Bitty Mclean - movin' on

Bitty Mclean - movin' on (Taxi Silent River) 2009

This is a very smooth reggae record. I normally do not go for this sound but with Sly & Robbie handling drums and bass, and Bitty Mclean singing, I will make the exception. Seriously, while this release tends to be a little cleaner than most reggae records that I listen to, don't let that discourage you from getting this fine LP. It is not a life changer but if you are looking for something closer to the 'lovers rock' type of sound, then this one is for you. There is one straight up R&B song on here (You're Welcome, Stop On By written by Bobby Womack) and while it is not my normal cup of tea, on this record it holds up well. Other soul songs covered but given a reggae treatment are So In Love, Try A Little Tenderness, Come to Me, Daddy's Home, and Lately. There are two standout tracks on this record that roots lovers will enjoy and that is the duet with Johnny Osbourne on Jahovia and the solo, Plead My Cause. Both of these tracks would be worthy contributions to any modern roots compilation. In addition, what makes this record a keeper is that Sly & Robbie remake some older Taxi riddims for Bitty to sing over in a modern style. I won't list the riddims but you will recognize them when you hear them.

Assisting Sly & Robbie on this record are other fine JA musicians that convinced me to take this record seriously. For instance, on guitar we find players like Willie Lindo, Dalton Browne, Mikey Chung, and Dougie Bryan. Keyboards are handled by long time Sly & Robbie musical partner, Robbie Lyn. Also lending a hand on keyboards are Keith Sterling and the great Ansel Collins.

Overall, a fine reggae album. I would recommend this to novice reggae listeners as well as the wiley veteran. The serious collector will just need to accept that a smooth sounding reggae record is not always a bad thing. BUY

Ranking Joe - World In Dub

Ranking Joe - World In Dub - M Records CD 450 -2006

When I left the world of reggae music a few years ago, I missed the emergence of the "home-dubbers"( for a lack of a better term). The home-dubbers are self taught producers, arrangers, and reggae entrepreneurs. They are often also white.

If I would have been around at the beginning of their emergence, I would have been very sceptical because I would have felt that while their hearts where in the right place, the "feel" that one finds in Jamaican music would be missing. For example, listen to the "reggae" of Big Mountain. Their hit of the Peter Frampton song, "Baby I Love Your Ways", is a perfect example of what I mean. In other words, the reggae music of the home dubbers would be soft.

As I mentioned, I was not around at the beginning so I now I am able to hear the home dubbers after they had a chance to mature. Ryan Moore, the Canadian behind M Records, is one of those home dubbers that has matured very well. All in all, I have heard a few releases by Mr Moore and Twilight Circus Productions and I have walked away not only impressed but a big fan. I now consider M Records as crucial source for modern roots music. To put it simply, what sets M Records apart from others is that Mr. Moore "gets it". That is, his sense and feel for Jamaican reggae music is authentic. So, when one is listening to an M Records production, it is as if one is listening to a quality JA production. Maybe that is the highest praise I can give to Mr. Moore; his sounds are Jamaican.

On this specific recording, a dub version of Ranking Joe's World In Trouble (also on M Records), Mr Moore uses some of the best JA musicians and along with his own musical talents on bass, keys and drums. Overall, the record has some nice, crisp, and new rhythms that receive the dub treatment from Mr Moore. The record gets off to a nice start with World In Dub and the quality does not really fall from that point. One of the highlights for me is Dub Babylon since it contains just a trace of a vocal by Michael Rose.

The quality is high and sounds are tight. If you are looking for new roots music of a superior quality, please seek out Ryan Moore's material and make sure to pick up this record along the way.

Justin Hines: Travel With Love

Justin Hinds and the Dominoes - Travel With Love - Nighthawk NHCD 309 - 1984

Justin Hinds is a legendary artist who recorded during the Ska and Rock Steady eras. Releasing countless singles and recording for the likes of Duke Reid and Jack Ruby (for Island), Justin stepped away from recording for a while until the good folks at Nighthawk contacted him about recording again. This album is the fruit of those conversations. This album was recorded at Tuff Gong (Bob Marley's studio), using the Wailers' rhythm section of Family Man Barrett on bass and his brother, Carly Barrett on drums. In fact, it is one of the first things one hears on this CD (and which makes this record so comfortable and memorable) is that distinctive Carly Barrett drum roll.

