Soul Jazz Records digs deep and presents a new collection of heavy '70's roots reggae tracks from Bunny Lee - a living legend, and one of the great Jamaican record producers who helped to transform reggae music in the 1970's from a small island sound into an internationally successful genre. Lee has spent his whole professional life inside the Kingston music industry, and in the 1960's was one of the first Jamaican producers to travel to England at the beginning of the nascent British reggae music industry. While Lee's first recordings in the late '60's were mainly rock steady vibes, his music began to mutate and slow down into a more rootsy sound, itself morphing into dub. It was during this era that 'flying cymbals', crashing reverbs, and other "implements of sound" were used extensively as a new breed of producers were exploring the limits of dub. Lee was at the forefront of these dramatic musical shifts, and he quickly rose up to become one of the major record producers in Jamaica, alongside Lee 'Scratch' Perry and "the other 'small axe' producers who broke the dominance of the 'big tree' producers that had ruled Jamaican music in the 1960's." The collection features some of the heaviest Jamaican artists, including Johnny Clarke, King Tubby, Dillinger, Prince Jazzbo, Tommy McCook, The legendary Aggrovators (featuring Sly and Robbie), The Mighty Diamonds and more. Essentially, this compilation is one helluva 3 LP ride through rare, deep classics of 1970's roots and dubs sound. 23 tracks spread across three slabs of wax, including extensive liner notes and photos. Download code included as well. Released by Soul Jazz Records.

• 3 LP pressing
• extensive liner notes and photos
• download code included
• music label: Soul Jazz Records 2019

reviewed by Richard Cashmere 4/2019