Rating:
Genre:
Reggae
Release Date: 09/14/2004
Bob Marley is best known for his classic
Island Records catalog, and while that material is undeniably great, there are many
Marley fans and historians who feel that his finest recordings actually came earlier, when he and
the Wailers were still largely a Jamaican phenomenon. Wherever one stands on that issue, the fact remains that
Marley's early work, particularly the sessions with producer
Lee "Scratch" Perry in 1970 and 1971, are of an uncommonly high quality. This collection combines several of the
Perry tracks (
"The Sun Is Shining," "Duppy Conqueror," "African Herbsman," "Mr. Brown") with those produced by
Leslie Kong (
"Soul Shakedown Party") and by
the Wailers themselves (
"Trench Town Rock," "Lively Up Yourself," both of which were originally released on the group's own
Tuff Gong label), and the selections are enough to provide a brief but decent introduction to this Jamaican phase of
Marley's career. There are literally hundreds of editions of this material on the market -- some legally licensed, some not -- but
Roots of a Legend is at least honestly rendered, with decent packaging and sound. A bonus DVD featuring footage from
Marley's 1980 tour (undertaken just 17 months before his death) in support of the
Survival album is also included.
~Steve Leggett, All Music Guide