Various Artists - RASTAFARI - The Dreads Enter Babylon 1955-83

Rastafari: The Dreads Enter Babylon 1955-83 charts the many links between reggae music and the Rastafarian faith. Featuring the music of Count Ossie, Johnny Clarke, The Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari, Ras Michael and The Sons of Negus, Bongo Herman, Roy Ashanti (Congos), Earth and Stone, Mutabaruka and many more, this is an in-depth look at some of the most unique and righteous music ever made and comes complete with a 40+ page outsize booklet containing exclusive photography and extensive historical and contextual sleevenotes.

At the source of the music of Rastafari is the figurehead master drummer and leader Count Ossie, who first brought the deeply spiritual nyabinghi and burro rhythms heard and played at sacred Rastafarian grounation (reasoning) sessions into popular Jamaican music through his many collaborations and performances with artists from The Skatalites to The Folks Brothers and producers including Clement Dodd, Prince Buster and Harry Mudie. 

At the start of the 1970s Count Ossie formed the Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari with saxophonist Cedric Brooks which immediately became the most significant group of the Rastafari faith, bringing together authentic rasta nyabinghi drumming together with spiritual and avant-garde jazz influences of Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders and Albert Ayler into a truly unique and groundbreaking sound. From the earliest proto-rasta beginnings on vinyl, Lord Lebby's 1955 mento recording 'Etheopia', through to the raw, afro-jazz roots sounds of Count Ossie to the deep and heavy roots reggae of the 1970s (Johnny Clarke, Earth and Sound, Roy Ashanti of The Congos and others), this album covers nearly 30 years of revolutionary music. 

TRACKLISTING

1. Count Ossie & The Rasta Family – Africa We Want Fe Go
2. Johnny Clarke – None Shall Escape The Judgement
3. Laurel Aitken – Haile Selassie
4. Count Ossie & The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari – Tales of Mozambique
5. Mutabaruka – Say
6. Bongo Herman & Jah Lloyd – African Drums
7. Count Ossie & The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari – Sam's Intro
8. Bongo Herman, Les and Bunny – Salaam
9. Winston and Ansell – Zion I
10. Techniques All Stars – Zion I Version
11. Lord Lebby & The Jamaican Calypsonians – Ethiopia
12. Hugh Mundell – One Jah, One Aim, One Destiny
13. The Heaven Singers – Rasta Dreadlocks
14. Count Ossie & Leslie Butler – Soul Drums
15. Cornel Campbell – Conscious Rastaman
16. QQ – Betta Must Come
17. Roy Shirley – Israelites Leave Babylon
18. Count Ossie & The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari – Narration
19. Ronald Downer & Count Ossie – A Ju Ju Wa

PRODUCT DETAILS

Artist:  Various Artists
Label:  Soul Jazz
Condition:  New 
Genre:  Reggae & Dub
Format:  Vinyl LP
Cat Number:  SJRLP544C
Released:  5th July 2024