In the 1950s, Jamaica's love of American music saw musicians blending US R&B and boogie to create their own easy skanking dancehall rhythms. A decade on and soul had replaced R&B in the affections of many Carribean hearts, a whole generation of singers, musicians and MCs drawing inspiration from the emotionally intense sounds of Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, Bill Withers and the like. At the same time, the social and political concerns of the black working class, voiced in US soul, also struck a chord with many Jamaican musicians.
Such is the inspiration for 'Darker Than Blue...', a collection of cover versions of classic soul tunes from the Sixties and Seventies, performed by the cream of Jamaican reggae talent - Ken Boothe, Junior Murvin, John Holt, Freddie McGregor, Boris Gardiner and more. And, while none of the 18 respectful renditions here better the originals, they at least equal them, while in turn taking on entirely new lives of their own.
Ken Boothe acquits himself well on two tracks, his deeply moving vocal doing justice to Syl Johnson's 'Is It Because I'm Black' and Bill Withers' 'Ain't No Sunshine'. Freddie McGregor makes an upbeat decent fist of George Jackson's political plea to 'Get Involved'. A pre-'Police & Thieves' Junior Murvin lends his sublime falsetto to Curtis Mayfield's 'Give Me Your Love'. Alton Ellis's rich, laid back tones successfully tackle Stevie Wonder's 'It's A Shame' (a hit for the Detroit Spinners in 1970). And Tinga Stewart's seven minute long, dubbed up and brassy treatment of Timmy Thomas's 'Why Can't We Live Together' is a blinder.
Very few can try their hand at covering soul classics and escape with their dignity intact. Take last year's 'Motown Mania' album - yes, Westlife, Steps, Samantha Mumba, Dane et al, you may well all hang your heads in shame. 'Darker Than Blue..' meanwhile, proves that if you have the empathy, the talent and most important of all, the soul, you can carry it off in style. A very fine album indeed. Well done everybody!
