Essential Roots Reggae Albums

Roots reggae is still the form most people think of as 'reggae,' although it's long since been eclipsed by raggagmuffin and dancehall. Some continue to carry the flame, and there are new stars who remain close to the Rasta ideals, but in may ways, roots reggae is now a part of the history of the loudest island in the world.

It was a very fertile musical time - so much so that limiting the number of records to 10 is very difficult. What about the ska and rock-steady eras, which were the cradle of reggae, and the formation of a real Jamaican musical identity? And what, too, about the reggae diaspora? To this day it remains a vital genre in Africa, and artists like Lucky Due and Alpha Blondy have become massive stars playing African reggae. It was also vital in England, where so many Jamaicans moved after 1948, and where a new generation made the music. A band like Steel Pulse has become internationally known, but creative figures like Dennis Bovell (and bands like Asward) remain shadowhy, although none the less important.

Reggae singers have often been superb - but is it possible to fit them in? Horace Andy, the late Bim Sherman, trios like Israel Vibration, the Congos - all have made wonderful singles and albums. In fact, roots reggae might have enjoyed a higher percentage of excellent quality than most music. Which means that what follows is the cream of a superb crop.

Various Artists : Tougher Than Tough (Island)

It there's one collection that sums up roots reggae, this is it. Going from the revelatory 1959 version of "O Carolina" to Shaggy's '90s remake, this covers the full spectrum, from the time Jamaican music was still boogie, through ska and rock steady into reggae. To be fair, under Chris Blackwell, Island was always strongly associated with Jamaican music, and gave Marley his real international exposure. Here you get it all, the massive names, the side roads like dub and toasting which gave rise to remixes, dance music, and hip-hop. But, most importantly, it's a celebration and potted history of Jamaican music, with its flowering after independence from Britain, in all its facets. Expertly put together, from the deepest and darkest vibe to the UK pop-reggae, this 4-CD set does it all, and seriously warrants the 'vital' tag, regardless of price.

Bob Marley and the Wailers: Live! (Island)

By 1975 both Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh had gone from the Wailers, and Marley's name was in front. They had the songs and, as this charismatic performance from the London Lyceum shows, they had the presence. Marley was a star, and would remain so for the rest of his life. So why this over a greatest hits? Simply because of the power of both Marley and the band, who added a massive third dimension to the music in concert; it's as if the studio work was just a sketch of the possibilities. Marley's singing was a work of art, the rhythm section was so tight a tick couldn't have got in, and the elements - first put together in the late '60s with producer Lee Perry - fitted together as if they were always meant to be. This is the album where Marley really became great, and it remains one of the classic live albums, up there with James Brown's Live at the Apollo or the Stones' Get Yer Ya-Yas Out.

Lee Perry: Arkology (Island)

You can make a case for Perry being barking mad (he burned down his studio in 1980), but you can'r deny his impact on reggae, as writer, performer, and, most importantly, as a producer. He helped shape the Wailers' sound in the late '60s, and, along with King Tubby, was one of the architects of the sonic trip called dub. His Upsetter label brought forth hundreds of records, including Perry's own, idiosyncratic pieces, and he was behind the boards for the sheer beauty of the Congos (whose album is more than worth a search). This 3-CD set illustrates the range of his work, from the sublime to the gor'blimey, including the glory of Junior Murvin's original "Police and Thieves." That he's still making music after all this time is a testament to his stamina, even if it doesn't have the power he showed back in the day, when Perry equated with essential.

Jimmy Cliff: The Harder They Come (Mango)

Although credited to Cliff, who does contribute half the tunes - the most memorable ones, at that - this soundtrack to the first Jamaican film to gain international exposure (even if it could have used subtitles) also has Toots and the Maytals, Desmond Dekker, the Melodians, the Slickers, and Scotty. Yet while their offerings are good - a fantastic "Johnny Too Bad" and a sublime "Pressure Drop" from Toots, Cliff, who starred in the movie, outshines them all. The gospel sincerity of "Many Rivers To Cross," the positive vibe of "You Can Get It If You Really Want It," and a glorious "Sitting In Limbo" mark this as being head and shoulders above his previous work, and hitting a level he'd have difficulty reaching again. One of the few reggae vocalists able to take it to church like a soul man, the raw edge of his voice shone through brilliantly here, on a disc where songs and performances achieved a whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Black Uhuru: Red (Mango)

Having announced the coming of the more elastic rhythms of new roots reggae on the sensational "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner," Black Uhuru set the town on fire with Red. The rhythm section of Sly and Robbie offer perfect underpinning, complex-yet-simple-sounding rhythms, massive production, topped by the ideal blend of voices from Michael Rose, Duckie Simpson, and Puma. Kicking off with the remarkable one-two punch of "Youth Of Eglington" and the irresistible "Sponji Reggae," they looked set to take on the mantle of the just-deceased Bob Marley back in 1981/82. Obviously, that never happened, but with their second album they did create a true classic of the genre, stretched-out, sonically brilliant, lyrically conscious, possibly the last truly great roots album before dancehall crashed through the doors and took over the party. Utterly essential.