Yeah, it's well-documented 'round here that I've fallen in love with this band. Or at least the Funky Kingston/In the Dark t-fer.

So... where to next with RockSteady?
Does anything match up with these or have I pretty much hit the heights right from the start?

Billy G?
Jewels Santana?
Anyone?
Anyone?
Bueller?

ever listen to norma fraser? she's very good, and has a lot of the heavy r&b influences that make toots so awesome.

Never even heard of her.
Excellent!
Yes!
This is exactly why I created this thread.
Thanks, Drew!

no problem, hope you like her. i'm not sure if hers is the original, but she has a great version of the song "the first cut is the deepest" (it's enough to make you forget sheryl crow ever messed it up). you also might want to check out a group called the chosen few, they have lots of excellent motown covers.

i mean, try The Melodians...The Abyssinians, Black Uhuru, The Heptones, Desmond Dekker of course...

Although I'm not sure I've ever heard any of his solo stuff, the first thought that crosses my mind is Boris Gardiner. He was co-leader of the Upsetters with Lee "Scratch" Perry but his solo work apparently has a strong Memphis soul influence.

Vampi Soul put out a compilation last year that I've been meaning to pick up:

[img][300:300]http://www.dustygroove.com/images/products/g/gardin_bori_soulfulex_102b.jpg[/img]




Despite the fact that their blurb makes no reggae mention, I note that they still file it under reggae. I'll eventually get around to picking this up and will post thoughts when I do, but feel free to be the guinea pig.

My other suggestions would be to pick up a trojan box set. They have several rocksteady 3 disc boxes that retail for $20 or less each. I have one of them and its pretty great. They also have a "mod reggae" box of jamaican r&b that looks interesting and is similarly priced.

Finally, you might just want to make a trip to dusty groove and ask for recommendations. I've noticed that they've gotten a bunch of rocksteady/old school ska in lately (pioneers, paragons, etc) and a lot of it is priced very cheap.

you are done for
you are going to go on a 5 year long reggae binge.

enjoy the ride.

i know it sounds obvious, but if you don't have the Bob Marley box set you should check it out. the first disk sounds more like "funky kingston" that the Marley that they play on the radio.

i think they recently put out a comp of just his really early stuff, but i don't know anything about it.

if we're going for the obvious then I must mention Jimmy Cliff.

and you can't go wrong with the trojan box sets.

Yeah.
I had already thought of him. "The Harder They Come" may be the most perfect song ever recorded.
Thanks, Billy.

Anyplace to start with him better than another?

allright, i'm back home with all my music, here's a few tracks that i really like:

black brothers - school children


gregory isaacs - bad da


denzil dennis - will you still love me tomorrow

If you don't have the deluxe edition of The Harder they Come soundtrack get that. While it isn't a Jimmy Cliff album per se, it has a small handful of JC songs including The Harder They Come and Many Rivers to Cross and every song on the 2 disc set is fantastic and would be a great riyl to toots. Toots in fact is on it. The movie is pretty terrific too.

Otherwise, stick to the late 60's/early 70's as a starter. Hip 0 Select has a box and a comp that covers this period. Wonderful World, Beautiful People is probably his best studio album. I haven't heard anything that I haven't liked by him.

And good lord, if you have a chance to see him live don't pass it up. I saw him two or three years ago and he was jaw droppingly amazing.

i love gregory isaac's voice

Juice, do you want to cover this one, or should I?

Here I'll make it even easier for you....I bought my trojan box set used for $10

funky kingston is pretty good, but if you want a voice, you've got to hear alton ellis. he has one of the sweetest voices in ska and rocksteady. and he worked with coxsone dodd and duke reid at some of their best times, even though they were huge rivals.

ken boothe is right up there too. while i think he only has maybe one truly good album, most of his singles are tremendous. and his original singing partner, stranger cole, is no slouch either.

because there were only a handful of great ska and rocksteady producers in kingston in the mid-60s and everyone who's good worked with at least two and everyone hated each other, it's hard to go wrong with anything from the big labels like beverley's, treasure island, and studio one.

awesome voice and performer


If you can find it, try Give Thanx, a little r&b mixed in the reggae with amazing vocals, and way underrated probably because it's not standard reggae material. I think a friend sent me a copy from some reissue he found. If I can dig it up I'll get it to you.

Just bought The Harder They Come remaster. Sadly, I don't think it's the deluxe edition.

Anyway, np: Jimmy Cliff

I'd check out and of the Studio One Rockers/Studio One Soul/Studio One Funk/Studio One Roots albums. they're all fucking spectacular. The Trojan sets are always boss too, since they run for like $14 for 3 discs.

Delroy Wilson is always pretty on, and Desmond Dekker should go without saying.

A bump of this old thread, because I want it for reference the next time I go record shopping.

And for all of y'all, too, of course.

There is some good shit in here.
Thanks!

EDIT: And feel free to add some more suggestions, of course!

NP - Sufferation - V/A

Someone recommended this to me when I worked at the record store. Great, heart-breaking Roots Reggae compilation.

Also my all-time favorite:

Burning Spear - Sounds from the Burning Spear

I did end up picking up that Boris Gardiner Experience album and its very good. I also ended up grabbing The Chosen Few "In Miami" which also fits the r&b influenced, soulful reggae sound of Toots.





An early incarnation of the Chosen Few included David "Scotty" Scott on co lead vocals and Derrick Harriott on production. By the time this album was recorded, Scotty went solo and became better known for the song "Draw Your Brakes" which appears on the Harder They Come Soundtrack. The Chosen Few ended up hooking up with King Sporty, a former reggae producer who was now aligned with the Miami Soul label, TK Productions (George & Gwen McRae, Clarence Reid, Betty Wright, Little Beaver, KC & The Sunshine Band). The backing band on this album is actually KC & The Sunshine Band although the reggae bassline and drums are supplied by Chosen Few band members Busty and Noel Brown. Its harmony soul/reggae with a mix of soul/funk and reggae instrumentation -- good stuff. It was first released by TK and then later reissued by Trojan.

I'd reccomend Gregory Isaacs too...

Mr. Isaacs
or
Night Nurse

The Gregory Issacs/Christine track "Rock On" from that "Sufferation" comp is the best song EVAH.