ROOTS ALL-STARS

With the trend in reggae turning back to the "conscious" reggae lyrics and rhythms of the classic roots era, the time was right to bring together some of the greatest masters of roots reggae to record new material. Acclaimed reggae dub poet Mutabaruka gathered many master singers and musicians for a series of all-star sessions which resulted in the reggae event of the year: Gathering Of The Spirits

"Gathering Of The Spirits" returns to the old methods of recording reggae by using all live musicians (no drum machines or synth basses!) to record spontaneously in the studio. Such notables as Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Rockers film star Horsemouth Wallace, Dean Fraser, original Studio One bassist Leroy Sibbles (better known as the lead singer of The Heptones) and many more created the classic grooves.

Highlights of the album include a powerful new song by Culture, the first venture into a studio in many years for revered Rasta group The Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari, Judy Mowatt's stirring version of Donny Hathaway's "Someday We'll Be Free," Big Youth's toast on the Culture rhythm, the legendary guitarist Ernest Ranglin's take on Bob Marley's "Ion Lion Zion" and more.