Lists
Reviews
Images
Forums
Movies
TV Shows
DVDs
Music
Books
Games
List added by jgnikkila on 15 March 2008 03:58
Beginner's Guide to Reggae |
Views : 710 Comments : 1
|
 2  10 If you're looking for a good box set, this'll do. This focuses on early Jamaican pop, ska, rocksteady and reggae in equal measure. Sadly, it stops kinda short, when there was plenty of great reggae to come after 1975.
Tougher Than Tough - The Story Of Jamaican Music (4 CD Box Set) is a similar collection, and it widens the scale to include plenty of great post '75 roots reggae, dancehall and ragga (up until 1992). Probably the best reggae boxset around (if you can still find it). The Reggae Box: The Routes Of Jamaican Music is another fine 4-cd boxset, leaning a bit more to the contemporary, with roughly one third being reggae from the digital age. Includes great tracks from the likes of Anthony B., Luciano, Capleton and Sizzla. These collections overlap quite a bit. So basically, get the one that fits your needs and your budget. 
1 10 This basically tries to fit the entire history of Jamaican popular music onto one disc, which is pretty impossible. However, it does a good job of describing what every scene was about. And the music is fantastic throughout.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The book Rough Guide to Reggae and its companion 100 Essential CDs come highly recommended (especially the big book). So, if you're bitten by the bug, these'll really guide you along. 
1 10 Fresh & wonderful single-disc collection, this would be the ideal introduction to ska. Faultless song selection. And check out the cover for the talent involved! The focus here is solely on the uptempo ravers.
1 10 Rough Guide to Reggae rates this 'essential', and with good reason. Big and fat with 44 tracks from Studio One. Great range of material from bouncy dance numbers to raunchy novelty songs, smooth soul ballads and more elevated, jazzy stuff. Great sound, and none of the filler that makes so many ska compilations.
2 10 The rocksteady scene was kinda like Jamaica's motown, with a more rough cut sound - like the crooners just stepped in the studio from the streets, did their two takes, then disappeared again. Sadly, great rocksteady collections can be hard to find. Nothing wrong with this one, though. Pure soul magic from start to finish from the likes of Alton Ellis, The Paragons, The Techniques and The Melodians.
The two CDs that make this compilation are also available separately as Treasure Isle Mood and Treasure Isle Time, the first of which would be the perfect single disc introduction. There's always a few competitive Treasure Isle collections around, so it's good to compare tracklistings and check out reviews. The Heartbeat collections get top marks for sound quality. 
0 0 Hard to recommend any single Studio One compilation similar to the Treasure Isle set above. The two labels reissuing Studio One's extensive back catalogue, Heartbeat and Soul Jazz, have put out quite a number of single disc sets that typically mix hits and rare gems. As a general rule, these are all worth checking out.
The Best of Studio One Collection is the closest to a real definitive best of. It's an inexpensive box set of The Best of Studio One, Full Up: More Hits From Studio One and Downbeat the Ruler: Killer Instrumentals From Studio One. The discs can be picked separately as well, and are real good introductions to Studio One reggae and rocksteady, showcasing most the key artists and popular rhythms. Similar beginner friendly sets from Soul Jazz include Studio One Story (with massive extras: 4 hour DVD documentary and a 100 page booklet), Studio One Classics, Studio One Rockers, Studio One Scorcher and Studio One Roots. 
2 10 A stellar rocksteady album from Studio One. A mixture of lovers and cultural material. One of a handful of best albums from Jamaica.
These continue the story beyond rocksteady: Peace & Harmony: The Trojan Anthology (no Studio One or Island material) Party Time (produced by Lee 'Scratch' Perry) 
1 10 Another rocksteady winner from Studio One, this is just as nice as the above, but more easily available and with better sound. This used to be called Original Twelve and is now bolstered with six bonus tracks.
1 10 The finest vocal group of the rocksteady era? I say it's a tie between these guys and the Heptones. The Uniques were one of the groups most clearly inspired by The Impressions, and covered some of their songs. If you get smitten with lead singer Slim Smith's achingly beautiful falsetto (or is it high tenor?), you can follow up his work with the Techniques on Queen Majesty: The Best of the Techniques 1965-1974 and solo on Born to Love and Keep That Lovelight Shining.
Listen to "My Conversation" and "Can't Do Without It" on the Pressure Sounds website 
3 10 A neat way to immerse yourself into the rocksteady scene is to grab this, one of the best entries in Trojan's seemingly endless series of budget priced 3CD boxes. Not as perfect as the above collections, but definitely recommended. Heck, MOST of it is great, and the asking price is around 15€/20$.
