Various artists reggae music in Reggae Music

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"This Is Reggae Music: The Golden Era 1960-1975 [Box]" (10/26/2004) Reggae Various Artists, Sanctuary (USA)Liner Note Author: Colin Escott. Photographers: Ossie Hamilton; Wayne Tippets; Adrian Boot; Jean-Bernard Sohiez; Mark Painter; Tony Gale; George DuBose. The history of Jamaica's music is a fascinating one, and seldom has a nation's pop music been so celebratory, political, and concerned with civil rights, all rolled into an upside-down one-drop rhythm that is as recognizable as it is pervasive. Part mento, part African drums, part American jazz, soul, and R&B, part a Marcus Garvey-derived treatise on human rights and repatriation, Jamaica's reggae is pop music with clear revolutionary goals, intent on dancing in the face of Babylon while forthrightly chanting it down. This four-disc box set from Trojan covers "the golden years" of reggae (1960 to 1975), cutting off just as Bob Marley's Island releases were about to take Jamaica's music all over the world. Arranged chronologically, beginning with some mento and ska sides, building through the rocksteady and early reggae years, and climaxing in the rise of roots reggae in the mid-'70s, This Is Reggae Music hits most of the historical high points, including Jamaica's entry into the international pop market with early hits like Millie Small's "My Boy Lollipop" (arranged by the venerable Ernest Ranglin) and Desmond Dekker's "Israelites," following these up with key tracks from Jimmy Cliff's The Harder They Come soundtrack (including Cliff's own "Many Rivers to Cross," the Maytals' "Pressure Drop," the Melodians' "Rivers of Babylon," and the Slickers' immortal "Johnny Too Bad") and some early reggae gems like Marley's "Duppy Conqueror" (produced by Lee "Scratch" Perry), the Heptones' "Hypocrite," and Cliff's "Vietnam." The final disc finds reggae poised to take over the world (on the wings of one Bob Marley), and includes essential tracks like Delroy Wilson's "Better Must Come," Zap Pow's bit of reggae-meets-Stax, "This Is Reggae Music," Slim Smith's stunningly beautiful "The Time Has Come," and the concluding song, the classic Jack Ruby-produced "Marcus Garvey" by Burning Spear. Committed reggae collectors will have most of these sides, but it's nice to have all these songs in one package, and as a capsule history of the early years of reggae, one that hits the corners hard and fast, Trojan has done the trick. Again. ~ Steve Leggett

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"Reggae Pulse, Vol. 4: Christmas Songs" (10/12/2004) Reggae Various Artists, Sanctuary (USA)While no one is about to mistake Kingston for Bethlehem anytime soon, there is actually a little bit of a tradition in Jamaica of redoing Christmas songs in whatever beat style is prevalent in the yards and dancehalls. The end result can be a bit baffling, like when John Holt sings about sleigh bells in the snow over a tropical reggae rhythm in his version of "White Christmas," or when Culture, known for hard-edged social commentary, goes all mushy singing "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," or Yellowman delivers a dancehall rap in the middle of "We Wish You a Reggae Christmas," and it is hard not to think the whole thing is a little bit of a joke, but this set will make you smile, if only for the entertaining thought of Rudolph going Rasta. ~ Steve Leggett

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"Trojan Box Set: The Beatles [Box]" (04/05/2005) Reggae Various Artists, Trojan (Cityhall)Hardly the most crucial entry in Trojan's ever-growing Box Set series, but Trojan Beatles Tribute contains just enough sweet soul to make it worthwhile for fanatics and more than enough kitsch and camp for the curious. Pat Kelly wrings every last bit of emotion out of "A Hard Day's Night," as does Marcia Griffiths' take on "Don't Let Me Down," but truly dedicated moments like these are few and far between. Plenty of the Fab Four's numbers get rattled off without much effort or insight, but the people at Trojan have done a good job of mixing the track list, dropping the drab numbers between the more interesting ones. The collection goes outside the proper Beatles songbook by including some solo numbers, best of which has to be Byron Lee's suitably over the top "Live and Let Die." Some thin and synthetic ragga numbers spoil the fun, save Dawn Penn's relaxed "Here Comes the Sun" and Desmond Dekker's effervescent "Blackbird." The reggae hardcore are going to cobble together a more purposeful single CD from this all, but Beatles fans with pools, hot tubs, or sunny vacation plans can let the whole breezy set play with little harshing of their mellow. ~ David Jeffries The Beatles wrote songs that were not only seemingly instant classics blessed with sturdy and often breathtakingly beautiful melodies, but that were also remarkably flexible vehicles for musical exploration, and have been covered in all manner of styles. Since the musicians of Jamaica have never met a tune that they couldn't tip over into one reggae phase or another, it's not really a surprise that there are enough Beatles covers from the island to easily fill this three-disc, 50-track collection. It's a fun listen, with lots of surprising little versions, including Willie Lindo's jazzy lounge take on "Norwegian Wood," Ernest Ranglin's graceful and spirited guitar instrumental version of "You Won't See Me," the Paragons' vocal harmony-drenched "Blackbird," Toots Hibbert of the Maytals turning "Give Peace a Chance" into a full-tilt island revival meeting and a delightfully casual dub instrumental rendering of "In My Life" by the Pioneer All-Stars which manages to somehow convert the reflective resignation of John Lennon's original into a thing of joyous hope. In the end, what impresses with this set are the gazillion different ways one can approach a song by the Beatles, and also the manner in which reggae works like a giant rhythmic sponge to bring everything under its umbrella, even the Fab Four. ~ Steve Leggett

