Album Review
Genre: Roots
Format: CD Album
Reviewer: Henrik Bæk
Added: Wed, Jul 30, 2008
Various Artists ››
Greensleeves 12″ Rulers - Jah Thomas
Jah Thomas was an important figure on the Jamaican music scene during both the roots era of the 70’s and the subsequent dancehall decade of the 80’s. Besides releasing several DJ sides of his own in the latter half of the 70’s, Thomas also came into his own as one of the island’s top producers for both singers and DJs. Many of these sides found their way to the dub studios of King Tubby, who transformed a wealth of Thomas‘ riddims into some of the best dub tracks to emerge from Jamaica.
Thomas’ first big Jamaican hit as a D.J. was Midnight Rock, which was cut by producer GG Ranglin in 1976. Thomas would later use the song’s title as the name of his own Midnight Rock imprint. Eventually Thomas inked a deal with the London-based Greensleeves label and released his debut LP in 1978, Stop Yu Loafin’, which was cut at Channel One by Joseph Hookim. After this Thomas began making his presence felt as a producer with sessions for both DJs and singers. Some of his big hits came with Tristan Palmer’s 1981 hits Entertainment and Joker Smoker, Anthony Johnson’s 1982 chart-topper Gun Shot, Peter Metro’s Calypso Calypso and Michael Palmer’s equally smash hit Ghetto Dance. Many of these recordings have been available only as ‘hard-to-get’ 12 inch singles or LPs, but now these great hits and another six blazing tracks can be found on the fine Greensleeves compilation named Greensleeves 12″ Rulers - Jah Thomas 1981 - 1984. They all come in a digitally re-mastered package and all of them are extended versions giving way to both additional D.J. and dub versions, showing Thomas as both a splendid D.J. and a very talented producer in his own rights. Highly recommendable.
© 2004-2009 reggaeXplosion.dk - all rights reserved.