0 0 Trojan Rockers Box Set does a similar trick with roots reggae, specifically the more heavyweight rockers style of the mid-70s. 3 cd's, cheap price, great great songs. The packaging may be cheap, but you won't ever regret owning this. Trojan Roots Box Set ain't bad either
Not all the Trojan boxes are as good, and its worth checking some reviews before you buy. 
0 0 Not a 100% sure if this is still available, but as a sampler of 70's roots harmony groups it's hard to beat. Features top tracks from The Wailing Souls, Mighty Diamonds, Black Uhuru, Israel Vibration, The Itals, Culture, The Meditations, Yabby You, The Royals, The Congos, The Gladiators, The Melodians, The Heptones and The Twinkle Brothers.
1 10 Sick & tired of hearing "No Woman No Cry" on the radio for the zillionth time? Wondering what the fuss is all about?
Get Soul Rebels and African Herbsman (Trojan, with bonus tracks) and you'll have the bulk of their stuff for producer Lee "Scratch" Perry. This is the Wailers pre-Island, back when they were dangerous, kinda like the Jamaican Rolling Stones, with three leading men: Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh - each with the charisma of a Keith Richards. These tracks are wilder, funkier and cooler than anything any of the band members put out since. Some of the best roots reggae ever. The Wailers' early stuff for Lee Perry and other producers has been repackaged on plenty of different comps as well. It's best to avoid the zillions of cheapo collections, because they often have poor sound, inferior takes, filler tracks, cheesy overdubs... Of the legit comps, The Essential Bob Marley and the Wailers is highly recommended. At 35 tracks it includes all the vital tracks and little filler. Trenchtown Rock - The Anthology 1969-78 includes all the good stuff as well, but with 51 tracks also plenty of filler (and a seriously botched track order). The same goes for the now out of print Charly collection. The Best of the Early Years is ok, but misses plenty of important tracks. This period is also covered by three extensive box sets Fy-Ah Fy-Ah, Grooving Kingston 12 and Man to Man. 
7 7 All the Island albums are great, but this one's my favourite. More rootsier vibe than on Catch a Fire. Bob, Peter and Bunny were still together at this point.
2 7 An effortlessly charming roots album, and my favourite from the original Wailers since they split. Bunny Wailer was the Curtis Mayfield of reggae, and his dirty angel tenor is heard for wonderful effect on this album.
0 0 'The Crown Prince of Reggae', Dennis Brown was maybe the finest singer of the roots era. His influence can be heard on modern roots artists like Cocoa Tea, Luciano and Bushman. Visions and Wolf & Leopards are the first-choice albums.
Other fine collections include Some Like it Hot, Open the Gate: Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 and The Promised Land 
1 9 Great introduction to Jamaica's number one singer. Gregory Isaacs is loved throughout the reggae world, for his honeyed voice & smooth, soulful style, as well as his vulnerable Lonely Lover persona. He's also a top notch songwriter, effortlessly combining affairs of the heart with roots & culture. Kinda like the Al Green of reggae. Cool Ruler has some of Gregory's finest songs: "Native Woman", "John Public", "Party in the Slum"...
Cool Ruler is universally loved & the most easily available of Gregory's classic albums. However these albums are equally great: Extra Classic, Mr. Isaacs, Soon Forward and Best of Volumes One and Two (not a real best of, but two new albums) - so pick whatever comes in handy. 
4 7 The perfect introduction to the wild, weird and wonderful world of 'The Upsetter', when he was stationed in his Black Ark, and churning out hits like Max Romeo's "War In A Babylon", Junior Murvin's "Police & Thieves" and Junior Byles' "Curly Locks".
This is relatively inexpensive and preferable to individual albums like Junior Murvin's Police and Thieves. Another great box set I Am the Upsetter: The Story of the Lee "Scratch" Perry Golden Years tells a fuller story, including his western-themed early reggae instrumentals, UK crossover hits, rebel music from the likes of Bob Marley & Junior Byles, as well as his Black Ark material, with one disc devoted solely to dub. Great liner notes and helpful discography to boot. After you've checked out this one, get the even weirder Open the Gate. Oh yeah, and get Super Ape as well. 
