There is an inescapable link between Jamaican reggae and US soul. Since the late 1950s, which saw ska born out of American R&B, the Jamaican reggae fraternity has always had a strong affiliation towards US soul, and later on, funk. --Chris King, amazon.co.uk
Reggae is a product of the union of West African rythms and European melody and harmony.
In Jamaica, during the seventies, the sound of reggae was being reinvented by studio producers such as Lee Perry and King Tubby who used echo and delay effects to create a sound known as dub. With vocals removed from tracks of dance songs, DJs began talking over the music, a technique that was known as toasting. Dub and toasting were later transplanted to New York City, where they formed the basis for rap music in the eighties.
It is generally forgotten that the very first DJs were Jamaicans operating the mobile sound systems during the fifties and sixties. At that time, the DJ was the person talking live over the records, the 'selector' spinned a selection of American black dance music from the South and East of the United States. It was only when American radio started broadcasting rock 'n roll - a genre the Jamaicans liked less - that the Jamaicans started to produce their own music, ska in the early sixties, then rocksteady and by the end of the decade, reggae. DJ Kool Herc is credited with bringing this to the United States, when he left for New York in 1967, creating rap music in the proces.
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Studio One Soulful music from the legendary studio.
Lee Perry The amount of work that Scratch has been involved with over a 35 year career is nothing short of staggering. Scratch's story is more or less the story of Jamaican music
King Tubby Dub music had to come from somewhere, and the consensus is that it came from the mind and four-track mixing board of Osbourne Ruddock, known far and wide as King Tubby
Super Ape - Lee Perry [Amazon US] From top to bottom, this album is full of haunting melodies and flowing riddims. If you think reggae music begins and ends with Bob Marley, play the Upsetters for yourself, and enjoy. This album never gets old. If you purchase only one reggae CD in your life, make it Super Ape. Lee Perry
There is an inescapable link between Jamaican reggae and US soul. Since the late 1950s, which saw ska born out of American R&B, the Jamaican reggae fraternity has always had a strong affiliation towards US soul, and later on, funk. --Chris King, amazon.co.uk