Music 101: The Bluffer's Guide to Reggae

There is an argument that this sound is the best - Caribbean in creation, spiritual and political with an emotional standpoint, reggae in its many guises gets into your heart and lifts the spirits.

Here is the Bluffers Guide to what you need to be listening to, reggae style...

Tommy McCook - Dancing

Born in 1932, he was the leader of the legendary Skatalites and was responsible for bringing the sound of ska and reggae to a broader audience. He also founded the Supersonics, Treasure Isle records' in-house studio band, a go-to for all eminent vocalists.

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Augustus Pablo - King Tubby meets Uptown Rockers

King Tubby was everything in the dub reggae scene. Investigate him more. The film Rockers made a long-lasting impression on me, and growing up listening to a northside Dublin version of reggae here was an intro to the Rastafari's culture and beliefs and all the connotations that came with his work.

John Holt and The Paragons - Darling, I Need Your Loving

Born in 1947, John Holt would enter local talent competitions, winning twenty-eight of them, with some broadcast on Radio Jamaica; he was part of The Paragons, and initially recorded for the great Clement Coxone Dodds' Studio One.

UB40 - Food for Thought

The airwaves of Northside Dublin at one point way back, were full of pop music, but often on Sunday afternoon in the sunshine you'd hear UB40, who reigned over the charts for a long time with a brand of reggae that had its own British feeling.

Peter Tosh - Johnny B Goode

Tosh was a mainstay with Bob Marley's Wailers and, although later prolific as a solo artist, met with a sad end after being shot by a local Jamaican criminal - reminding us that the place where his sound hailed from was littered with bullet shells.

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Aswad - Not Guilty

Highlighting the turbulent times of 1970's Britain and onwards, Aswad has endured the test of time. They were the first UK reggae act to sign with a major label, Island Records, becoming so popular that they worked with visiting luminaries Bob Marley and Black Uhuru. Great London reggae...

Hollie Cook - Angel Fire

Coming from royalty with her Da being Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols, she played with The Slits and made releases of her own represent a breath of fresh air in a lads world, to be honest.

Sister Nancy - Bam Bam

Meeting Sister Nancy in Cork for It Takes A Village and ending up sharing dinner with her would be a bucket list entry scratched off; she did have words of wisdom, to enjoy life whilst you can. Anything can happen in the south...

Mad Professor - Protection

Massive Attack's reggae roots are well documented, but having Mad Professor rework Tracey Thorn's vocal was genius, beautiful and ethereal. From No Protection, here's Radiation Ruling The Nation.. The whole album is gorgeous.

Pass the Dutchie - Musical Youth

An ode to The Mighty Diamonds and their release Pass The Kouchie, with love to U- Browns' Gimme The Music and U-Roy's Rule the Nation. The band never reached the heights of this release again, selling 4 million copies in 1982.

Stephen Marley - Break Us Apart

Via a duo with the irrepressible Capelton comes Stephen Marley, whose sound resembles his father more, I believe, with his hands-on behind the scenes production for his brothers Ziggy and Julian. Bob Marley's second son has made his own way...

Anthony B - Can't Stop the Fire

Big thanks to my boss friend Soares, who introduced me to Keith Blair of Clarks Town, Jamaica. Also a DJ, his Rastafari dreads are Bobo, a strong Afrocentric tribe who inspire his work most heavily.

Skarra Mucci - Ragamuffin School

Skarra Mucci has been recording since 2009, tied in with the Dub Akom crew with a new and improved take on ragamuffin styles...

Dawn Penn - No No No

Last but not least, and given a regeneration by Sean Paul's You Don't Love Me, original rocksteady artist Dawn Penn released this track in 1994 (she'd originally done a version in 1960) after performing it at the Studio One Anniversary Show - it was received so well, she re-recorded it.

Listen to more from The Bluffer's Guide here.

Music 101: The Bluffer's Guide to Reggae

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