In the 1980's Alimantado was drawn more to singing rather than chanting and focused on solo production with much less success though he had an excellent eye for album art which helped maintain his popularity. The 1979 Kings Bread (& accompanying Kings Bread Dub) album on Ital was pure roots. The Love Is LP from 1982 basically contained new or unreleased versions of older, familiar rhythm tracks. You will hear here that he was big into recyling, often revisiting the same riddim several times. Version galore again! This rhythm selection features recordings from 1971 until 1976 when he voiced the amazing Born For A Purpose/ Still Alive at Channel One. Two immensely successful LP compilations of these singles came out on Greensleeves in the late 70's Best Dressed Chicken In Town & Sons Of Thunder that cemented his place as a premier deejay artist of the dayĪlimantado voiced with several producers at various studios but most often with Lee Perry & Bunny Lee so this compilation frequently alternates between tunes from both with vocal versions from singers like Horace Andy, Cornell Campbell & David Isaacs.
An astute businessman, he quickly took full ownership of his music, releasing on his own Ital Sounds & Vital Food labels from 1973 and Keyman Records later on. A long string of 45s followed as the Doctor. Outspoken, controversial & somewhat reclusive Bunny was a true living legend in every sense.įriday Night Rewind on hearticalfm July 2021ĭr Alimantado aka Winston Thompson started out as a deejay on Coxsone's Downbeat Sound & Lord Tippertone before finally voicing sides for Lee Perry & Bunny Lee in 1971 with the nom de guerre Winston Prince. Bunny Wailer was of course around right from the start, the mid-60's ska & R&B period, and remained active until only a few years ago - a stellar career stretching well over 50 years. Sadly he is under-recorded with only a handful of singles & 4 LPs & to his name, the last in 2012. Songs like Life Seed, Living In Love & Lava Ground are deeply grounded nu-roots classics.
I-Wayne made a massive impact when he hit the airwaves in 2004, especially in Jamaica where he continuous to perform to appreciative crowds. He surely left us much to absorb & ponder over the coming years. Revered by many as a prophet & visionary its almost as though he was in a rush to get his messages out before his untimely passing at only 50 in 2020. Vaughn must be one of reggae's most recorded album artists with literally countless albums of fresh songs (and there is more still to surface). Vaughn reformed the group in 2015 as Akae Beka after Ron stepped back from touring. Other true pioneers, Vaugh & Ron Benjamin & Midnite blazed onto the scene in the late 1990's with a completely new approach to roots reggae, both musical & lyrical.
Highly authentic & epic songs, deeply spiritual & personal self productions.
Ijahman Levi emerged in 1976 with the Carry Jah Heavy Load & Jah Is No Secret singles, originally released on UK label Concrete Jungle before getting signed to Island in 1978 to international acclaim. I wore out two of his lps (True Experience & Rootsman Blues) back in my youth. Similar in style and substance to Roy Cousins & The Royals, Rasses music also tak es a little time to penetrate but enters deeper and deeper into the conscience with each play. Despite being signed up by Ballistic and then United Artists wider success eluded him as he trod his own path, making a total of only 6 vocal albums with a smattering of singles on God Sent into the 1990s. Studio One, starting his own label (God Sent) in the mid-70s and moving into self-produc tion. Started out in rocksteady group The Tartans before passing through Hit tunes Kingston 11 & Humanity (Neville King) have long been grassrootsīlues party killers complete with stunning version sides. Multi-in strumentalist Thompson is best known for deep, profound and slightly unusual roots music. Bring s together some of the best songs from throughout his solo career (1976-1997). Paying homage one of my favorite artists, the late, great Prince Lincoln.