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"Muzik City: The Story of Trojan [Box]" (11/04/2003) Reggae Various Artists, Trojan (Cityhall)More of a history lesson than a good listen in total, Muzik City is the story of Trojan, warts and all. Those looking for a good selection of the reggae label's best moments have plenty of other choices and might want to start with the great Tighten Up collections or wait for the 50th release in Trojan's three-CD series (a greatest-hits box to be compiled by votes from fans and due in 2004). Anyone who is a die-hard Trojan enthusiast will find plenty of surprises, secrets, and a really well done booklet to paw through. The first two discs of Muzik City are truly some of the greatest moments in rocksteady and roots reggae. But just like a two-CD Motown collection, this is really just the tip of the iceberg and John Holt, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Big Youth, and others have many more great moments to investigate. If all four CDs had focused on the hits and highlights this would truly be the box to own, but the third CD is hardly meant for repeat listening. Many of the disc's "Rarities & Oddities" are downright embarrassing (which the always honest liner notes are happy to point out). Trojan's forays into the worlds of calypso, novelty, and pop music were horribly misguided, and disc three is full of them (including a horrific reggae and yodeling matchup). Hard to imagine laughing at the stately Trojan label, but once that's over it's on to disc four's treasure chest of rarities. The hardcore should rightfully drool over the Jah Woosh and Keith Hudson team-up, a dank dub from Thunder, and an I-Roy/John Holt dubplate that includes a bit of studio banter. Great stuff for the serious fan, who probably own most of disc one and two ten times over. So who is this set made for? If your wallet is fat enough to forgive disc three, Muzik City is a fair introduction to the label that, along with Island, dominated reggae's early years. ~ David Jeffries

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"The Best of Studio One Collection [Box Set] [Box]" (07/18/2006) Reggae Various Artists, Rounder SelectFrom the 1950s to the '80s, Clement "Coxsone" Dodd's Studio One was the most renowned recording facility in Kingston, Jamaica, and its label issued many of the most important singles in the history of reggae and its stylistic precursors, ska and rocksteady. This excellent four-disc box set provides an impressive overview of Studio One's output, presenting a generous sampling of highly melodic and infectiously rhythmic songs by the company's stars (John Holt, Ken Boothe, the Heptones, Burning Spear, etc.), and, even more importantly, its lesser-known artists. Among the latter featured here are the Cables (the buoyant "Baby Why"), Carlton & the Shoes (the breezy "Love Me Forever"), and Sound Dimension (the horn-laden instrumental "Heavy Rock"). For those wanting to delve into reggae's past, this is an excellent point of departure.

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"Strictly the Best, Vol. 19" (05/23/2005) Reggae Various Artists, VP RecordsProducers include: Sly & Robbie, Tony Kelly, Patrick Roberts, Andrew Bradford, Dave Kelly. This is part of VP Record's Strictly The Best series. Liner Note Author: James Goring. Editors: Paul Shields; Joel Chin. Illustrator: Chris Clarke. Strictly the Best, Vol. 19 includes tracks by Lady Saw, Sizzla, Beenie Man, Roundhead and Josey Wales. ~ Keith Farley