For many people this record is going to sound dated. However, don't let that keep you away from enjoying this album. Dated or not, this record is good representation of what solid reggae music sounded like in the early 1980s. In fact, it was this type of sound that got me hooked on the music in the first place. Although, it should not be too surprising that this record sounds good since along with the Barrett brothers, Chinna Smith and Bingy Bunny lay down guitar duties, while Gladdy, Wire Lindo and Tyrone Downie trade up on keyboards. All top notch, first rate JA musicians.

Before discussing the actual songs, I first must comment on Justin's voice. Justin's voice is a higher register and softer than the "typical" JA voice. I enjoy his voice but it is different, especially if one is looking for a more "Burning Spear" or a "Sizzla" gruff style, for example. That said, over long periods, Justin's voice can start to sound a little thin. However, over an LP, you should be fine.

The songs are solid, standout tracks include Get Ready Rock Steady, Miss Wendell, Book of History (the first three tracks of the album). In addition, Meditation, the last song on the LP is nice as well. In general, the lyrics are conscious roots with a little love lyrics thrown in but Justin has always been more of a roots artist and he continues that here.

I was generally surprised by this CD. I had low expectations given that Nighthawk was taking an older artist and putting him in front a new generation of musicians. Sometimes these projects work and sometimes they don't. In this case it works well. This CD is solid, it is not a life-changer but I think most serious reggae music lovers will be fine with adding this to their collection. In short, this gets a recommendation. Buy

The Meditations - Deeper Roots

The Meditations - Deeper Roots: The Best of The Meditations (Heartbeat) HBCD 158 1994

Back in the day, of all of the harmony groups that were around at the time, The Meditations got the least attention from me. In part, it was due to ignorance, and it was also because much of their material was not readily available to me. One could find Wailing Souls, Mighty Diamonds, The Itals, or Israel Vibration on LP in the stores but one was hard pressed to find a Meditations release. I eventually picked up a few Meditation records on vinyl, in particular Guidance but did not play them often for some reason.

Flash forward to current time and as I am perusing releases I come across the above mentioned greatest hits package. Aside from being on Heartbeat, which guarantees a respectful and quality release, it contains a nice overview of The Meditations career up until then. Upon playing this CD for the first time (and after the sixth time!), one can only come to the conclusion that those that held The Meditations in high regard from the beginning had gotten it right from the start.

This CD contains 20 songs (including bonus tracks) that spans the entire career of The Meditations. There are 3 tracks from Wake Up (1979), 4 from Message from the Meditations (1976), 3 from Guidance (1980), a couple of 12", and some rare tracks from sessions at Black Ark with Lee Perry at the controls. The whole album is classic Jamaican reggae of the highest order.

Unlike the Mighty Diamonds, for example, who relied largely on the lead vocals of one singer, the Meditations had three singers that could all carry lead vocal duties (Ansel Cridland, Danny Clarke, and Winston Watson). In addition, each singer had a distinct method of interpreting a song. As a result, the variety of vocal styles works well along with the classic rhythms.

The CD comes with a nice booklet that provides an overview of the career and puts the music of group in context. Also, the back of the booklet provides a nice song recap that provides information on the musicians, engineers and time frame. All the key information that any reggae fanatic would want to know. While the whole album reeks of classic the best moments for me are the songs produced by Lee Perry at Black Ark (Running from Jamaica, No Peace, and Think So) as these carry some of that trademark Perry molasses mix. That is a good thing! This is classic era reggae roots music. If you are not going to hunt down the LPs, then this CD is a must have.

Track List

1. Wake Up
2. Turn Me Loose
3. Running From Jamaica
4. Having Fun
5. Miracles
6. Jungle Feelings
7. Woman Is Like A Shadow
8. Nice Time
9. Quiet Woman
10. No Peace
11. Babylon Trap Them
12. Something Looking Good
13. Groovy Situation (aka Being A Dread Is No Crime)
14. Think So (aka Much More Smarter)
15. Tricked
16. Fly Natty Dread
17. Do Mamma Do
18. Man Find It
19. What A Bam Bam (Bonus track of The Linkers with Ansel Cridland)
20. Bongo Man (Bonus track of The Linkers with Ansel Cridland)