World Reggae (Putumayo, 2004)

For over a decade now, Putumayo has been a reliable source for introducing world music to the American masses, and their most recent contribution focuses on reggae from around the globe -- not just Jamaica.  Although it originated in a small island in the Caribbean (that being Jamaica, genius), reggae's popularity has reached all ends of the Earth.  This site alone has reviewed albums from 5 of the 7 continents (I know that there are some reggae acts in Australia, and I suspect that there's a dreadlocked penguin somewhere in Antarctica waiting for a break.).  As such, compilations such as this one highlighting artists who wouldn't normally get such global exposure could easily be released annually (the last good one I heard was R.A.W. 2000).  Since they're not, though, reggae fans can only hope the ones that do come out are as good a World Reggae.  The geographical scope of World Reggae is far-flung -- focused mainly on Africa, South America, and Europe -- but I would've liked to have seen a little more representation from other areas where reggae has exploded, particularly in the Pacific, i.e. Japan, Hawaii, Fiji, New Guinea, etc (I suppose other areas of the Caribbean -- most notably St. Croix -- are considered too close to Jamaica to be included in a collection focused on how far the music has traveled.).  As often seems to be the case with reggae outside of North America, the music here tends to be a bit more upbeat than the traditional Jamaican roots reggae that evolved in the 1970s.  Indeed, this collection is as vibrant and full of life as Putumayo's trademark album covers, thanks in part to the artists' incorporation of their native sounds into the reggae foundation -- from the Indian drumming and chanting of Apache Indian's "Om Numah Shivaya" to the North African string instrumentation on Gnawa Diffusion'’s "Ya Laymi" to the off-beat, vibrating vocals of Kaissa's "O Si Keka."  Reggae purists, however, might raise their eyebrows at tunes like "Riberonzinha" and the folky "Mas y Mas," both of which contain only the slightest remnants of reggae (the chanting "Riberonzinha," however, is so hypnotic, you have to fall for it anyway).  Frankly, though, as reggae continues to evolve, adopting more and more sounds and sprouting sub-genres like dancehall and dub, it's increasingly difficult to say what reggae is supposed to sound like.  That said, most of World Reggae does manage to conform to the basic, traditional reggae rhythm, with several resembling particular Jamaican counterparts: Kana's rousing "Pas de Problemes," for example, sounds quite like Toots and The Maytals, while Intik's "Notre Devoir" has a serene Luciano vibe, and Majek Fashek certainly has been touched by the pervasive influence of Bob Marley.  Fashek, Alpha Blondy, and Apache Indian are the only artists on this album that have had much worldwide exposure, thus allowing new faces to shine through.  As for the songs themselves, they range from current (2003) releases to some as old as 1997, so you may already be familiar with cuts like Alpha Blondy’s "Lalogo," from his Yitzhak Rabin album, and Majek Fashek's "African Unity," from his Rainmaker set (also included on the African reggae compilation Fly African Eagle).  The rest present a fresh and engrossing peek into the reggae world beyond Jamaica.