Jimmy Cliff - The Universal Masters Collection (2001)

«A fine songwriter and gifted singer with charisma to burn, Jimmy Cliff is one of the most talented musicians to come out of Jamaica. His best work was done with legendary producer Leslie Kong, and several of those songs are available here, including "Wonderful World Beautiful People," "You Can Get It if You Really Want It," "Many Rivers to Cross," and "Vietnam," all of which are indispensable classics. Following Kong's death in 1971, Cliff seemed to lose his focus and drifted in and out of different styles, never quite finding his earlier touch. While he is too good a performer to ever be less than professional, the second half of this disc doesn't quite match up to the material done with Leslie Kong.» (AMG)

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Toots & the Maytals - The Collection (2002)

«The Maytals were key figures in reggae music. Comprised of leader Frederick "Toots" Hibbert, Nathaniel "Jerry" Matthias, and Raleigh Gordon, all natives of Kingston, the Maytals are said to have been the first group to use the word “reggae” in a song title with their Leslie Kong-produced “Do the Reggay.” Formed in the early '60s when ska was hot, the Maytals had a reputation for having strong, well-blended voices and a seldom rivaled passion for their music. Hibbert's soulful style led him to be compared to Otis Redding.» (AMG, read more)

«Toots Hibbert represents a different side of reggae (a term he is actually credited with) from his labelmate Bob Marley. Where Marley was more like the Motown sound of Jamaica, Hibbert and the Maytals were more like the Atlantic side of things: earthy vocals, funkier and based more in soul and gospel than his brethren. He is certainly no less important in the history of Jamaican music. This set collects the best from his Island years on a marvelous 18 track compendium.» (Amazon)

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Darker Than Blue: Soul from Jamdown 1973-1980 (2001)

«Arriving months before this Blood & Fire compilation was a similar release from Soul Jazz Records. Studio One Soul was just that, a collection of 18 covers of American soul tunes by the famous Jamaican label's finest '60s and '70s artists. Darker Than Blue however, has a distinct advantage over its predecessor. As it is not tied to the output of any one particular label, it manages to come up with a selection that's broader in scope and more diverse in sound. Bassist Boris Gardiner's band, with the help of organ maestro Leslie Butler, gets the proceedings off to a superb start with "Ghetto Funk," one of two originals that bookend the set. A series of gems follow. Carl Bradney turns out a suitably heavy version of War's "Slipping into Darkness," Al Brown adds a touching reading of Bobby Bland's "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City," and Freddie McGregor performs a wake-up call to the silent majority via George Jackson on "Get Involved." Though Sly Johnson's "Is It Because I'm Black?" can also be found on Studio One Soul, there's plenty of room for another version, particularly when the artist in question is Ken Boothe. Stripping away the horns that appeared on the original U.K. pressing, this mix reveals the rhythm in all its glory, letting it churn between Boothe's exceptional verses. Following a series of love songs, Darker Than Blue delivers another series of excellent reality themes. Among them are the Curtis Mayfield song that titles the set (performed by Lloyd Charmers) and Timmy Thomas' "Why Can't We Live Together?," presented in discomix form by Tinga Stewart and the Revolutionaries. The finest in Jamaican reggae meets the finest in American soul – the combination is superb.» (AMG)

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Putumayo Presents: Caribe! Caribe! (1999)

«When many Americans hear the term "Caribbean music," they tend to think of calypso, soca, and steel drums. But technically, music of the Caribbean also includes everything from Afro-Cuban salsa, Dominican merengue, and Puerto Rican plena to Jamaican ska and reggae. If any label can be counted on to have an eclectic, broad-minded approach to Caribbean music, it's Putumayo; and sure enough, Putumayo's compilation Caribe! Caribe! takes you all over the Caribbean. Not one to be predictable, Putumayo keeps the listener guessing by providing everything from the Black Uhuru-ish reggae of Don Carlos and Gold's "Movin' to the Top" to energetic, infectious sounds from St. Thomas (Osha's "Come Again"), Martinique (Kali's reggae-influenced "La Biguine des Enfants du Bon Dieu"), Belize (Andy Palacio's "Nabi"), and Barbados (Krosfyah's "In Mi System"). Nothing from Cuba, Puerto Rico, or the Dominican Republic is included, but one can hear a strong salsa influence on Haitian singer Beethova Obas' "Lina" and Curacao group La Perfecta's "Bai Drecha Bo Bin." Especially infectious is Aruban band E.Q.Q.'s exuberant "Promo Bia," which is sung in Papiamento, a language that is an unlikely combination of romance and African languages and Dutch. Like many other Putumayo compilations, Caribe! Caribe! boasts comprehensive, informative liner notes and treats the music with the respect it deserves.» (AMG)

