Here's four of my favorite recent reggae music purchases:
A DJ at the seminal punk hangout the Roxy in London's West End at the end of the 1970s, Don Letts was a pivotal force in bringing Jamaican reggae into the punk circle, and his acclaimed sets shored up the affinities between the two revolutionary musical genres. Here he mines the famed Trojan vaults for a two-disc collection that essentially reproduces a night at the Roxy. Disc One assembles vocal roots classics, including "54 46 Was My Number," by the Maytals (and the fiery Toots Hibbert); "Mistry Babylon" by the Heptones; a brilliant and atmospheric "Fever" by Junior Byles; and "The Time Has Come" by the incomparable Slim Smith. Disc Two collects dubs and instrumentals, including the goofy and charming "Psychodelic Train," by Derrick Harriott and the Chosen Few, and the classic "Return of Django" by Lee "Scratch" Perry and the Upsetters. Well-sequenced and fun, this set is a wonderful introduction to mid-1970s Jamaican music, making, in Bob Marley's words, a "punky reggae party."
A recent Greensleeves reissue of some old 45s produced by Jah Thomas. Artists include Jah Thomas, Michael Palmer, Little John, Billy Boyo and Tristan Palmer. Jah Thomas has been one of my favorite reggae toasters. In fact the first two deejay albums I ever purchased were
Stop Ya Loafin' by Jah Thomas and
Jah Son of Africa by U-Roy. I purchased both albums on a 1978 trip to Jamaica and spent the next year playing the two albums over and over because both albums hit me like a bolt of lighting out of a blue sky.
Clash remains forever in a class all its own. This Shanachie issue of a 30th anniversary edition of the album in 2007 that adds expanded liner notes and five extra tracks made up of dubs and 12" mixes. Clash is filled with a sense of joy mixed with deep spirituality, and a belief that historical injustice was soon to be righted. The music, provided by the Revolutionaries, perfectly complements the lyrics' ultimate optimism, and is quite distinct from most dread albums of the period.
Although definitely rootsy, Culture had a lighter sound than most of their contemporaries. Not for them the radical anger of Black Uhuru, the fire of Burning Spear (although Hill's singsong delivery was obviously influenced by Winston Rodney), nor even the hymnal devotion of the Abyssinians. In fact, Clash is one of the most eclectic albums of the day, a wondrous blend of styles and sounds. Often the vocal trio works in a totally different style from the band, as on "Calling Rasta Far I," where the close harmonies, dread-based but African-tinged, entwine around a straight reggae backing. Several of the songs are rocksteady-esque with a rootsy rhythm, most notably the infectious.
This purchase was a big time splurge for me but well worth it. Anthem has a lot of sentimental value to me because I met Sly, Robbie, Michael, Puma, and Duckie for the first and only time when they were on an international tour with King Sunny Ade to promote Anthem, in 1983. I actually purchased the
Complete Anthem Sessions at about half the retail price from another collector.
As the title of this four-disc box set intimates, Hip-O Select's
Complete Anthem Sessions (2004) is the final word on the album. Housed within are all the unedited full-length mixes, dub mixes, U.K. and U.S. versions, and widely sought 12" renderings of "Party Next Door," "Party in Session," "What Is Life," and the Steve Van Zandt-penned "Solidarity." Plus, a pair of never-before-available interpretations of "Somebody's Watching You." Providing every possible option in one anthology is nothing short of inspired. It likewise allows a juxtaposition of production styles that aid in understanding both the impact of the music, as well as the various alterations — some subtle and others significant — made in an attempt to cater to specific listeners. The Hip-O Select Internet audio boutique issued The Complete Anthem Sessions in a strictly limited edition of 5,000 copies. The four CDs are accompanied by 40 pages of text and photos, with the contents housed in a lavish high quality 7-3/4" by 6-1/4" cloth hardbound book.
There's 5 or 6 dub different dub versions of each song on Anthem which may seem like a ridiculous amount of overkill to the casual fan but I've used the different dub plates extensively on my radio show and D.J. gigs.