(4 / 5)
Reggae specialist record label Doctor Bird release a superb double-disc delight with this “Reggae Fever” title from Jamaican singing duo The Inspirations.
A hugely collectable album from 1970, and this package includes five tracks new to CD. Most of these tracks have been unavailable on CD for decades.
Originally released in Jamaica and the UK 51 years ago, “Reggae Fever” primarily served as a showcase for the talents of The Inspirations, which was Trevor Shaw aka Jimmy London and Billy Dyce. }
The album’s producer was Joel Gibson, aka Joe Gibbs. It sold modestly at the time of its issue, but has since become one of the most collectable LPs from the boss reggae era.
Now expanded to include almost the entirety of Joe Gibbs’ recorded output from 1969, the two-disc, 55-reack collection features an array of best-sellers alongside rarities performed by some of Jamaica’s finest musical talents of the period.
Some highlights for me are the title track and “Liquidator”, from Lloyd Willis & The Inspirations, Ken Parker with “Sugar Dumplin”, “Hot Buttered Corn” from Ansel Collins & The Cobbs and three more from them, “Private Number from “Ernest Wilson and the organ mix of “The Wicked Must Survive “ from The Reggae Boys, which closes disc two.
Other artists featured in the set are Niney & The Destroyers, Stranger Cole, The Versatiles, Lord Comic & The Destroyers, The Destroyers, The Soul Sisters, Johnny Moore & The Supersonics, The Soul Mates, Ansell Collins & The Scientists, The Young Souls, Count Matchuki & The Destroyers, Ansel Collins & the Hippy Boys and The Slickers.
By Sally Fox
(1 / 5) ‘Dull Zone’
(2 / 5) ‘OK Zone’
(3 / 5) ‘Decent Zone’ (4 / 5) ‘Super Zone’
(5 / 5) ‘Awesome Zone’
