Bob Marley &
The Wailers:
Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh (vocals); Alva Lewis, Earl Smith, Ernest Ranglin, Tony Chin, Cleon Douglas, Geoffrey Chung (guitar); Headley Bennett, Vin Gordan, David Madden, Glen DaCosta (brass); Keith Sterling (piano); Glen Adams, Winston Wright, Tyrone Downie (keyboards); Aston Barrett, Boris Gardiner, Fully Fullwood (bass); Carton Barrett, Mickey Boo, Llloyd Adams (drums); Zoot Sims,
Lee Perry (percussion). Engineers include:
Lee Perry, Lynford Anderson, Carlton Lee. Recorded at Randy's, Dynamic Sounds and Black Ark Studios, Kingston, Jamaica. Includes liner notes by Dr. Babylon Dread and Ron De Groot. A companion to REBEL REVOLUTION (a set of extended mixes from Marley's late '60s/early '70s collaborations with production wizard Lee "Scratch" Perry), THE RARITIES is a collection of scarce, alternate takes from the same sessions. Superior musicianship in the form of Perry's band, The Upsetters--who mix rock energy with tight ska rhythms to heady effect--backs the spectacular vocals of
The Wailers (featuring Bunny Wailer's falsetto, Peter Tosh's basso support, and Marley's to-die-for soulful leads). This collection, the first of two RARITIES volumes, offers such cuts as "One In All," a medley of Wailers singles (including "Bend Down Low," "One Love," and "Simmer Down"), and a revamped version of "Soul Almighty," a Perry/Marley composition here titled "Shocks of Mighty." The highlights, however, are Perry's "dub" versions of selected tracks, heavily textured production treatments in which the vocals are removed and evocative percussive and electronic effects are added. Taken together, these cuts are an important addition to the Marley catalog.