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"A Tribute to Reggae's Keyboard King: Jackie Mittoo" (05/23/2005) Reggae Various Artists, VP RecordsTributee: Jackie Mittoo. Personnel: Dalton Browne, Dwight Pinkney, Earl "Chinna" Smith, Leebert Morrison, Maurice Gordon, Mikey Chung, Wayne Armond, Winston Bo Pee Bowen, Mitchum Chin (guitar); Monty Alexander (melodica, piano); Dean Fraser, Errol Hird (saxophone); David Madden (trumpet); Ronald "Nambo" Robinson (trombone); Robert Lyn (piano, organ); Marjorie Whylie, Gladstone Anderson, Lloyd Denton, Peter Ashbourne (piano); Ibo Cooper, Sidney Thorpe, Harold Butler, Keith Sterling, Mallory Williams, Neville Hinds, Ansel Collins, Tyrone Downie, Paul "Wrong Move" Crossdale (organ); Sly Dunbar (drums); Alvin Haughton, Uziah "Sticky" Thompson (percussion). Audio Mixer: Rohan Dwyer. Liner Note Authors: Donald Clive Davidson; Joe Isaacs; Roy Sweetland; Keith Anderson ; John Nash; Winston Blake; Marjorie Whylie; C. Alexander Brown; Carol Ann Brown; Neville Hinds; Paul "Wrong Move" Crossdale. Recording information: Tuff Gong Studios, Kingston, Jamaica. Editors: Donald Clive Davidson; Christopher Scott. Photographers: Donald Clive Davidson; Roy Sweetland; Carol Ann Brown. Most casual reggae fans won't recognize his name, but the late keyboardist Jackie Mittoo probably did as much as any other artist to shape the sound of reggae in its formative years and to guide it through its mature period. As a founding member of the Skatalites, he helped bring ska to its fully developed sound, and then ushered in the rocksteady period; as the in-house music director at Studio One, he mentored and supported such seminal artists as Leroy Sibbles (of the Heptones) and Alton Ellis, and provided both keyboards and arrangements for the Soul Vendors and Sound Dimension. In short, many of the artists most well-known to and beloved of reggae fans were shaped significantly by the musical guidance of Jackie Mittoo. This compilation is a warm and loving tribute, featuring new instrumental arrangements of 18 of Mittoo's most popular and enduring tunes, each of them featuring a pianist or organist who was influenced by Mittoo's playing and writing -- these include Jamaican jazz legend Monty Alexander (on a gorgeous rendition of "Evening Time"), Gladstone Anderson ("Full Charge"), Wailers alumnus Tyrone Downie ("Mission Impossible"), and Robbie Lyn ("Autumn Sounds"). Producers Christopher Chin and Donald Clive Davidson provide respectfully rootswise rhythms that get perhaps just a bit samey by the end of the long program, but never fail to provide a perfect setting for the featured players. Highly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson

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"Respect to Studio One" (08/25/1994) Reggae Various Artists, HeartbeatRecorded at Studio One, Kingston, Jamaica. Includes liner notes by Chris Wilson. Liner Note Author: Chris Wilson. Recording information: Studio One Recording Studio, Brentford Road Kingston, J; Studio One, Kingston, Jamaica. Editors: Chris Wilson; Chris Wilson. Photographer: David Corio. Studio One was to Jamaican music a combination of Motown and Stax-Volt, creating hit after hit, stretching the nascent sound of the island further. Studio One helped spearhead the Ska revolution in the 60's, later moved forward into reggae, eventually laying the groundwork for Dancehall. This means much of today's reggae, from Terror Fabulous to Dawn Penn, is an extension of what began over 35 years ago. Founder Clement "Coxsone" Dodd was reggae's Phil Spector, its Berry Gordy and its Dick Clark all wrapped into one; he provided the studio, musicians to record with, chose the material, co-wrote it, and then brought it to the public at his sound system dances. He was in control of every aspect of making a hit record from beginning to end. RESPECT TO STUDIO ONE is a good introduction to the Studio One legend, but is only the tip of the iceberg. The set strikes a balance between the different styles found in Jamaican music, touching on moments like the apocalyptic vision of Willie Williams' "Armagideon Time," the vocal stylings of groups like The Heptones, as well as DJs like Michigan & Smiley. The record ends with a string of ska, including a Skatalites rendition of "I Should Have Known Better." This is, quite simply, one of the keys to understanding the development of Jamaican music from 1955-1995.

