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 second of two volumes, is somewhat mellower than the first RARITIES, finding Marley and company closer to the trademark reggae sound that they would make famous. The record includes slow, shuffling reworkings of such songs as "Cornerstone" and "Kaya," here titled "Jah Is Mighty" and "Turn Me Loose," respectively, the sound of the latter evocative of clouds of ganja smoke. Contributions from Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh add variety to the set, while Perry-dominated tracks such as "Keep On Skanking" and the exceptionally soulful "Send Me That Love" are among the set's highlights. Taken together, both volumes of RARITIES are an important addition to the Marley catalog.
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