubanks – trombone
• Eric Person – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone
• Akbar Ali – violin
• Onaje Allan Gumbs – synthesizer
• Vernon Reid – electric guitar, steel guitar, Roland guitar synthesizer, banjo
• Melvin Gibbs, Reverend Bruce Johnson – electric bass

References