The third installment in this US label’s Jamaica To Toronto series, which concentrates on Canadian music with a distinct JJamaicanheritage. This latest release is something of a ‘lost’ classic in the world of reggae. Noel Ellis is the son of the rocksteady legend, Alton Ellis, recording his debut album for Toronto’s Summer Records with Jerry Brown. Aside from the much-vaunted Summer Studio spaced out sound (it sounds like the bassist and drummer could be resident inside your speakers), achieved with the help of people like Jackie Mitoo and Johnny Osbourne, Ellis’s vocals have a quality not often heard in reggae, almost as dublike as the music itself, seemingly floating above the basslines. Included are the defining version of “Rocking Universally” and the nostalgic “Memories”, tales of Ellis’s experiences as a youth in Jamaica, plus the anti-war cry of “Stop Your Fighting”. A long overdue re-issue of an enduring sound – hugely recommended.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: DARREN WALL
