Jah Son of Africa

by Rick AndersonThe best way to introduce oneself to the artistry of legendary deejay U Roy would probably be to check out either With a Flick of My Musical Wrist (on Trojan) or Super Boss (on Esoldun). But another good place to start is with the impressive collection of albums he made in the late 1970s for Virgin's Front Line imprint. When the Front Line catalog was first reissued in the early 1990s, most of the tracks on Jah Son of Africa were included on a U Roy compilation entitled Natty Rebel: Extra Version (another found its way onto a similar compilation called Version of Wisdom). Anyone who missed out on those fine collections can buy this reissue with confidence; it finds U Roy at the peak of his powers, chatting over dub versions of such classic tracks as the Wailers' "Exodus" and the Gladiators' "Stick a Bush," his much-imitated whoops and interjections showcased beautifully by producer Tony Robinson (of Aswad). Highlights include the title track and the delightful "Tom Drunk." Highly recommended.