No comments about Jamaica Ska Kore.

4 comments about Trojan Box Set: Roots.

1. "Babylon a fall down" is one of those enduring reggae classics and one of the best reggae songs ever recorded and is sung by the Velvet Shadows and is on this collection. It is up there with the likes of By the rivers of Babylon and others. It has not been easy to find since I had it on another compilation a long time ago.
   
   The biggest names of the Roots movement in Reggae is largely absent here which is fine with me, because this makes way for lesser known bands and singers, although many still are widely known.
   
   Roots is largely, crucial, basic, reverent and rocking music so when we have so many of these one-off songs it makes one wonder what a whole album by the band may have sounded like. So, on 3 sequenced disks, that's a lot of statement to take in one sitting in such a manner. Usually, serious statements on a CD by one band might be sandwiched between some lighter messages like when you listen to Bob Marley's Exodus, yeh, that song is intense but then there are lighter touches like "3 little birds" on there; but here, basically every song is rendering some sort of serious Rasta reggae statement, whether it be on Africa, Emperor Haile Sellassie or whatever and back before Black Uhuru brought in seven minute songs. Most all of these are just your single sized songs, 2 or 3 minutes usually.
   
   Just one interesting note, the song on here, "African People" by the Jay Boys is just a reworking of the song "Cherokee Nation" made famous by I believe Mark Lindsey and Paul Revere and the Raiders but with of course different and more applicable words. Likewise Delroy Wilson's "Adisabab" is indeed none other than a reworking of the classic "House of the rising sun." Apparently, the copyright rules are sorted out in regards to these songs.
   
   Sometimes, I ponder if some songs line up strongly, but then again, this is the foundation music for much of what was to come later. Very enjoyable and it was hard to find other reviews of this CD because these box sets have a lot of music to listen to. Rather than singling a few songs out, it is good to hear them as they come. After all, one whole CD by some groups can easily last me a week.



2. Not all Trojan Box Sets are winners. I get the feeling sometimes with some of the Box Set releases that someone is cleaning out the basement at Trojan, dumping whatever they find onto three discs, slapping a vague title on it, and shipping it out. A lot of bad music gets mixed in with the good. The Roots Box Set is a definite exception. Most Reggae fans know that the birth of the "Roots" style (my favorite of the styles under the umbrella of Reggae: ie. Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, Dub, D.J., Dancehall, Ragga, etc.) came about in the very late 60's and flourished in the early 70's with a slower beat and lyrics focusing mostly on religious, political, and cultural concerns of the Jamaican artists/audience of the time. This is a fine collection of very strong material from that period (70's) with hardly any weak tracks. Many of the songs in the set I first heard as Dub versions from other collections and on a couple of the selections you actually get the original version followed up by the Dub version, a nice little bonus. Of course while the Roots era is far too vast a period for any compilation to be considered comprehensive, this is an excellent vehicle to exose yourself to some Roots music and it would make a proper addition to the collections of current Roots fans. Perhaps Trojan should consider a "Roots Part II" like they did with their Dub Box Set releases.



3. yes i really like this set, but i have to tell the potential buyers that the tracklisting is a mess: "I Man A African" by the Sons of Selassie isn't on it, although it's supposed to be song 2 on disc 1; and on disc 3 "African Dub"" is just another version (not a dub version) of "Rejoice Jah Jah Children". Then there was one more track that was listed wrongly, can't remember which. Anyway, this set is essential because of the song "History" (the 8-minute discomix, btw); also "Rejoice Jah Jah Children", "Brother Noah" and "African People"... If you don't own these tracks already buy without hesitation.



4. Being a soccer fan good ska, rocksteady and general forms of reggae are vital to my Saturday and this Roots compilation from Trojan pure hits the spot! Roundabout track 5 on the first CD you'll be aching for some herbal relief to enhance your music pleasures even more. By this stage you'll already heard the exceptional "Cool Rasta," "Rise in the Strength Jah," and "Rise Jah Jah Children." Just when you thought it couldn't get any better up pops "History" by Carlton Jackson, my speakers clearly aren't big enough!

   The whole mood is one of mellow enlightenment; with the musical arrangements so clear you can almost touch the sandy beaches and clear blue skies of warmer climes. I can't believe some of these tracks are older than me!!!

   To be honest I would pay this price for just one CD let alone 3!

   Buy this and refuse to get distressed otherwise 'tings will go missing, Jah bless

5 comments about The Best of Bob Marley.

