Roots Archives Forum

In no particular order:

1: Live in Tokyo, Bob Markey and the Wailers
2: Rockers Soundtrack
3: History of Jamaican Music
4: In Concert, Lynton Kwesi Johnson
5:In The Light, Horace Andy
6: Catch A Fire, Bob Marley and the Wailers
7: Harder They Come, Jimmy Cliff
8: Satta Massagna, The Abyssians
9: Wa Da Do Dem, Eek A Mouse
10: Too Long In Slavery, Culture

would also add:
wailing souls at channel 1
wailing souls firehouse rock
michael prophet gunman

i.k.

Lets try to identify other than the classics already mentionned:

Bob Andy, Retrospective
Delroy Wilson, Greatest Hits (Jaguar release)
Sugar Minott, Black Roots
Jah Malla, Alive & Well
Leroy Smart, Exclusive
Cornell Campbell, self titled (Trojan release)
Johnny Clarke, I Love You Girl
Twinkle Brothers, Rasta Pon Top
Midnite, Ras Mek Peace
Ijahman, Africa
y

These may not be my favourite albums (and perhaps, considering the jamaican concept of the album is so different to the english/america one, no such thing exists for me), but these are what i have gathered are essential. mostly they do coincide with my favourites though, i should add! (in no order)

1. two sevens clash - culture
2. visions - dennis brown
3. marcus garvey/dub - burning spear
4. heart of the congos - congos
5. trench town mix up - gladiators
6. screaming target - big youth
7. right time - mighty diamonds
8. cb 200 - dillinger
9. the same song - israel vibration
10. super ape - upsetters

these are canonical, though perhaps not the most useful for either beginners or more experienced listeners. also, these lists tend to exclude the less album based genres like rocksteady/dancehall. also, it would be nice if dub versions of each of these albums existed...

Greetings Children of The Most High

G_dubble
I rate Misty in Roots' Jah sees Jah Knows as the best live album iver. The music and message are fire.JAH Bless Walford Tyson - Lead vocal
Delvin Tyson - Harmony Vocal
Chesley Sampson - 1st Lead Guitar
Tony Henry - Bass
Julien Peters - Drums
Delbert McKay - Rhythm Guitar
Dennis Agustin - 2nd Lead Guitar
Vernon Hunt - Keyboards
Neville Hall - Harmony Vocal
Chris Boulton - Sound
Clarence Baker - Manager
William Simmonds - Master Of Ceremonies


Dont actualy have favourites but

Twinkle Brothers - Miss Labba Labba
Mighty Diamonds - Reggae Street
Gladiators - Naturality
Morwells - Cool Runnings
Soul Syndicate - Harvest Uptown , Famine Downtown
Bob Marley and the Wailers - Confrontation
Wailing Souls - Most Wanted
Barry Biggs - Wide awake in a dream
The Viceroys - Ya Ho

Got me grooving

Ten albums I wouldn't go without:

Mighty Maytones - Boat To Zion
Viceroys - Brethren & Sistren
Militant Barry - Green Valley
Earth & Stone - Kool Roots
Wailers - Catch A Fire (original jamaican version)
Prince Far I - Livity
Tetrack - Trouble
Congos - Heart Of The Congos
Freddy McKay - Creation
Midnite - Unpolished

Tough one ...

Big Youth - Screaming Target
I Roy - Presenting
Eddi Fitzroy - Youthman Penitentiary
Misty in Roots - Wise and Foolish
Leroy Smart - Ballistic Affair
Prince Far I - under Heavy Manners
Toyan - How the West was Won
The Rolands - Johnny Dollar
Mighty Diamonds - Right Time
Zimbabwe Dread - Earthman Connection.

Not sure I have seen these on this list of essentials, but they work for me every time

Horace Andy - Dancehall Style
Misty In Roots - Earth
Manasseh Meets The Equaliser - Dub The Millennium
Yabby You - Jesus Dread Box Set
Freddy McKay - Creation Rebel/ The Best Of...
Gladiators - Back To Roots
Original Soundtrack - Countryman
Original Soundtrack - The Harder They Come
Original Sopundtrack - Rockers

Every lp listed here, as VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE and MUSIC IS LIFE

Listening to some chunes now...
Haffi put my two cents in. Here's my completely subjective opinions:

Excluding any Bob Marley & Wailers material (I'm not dissing them but in some circles, their body of work is considered the first and last in reggae, unfortunately.

Gotta go to the foundation. Every collection should have

**Heptones - On Top.**
Fundamental and versioned to death. Rocksteady was turning into reggae. Throw in the "Sweet Talking" 45 and you got yourself a party.

**The Mighty Maytones - Madness**
Vernon Buckley and Gladstone Grant turn in a justifiably praised bittersweet roots set.

**The Gladiators - Studio One Singles**
Absolutely smashing Heartbeat comp with all the songs their actual Studio One LP missed. Half way decent sound is a bonus.

**Keith & Tex - Stop that Train**
Gorgeous rocksteady productions from the tuneful ear of Derrick Harriot the Musical Chariot. Essential.

**Rockers - Soundtrack**
IMHO the finest cinematic treatment of JA/reggae culture featuring a very nice musical soundtrack indeed. Every song is a classic.

**Sugar Minott - Dancehall Showcase Vols 1&2**
Two 10" singles. It's really a toss up between his Studio One LPs and pretty much everything else this man -- a contender for the role of greatest vocalist in Jamaican history -- released up til the early 90s. This Wackie's production is completely entertaining.

**Johnny Osbourne - Truths and Rights**
Along with Sugar, Johnny was laying down fresh vocals atop sturdy Studio One riddims and making the songs his own.

**Wailing Souls - The Wailing Souls**
Their first Dodd set from the mid-Seventies featured tracks that dated to the previous decade. Mesmerizing.

**Lone Ranger - M16**
Can't forget the deejays. LR's work with Studio One was always a bit static. He really shined at Channel One and this LP was probably his best all around.

**Michigan & Smiley - Downpression**
Junjo Lawes shepherded a sound that was distinctly his own but with roots in classic Jamaican rocksteady and reggae. This deep reality set touches all the bases. A great intro to pre-digital 80s dancehall.


Dang...is that really 10??? I have so many more to list: Barrington Levy, Pablo Gad, Linval Thompson...Burning Spear!