Bulldog and Jackhammer Present: Your Introduction To Reggae

Gavin B. · 06-22-2009, 08:13 AM

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Some classic lover's rock here with a soulful twist. Growing up, Hugh Beresford Hammond was very much exposed to American soul and jazz music such as Sam Cooke and Otis Redding and, to be blank, it shows here. This album's the classic example of lover's rockers citing influences from American music, particularly Chicago and Philly soul.

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The Beresford Hammond cut is wicked awesome. Jimmy Riley was another reggae singer who was profoundly influenced by the Stax/Atlantic sound and I'm going to feature his song Tell the Youths the Truth on my 100 Songs from the Golden Era of Reggae thread. Riley did a cover of Marvin G*ye's Sexual Healing in the early Eighties which blew me away. I'll post it on the 100 Songs thread if I can upload it to YouTube.

The brilliant soul singer, guitarist and producer Curtis Mayfield had a big impact in Jamaica because of the spiritual liberation themes of his songs like People Get Ready, Amen, Movin' On Up, Keep on Pushing, Meeting Over Yonder and We're a Winner. Mayfield's music embraced many of the same social issues embraced by the Rastafarian musicians in Jamaica and Bob Marley even rewrote People Get Ready and merged it with his own One Love song.