Children of Jah 1977-1979

Album Review

The ten songs on this album were culled from the catalog of Roy Francis' Phase One label, which thrived briefly and produced sparsely in late — '70s Jamaica. Although its output was small, Phase One released some of the finest reggae of the period; these releases included one album (by an obscure harmony trio called the Chantells) and a handful of singles by such artists as the Terrors, Lopez Walker, and Paul Powell. Lopez Walker and the Chantells are featured most prominently on this collection, with four tracks and three tracks respectively; the balance consists of songs by Errol Davis, Steve Boswell and the Terrors. All are presented in "disco mix" style, meaning that dub versions follow the vocal versions without pause; in two cases, the dub mixes are overlaid with toasting from DJs U-Brown and Jah Berry. Everything here is excellent, but Steve Boswell's "Cool Rastaman Cool" (which sounds very similar to the Wailing Souls' "Row Fisherman Row") and the Chantells' "Desperate Time" are among the best. The instrumental backing is provided by the Revolutionaries, led by drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Lloyd Parks.