Reggae Anthology: The Channel One Story

When Joseph Hookim and brother Ernest established Channel One in 1973 one of their first moves was to secure the services of Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, crack musicians who were soon to become Jamaica’s most sought-after rhythm section. In the mid ‘70s and early ‘80s the tunes that Sly and Robbie cut with Channel One house band the Revolutionaries would radically reshape the sound of reggae. The duo crafted spare one-drop rhythms that would be ceaselessly versioned in decades to come. The Channel One Story is the first in a multi-volume series of anthologies released by VP records that explore the considerable artistic legacy of this remarkable label. Every cut here is simply remarkable, from the apocalyptic roots reggae of the Mighty Diamonds “Right Time,” to the late-night paranoia of Frankie Paul’s dancehall crime narrative “Worries In the Dance.” The universally high quality of the material here, and the presence of both classics and rarities, ensures that The Channel One Story can be recommended to nascent reggae fans and the long-converted alike.