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"Reggae's Best [Box]" (10/13/1998) Reggae Various Artists, M.I.L. MultimediaPerformers include: Bob Marley & The Wailers, Sly & Robbie, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Sugar Minot, Freddie McGregor, Prince Lincoln Thompson, John Holt, The Heptones, Earl Cunningham, Don Carlos, Leroy Smart, Roots Radix, Barrington, Clint Eastwood, Dillinger, Owen Gray, Count Prince Miller, Hortense Ellis, George Faith, Cornell Campbell, Jackie Edwards, Johnny Clarke, Delroy Wilson, Derrick Morgan. Contains 60 tracks.

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"Reggae's Greatest/Roots of Reggae" (03/04/2003) Reggae Various Artists, BCI Music (Brentwood Communication)Contains 25 tracks. This double-disc set combines two previously released albums, Reggae's Greatest and Roots of Reggae, in one package. ~ Steve Leggett

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"Harmony House: Verse One" (05/23/2005) Reggae Various Artists, VP RecordsAs the title suggests, this is a compilation of Harmony House cuts, all overseen by producer Beres Hammond. The multi-talented Hammond -- a veteran vocalist and an in-demand keyboardist -- knows a great melody when he hears it, and the album is stuffed with them. Some of these were composed by the producer himself, while a number of others are classic rhythms from Studio One and Treasure Isle. The backing bands include the Roots Radics, the Firehouse Crew, and a host of other excellent sessionmen, insuring every track is tight and tuneful. Hammond's productions have an easygoing air to the rhythms, particularly notable on the rootsier numbers but equally evident on the harder dancehall cuts. This approach works equally well for the cultural singers and the tough DJs, and thus there are no jarring shifts within this denizen; the harmonious sounds spread across all 15 tracks. Every song is worthy of note, but some of the stand-outs include Tony Curtis' gorgeous "Jah I Thank You," Ginja's tough and emotive "War Inna Di City," Louie Culture and Anthony Selassie's swinging "Ya Hoo," Anthony B's gruff "Good Life," and Sizzla and Jah Cure's powerful "King in the Jungle." Dancehall at its most musical. ~ Jo-Ann Greene

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"Scratchy Sounds: Ska, Dub Roots & Reggae Nuggets" (10/26/2004) Reggae Various Artists, Trojan (Cityhall)Barry "DJ Scratchy" Myers is a name better known to punk club crawlers in the U.K. than to your average music fan. In the late '70s he was one of the premier punk DJs, supporting the Ramones and the Cramps and eventually serving two years as the tour DJ for the Clash. He was still at it 20 years later, serving the same part for Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros' U.S. tour. How he was able to get such choice gigs boils down to his eclectic ear as a selector, cherry-picking the best tunes, be it rock, soul, or reggae, and revealing them all to be of the same burning (and danceable) spirit. Jamaican music, specifically ska, reggae, and dub, make up a large part of his sets and Scratchy Sounds is a double-CD selection (43 tracks!) with some of Myers favorites. With so many collections sticking strictly to one style or producer, it's a fantastic thing to wander through Scratchy Sounds as it roams from ska innovations like C. Hyman's "Ska Rhythm" and Derrick Morgan's "Moon Hop" to a rarely heard extended version of Niney the Observer's reggae classic "Blood and Fire." The mysterious C. Hyman is just one of a large number of obscure artists who recorded fantastic tracks appearing on Scratchy Sounds. There's the Yabby U-flavored nyahbinghi cut "Seventy Two Nations" from Dadawah (an early incarnation of Ras Michael & the Sons of Negus), righteous toasting from Mr. Bojangles on "Ten Dread Commandments," and a less serious microphone attack from the DJ double team of Dennis Alcapone and Lizzy, who bring a bit of carefree R&B to "Ba Ba Ri Ba." Peppering the spirited ska and solemn roots cuts are some little-heard dubs like crooner Jackie Edwards' "Invasion Version" and Tapper Zukie, in a dubbing guise as the Musical Intimidator, taking on Errol Dunkley for "Stop Your Gun Shooting." Scratchy Sounds has the feel of a long-labored mixtape made for an old friend, and hopefully will lead to other collections helmed by Myers. Recommended. ~ Wade Kergan

