Gladiators

TABOU1 is proud to present Roots Natty, a treasure trove of rare tracks from one of reggae’s most iconic groups, The Gladiators. These songs were recorded during reggae's golden era, from 1977 to 1979, a time when the genre was shaping global music culture. During this period, alongside other reggae giants like Culture and Burning Spear, The Gladiators crafted unforgettable arrangements to match their deep, thoughtful compositions. With Albert Griffiths and Clinton Fearon at the helm, their lyrics transported listeners to a mystical land where peace reigned, Rastafari thrived, and the chaos of Babylon was left far behind. The majority of the tracks on Roots Natty are rare Jamaican singles, featuring mixes that are harder, heavier, and more dub-infused than their album released in the West at the same time. Originally released in small, exclusive batches in Jamaica, these singles have been carefully restored and remastered, preserving their raw, authentic energy for a new generation of Reggae lovers. With the authorization of the Gladiators, St Elizabeth, Jamaica

Among the great things that I remember about these sessions were the superb players and singers who just showed up. Richard Ace had been living in England, but dropped in while on vacation in Jamaica and contributed great keyboards to three selections. The Ethiopian showed up and agreed to cut four songs backed by the Gladiators. Joseph Hill, lead singer of Culture, sat in the control room with Sylvan and I for an hour and told me that the Gladiators were his favorite group. The additional highlight of these sessions was watching Sylvan mixing top ranking dub tracks of the Gladiators best riddims.

In ice hockey, no one is tougher than the "goon". Those players have one mission: to protect the star players at any price.