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READINGS Book & DVD Reviews FOR REASONINGS by Chuck Foster Ska: An Oral History Selector, Madness and Bad Manners. The of The Clash, and here returns to the by Heather Augustyn author is clearly a fan and in this case reggae field offering his own version of (McFarland, 2010) that’s a good thing, as she communicates the life of the reggae artist who made • • • her own excitement about the music. the greatest impact internationally. In Ska was the first of Jamaica’s enduring A persistent thread running through this book he peels back the myth a bit to musical genres to register internationally the interviews with first-generation expose the sometimes vulnerable, always and Heather Augustyn has done an principals is the lack of recompense the captivating individual at the core. admirable job of laying out a history of originators of the style have enjoyed. The Chock-full of material gleaned from the style from its inception in Jamaica author paints a vivid picture of the way interviews with the principals as well in the early ‘60s through the ‘80s U.K. the music business worked in Jamaica as published sources, his book sketches revival and beyond. Insightful interviews in the ‘60s, in England in the ‘80s, and Marley’s early life and his growing with founding fathers as well as revivalists around the world today. But most of all it commitment to Rastafari; and details take you through the fascinating twists celebrates a music so exuberant, so full of the early Wailers at Studio One, their and turns of a music that refused to life and so engaging that it simply could work with Leslie Kong and Lee Perry, the die. More than just a dance or a style, not be held down. This book will serve associations with Danny Simms and Johnny ska morphed into a bonafide movement both as an introduction for the uninitiated Nash that led to the JAD recordings, and that has reasserted itself in the musical and a refresher course (with tantalizing their eventual link with Chris Blackwell of landscape time and time again. tidbits the author has uncovered along Island Records; the changes in the group the way) on why ska has become an as the ambitious and talented singer/ enduring and recurring element in the songwriter pushed to the fore; and his history of Jamaican and world music. eventual acceptance on the international www.mcfarlandpub.com playing field. www.fsgbooks.com Unlike some of the ‘Books On Bob’ that Bob Marley: The Untold Story have appeared over the years, Salewicz’s by Chris Salewicz work treats the careers of Peter Tosh and (NY: Faber & Faber, 2010) Bunny Wailer, draws a realistic picture of • • • Jamaican music before, during and after Chris Salewicz was among the first Bob’s rise, and places his life in the context wave of rock journalists to detail the of what was happening in Jamaica and the impact of reggae music and among those world – including the world of music – during who actually had a chance to spend some his life. Salewicz’s balanced presentation time with Bob Marley. He went on to a helps to place the legend in the context of respectable writing career that includes the man. A careful reading will leave the In the early part of the book, a series the definitive biography of Joe Strummer reader with a better understanding of the of interviews with singers Derrick Morgan, artist who made the music that has reached Doreen Schaeffer, Millicent Todd, Laurel hearts and minds around the world. Aitken and Toots Hibbert, as well as musicians Lloyd Knibbs, Lloyd Brevett, Bob Marley Lester Sterling, Roland Alphonso and Lyn and the Golden Age of Reggae Taitt – some of whom are no longer with us by Kim Gottleib-Walker – shed light on original Jamaican ska. But (Titan, 2010) those who grew up in the time of Two-Tone • • • or the ska revival will also be fascinated Not only was Kim Gottleib-Walker in by the later interviews with Judge Dread the right place at the right time – Kingston, and members of The Specials, The Beat, Jamaica as Island Records launched the 64 REGGAE FESTIVAL GUIDE 2011 Amazingly Kim wasn’t actually on The Small Axe Guide To Dub READINGS assignment for Island at the time – her first by Jim Dooley trip to Jamaica was with her husband-to- (Muzik Tree/I Am the Gorgon, 2010) be, Island promo man Jeff Walker. Clearly • • • Jeff knew what he was doing taking In The Small Axe Guide To Dub, along a photographer who had already aficionado Jim Dooley takes an album-by- FOR REASONINGS taken startlingly revealing photos of Jimi album approach to explicating one of the Hendrix and others. Kim’s own text is greatest forms of Jamaican music. Along supplemented with essays from