This year sees the 20th anniversary of Soul 2 Soul’s first release and the band’s front man, Jazzie B is releasing ’School Days’, a series of tracks that take him back to his youth.
Influenced by soul, but with a heavy fusion of reggae, funk, hip hop and dance, Jazzie B (who recently recieved an OBE from the Queen), compiles an upbeat album.
The selected tracks are very much in the same vein as the kind of records he used to play back in the late 1970’s – early 1980’s, when his North London Boys were running their first soundsystem, Jah Rico.
Hip-Hop as a genre has alot to owe to reggae soundsystems because it gave birth to the outdoor parties DJ Kool Herc used to hold.
The type of music Jah Rico played made you dance but more importantly became revolutionary as the decks were turned for the first time to face out the crowd.
So the album is a choice of reggae tunes mostly from Jah Rico days, that clearly became Soul II Soul, as well as the iconic diverse sound that defined British black music.
Jazzie B Presents School Days is released 9th June 2008
TRACKLISTING:
1. I Roy - Screw Face
2. Gregory Isaacs - Slave Master
3. Big Youth - Hit The Road Jack
4. Admiral Bailey - Jump Up
5. Tenor Saw - Ring The Alarm
6. Nitty Gritty - Ready Done
7. Tapper Zukie & Horace Andy - Natty Dread A Weh She Want (12″ Mix)
8. Barrington Levy & Jah Thomas - Shine Eye Girl (12″ mix)
9. Freddie Mcgregor - Reggae Feeling
10. The In Crowd - Getting Cozy (extended mix)
11. Dennis Brown - Love Has Found It’s Way
12. The In Crowd featuring Jah Stitch - Baby My Love
13. Jacob Miller & The Inner Circle - Tired Fe Lick Weed A Bush
14. Junior Delgado - Warrior
15. I Roy - Point Black
16. Johnny Clarke & Clint Eastwood - (Just Call) Me African Roots
17. Alton Ellis & The Flames - Ain’t That Loving You (For More Reasons Than One)
18. Matumbi - Point Of View
Be sure to head over to Trojan Records for more information on this album and the great artists they have on their label. They are celebrating their 40th year anniversary, so congratulations are in order.
