Like the Wailers, Cliff signed to Island Records, and his Wonderful World Beautiful People was one of the first clutch of ska hits to reach the UK charts in late 1969. The follow-up was Vietnam, which Bob Dylan once described as the best protest song he’d ever heard. He also had a hit with a cover of Cat Stevens Wild World around this time.

Reservoir Media has struck up a new joint venture with Jamaican star Cordell “Skatta” Burrell and reggae and dancehall publisher Abood Music. Together, they plan to both acquire catalogs and sign and develop Jamaican artists and songwriters, aimed at “further advancing the new generation of Jamaica’s music scene”.

Cliff recorded over 30 albums in total, but his popularity skyrocketed after the low-budget Jamaican drama “The Harder They Come,” released in 1972, put him on the map as a cultural powerhouse.

Reservoir Media has announced a new joint venture with Jamaican artist Cordel “Skatta” Burrell and reggae/dancehall publisher Abood Music. Through the JV, they will look to both acquire catalogues and sign and develop Jamaican artists and songwriters.

Mention Jamaican music to most Americans and the pop sounds of reggae usually come to mind. But there’s much more—the wonderfully rich harmonies of choral music, hundreds of rarely heard sacred songs and folk songs that deserve more exposure.

Lester Sterling, the celebrated saxophonist trained at Kingston’s famous Alpha Boys School and member of the legendary Skatalites, didn’t realize Jamaican music pioneer Prince Buster was so multitalented when he first met him. None of the big producers ...

The long-standing controversy over the appropriateness of certain music for public airplay has once again reared its head in Jamaica. Following public discussion about a recent release by Vybz Kartel and Spice entitled “Rampin’ Shop”, the lyrics of ...