Reggae/Review C'batch - I Guess You Want It This Way (Reggae) - Tribute to Ernest Ranglin

Stephen H. Cumberbatch, professionally known as C’batch, is a composer, producer, guitarist, and independent recording artist from White Plains, New York. A longtime ASCAP member, he is also a keyboard, synthesizer, and sampler programmer whose work spans R&B, soul, dance, funk, reggae, jazz-influenced, and cinematic music. C’batch’s musical history reaches back to New York’s influential early-1980s dance scene.

C’batch opens another chapter of his musical archive with “I Guess You Want It This Way (Reggae) - Tribute to Ernest Ranglin,” a six-track EP that brings a long-standing songwriting idea into the present. Blending reggae with influences from soul, R&B, and contemporary production, the project celebrates musical heritage while offering listeners several interpretations of a composition that has waited decades for completion.

The story behind the EP is particularly compelling. Approximately 26 years ago, C’batch was encouraged by his Jamaican-born wife, Yvette, to write a reggae song. Although the composition developed a memorable hook, harmony, and verse melody, it remained unfinished in his vault. These musical fragments stayed with him, eventually inspiring a return to the song in 2026, when he completed the lyrics and shaped the material into six distinct versions.

This extended creative journey gives the release a sense of personal history that extends beyond the music itself. Rather than presenting the EP as simply a collection of new recordings, C’batch offers a glimpse into his artistic evolution, demonstrating how an idea can remain relevant across changing circumstances and musical eras.

The tribute to Ernest Ranglin adds another meaningful dimension. The legendary Jamaican guitarist left an important mark on reggae and jazz, making him a fitting inspiration for a project rooted in the genre’s traditions. C’batch’s memorable encounter with Ranglin at Heathrow Airport in 2001 further personalises the dedication, connecting the release to a genuine moment in the artist’s life.

Released through Stevette Music, Inc., the EP represents another instalment in C’batch’s ongoing exploration of his musical archives throughout 2026. Ultimately, “I Guess You Want It This Way (Reggae) - Tribute to Ernest Ranglin” celebrates perseverance, personal connection, and the lasting value of unfinished creative ideas finally finding their way into the world.