Jeff, Roger the way he explores the great variety of Steffens and Cameron Crowe, all of which approaches and styles grouped together help to put the photos in perspective. But make no mistake about it, it’s the photos first wave of reggae artists into the pop that will make you pick up and return to market – she had an eye for the moment this book time and time again. and a documentarian’s sense of the In an interview with me on Reggae importance of her time. This gorgeous Central, Kim laid out her philosophy as book is filled with breathtakingly great a photographer. She sees herself as the photographs of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, opposite of a paparazzi. The paparazzi Bunny Wailer, Toots and the Maytals, take photographs of people without their Justin Hinds and the Dominoes and other permission but Kim sees her photos as reggae greats who stormed the citadels a joint effort between the subjects and of rock in the mid-seventies. These iconic herself. The result – a long time coming images capture a moment in time like but finally gathered in this oversized no other and capture them in a way few delight – is one of the great reggae books others could have. of all time. www.titanbooks.com REGGAE FESTIVAL GUIDE 2011 65 under the dub umbrella, treating classics the rocksteady era – Stranger Cole, Ken and obscure delights while laying out a Boothe and Hopeton Lewis among them, framework for understanding this deep offering up mature renditions of music roots approach to music. His thorough from their youth. knowledge of the genre allows him to mix Some of the artists featured, like Derrick opinion with known fact and legend, and Morgan and Stranger and Ken, began his recommendations will help steer both their careers in the ska era and went on the neophyte and the would-be expert to to great success as reggae singers. But albums and tunes they may not know. for many fans the rocksteady era was In some ways, dub is inseparable from the sweetest time for Jamaican music, reggae. Without dub there would have with beautiful melodies, crisp harmonies been no DJ phenomenon – no dancehall the years reggae first made the charts and simple arrangements that had to – and less emphasis on the underlying in England and Hurford, whose Small be recorded on two tracks. Watching rhythms that make the music so unique. Axe magazine was one of the earliest players like Glen Dacosta, Ernest Ranglin, The art and science of dropping out some and best “fanzines” out of the U.K., Bongo Herman and Scully Simms (along (and emphasizing some other) elements sorted the artists, labels and producers with Canada’s Mossman, who produced in the mix has a history, and as you read that made its impact so fascinating. the resultant CD with Jamaican engineer through these incisive reviews of individual Filled with period photos and facts only Errol Brown) recreate the era with today’s works, you come to see the broader picture. someone who had his finger on the pulse technology – albeit in the same building Whether in live performances by reggae of the music of the day could muster, as some of these songs were first recorded bands (when the singer shouts “Dub it!” well as the pertinent observations and in – gives the film a special charm. and the bass and drums move to the fore) opinions that always made his stuff so I had the joy of attending the Get Ready or in the sound system shows where riddims much fun to read, this one will help you Rock Steady show in Kingston that closes rule, dub is never far from the foreground sort out what reggae was before what the film, and seeing these great singer in reggae music. This essential work will we now think of as roots. The Small Axe and players in action was a definite high help to guide you through the album-length Guides are available internationally from point. Some special moments in this film – releases where dub has taken center stage. www.smallaxe.reggae4ever.com. watching U-Roy freestyle on an abandoned The author takes the unique approach train with Stranger Cole, whose poignant of organizing the releases by (for the Rocksteady: narration ties it all together, and seeing Judy most part) producer rather than artist The Roots of Reggae (DVD) Mowatt and Marcia Griffiths reminisce as or mixer, offering another perspective directed by Stascha Bader they view old photos, and especially the on the diversity of the music. The intent (Lightyear Entertainment, 2010) great music heard throughout the film, as is not to review every dub album ever • • • well as the gorgeous photography – all released but (especially in cases like Swiss director Stascha Bader’s dream go to make this DVD a treasure.