The link between reggae music and Rastafarian culture is inextricable. This ambitious but incredibly informative compendium from Soul Jazz Records looks at that relationship between an art form and a belief system with a collection of righteous, highly devotional reggae music on record. With offerings from Ras Michael and The Sons of Negus, Bongo Herman, Earth & Stone and many more, this compilation covers the best part of 30 years where genuinely revolutionary releases were coming through. This collection is built from authentic snapshots of the culture and the music which surrounded it.

 

At the source of the music of Rastafari is the figurehead master drummer and leader Count Ossie, who first bought the deeply spiritual nyabinghi and burro rhythms heard and played at sacred Rastafarian grounation (reasoning) sessions into popular Jamaican music through his many collaborations and performances with artists – from The Skatalites to The Folks Brothers – and producers – including Clement Dodd, Prince Buster and Harry Mudie.

At the start of the 1970s Count Ossie formed the Mystic Revelation of Rastafari with saxophonist Cedric Brooks, which immediately became the most significant group of the Rastafari faith, bringing together authentic rasta nyabinghi drumming together with spiritual and avant-garde jazz influences of Sun Ra, John Coltrane and Albert Ayler into a truly unique and groundbreaking sound.

 

As ‘roots reggae’ artists in the 1970s continued to spread the word of Jah (God) in their music, Rastafari reggae became the ultimate rebel sound throughout the world.

This album is available from 7/31/2015 as a deluxe limited-edition heavyweight gatefold-vinyl edition + free download code (w/full sleeve notes etc)