Horace Andy has always commanded a place high on the list of Reggae singers from Jamaica. His distinctive haunting vocal style stands strong on any rhythm, song or style he chooses to cover. Of the singers on that long list, he has managed more so than any other, to crossover to a new generation of listeners due to his individual style, helped also by his collaborations with the likes of Massive Attack. Horace Andy (b. Horace Hinds,1951, Kingston Jamaica) like many other Jamaican singers began his musical career at Coxsonne Dodd’s Studio One. So impressed with the youth, Coxsonne decided on a name change for the young artist and called him after his top songwriter of the time Bob Andy. So Horace Hinds became Horace Andy. His first tune for Coxsonne ‘Something On My Mind’ was a slow burner in Jamaica, but his belief in his young protégé paid off when followed later by ‘Skylarking’ a tune that burst the singer all over the radio and sound systems of Jamaica. After numerous singles and two albums worth of material, Horace moved on to work with many of the top flight Jamaican producers, among them Keith Hudson, Augustus Pablo and Niney the Observer, but it was his work with producer Bunny Lee in the 70’s that he cut most of his hits for and from this stable of work, that we have compiled this set. Some of his late 60’s classics were recut in the popular 1970’s style, working with the rhythm kings themselves, Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare. They have added some shine to the tracks, ‘Something On My Mind’ and ‘Skylarking’ and made them hits all over again. Such was Horace’s delivery to the covers he sang like Delroy Wilson’s version of the Tams ‘Riding For A Fall’, the Heptones ‘My Guiding Star’, John Holts ‘Man Next Door’ and Bill Wither’s ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’, that these fine tunes were made his own. The roots end of his musical style was covered by Andy originals such as ‘You Are My Angel’, ’Zion Gate’, ‘Money Money’ and the cut which we have taken our edited title, the timeless ‘Just Say Who’. A bass heavy cut to Bob Marley’s ‘Natural Mystic’ works so well in this style also. Another nickname Horace acquired was the affectionate title of Sleepy, as he was always hanging around the yards and studios of Jamaica waiting his turn, sometimes so long he would fall asleep. His enthusiasm to get back in the studio to work some more of his magic, to a catalogue of material that has developed into one of the finest in Jamaica. I hope you will agree, this fine set of 1970’s classics will sit alongsid

This is the voice that inspired a thousand Jamaican singers from the seventies onwards. Working with producer Bunny Lee and the go-to rhythm section of Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, the roots reggae king re-interprets his own work as well as that of the young pretenders of the time. You will be familiar with the great 'Skylarking' but The Heptones’ 'My Guiding Star' and Bill Withers' 'Ain't No Sunshine' may surprise you in their quality and depth of feeling. This is an all-killer and no filler production.

FFO: Massive Attack, Junior Murvin, Easy All-Stars, Johnny Osbourne.

By Martha