4 10 Of all the classic LP's Scratch produced in the mid-70's, this is easily the best. Also quite unique - unlike anything ever recorded anywhere else. Proves once again, that in 70's Jamaica everything was possible.
jgnikkila's rating:
 
0 0 Ok, this might be way too heavy for beginners, but I gotta list it anyway. For this one of the most awe-inspiring collections out there. 2 cd's of the rawest of roots, wickedest toasters & King Tubby dubbing at his most vicious.
5 9 A gritty, merciless, horn-driven, no-nonsense platter, this masterpiece pretty much defines roots reggae. The more out-there Social Living is equally great. Also check out the Studio One stuff on Creation Rebel or Sounds From the Burning Spear.
jgnikkila's rating:
2 8 Another great roots album from the 70's, can't go wrong with this one.
If this one hits also try The Gladiators' Trenchtown Mix Up and The Abyssinians' Satta Massagana. 
1 10 In the game of 70s roots harmonies, I rank Pick Up the Pieces right at the top (over some tough competition, I assure you!!). Don't look for no heavy horns, militant rhythms, or pain-racked rastaman wailings dubbed deep to the planets. Instead, Pick Up the Pieces offers a great set of songs, gorgeous vocal harmonies, and a wonderfully warm yet streetwise production in the best spirit of rocksteady. This Pressure Sounds reissue has twice as many songs as the original LP, and beautifully restored sound.
Listen to "Pick Up The Pieces" on the Pressure Sounds website 
1 8 One of my favourite reggae groups, Israel Vibration is a unique sounding vocal group, who formed at a polio clinic. Their first two albums The Same Song and Unconquered People are both timeless reggae classics. Highly recommended if you already dig Culture, Gladiators or Wailing Souls.
Listen to "The Same Song" on the Pressure Sounds website 
1 10 A similar artist to Dennis Brown and Gregory Isaacs, Freddie McGregor effortlessly combines roots & lovers material. Though neither Dennis or Gregory ever got the chance to work with rhythms as sweet as these from Studio One. One of the most beautiful & timeless Jamaican lp's, made even more special by the new special edition.
Similar albums: Johnny Osbourne: Truths and Rights Sugar Minott: Sugar Minott at Studio One 
2 8 Now, these guys had a really dangerous, hard-edged, militant sound unlike any other reggae giants. Just look at the cover, pretty much captures the mood. Recommended to all punk rockers & gangsta rappers.
1 0 Another indispensable 3CD box set. Covers the deejay explosion of the early 70s, when U-Roy burst on the scene, followed suit by guys like Dennis Alcapone, Big Youth, I-Roy, Lizzy, Scotty, Dave Barker... Jive-talking over raw, chugging early reggae rhythms and revamped rocksteady hits, the early DJ style is great fun. Real wild, and more unpredictable than the more fully developed styles of the roots and dancehall eras. Again, the mix of styles gives this an edge over the solo sets.
1 0 A great sampling of deejay cuts from the roots era. Features I-Roy, Dillinger, Prince Jazzbo, Jah Stitch, Tappa Zukie, Dr. Alimantado, Little Joe, Big Joe and Prince Far-I.
Microphone Attack 1974-1978 is an equally great set from Blood & Fire. Featuring some of the biggest deejay stars, and on top form, toasting over Niney's toughest rhythms: Big Youth, I-Roy, U-Roy, Dillinger, Ranking Trevor and Trinity. 
1 8 A very colourful & entertaining deejay - if not exactly typical. Also, this works better as an album than most deejay sets. Easily available for mid-price, so it's one of the discs you might wanna get first.
Other great deejay sets: I-Roy: Don't Check Me With No Lightweight Stuff (1972-1975) Big Youth: Natty Universal Dread (1973-1979) Trinity: Shanty Town Determination 
0 0 "Calling the meek & the humble..."
AKA "Blackboard Jungle Dub" One of the first & best dub albums. Also one of the most accessible and entertaining. A good place to get this: Dub-Triptych (Trojan). Includes original, untampered versions of three classic dub lp's on two cd's: Cloak & Dagger, Blackboard Jungle Dub and Revolution Dub. And did I not tell you to check Super Ape as well! 
0 0 A well-chosen selection of classic Jamaican dub, with 18 tracks from an all-star cast: King Tubby, Lee Perry, King Jammy, Scientist, Augustus Pablo and Sly & Robbie. The variety of producers, periods and mixing styles makes this very colourful and easy to get into. Also check out:
Scientist: Rids the World of the Evil Curse of the Vampires Augustus Pablo: King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown King Tubby: Dub Gone Crazy King Tubby & Yabby You: King Tubby's Prophesy of Dub Keith Hudson: Pick a Dub Mikey Dread: African Anthem 
0 0 A glorious 2CD introduction to all things dancehall, covering a variety of producers, artists and styles from before and after the digital revolution. Quite possibly the best intro for beginners.
