David Katz brings us once again an extraordinary volume that is a 'must have' for your reggae collection in Solid Foundation, An Oral History of Reggae (Bloomsbury, 2003). Considering the long standing oral traditions of Jamaican culture, it seems apropos that Katz would build his text as an oral history through firsthand testimony of the people who built the foundation upon which reggae has grown, including Derrick Morgan, U Roy, Augustus Pablo, Jimmy Cliff and many others. Katz' goal "to give something back to the originators of a music that has been a constant and profoundly moving soundtrack for much of [his] life" and indeed, for many of ours, has been well met. www.bloomsbury.com
While I was expecting a lighthearted volume, Micah Locilento, in Shaggy, Dogamuffin Style (ECW Press, 2002) instead treats the reader to a very entertaining and interesting history of the dancehall itself and its influence upon today's artists, including Shaggy. Shaggy's often misunderstood background is explored through an impressive compilation of quotes, interviews and candid insight into the relationship between Shaggy and his longtime manager, Robert Livingston. After finishing the book I was left with a newfound respect, both for Shaggy, the dancehall and for the future of music we all love - reggae. www.ecwpress.com
Bob Marley, My Son (First Taylor Trade Publishing, 2003), written by Cedella Marley Booker with Anthony Winkler, is a delightful story that only a mother could write. Having read many different versions of Bob Marley's life, it was insightful to read his mother's words, often describing the same events. This touching volume is remarkably poignant and candid as Booker maintains a sense of humor while recounting the intimate details of her son's life and eventual illness. The revealing portrait describes not only Bob Marley's embrace of Rastafari, but also Booker's own trans-formation. Booker ends the book on a melancholy, heartfelt note as she describes the deaths of her two sons, Bob Marley and Richard Booker, the one famous and loved by the world and the other relatively unknown and loved by his mother. hdejean@rowman.com
The beautiful One Love, Life with Bob Marley and the Wailers (W.W. Norton and Company, 2003), with words and photography by Lee Jaffe and an interview by Roger Steffens, is a lovely coffee-table book with wonderful photographs and descriptive content about life on the road with Bob Marley and the Wailers from the early days of Catch a Fire, through Peter Tosh leaving to begin his solo career and the recording of "Legalize It." The presentation is outstanding and the highly appealing volume gives the reader the feeling of being with the group as a fly on the wall, as the group met with the Grateful Dead in consideration of signing with their new label, opened for Bruce Springstein in New York and also opened for Marvin Gaye in Jamaica. Much of the group's early development is explored in this volume as only someone who was actually there could do. www.wwnorton.com
Reggae, Rastafari, and the Rhetoric of Social Control (University Press of Mississippi, 2002), by Stephen A. King is a controversial, well-written volume that traces the history and rise of reggae and the story of how the Jamaican establishment com-mandeered the music to fashion an image to entice tourists. The book explores how reggae went from powerful and liberating protest music for the poor and oppressed, to Jamaica's chief cultural commodity and tourist attraction. This well-researched, scholarly work explores the path of Rastafarians from being a target of police harassment and public condemnation, to an important symbol of Jamaica's new cultural heritage. King focuses on explaining how the Jamaican establishment's strategies of social control influenced the evolutionary direction of both the music and the Rastafarian movement.
Reggae and Caribbean Music (Backbeat Books, 2002), written by music journalist Dave Thompson, is dedicated exclusively to the area's provocative recordings. The rich history of the music and the crucial geographical development of the spirited music of all of the islands are explored through historical essays, intriguing artist biographies and 2,700 nicely opinionated recording reviews. Also included is a section on the carnival traditions that characterize each island, their competitions and their winners. The volume is definitely a must for any music collector. www.backbeatbooks.com
56 Thoughts from 56 Hope Road, The Sayings and Psalms of Bob Marley (Tuff Gong Books, 2002), is a pocket-sized volume of the sayings and psalms of Bob Marley, selected by Cedella Marley, Bob's daughter and Gerald Hausman. The small book, divided into Song, Life, Love, World, War, Jah, Journey and Home, is meant to inspire during quiet moments of reflection.
Having heavily influenced the dancehall in the 1980s with one innovative hit after another, the story of reggae would not be complete without Beth Lesser's King Jammy's (ECW Press, 2002). The visually interesting as well as informative text on the former King Tubby protégé emphasizes the fresh approach that King Jammy brought to the music with his willingness to experiment with new ideas and work with up and coming artists. Lesser's enjoyable volume introduces the reader to the artists, engineers, DJs and others that play a part in the making of this musical legend. www.ecwpress.com
"Travel with an opinion" is indeed an accurate motto for the Rum and Reggae's Guidebooks (Rum and Reggae Guidebooks, Jamaica 2002, Caribbean 2002). Travel writer and critic, Jonathan Runge, provides a refreshing alternative to traditional guidebooks. While the negative may say that the series is critical and opinionated, the books are also irreverent, funny and informative. Rum and Reggae's Caribbean, the flagship of the guides, updated in 2002, has been regularly expanded to be indispensable to the savvy traveler who wants to see beyond the t-shirt stalls of Ocho Rios and the cruise ship traffic jams of St. Thomas. Rum and Reggae's Jamaica is not for those looking for an all-inclusive resort. While the inexpensive volume is a bit slim, it provides a focused and less expensive option for the in-the-know traveler. While there's not as much reggae in the volumes as the titles would suggest, there are suggestions as to the best rum in the area and overall, they are fun to read.
In contrast, Harry S. Pariser's Explore Series from Manatee Press (Explore the Virgin Islands 2002, Explore Barbados 2000) are more traditional guidebooks in a user-friendly format covering all price ranges, with interesting sections on both Rasta and reggae in the Barbados and Virgin Islands editions. The guides are well researched and detailed with helpful, practical facts, and the chapters on history and culture make excellent reading. www.savethemanatee.com