Sly & Robbie Present Taxi

by Stephen CookSly & Robbie came up as part of the Revolutionaries band in the '70s, contributing as the house band at Kingston's legendary Channel One Studio. By the time the roots reggae period gave way to the secular-minded dancehall era of the early '80s, Sly & Robbie had gone into the production business themselves with their Taxi label. Counting such Jamaican music luminaries on their roster as Dennis Brown, Black Uhuru, the Wailing Souls, and Junior Delgado, Sly & Robbie forged their own progressive, synth-enhanced sound, and became one of the premiere production teams and backing bands in the process. This sampler tells a bit of the story. Taking in sides by Brown ("Sitting and Watching"), Delgado, and the Wailing Souls, the 12 tracks here also feature fine performances by the legendary DJ General Echo, Gregory Isaacs, the Viceroys, and the Tamlins. Maybe not the best or most thorough of introductions, Sly & Robbie Present Taxi still qualifies as a fine sampler for the curious.