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Artist: Various Artists Release Date: 1990Total Time: 72:29Type: Collection (various artists)Genre: Reggae
Review Reggae music experienced a thorough transition in the '80s, shifting from the roots style of
Peter Tosh and
Culture to a digitally-enhanced sound popularized by stars like
Shabba Ranks and
Buju Banton . The decade also saw a variety of terms coined to keep up with the rapid changes: dancehall, rub-a-dub, ragga, and lovers rock. And while many new stars did emerge, especially on the DJ front, older singers were still able to sell records by updating their classic sound electronically. Washington D.C.'s
RAS Records emerged at the dawn of this fertile period and eventually cashed in thanks to a star-studded roster of talent. This exemplary collection spotlights many those stars, covering both the crooners and DJs with hits by
Dennis Brown ,
Gregory Isaacs ,
Sugar Minott ,
Half Pint ,
Pinchers , and many others. And while other MCs like
Charlie Chaplin and
Brigadier Jerry represent the best in rapid-rhythm rub-a-dub (sometimes mixing both rasta and secular themes), there's also plenty of updated roots tracks by the likes of
Frankie Paul and
Augustus Pablo 's protégé
Hugh Mundell . Supplying the snaky snythetics are top production outfits like Sly & Robbies' Taxi Gang, Steely & Cleevie,
Linval Thompson and the
Roots Radics , and the Browne brothers. Many of these musicians owe a large debt to the most important producer of the decade,
Prince Jammy , and appropriately his patented digital sound is heard throughout. Topped off with Edi Fitzroy's surprisingly enjoyable cover of "Hotel California,"
RAS 's Reggae Jamdown makes for a fine sampler of the early fruits from reggae's electronic age. ~ Stephen Cook, All Music Guide
Tracks
Credits Stephen Wright (Guitar (Rhythm)), Danny Browne (Drums) , Rass Brass (Group) , Betsey Haynes (Photography) , Deadly Headley (Horn) , Ronald Merrils (Bass) , Tony Greene (Trombone) , Mike Oby (Vocals) , Mikey Rastar (Bass) , Paco (Bass) , Jacob Miller (Bass) , Tommy Noonan (Photography) , Jackie Mittoo (Piano) , Patrick Powell (Drums) , Steven Jurgensmeyer (Compilation) , Robert Lyn (Bass) , Arnold Brakeridge (Trumpet) , Everton Gayle (Trombone) , Steven Jurgensmeyer (Design) , Albert Malawi (Drums) , Ijahman (Performer) , Clayton Downie (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Mitch Goldberg (Photography) , Sky Juice (Percussion) , Stephen Wright (Guitar) , Scully (Percussion) , Bernard "Burn I" Green (Drums) , Touche (Bass) , Dalton Browne (Guitar) , Freddie McGregor (Performer) , Ernestro Wilson (Vocal Harmony) , Ijahman (Percussion) , Bill Stewart (Drums) , David Thompson (Guitar) , Dean Fraser (Horn) , Nambo (Horn) , Sharon Spencer (Vocal Harmony) , Rankin' Scroo (Vocal Harmony) , Judy Mowatt (Vocal Harmony) , Wycliffe "Steely" Johnson (Bass) , Clayton Downie (Guitar) , Pinchers (Group) , Don Carlos (Vocal Harmony) , Keith Deacon (Drums) , Dean Fraser (Vocals (Background)) , Lester Fari (Guitar) , Brother Jack (Repeater) , Charlie Chaplin (Performer) , Dennis Brown (Performer) , Everton Gayle (Sax (Alto)) , H. Swaby (Arranger) , John Lawson (Piano) , Felix "Deadly" Headley (Horn) , Edi Fitzroy (Performer) , Franklyn Waul (Piano) , Wycliffe "Steely" Johnson (Keyboards) , J.C. Lodge (Vocals (Background)) , Earl "Bagga" Walker (Bass) , Naggo Morris (Vocals) , Bo Peep (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Steve Wright (Guitar) , Calvin "Rasheed" McKenzie (Drums) , Tena (Drums) , Danny Brownie (Guitar) , Calvin Cammron (Trombone) , Glenize Spencer (Vocal Harmony) , Gladdy Anderson (Keyboards) , Frankie Paul (Performer) , Flabba Holt (Bass) , Tyrone Downie (Synthesizer) , Dwight Pinkney (Guitar) , Robert Lyn (Keyboards) , Larry White (Guitar) , Paul Lyden (Cover Photo) , Leroy Sibbles (Drums) , Larry Preyer (Vocals) , Tena (Funde Drum) , Chico Chin (Trumpet) , Wiss and Apple (Vocal Harmony) , Lloyd Parks (Bass) , Squidley Cole (Drums) , Ian Lewis (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Jeffrey Chung (Guitar) , Wilburn Cole (Drums) , Cleveland "Clevie" Browne (Vocal Harmony) , Simon (Guitar) , Erica Newell (Vocal Harmony) , Danny Browne (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Marcia Griffiths (Vocals) , Freddie McGregor (Vocal Harmony) , Arnold Brackenridge (Horn) , Robert Lyn (Synthesizer) , Aston Barrett (Bass) , Fox Stewart (Piano) , Benbow (Bass) , Swelele (Keyboards) , Danny Browne (Guitar) , Half Pint (Performer) , Jacob Miller (Performer) , Hugh Mundell (Performer) , Robbie Shakespeare (Bass) , Danny Browne (Vocal Harmony) , Peter Broggs (Performer) , Admiral Tibett (Performer) , Carl Smith (Bass) , Brigadier Jerry (Performer) , Danny Thompson (Bass) , Danny Thompson (Guitar) , Steve Golding (Guitar) , Leroy Hammond (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Asher (Synthesizer) , Pablove Black (Keyboards) , Bo Peep (Guitar) , Gregory Isaacs (Performer) , Wycliffe "Steely" Johnson (Synthesizer Bass) , Bernard Touter Harvy (Keyboards) , Dean Fraser (Saxophone) , Leroy Hammond (Guitar) , Mallory Williams (Synthesizer) , Glen Browne (Bass) , Everton Carrington (Percussion) , Asha (Keyboards) , Mod Culture (Keyboards) , Sharon Spenser (Vocal Harmony) , Augustus Pablo (Piano) , Ijahman (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Sticky Skully (Percussion) , Bill Stewart (Piano) , The Mighty Diamonds (Vocals (Background)) , Ernest Wilson (Vocal Harmony) , Pinchers (Performer) , Carlton "Carlie" Barrett (Drums) , Augustus Pablo (Organ) , Sugar Minott (Performer) , Earl "Chinna" Smith (Guitar) , Sharon Spencer (Vocals) , Brother Jack (Drums) , Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace (Bass) , Michael Bennett (Vocals (Background)) , Gladstone Anderson (Keyboards) , Taxi Gang (?) , Judy Mowatt (Vocals) , Pablove Black (Synthesizer) , Rass Brass (Horn) , Phillip "Bully" Williams (Piano) , Bingy Bunny (Guitar) , Noel Benbow (Bass) , Israel Vibration (Performer) , Don Carlos (Performer) , Caswell Swaby (Bass) , Ini Kamoze (Performer) , Geoffrey Chung (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Robbie Shakespeare (Piano) , Joe Hendricks (Photography) , Bro. Roy Ras Amaha (Drums) , Bobby Ellis (Trumpet) , David Madden (Horn) , Everald Gayle (Trombone) , Al Campbell (Vocals) , Barnabus (Percussion) , Earl Fitzsimmonds (Piano) , Robert Lyn (Synthesizer Horn) , Calvin McKenzie (Drums) , Christopher Hewie (Organ) , Bobby Ellis (Horn) , Robert Lyn (Organ) , Christopher Hewie (Piano) , Style Scott (Drums) , Wycliffe "Steely" Johnson (Piano) , Pam Hall (Vocal Harmony) , Augustus Pablo (Strings) , Cleveland "Clevie" Browne (Drums) , Jeffrey Chung (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Bernard Touter Harvey (Keyboards) , Sidney Wolfe (Percussion) , Marcia Griffiths (Vocal Harmony) , Glenzie Spencer (Vocal Harmony) , Steve Golding (Guitar (Electric)) , Trisie Gee (Vocals) , Danny Thompson (Bass) , Danny Brownie (Drums) , Dalton Browne (Vocal Harmony) , Sly Dunbar (Drums) , Half Pint (Group) , Bingy Bunny (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Cleveland "Clevie" Browne (Vocals) , Steve Golding (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Christopher Meredith (Bass) , Carl (Drum Machine) , Ansel Collins (Piano) , Steelie (Synthesizer Bass) , Rass Brass (Saxophone) , Dr. Toby Mountain (Digital Mastering) , Dalton Browne (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Junior Chin (Trumpet) , Paul Lyden (Photography) , Jo Walton (Photography) , Tony Greene (Sax (Tenor)) , Robbie Shakespeare (Guitar) , Cleveland "Clevie" Browne (Percussion) , Bongo Herman (Percussion) , Pablove Black (Organ) , Naggo Morris (Vocal Harmony) , Danny Thompson (Guitar)
