Solid Gold U-Roy

by U-Roy

Overview

Dancehall legend U-Roy was active in music from the early '60s right up until the time of his death in 2021 at age 78. During his career, his output helped set the course for multiple musical styles, with the toasting he's often credited as originating serving as a precursor for the earliest hip-hop and rap. Solid Gold U-Roy is an album heavy on guest stars, and before being pushed back by complications surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and then U-Roy's death, it was slated for a 2020 release accompanied by a full tour. As a grand send-off, Solid Gold U-Roy is about as majestic as one could hope for. U-Roy and a cast of royalty from across several genres breathe new life into familiar reggae classics and a few reworkings of some of his earliest songs, all marked by vivid production and a general sense of celebration and joy. There are multiple takes on Bob Marley tunes, including album opener "Trenchtown Rock" (featuring vocals from Ziggy Marley), as well as boisterous versions of "Soul Rebel" (with lead vocals by David Hinds) and "Small Axe" (sung by Jesse Royal), all with U-Roy's signature toasts flowing into every available space between the verses. Santigold steals the show on a particularly deep bass version of reggae standard "Man Next Door," capturing the song's eeriness with woozy vocal harmonies that embody the feeling of having been up all night dealing with noisy neighbors. In addition to covering other artist's hits, U-Roy reworks several songs from his self-titled 1974 album, including a version of "Rule the Nation" featuring new toasts from Shaggy, "Tom Drunk" featuring Tarrus Riley, and "Wake the Town," the only song that U-Roy tackles all by himself here. The album closes with an epic rendition of "Every Knee Shall Bow," a song U-Roy toasted over with Johnny Clarke in 1978 that now stretches out over 15 minutes to include contributions from Big Youth and the Clash's Mick Jones. Not just that, but directly following the song comes a beautifully shadowy dub version by Scientist. Solid Gold U-Roy is a fittingly triumphant final act from an artist who dedicated his life to the advancement of art. It's at once traditional and futuristic, returning to some of U-Roy's past victories and somehow rendering them even brighter and more invigorating. ~ Fred Thomas

Product Details

Release Date:	01/14/2022
Label:	Bmg
UPC:	4050538692907

Album Credits

Performance Credits

U-Roy   Primary Artist,Vocals
David Hinds   Featured Artist
Dean Fraser   Saxophone,Vocals (Background)
Mick Jones   Featured Artist,Guitar,Featured Artist
Santigold   Featured Artist
Robbie Lyn   Organ,Keyboards,Synthesizer
Tarrus Riley   Featured Artist
Hopeton Williams   Horn
Tony Chin   Guitar,Vocals (Background)
Sly Dunbar   Drums,Percussion
Shaggy   Featured Artist
Robbie Shakespeare   Bass,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Richie Spice   Featured Artist
Dwight Richards   Horn
Jesse Royal   Featured Artist
Stingwray   Trumpet
Sharna Liguz   Vocals (Background)
Rygin King   Featured Artist
Zak Starkey   Guitar
Ziggy Marley   Featured Artist
Big Youth   Featured Artist

Technical Credits

Barry O'Hare   Engineer
Dean Fraser   Arranger,Vocal Producer
Reuben Cohen   Engineer,Mastering
Ewart Beckford   Composer
Dale Voelker   Package Design
Tim Cadiente   Photography
Howard Barrett   Composer
Bravo   Engineer,Engineer
Howard Anthony Barrett   Composer
John Kenneth Holt   Composer
Nate Haessly   Engineer
Max Heyes   Engineer
Arthur "Duke" Reid   Composer
Javier Weyler   Engineer
Tony Chin   Arranger,Vocal Arrangement
Tony Kelly   Engineer
Bob Marley   Composer
Curtis Mayfield   Composer
Duke Reid   Composer
Sshh   Producer
Delroy "Fatta" Pottinger   Engineer
John Holt   Composer
Gavin Lurssen   Engineer,Mastering
Tyrone Evans   Composer
Wayne Jobson   Concept,Realization,Vocal Producer
Geoff Neal   Engineer
Mick Jones   Drum Effects
Cecil Eustace Campbell   Composer
Arthur Stanley Reid   Composer
Stewart Hurwood   Guitar Technician
Jared Hirschland   Engineer
Sophia Campbell   Photography
Oliver Heyward   Engineer
Sharna Liguz   Arranger,Producer,Vocal Producer
Nikita Cremella   Engineer
Ade Sabini   Engineer
Maxwell Barrington   Composer
Patrick Niddrie   Photography
Terrence Blakely   Photography
Tony Robinson   Composer
Zak Starkey   Concept,Arranger,Producer,Vocal Arrangement
Big Youth   Producer
Dave Sardy   Mixing,Engineer