“How can I give up a continent, for only an island?” Thus begins The Son’s of Selassie’s masterpiece, “I man a African,” starring Max Romeo at his righteous, wounded best. His voice cracks like splintering teak, he hits a high note in the middle of the line, but lets it slip back down by the …
Tag Archives: Reggae
Johnny in the echo chamber
King Tubby put the sound of thunder onto the shimmeringly beautiful Johnny Clarke records made in 1975. Bunny Lee had brought an ephemeral, acheing simplicity onto the original recordings. He got the best out of Clarke, a man whose voice was made of Waterford crystal. Tubby took that and put the wrath of Jaweh, the …
Jacob Sweetman 