Although not as well known as
Studio One
,
Treasure Isle
or
Black Ark
Joseph
and
Ernest Hookim
's
Channel One Studio
has played an equally strong role in the history of Jamaican
reggae
, first as a last blast of
roots
material at the close of the 1970s, and then as a cornerstone of the emerging
dancehall
scene in the mid-'80s. These two periods correspond neatly to the house bands in residence at
Channel One
, with the
Revolutionaries
providing the rhythms behind the first phase, and
Roots Radics
powering the second. This two-disc history of the studio shows that whatever the differences were between early and later
releases, a crisp, clear sound was the constant, and the hits here from
the Mighty Diamonds
(
"I Need a Roof,"
"Right Time"
),
Barrington Levy
"Dances Are Changes"
Delroy Wilson
"Sharing the Night Together"
the Jays
(a cover of
"Queen Majesty"
by
the Impressions
John Holt
"Up Park Camp"
) and
Sugar Minott
"Babylon"
) all feature that same sharp, fresh feel and tone, making this a wonderful introduction to a vital Jamaican institution. ~ Steve Leggett