The Hookim brothers made an incredible impact in 1975 with their Channel One studio and labels. As their house band, they had the excellent Revolutionaries with their brilliant young drummer Sly Dunbar. And the studio had a fresh and exciting sound that became the sound of the moment. May of their recordings were reworkings of older riddims and they effectively…
A The Jamaicans – Ba Ba BoomB Errol Brown – Twilight Zone Many of the prominent Jamaican vocal groups recorded at Treasure Isle during the rocksteady era, including The Jamaicans. Formed in 1967 as the Cool Shakes, they transitioned from a trio to a quartet and adopted the name The Jamaicans to enhance their international appeal. Their collaboration with producer…
Israel Vibration’s upcoming album, Reggae Music Never Dies, is set to drop on February 28th, 2025. Produced by Aston Barrett Jr. of The Wailers alongside Israel Vibration, Rafael Costa, and Henrique Pesqueira, the 10-track release brings fresh tunes, including the final works of the late Cecil “Skelly” Spence. Lacelle “Wiss” Bulgin, the last surviving member of Israel Vibration, continues to…
[Photo: Davies Chirwa, founder of the African Achievement Awards, with singer Oltanie of Haiti, who won the Best Female Afro Caribbean Artist category at the December 15 event in Seattle, Washington.] African excellence was rewarded in chilly Seattle, Washington on December 15, at the annual African Achievement Awards. Held at Seattle Airport Marriott, it was the first physical show since…
REISSUE It’s been long overdue but Little Roy’s 10-track debut album is finally reissued. Initially released in 1975 on Munchie Jackson’s Aires label, which is associated with Wackies, the very hard-to-find album Tribal War has now been licensed and released by Deep Roots, a reissue label based in France. This collection features timeless tracks like the title song Tribal War,…
Lloyd Woodrow James, known as Prince Jammy until his accession to the dub throne following his success with Wayne Smith and Sleng Teng, has here a new release that is, to quote the title of the album he shared with Lee Perry, most definitely “dub the old fashioned way”. He has drafted in many of his Kingston 11 regulars such…
COVER VERSION VS ORIGINAL SONG Since the early 1960s and even prior, numerous iconic Jamaican hits were derived from popular foreign songs. The original pop and soul tracks were frequently embraced by audiences on the island, leading reggae artists to create their own renditions. Some of these artists gained fame by covering chart-topping songs, turning these adaptations into timeless classics.…