1. While this 3-disc set contains some of Marley's harder to find songs, The sound quality on these cd's are horrible and if i'm not mistaking, Some songs on here have been shortened! While i could care less if Marley's family sees any cash from this release or not, I would at least have appreciated some better sound on this cd! I love just about every song on this cd, But being that they sound so shoddy, It is almost impossible to listen to these songs! Madacy should be ashamed of themselves for this travesty of a collection they've released. If you're looking for an affordable way to venture into some of Bob Marley's music, Look elsewhere. And plus, This set could've actually been a double disc set instead of a 3 disc set being that all 3 of these discs only clock in at about 30 something minutes a piece. And also dissapointing is the fact that there's no real liner notes and there is no real information about any of these songs or where they came from. Do yourself a favor and don't buy this collection.



2. Just as the title says the Best. A must have for the many Marley fans!



3. wow i bought this thinking i was getting 3 cds full of bob marleys greatest songs but its full of songs i never heard of..maybe i knew one or two songs at most but other than that it was a waste of money..i'm buying either legend or the VERY best of bob marley next time



4. I can not listen to the music on Amazon - called and told to use Mozilla or Firefox - still can't hear any music.
   The software goes through the motions, have checked volume on EVERYTHING and still no sound comes out with Media Player or Real Player.



5. I don't know how people can put down this Marley cd. It's, by far, one of the best collections of The Wailers early music you can find. Sure, the sound quality could be better, but how are you going to pass up an acoustic version of Kaya. This version may be on other cd's but I haven't heard it. It's alot better than the original, bad sound quality or not. Other notable tracks, not mentioned above, are 400 Years, Soul Almighty, and Hammer. WOW! Maybe it is an ILLEGAL bootleg. I don't know. But what I do know is that the 4 songs I mentioned above are not on The Complete Bob Marley & the Wailers 1967-1972 Parts 1,2, or 3. I don't think Bob, Pete, or Bunny's families are suffering too much. So if you aren't super anal about sound quality and you can live with yourself after buying this alleged bootleg music, this is essential Marley music. A great way to blow your troubles away without blowing all your cash. Get This album.

1 comments about Trojan Box Set: Lovers.

1. Here is a set that has songs on each CD that will either bring back memories or make you a new fan of Lover's Reggae! Three discs of fabulous music by such legends as Marcia Griffiths, John Holt, and Dennis Brown, you will not be able to put this down for a minute! Enjoy!

3 comments about Trojan Box Set: Rastafari.

1. Beautifully done, nuff respec' to the masses. Glad to see Rastafari fire still burning in the music realm. Powerful vibes ringing in every note. Give thanks and paraise to Jah Rastafari for blessings that I and I have received from such musical upliftment.

   Recommended to the youths - continue to seek Jah, he will never hide his face from the I.

   Blessed Love to the World - Selah.




2. Will someone please tell Trojan Records to hold-up on issuing their Trojan box sets, cause I'm suffering from excessive body gyrations, head-bobbin', noddin', and possibly some sort unearthly physical possession that r&b and jazz can't touch! Thank heaven for CDs, cause the life-span of a vinyl copy of these sets would be fruitless! By the way, this is 1 of 7 sets that I own, and each is priceless!!!



3. Begging pardon of the more knowledgable listeners reading this, I must admit I am a bit of a reggae neophyte, and know not at all what tracks on this compilation would be considered obvious choices, which obscure gems, and which would seem puzzling to a more knowing and fussy fan. I can only say that I am very, very impressed. I don't know who a lot of these artists are -- the Maytones? Peter and Paul? -- don't ask me -- but I CAN testify that this is very potent roots reggae with some very strong rhythms, interesting lyrics, and great instrumentation. I'm not sure why I find listening to promises that Babylon will fall so SATISFYING -- not much of a fan of the Old Testament in any OTHER context -- but gosh, I love this stuff. The discs are arranged topically, for the record: the first disc focuses on Rastafarian social criticism, the second on Jah's love, and the third on Armaggedon (Clash fans take note -- if there's a connection between the "Armagideon Time" on this set and the Clash version, I can't hear it). I personally just spin the first and third, over and over. I found some of the Trojan Dub and Trojan Ska stuff not quite as well-produced as I'd've liked, perhaps because they were vintage recordings done in tiny studios and so forth; I have no such problems here, think it sounds great. Dub fans will get off, too -- there are some pretty heavy rhythms on these discs, even though none are dub per se... The Trojan box sets are a godsend for anyone wanting to acquaint themselves with Jamaican music and culture; I'm very glad I bought this one.

2 comments about Trojan Box Set: Rare Groove.

1. yes, this is one of the better ones. when i heard SOME HAVING A BAWL, i was like YES INDEED, SIR!!!! i was surprised at how much i liked the dj/version stuff, the instrumentals, and the original tracks that the versions came from. along with the ROCKSTEADY joint and the MOD, i would recommend this to anyone who likes that golden age of reggae.



