Out Of Many, One Music! Songs That Shaped Jamaica

Jamaica's national motto, 'Out Of Many One People', could well be applied to the music that shaped the island's national sound, with modern reggae the result of many different musical forms coalescing to form a wonderfully unique 'one'. Fantastic Voyage's highly popular Sound System Classics series has already celebrated the American jump blues favoured at Jamaican dances in the pre-ska era, but contrary to widespread belief, US rhythm & blues and the indigenous style of mento were not the only types of music enjoyed across the island prior to the development of Shuffle Blues and Ska. In fact, the diversity of sounds that exerted a direct influence on popular Jamaican music throughout the 20th Century is astonishing, taking in gospel, blues, jazz, vocal groups, country, pop, film music and exotica, hailing from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Southern Africa and the British Isles, as well as America. Now the full extent of these influences is demonstrated by this 81-track 3 CD set Out Of Many, One Music! Which features original or key versions of songs that have played a significant role in shaping the development of Jamaican music. But of course the small West Indian island has not just taken from others musically. It's pioneering use of talk-over DJs and stripped down 'version' rhythm tracks has been key to the development of the now globally dominant music form, hip hop. Over the years, the Jamaican music-loving public has demonstrated a keen ear for sweet and sentimental music and that factor is far more important than the musical genus to which any given recording belongs. What becomes apparent from the music featured on this set is the Jamaican talent for reinvention. Rather than simply attempt to copy 'foreign' recordings, as 'do over man songs', performers and musicians have taken elements of the original and reshaped them into something entirely different.