Rastafari: The Dreads Enter Babylon 1955-83 | Album Review

This may be the most righteous compilation to come from the Soul Jazz stable to date, as they focus on links between the Rastafarian religion and reggae music.

The visit of Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie to Jamaica in 1966 acted as a catalyst for many musicians to embrace that faith.

Count Ossie’s Rastafarian drummers were already casting a spell and their spiritual burru drumming bewitched many Kingston clans.

By the 1970s, reggae and Rastas appeared joined at the hip thanks to acts like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and others.

Rastafari: The Dreads Enter Babylon 1955-83 is a fascinating document of how Count Ossie's work took hold and how Rastafari beliefs found their way into tracks from acts like Ashanti Roy, Johnny Clarke, Laurel Aitken and others.

souljazzrecords.co.uk