2. Right, I'll be honest, the first cd has only one good tune, Owen Grays 'Reggae Dance'.But it's a damn fine tune at that.The 2nd cd is a corker, Bongo Herman has two classic tunes on this disc.'Chairman Of The Board',(with Bingy Bunny and Les) is an amazing version of 'The Liquidator', and 'African Breakfast' is a beautiful rolling instumental.Also worth noting is Audrey Rollins' 'Repatriation'.The rhythm you may recognise from I.Roys classic 'Musical Drum Sound'-the nyahbingi drumming is missing but it is a damn fine tune never-the-less.Cd 3 features the mighty I.Roy himself, with 'High Jacking', his heavy heavy version of Horace Andys 'Skylarking'. Bongo Herman appears with Bingy Bunny again.-'Ration' is their classic cut to Dennis Browns 'Money In My Pocket'and is guaranteed to get you steppers steppin'.The set closes with a Keith Hudson produced Big Youth tune, 'Can You Keep A Secret', this is my favourite dub tune of all time,complete with mean moody harmonica, and worth the money itself. Other highlights are K.C. Whites 'Anywhere But Nowhere', the beautiful voice from 'No No No', delivering another fine, self-penned tune and Delroy Wilsons extremely rare 'Trying To Wreck Up My Life'.BUY THIS!, you will not be disappointed.

5 comments about Caan Dun.

1. I got into Shabba when he first made his major debut. I really like his style of reggae and would recommend this purchase to anyone who likes Shabba Ranks or reggae for that matter.



2. Very good CD. Shabba was the king of dancehall back in the early 90s, but there were other good dancehall artists back in that time that were just as good such as Ninja Man, Admiral Bailey, Red Dragon, Super Cat, Bajja Jedd, Terror Fabulous, Cutty Ranks, Little Lenny, Chaka Demus, Tiger, Mad Cobra, Papa San, General Degree, Simpleton, Capleton, Reggie Stepper, Daddy Screw, Terry Ganzie, Jigsy King, Galaxy P, Buju Banton, and many others. Some of these artists still have songs now. Will Shabba Ranks or any of these other artist come out with anything new.



3. Shabba Ranks expresses the heart and soul of Caribbean life and sexuality in his music. His style echoes classic dancehall refrains while keeping up to date with the latest trends in the dub world. Some of the songs on this album led the way for dancehall to be accepted into mainstream music, as is reflected by his Grammys. His deep, powerful voice commands you to listen and gives his music a raw edge that most dancehall artists take examples from in their own offerings. Is short: Shabba is brilliant.



4. Shabba Ranks expresses the heart and soul of Caribbean life and sexuality in his music. His style echoes classic dancehall refrains while keeping up to date with the latest trends in the dub world. Some of the songs on this album led the way for dancehall to be accepted into mainstream music, as is reflected by his Grammys. His deep, powerful voice commands you to listen and gives his music a raw edge that most dancehall artists take examples from in their own offerings. Is short: Shabba is brilliant.



5. If you know anything about dancehall reggae and you are a fan of Shabba Ranks then you will love this cd. It's basically a compilation of most of Shabba's song's before and after his Epic record deal. That brought him into the whole hip-hop/reggae "crossover" period of his career. Just about all of the tracks on the album are strictly dancehall rhythms. Also if you know Shabba then the song titles should be familiar to you, as he's been ramming dancehall from back in the day. My suggestion: BUY THE ALBUM.

5 comments about Trojan Box Set: Rock Steady.

1. I was only vaguely familiar with Rocksteady as a more modern Ska listener, but after listening to the Trojan Records Ska (vol. 1 & 2) and this compilation, I find this to be my favorite of the 3 compilations. You can hear the beginnings of modern reggae in these songs, and understand where Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Jimmy Cliff took it/



2. You really can't argue too much with the price on this set, especially if you pick it up used. Buyers should be aware that in this case, "box set" just means a box is involved. There is no extensively-researched and lovingly written booklet, or even the inclusion of discographical details. You just get the dics in cardboard sleeves with artist, song title, and publishing info--nothing more. And the 50 songs on the Rocksteady set would fit onto two discs no problem, but are for reasons of "box set-ness" spread out over three discs. Not much of a reason to hang onto the thing, once the tracks are loaded on one's iPod.
   
   Now, none of this has anything to do with the quality of the grooves, which is high. Enjoy



3. brilliant songs, great sequencing, can't beat the price. BUT BEWARE. when i ordered this new "remaster", i received the original 1998 release instead. the sound is flat and muddy, the mixes uneven. these priceless tracks cry out for remastering.



