A DJ at the seminal punk hangout the Roxy in London's West End at the end of the 1970s,
Don Letts was a pivotal force in bringing Jamaican reggae into the punk circle, and his acclaimed sets shored up the affinities between the two revolutionary musical genres. Here he mines the famed Trojan vaults for a two-disc collection that essentially reproduces a night at the Roxy. Disc One assembles vocal roots classics, including "54 46 Was My Number," by the Maytals (and the fiery
Toots Hibbert); "Mistry Babylon" by
the Heptones; a brilliant and atmospheric "Fever" by
Junior Byles; and "The Time Has Come" by the incomparable
Slim Smith. Disc Two collects dubs and instrumentals, including the goofy and charming "Psychodelic Train," by
Derrick Harriott and the Chosen Few, and the classic "Return of Django" by
Lee "Scratch" Perry and the Upsetters. Well-sequenced and fun, this set is a wonderful introduction to mid-1970s Jamaican music, making, in
Bob Marley's words, a "punky reggae party." ~ Steve Leggett