"The Songs of Bob Andy"
The production and the musical market in Jamaica is certainly one of the most active and prolific in the world . Many collections and compilations are often published , but only some of them are true and real musical recognitions to an artist and his career.
The album "The Songs Of Bob Andy" is one of these.
The recognition to the artist in this work is focused on the lyrics, all written by Keith Anderson, true name of Bob Andy.
The artist has contributed to the birth and the evolution of reggae music, first with "The Paragons" and then with his solo career going through a long musical way which takes him today to be one of the living legends of the reggae all over the world. "Roots Reggae" has certainly increased itself thanks to the energy and the lyrics which he has produced. For this reason he has received many recognitions as one of the biggest "songwriter".
Infact , Bob has been called "The Man With The Golden Pen" for the depth and the consciousness transmitted by his magic pen.
This is the right preamble to the presentation of a true "Tribute" album, entirely composed by Bob Andy's songs.
The album contains a previously unreleased track and other classical successes performed by the greatest artists of "roots reggae" like Ken Boothe, Alton Ellis, Hopeton Lindo, Early 16 and Marcia Griffiths.
The big musical session is well represented by Mafia & Fluxy , JahPostels and Black Steel, while the sound is mixed by Mad Professor , Gussie P. and Bunny Tom-Tom eminently.
The first two tracks are "War in the city" sung by Nadine Sutherland of 1976 and " The Way I Feel " performed by Trevor Hartley.
This song gained great success and it was present for a long time in the jamaican charts of 1970.
The other tracks come probably from the biggest label of reggae roots : Studio One . Big Artists like Ken Boothe with "Unchained" , Alton Ellis "I Would be a Fool" and the same Bob Andy with the unpublished "Never Give Up The Fight" express the history of reggae music in this album that everyone should have in his collection.
The session of Studio One is closed with Jackie Parris who sings "Life Could Be A Symphony", Hopeton Lyndo in "It's impossible " and Prince Lincoln and The Royal Rasses in "Revelation".
Marcia Griffiths, one of the queens of reggae music sings "The Ghetto Stays In The Mind" pointing out her respect and consideration for his friend who she began her career with about the 1970s.
The album has been produced by the english label Jove Music and all the lyrics come from Bob Andy.
This is the expression of a timeless music and we still feel it so strong 20 years later, pointing out the quality and the depth of these artists.
Don't miss this excellent and important album because if you want to understand the present you should know your past and just a little bit of reggae music history is contained in this album .