4. I'm a fan of Rocksteady but this collection did not live up to expectations. I am a proud and pleased owner of some other very fine Trojan Box Sets, namely "Club Reggae" and "Tighten Up" both of which I would recommend over the "Rocksteady" set. Don't get me wrong, there are some great artists on the roster, but the song selections seem plodding and tired. (some people like their Reggae along those lines.) Besides, the "Rocksteady" set is one of the few Trojan Box packages that you can actually listen to snippets of here on Amazon so you're more able to decide for yourself. This is certainly not a bad collection, but if you're planning on acquiring more of the Trojan Box Sets leave "Rocksteady" for later.



5. This 3 cd box set is a wonderful overview of the few years where rocksteady was popular.. All original tracks make you want to jump on a plane and head over to Jamaica... if you are just starting to listen to, or just want a decent collection of rocksteady tunes, this is the one that you want

5 comments about Trojan Box Set: Dub.

1. Volume 1 of Trojan's dub sets does not disapoint. One reviewer said that these tracks were nothing special; I disagree. While the sound quality is a little old school, I haven't found one track that I don't like. I've listened to all 3 cd's numerous times, and I still enjoy hearing all of the fine dub melodies. For around 15 bucks, you really cannot beat this deal.



2. Okay set, but just adds up to about 2 full CD's of music, so unless you get a great price it is not a 'super-value'. There is a booklet with a very general essay on dub music, but otherwise there is a serious lack of info on the cuts. Sound quality is just okay -- you can do WAY better for a dub collection if you look elsewhere. Incidentally, many of these tracks were used by Bill Laswell for his Dub Massive Trojan re-mix sets.



3. I have been a ska fan for quite some time now and decided to explore reggae. This is my first reggae cd and I am very impresssed. This collection doesn't let up, every song is just awesome to chill out to. I would say this set is an excellent introduction to Dub reggae and I can't wait to pick up another Trojan Box set.



4. if you love authentic classic dub don't miss this. great value, clean simple package.



5. These are wonderful CDs for those who love Reggae but don't always like the lyric. I played them at my last diner party and many of my friends were interested in buying the same set.

5 comments about Power of the Trinity.

1. I really like this set, as soon as I heard cd 1 "Apple Vibes" my blood just took to it. This is as conscious as music gets and the grooves are hypnotic. The only reggae box set better than this is bob marleys songs of freedom. This set comes with linear notes for every cd and a general book as well, all beautifully packaged. In terms of value for money, this cant be beat, you basically get 3 cd's in a set for the price of 2 and its really really good music. When I read the liner notes about these guys it made me appreciate the music all the more, from having polio at a young age to living on the streets then in the bush...and always staying positive in spite of it all. It really pleased me to read that no matter what, they never resorted to a life of crime to make ends meet and you can hear both their spirituality and positivity in the music, its truly uplifting music and a pleasure to listen to. The sound quality is A+ and this is definately some of the best reggae I own....highly reccomended.
   
   PS: I gave this 4 stars because I loved cd 1 and 3, but cd 2 didnt appeal to me as much, however this wouldnt have stopped me from spending money on this!



2. This box set is AMAZING!!!! If you have never heard roots reggae, or even if you hate it, BUY THIS SET!!! You will never hear music like this in your life, in fact SEE THEM LIVE BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!!! They all have Polio and will not live forever! This is some of the most amazing and fantastic music you will ever hear and even if you hate reggae you will be dancing and singing along to this after your first listen!!



3. I do clearly believe almost everyone has listen to an album sooo much, that you of course, "burn it out". We'll with this box set of three, GOSH, I think it is the best thing that has ever happen to me!!! "Of course in a music kinda way":). However you've got the three IV's, (wiss,skelly and apple), who totally ROCKS! and they all get to tell there own stories on each of the three disks about thier childhood, music and being IRIE! I love it and them, there greattttt! This is actually my second set,I still have my first set but guess what??? "I burned it out"!!! ... it's good. KAYA-



4. waddup jah frost-nuff respect out to the Rockers Crew. As the one, Jah Frost put it, they are no others like I-Vibe. The trio comes through with words spoken from the heart and thought through the mind. Concious rhythms laid down on sick beats on top of their presence alone make I Vibe not only the best reggae crew ever, but modern day prophets as well. The king Robert Nesta Marley had much respect for this crew as should everyone else for what they bring forth and teach. Love and respect. Matty



5. one of my favorite things about this set, is that the three cd's are split by the three seperate vibers (apple, wiss, skelly). so if you feel like just listening to apple, you can, etc... it's very spiritual, and uplifting music. remember, there is more than just bob.