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"Reggae Goodies, Vol. 1 & 2" (03/14/2006) Reggae Various Artists, WackiesPerformers include: Don Carlos, Wayne Jarrett, Joe Morgan, The Love Joys. Personnel: Jerry Hitler, Jerry Hitler, Brother Donald (guitar); Linda Pickney (electric piano); Allah (keyboards); Roy Reckless (bass instrument); Jah Scotty (drums). Audio Mixer: Douglas Levy. Recording information: Sounds Unlimited Studios, The Bronx, New York, NY; Tubby's Studio, Kingston, Kingston, Jamaica. Editor: Lloyd "Bullwackie" Barnes. Illustrator: Tony Hall. One of the things that made Lloyd "Bulwackies" Barnes' Sounds Unlimited studio in the Bronx special was the way it seemed to draw every half-decent reggae artist in the New York area into its sonic net. And, of course, that was also what made the Wackies label's output uneven -- some of those artists really were only half-decent, and have since been mercifully lost in the mists of reggae history. The two Reggae Goodies compilations (originally released in the late '70s and here reissued together on a single CD) feature a variety of Wackies artists, most of them obscure, several of them with good reason. On the more illustrious side are the legendary Stranger Cole (whose "Capture Land" is okay, but not up to the standards he set during his rocksteady days) and the Love Joys, a female vocal trio who cut some of the label's most attractive sides while still in their teens. Some of the most impressive tracks on this collection are instrumentals, and include Wanachi's "Black Root" and the horn-heavy and nicely arranged "Love Dream" by Sel Wheeler & Azul. The Chosen Brothers deliver a fairly lame recut of the Stranger Cole classic "Say You" (here titled "Love Me to the End"), but Wayne Jarrett's "African Woman" is up to his usually high standard, and John Clarke's "Recession" hits fairly hard as well (just don't confuse him with Johnnie Clarke, or you'll be disappointed). Not bad at all, and a good value for your money, to boot. ~ Rick Anderson

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"Dancehall Classics [Sequence]" (01/25/2005) Reggae Various Artists, SequenceThis is a continuous in-the-mix CD compiled and mixed by Max Glazer. Recording information: Mixing Lab, Kingston, Jamaica.

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"Trojan Box Set: Dub [Box]" (08/06/2002) Reggae Various Artists, Sanctuary (USA)The first of two valuable dub collections on Trojan -- part of the label's bargain, three-disc box set series -- this 50-track mix of trance-inducing sound effects and brutal rhythms chronicles the music during its '70s heyday. Selecting from a store of original sides by the likes of Gregory Isaacs and former Skatalite and tenor great Tommy McCook, dub originator King Tubby and prot?g?s Scientist and Prince Jammy deliver plenty of solid version remixes, while early knob-twisters Lee Perry and "Niney" the Observer weigh in with some quality reworkings of their own. Crack-session bands the Upsetters, the Aggrovators, the Revolutionaries, and the Roots Radics all come off sounding like the real bedrock of reggae, as space-probe interjections bounce off heavy, heavy bass and drums. A quality dub primer perfect for reggae newcomers. ~ Stephen Cook

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"Trojan Box Set: Ganja Reggae [Box]" (08/19/2003) Reggae Various Artists, Sanctuary (USA)Includes liner notes by Stephen Nye. Liner Note Author: Michael DeKoningh. Jamaica has been called the loudest island in the world, and given its size (some 4,000 square miles), it undoubtedly releases more records per square foot than any other place on the planet, and with the possible exception of Trinidad, no country has a more political pop music. While railing against Babylon remains a continued concern, Jamaican musicians have also turned their dizzying array of styles, versions, toasts, and dubs to more secular subjects, including hundreds of paeans to ganja. British label Trojan Records licensed Jamaican records for distribution during the 1970s and 1980s, and has raided the vaults for numerous reissues over the years, leading to this three-disc box set of hymns to herbal conditioning. Spanning late ska, classic roots reggae, DJ toasts, and early dancehall, Ganja Reggae boasts 50 tracks of smokin' classics. Included are Glen Browne's recipe for disaster "Collie and Wine," Clancy Eccles' hopeful "Ganja Free," and Neville Brown's defiant "Babylon Don't Touch My Sensi." Lee "Scratch" Perry's production of "Kaya" by Bob Marley & the Wailers is here, along with the dub version, and a credible cover of the song by Ronnie Davis. Another Perry production, Bunny and Ricky's spooky "Bush Weed Corntrash," is an obvious highlight. The various Trojan box sets always yield treasures, and this one is no exception. Pound for pound, it is the best ganja set out there. ~ Steve Leggett

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Deals on Various artists reggae music in Reggae Music. Visit BizRate to find the best deals on Reggae Music. See which Music stores have the Various artists reggae music that you want. Read reviews on Music merchants and buy with confidence. Find savings on This Is Reggae Music: The Golden Era 1960-1975 [Box] by Various Artists (CD - 10/26/2004) - Reggae Pulse, Vol. 4: Christmas Songs by Various Artists (CD - 10/12/2004).