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Real Roots Reggae: A Canadian Story

BY Brent HagermanPublished Sep 19, 2007

Since reggae is so heavily identified as a Jamaican art form there are obvious difficulties in establishing an autonomous reggae scene in the hearts and minds of would-be fans here on Canadian soil. That’s one reason why this all-Canadian compilation from canadianreggaeworld.com is such a good idea. Real Roots Reggae features some of the hottest reggae tracks recorded here and will help establish this country as home to many a rootical artist. What is evident in listening to this record though, and this may be a good or bad thing depending on your point of view, is that there is no definitive Canadian sound. In other words, the Canadian story of reggae is as diverse as the people who live here, whether that’s the Toronto-centric jazz-cum-reggae of Jason Wilson’s "Keele Street,” the Prince Buster-era ska of the Arsenals’ "Jah Ska,” dub poet Michael St. George’s conscious "Caged In,” Alberta’s Souljah Fyah delivering the easy skanking "Abundance of Good” or Guelph’s own Well Charged with their dubby attack on the "School Yard Bully.”
(CRW)

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