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Linton Kwesi Johnson - Dread Beat An' Blood (1978)

«[…] Dread Beat An’ Blood was Linton Kwesi Johnson’s debut recording, the first time his political poetry had been accompanied by the powerful beats of reggae. This new form of music, revolutionary in terms of language, content and style, came to be known as ‘dub poetry’ and Johnson is still the foremost and most uncompromising practitioner of the art. Using the patois of Jamaican speech, Johnson articulates the Black British experience and uses the rhythms of reggae to get his message across. In the past, he has been called a prophet. “Yeah, yeah, I don’t take these things seriously. I just think it’s another media tag,” he says dismissively. “The music is compatible with the poetry in so far as I am writing out of the reggae tradition and some of the poems are written are within the perimeters of the reggae structure. And it’s oral poetry and oral poetry lends itself to the rhythms of music.” Considering his commitment and personal history, perhaps Johnson’s success is no great surprise. His whole life has been based around increasing political awareness, fighting racism, and music. Born in Chapletown, Jamaica, in 1952 he came to England at the age of 11 to live with his mother in Brixton. It was an traumatic experience, compounded by the hostility and racism of Britain in the early 60s. Before long he had joined The Black Panthers. “That’s where I learnt my politics and about my history and culture,” he has said. “That’s where I discovered black literature, particularly the work of W.E.B. DuBois, the Afro-American scholar who inspired me to write poetry.” […]» (SpikeMagazine, read more)

«The title pretty much says it all. This is a stunning debut and an indication of the great things that were to come. Johnson's debut is longer on spoken-word pieces than it is on poetry and music, but Dennis Bovell's influence can be felt in these eight tracks. Songs such as "It Dread Inna Inglan," which describes the death of George Lindo at the hands of racists, or "Five Nights of Bleeding," which recounts tales of British police's capricious use of violence against London's West Indian population, are moving and confrontational mini-masterpieces of anger and a man searching for justice in a country that seems all to willing too deny it to him and other Afro-Brits. A powerful and compelling record.» (AMG)

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Augustus Pablo - East of the River Nile (1977)

«The late Horace Swaby, a.k.a. Augustus Pablo, was one of the canonical figures of Jamaican reggae and dub music. From the moment he emerged on the scene as a teenager with his hit single "Java" to the classics he cut with his influential Rockers band and label, Pablo made the melodica, an obscure mouth organ of European origin, an indispensable part of the reggae sound. That instrument's piercing and poetic strains made this memorable out-of-print-classic, originally released in 1977 and rereleased in honor of its 25th anniversary, a marvel of sound and soul. Recorded in Lee Perry's legendary Black Ark Studio and mixed by the Scientist of Sound King Tubby, Pablo--who also plays keyboards--is backed by a first-rate band that includes Robbie Shakespeare on bass, drummer Aston "Family Man" Barrett, and guitarist Earl "Chinna" Smith. Pablo and company deliver a nondub instrumental album that serves as the syncopated soundtrack of the Rasta nation. Who could forget the minor-key Afro anthems "Chant to King Selassie I," "Natural Way," and "Jah-Light"? Along with shout outs from Perry, the Orb, and others, the CD also includes six bonus tracks and a never-before-heard version of the title cut. All told, Augustus Pablo's "Far East sound" is still with us.» (Eugene Holley, Jr., Amazon)

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Linton Kwesi Johnson - Forces of Victory (1979)

«If Dread Beat An' Blood brought Johnson and initial flush of notoriety, then Forces of Victory was the record that cemented his growing reputation as a major talent. Bovell and the Dub Band swing hard on this set, especially on the album's opening track "Want Fi Goh Rave." This contains some of Johnson's most memorable songs/poems, such as the heartfelt prison saga "Sonny's Lettah" and the confrontational "Fite Dem Back," which he delivers in his trademark sing-song Jamaican patois. Dramatic and intense to the point of claustrophobia, Forces of Victory is not simply one of the most important reggae records of its time, it's one of the most important reggae records ever recorded.» (AMG)

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Black Uhuru - Reggae Greats (1985)

