Naturally

by Rick AndersonThis is one of two exceptional albums Marcia Griffiths recorded in the late 1970s for producer Sonia Pottinger's High Note label. Her singing voice (known to many now from the years she spent as part of Bob Marley's backing trio, the I-Threes) is a thing of wonder, almost classical in its nuanced sweetness and perfect control. Opening with "Dreamland," a Bunny Wailer composition and one of the undisputed classics of mystical roots reggae, Griffiths takes the listener on a guided nostalgia tour of her time at Studio One in the early days of reggae. Old hits like "Melody Life" and the Bob Andy compositions "Truly" and "Tell Me Now" are given new performances in what was then the more current "rockers" style, courtesy of the Revolutionaries. With Steppin', this album is an essential piece of reggae history.