Singer of Singers (Skywalk, 2000)

Though not widely known, Ras Karbi is something of an underground legend in many people's eyes.  His "Jamaica I'll Never Leave You Again" won the Jamaica Festival Song Competition in 1983, following such classics as The Maytals' "Bam Bam," The Jamaicans' "Baba Boom Boom," and Eric Donaldson's "Cherry Oh Baby."  Some mainstream folk may remember him from his co-starring role in the 1980 Broadway musical Reggae, which starred Philip "Miami Vice" Michael Thomas and Sheryl Lee Ralph and was produced by Michael Butler, who did the '60s hit Hair.  Little had been heard from Karbi since the '80s, though, as far as I can tell; that is, until the release of Singer of Singers, his first official album.  This is a vital collection of his tunes that has been long overdue, a showcase for his remarkable songwriting and storytelling talent.  Karbi's style is very folksy in a Culture/Israel Vibration sort of way, but his songs are lighter and more accessible than either of those groups.  "Jamaica I'll Never Leave You Again" is typical: catchy, upbeat, and true to both the roots reggae genre and to the rural people of Jamaica.  Ras Karbi often tells stories in his songs -- as in "Rascal," the tale of "thieving dreadlocks" giving Rastafarians a bad name, or "Discrimination," where Rastas applying for jobs are told, "Long-haired freaky people need not apply" -- which prove entrancing in the rare instances that the melody and/or music don't.   Every single track on Singer of Singers is solid, as Karbi is backed up by skilled musicians like Aston and Carlton Barrett, Dean Frazer, Robbie Shakespeare, Earl "Wire" Lindo, Robbie Lyn, and Cat Coore of Third World, as well as background singing by Israel Vibration, The Tamlins, and Pam Hall.  The best of the album is found in "Babylon Gravestone" and "Country Life (Nice)," both featuring ethereal children's backing vocals (courtesy of The Stingers), along with "Jah Rastaman" and the country twang of "Longing for Your Touch."  You owe it to yourself to seek out this masterpiece.