Black Roots Take It

If a story of a music as expansive as Jamaica's can be told over four CDs, then TOUGHER THAN TOUGH is as close as you'll ever likely get. Bookended by the unrefined charm of the Folkes Brothers' 1960 "Oh Carolina" and Shaggy's 1993 dancehall adaptation of the same tune, this collection attempts to chart the music's diversity and development through ska, rock-steady, reggae, and dub, to dancehall and ragga.

Brown is also one of the most influential vocalists among reggae musicians and was noted to be Bob Marley’s favorite singer. His iconic status and pivotal place in the history of reggae music is highlighted by the range of contemporary artists and power in the musical selections on the album. The album blends romantic love songs and ballads with roots and revolutionary songs made famous and (mostly) written by Brown. Dennis Brown was a spokesman for the people of Jamaica and the diaspora and his message is a vital today as when these songs were first recorded. His voice and his music are with us and we remember Dennis Brown.

With its enduring message of comfort and inspiration, gospel music’s origins are rooted in the tragedy of African-American slavery. From the earthy recordings of the evangelist street performers to the polished sound of the jubilee quartets, this Rough Guide features many of the trailblazing artists who paved the way for what has become a global phenomenon.

This whopping 30-CD box set gathers together the best of Trojan's three-disc box set series. Included are the Ska, DJ, Dub, Instrumentals, Jamaican Superstars, Lovers, Producer Series, Rocksteady, Roots, and Tribute to Bob Marley volumes, each of which can be found under Trojan Box Set for their individual reviews. What's lacking here is a booklet with additional notes and information; the bulk seems to demand some extra coverage and care, yet all that's here are the original notes of each volume – only as much text as can fit on the back of the CD sleeves. From a music standpoint, however, this box is excellent; a truly diverse and comprehensive collection. Of the 500 songs, less than ten reappear on another volume, so you get a more-than-satisfying amount of music spanning the history of the Trojan label.

Roots 'N Blues: The Retrospective 1925-1950 is a four-CD box set released on Columbia Records in June 1992. The set features five hours worth of early blues, folk/country and gospel recordings from a variety of American artists. Many of these recordings had never previously been issued in any medium.

Anthony Moses Davis, better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall singer. He is referred to as the world's "King of Dancehall". One of Jamaica's biggest exports, Beenie Man's recording career stretches back to 1981, although it was in the sound systems where he later made his mark. The witty toaster began his true ascent to stardom in the early '90s, and by 1994, his reputation couldn't be beat. Taking Beenie’s original 1992 album Cool Cool Rider and adding a heap of tracks from that era, this Trojan set is a highly desirable disc for the dancehall singer’s most hardcore fans. It’s likely they’ve encountered these tracks before, although on inferior sets with poor sound quality.

Compilation CD's. Those Classic Golden Years - An Essential collection the second half of the sixties and the early seventies…