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Roots Tradition From the Vineyard (Majestic Reggae, 1997) Don Mais, AKA Jah Bible, made his name as a late '70s/early '80s producer of early dancehall music, in the same vein as Linval Thompson, Henry "Junjo" Lawes, and the like (Mais being considered a precursor to them). The music included in this collection of tunes released on his Roots Tradition label between 1977 and 1980 is sparse and simple with emphasis on drum and bass -- as so much early, non-digital dancehall is -- with a mix of singers and old school DJs. The artists here aren't particularly recognizable; probably acts that you've heard of more than you've actually heard -- Phillip Frazer, Sammy Dread, Soul Syndicate, Rod Taylor, and Little John being the most popular. However, fans of Horace Andy might swear that they hear him a few times on Roots Tradition, as Frazer, Peter Ranking, Taylor, and Mais himself (Jah Bible, that is) all echo Andy's light, sleepy style (Ranking even covers Andy's "See a Man's Face."). Frazer's "Come On Over" stands out -- with its love song melody and echoing dub-like music -- alongside the funky bass of Taylor's "True History" and Soul Syndicate's classic horn-fest "Jah Jah Knowledge." Much of the music here serves double duty, as "Come On Over" rides the same rhythm as Peter & Lucky's "Housing Scheme," "True History" shares a beat with Toyan's "Black People," Little John's "Robe" and Toyan's "Gun Fever" likewise split a rhythm, along with several dubs. Overall, Roots Tradition is solid throughout -- not earth-shattering, but provides ample evidence that Mais deserves to be as well-known as Lawes and Thompson. Fans of the late '70s dancehall sound shouldn't be disappointed. |
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