«Reggae Greats is a straight CD release of Black Uhuru's 1985 LP of the same title that collected the best tracks from the group's four early-'80s studio albums for Island Records. This was arguably the peak incarnation of the band, and certainly the most stable lineup, with Michael Rose handling the lead vocals, Duckie Simpson and Puma Jones taking care of the harmonies, and the world-class reggae rhythm section of Sly Dunbar on drums and Robbie Shakespeare on bass holding it all down and also providing production direction. The backing tracks are rhythmic, atmospheric delights, full of unexpected, chiming percussion touches that give everything a bright shine, even as the subject matter of the songs veers firmly into political and social territory. Included are "Happiness," "World Is Africa," and "Push Push" from 1980's Sinsemilla, "Youth of Eglington" and "Sponji Reggae" from 1981's Red, "Darkness" and "Right Stuff" from 1982's Chill Out, and "What Is Life," "Bull in the Pen," and "Elements" from 1983's Anthem. There are anthologies available that chart the complete history of Black Uhuru, but these are the key tracks from the albums that gave the group its international audience. Unfortunately, when the Island contract ended, so did this version of the band.» (AMG)

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Linval Thompson - Inna De Yard (2005)

It seems as if you can’t go wrong with the Inna de Yard series. I’m surprised that no other labels have jumped on a similar acoustic sound; it’s so striking in its simplicity, like a reggae version of MTV’s Unplugged. This session features perhaps the biggest name in the series so far, Linval Thompson, who has recorded little since the ’80s. His voice is just as sweet and powerful as ever, though (perhaps because it’s well-rested), as he belts out a combination of past hits, like Jah Jah Dreader Than Dread, Train to Zion, and Jah Guiding Star, and new tunes like Mercy Mercy Mercy and Hit Dem With the One Drop, which features the subtle horn line from Dennis Brown’s Joy in the Morning. As the horn indicates, there seems to be more instrumentation here than in the first two Inna de Yard albums, with bits of airy horns and organ riffs accompanying the requisite acoustic guitar and drums, but the pure, unplugged essence remains the same. The digital dancehall-ers of today might want to take a hint from these albums: If you want to do it right, sometimes you have to go back «inna de yard». (Reggae Reviews)

« Inna de yard », cela signifie « dans la cour » en créole jamaïcain. C’est en plein air que ce disque a été enregistré durant une session mi-amicale mi-professionnelle. Tel est le principe de la collection sous le nom duquel il paraît. Celle-ci, imaginée par les producteurs français du label Makasound, permet de découvrir le reggae d’une manière originale. Des ethnomusicologues non académiques comme l’États-unien Alan Lomax ou le Français Charles Duvelle ont procédé de façon identique pour leurs formidables captations sur le terrain, de même que Frédéric Galliano, plus récemment, dont le label Frikyiwa présente des artistes maliens jouant et chantant eux aussi dans leur cour. Le matériel dont on dispose à présent permet de ne rien perdre du travail des musiciens alors même que souffle le vent, passent les poules ou dansent les amis de passage. Ce volume est le troisième de la série. Le premier a été consacré au guitariste Earl « Chinna » Smith (membre du Soul Syndicate, des Wailers…), le deuxième au chanteur Kiddus I, deux personnages mythiques de la scène jamaïcaine roots. C’est maintenant au tour de Linval Thompson, chanteur également, et producteur de quelques belles choses durant les années 1970, période qui le vit revenir de Brooklyn où il s’était un temps installé. Il incarne une de ces gloires méconnues du grand public qui abondent dans le monde du reggae. Le baobab Marley cache encore trop souvent la forêt. Linval Thompson décline ici un nouveau répertoire et reprend plusieurs de ses succès comme Jah Jah dreader than dread ou Jah guiding star. Au vu de ces titres, on l’aura vite compris, nous avons affaire à un rasta. Alors que la production locale reste encore très marquée par le style bling-bling, méchamment stéréotypé avec ses rythmes machiniques, il est plus que rafraîchissant d’écouter de vraies chansons interprétées par d’authentiques musiciens. La voix est essentiellement accompagnée de guitares acoustiques, d’un trombone, d’une batterie et de percussions nyahbinghi. Il en ressort une sorte de reggae folk aérien qui en impose par sa simplicité – pour aller très vite, ce que l’on écoute là s’apparente à la Redemption song de Marley. Entrez sans façon braves gens, Linval Thompson et ses amis vous reçoivent en leur cour de Kingston. Vous auriez tort de rater une telle invitation. (Routard)

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