0 0 This outta tell you what early dancehall's about. 2 cd's, 40 tracks, all the biggest stars: Yellowman, Barrington Levy, Johnny Osbourne, Eek-A-Mouse, General Echo etc. Budget price & a great Benz on the cover to boot.
Other similar collections covering this period (singers, deejays, dub): When the Dances Were Changing - Hitbound Selection U Brown Hit Sounds from Channel One 
0 0 'Grow u locks & wear u turban...'
One of the finest modern roots albums, combining classic reggae, hardcore ragga and stylish r'n'b to great effect. A word of warning, though: some of the more fundamendalist teachings of the Bobo Dread can be hard to swallow... Sizzla is an incredibly prolific artist - Allmusic, for example lists over 40 albums since 1995. Picking up the really good ones can be a daunting task. Black Woman & Child is another winner. Comments
Zozoulini
Posted : 7 months, 2 weeks ago at Mar 25 21:05
Excellent list!!!
Login or Signup to post a comment |
Description
I'm basically a rock'n'roll head, but I was raised on reggae. These are my recommendations as the best Jamaican popular music for rock, pop & soul fans interested in reggae. NOTE: The focus is on albums & compilations that are in-print and easily available for everybody. So I haven't included out of print collectors items, even though stuff like that is sometimes available for download.  brief glossary (just in case) SKA = Dominant music scene in Jamaica 1960 - 66. Upbeat, often franticly paced music. A mix of jazz, rhythm & blues and traditional Jamaican styles. ROCKSTEADY = Dominant music scene in Jamaica 1966 - 68. Cool, smooth, soulful music. Influenced by the American soul scene, especially The Impressions. The golden age of Jamaican vocal harmony groups. REGGAE = Dominant music scene in Jamaica 1968 to date. Probably the most inclusive and varied genre after rock. From meditational roots, smooth lovers rock, spaced out dub to hardcore ragga, reggae can sound like (or unlike) anything on earth. ROOTS REGGAE = Reggae with spiritual or socially concious lyrics. Especially from the 70s. Roots music can sound like anything from meditational to militant. Usually refers to the likes of Burning Spear & Culture. DUB = Mainly instrumental remixes of existing vocal records or rhythms, with the emphasis on drums and bass. Either on b-sides of singles (version) or on albums. Often very wild and experimental, usually quite different from the original record. DEEJAY = The deejay style is the Jamaican precursor to rap, with a deejay toasting (rapping) his lyrics over a pre-recorded rhythm. Originated in the 60s, popular ever since. DANCEHALL = A phase in reggae starting from late 70s, where (generally speaking) the music became less complex, the lyrics less spiritual and more lightweight, and the rhythms more sparse and heavy. Dancehall basically covers everything from early dancehall to mid-80s digital reggae to modern ragga, though in some situations it's used as a shorthand for just early dancehall. DIGITAL REGGAE = Ragga in its cradle state, when reggae started using digital (electronic) rhythms. A brief transitional phase in mid-80s dancehall of Casio keyboards and Sleng Teng riddims. RAGGA = Modern dancehall with deejays rapping over hard digital riddims. Dominant in Jamaica from mid-80s to date.  Label: Studio One (Jamaica) Jamaica's most legendary record label & recording studio, often called "the Motown of reggae". During the ska, rocksteady and reggae era, Studio One produced an amazing wealth of great music, and attracted an unparallelled roster of talented musicians. Most of the performers mentioned on this list (Bob Marley, Lee Perry, Burning Spear...) started their careers at Studio One. The main labels currently releasing Studio One Material are Soul Jazz and Heartbeat www.souljazzrecords.co.uk www.studio1heartbeat.com  Label: Blood and Fire (UK) Here's a label you can always count on for blind purchases. So whether you're looking for no-nonsense roots, dj or dub records 'Blood and Fire' ALWAYS delivers the goods. www.bloodandfire.co.uk  Label: Pressure Sounds (UK) Another great reggae re-issue label. Be sure to check out their cool website, where you can listen to tracks from all the albums in their catalogue. www.pressure.co.uk  This list originally appeared on my RYM page
|
