Reggae Routes: The Story of Jamaican Music

by Kevin O'Brien Chang

Book Overview

"From Kumina to Mento, Ska to Rocksteady, Reggae to Dancehall, Roots to Ragga - this is the authentic story of Jamaican popular music, told for the first time by Jamaicans. In Jamaica, Reggae is more... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9768100672
• ISBN13: 9789768100672
• Release Date: January 2012
• Publisher: Ian Randle Publishers
• Length: 258 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.7" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

THE NEW BIBLE OF JAMAICAN MUSIC? YES!

The newspaper reviews are right. Reggae Routes really is the new bible of Jamaican music. It makes every other book ever written on reggae look superficial - not surprising considering it's the only one ever written by someone born and bred in Jamaica. But it's more than just a great reggae book, it's an insightfull look at Jamaica and popular music in general. It's certainly a well researched book. The end chapter about Rastafarianism is the best piece I've ever seen on the subject. And Reggae Routes is wonderfully written, both stylish and funny. Once you start it you can't put it down. Simply a must buy for anyone interested in Reggae, Jamaica, Rastafarianism, or popular world music.

Reggae Routes - About so much more than music.

MUCH MORE THAN MUSICTwo Jamaican Reggae enthusiasts pen the history of reggae music from the Jamaican perspective - and end up giving us so much more.REGGAE ROUTES - By Kevin O'Brien Chang and Wayne Chen"Jamaica has less than one-twentieth of one percent of the world's population and produces even less of its wealth...In terms of popular music, though, it's the most fortunate nation on earth. Like everything else, reggae has had to adapt to a faster moving world. But it remains inarguably Jamaican, a rhythm in tune with its people, not only listened to all over the globe but still listening to itself." Such is the tone for Reggae Routes. From cover to cover, and with practically flawless consistency, lead author Kevin O'Brien Chang and co-author Wayne Chen bring to life the story of Jamaica's reggae music with the same frankness, pride and gutsy insight that punctuate this excerpt.When asked what prompted him to write about reggae, Brien Chang just laughs. "Oh, I don't know! My friends and I used to spend a lot of time as youngsters talking and arguing about reggae and its evolution over the years. It was like a hobby of sorts." An understatement indeed! As the name implies, Reggae Routes walks the reader through the entire history of Jamaica's hallbrand of music, now globally famous, if not unmistakablly recognised. The work is no less than thorough in its research, one of its obvious strengths, with every musical contributor being given his or her fair share of the limelight. Fear not. Bob Marley, while featured prominently on the book's cover, does not upstage his colleagues. In fact, the book is a virtual three-dimensional expose of reggae's history, with all aspects covered, or rather, uncovered. We are made privy to the many impromptu meetings, the social observations and the private battles that lay the path for the creation and promotion of the songs that we would eventually come to know and love, and which would eventually lead to the birth of entire musical trends. Humorous anecdotes about the naming of songs and the origins of names (even reggae itself) only begin to whet the appetite for information. From the origin of Kumina to the influence of Louise Bennett, the book's occasional scholastic touch is neatly balanced with its obviously entertaining flair. The careful but lively detail used in this account is a tribute and a compliment to Jamaicans and reggae fans alike who may already know some of the history. As if sharing the mircrophone in their own recording studio, the authors prudently and frequently share the voice of authority with every side involved in an issue. From song writers to producers, musicians to singers, the opinions positive and negative, contradictory and favourable are all included in the mix, and lend much credibility to the book. Readers will appreciate this approach by these two businessmen-turned-authors who use fact to support their views, rather t

THE DEFINTIVE BOOK ON REGGAE

After reading Reggae Rasta Revolution and The Rough Guide To Reggae, I was very hesitant to buy this book. I was afraid it would be prove to be another waste of money. But thank God I ponied up the dough. Reggae Routes is not only indisputably the best book ever written on reggae (And I have read them all or at least all I could find!), it is simply an excellent book period and a must read for anyone interested in reggae, Jamaica, world music or popular music. It is beautifully written in a manner that defies you to put it down and is as comprehensive as it is possible to be. (I always wondered where Nyabinghi came from.) The pictures are wonderful and it is a very well designed book. I agree with 90% of the top 100. Nice to see it was all done in Jamaica by Jamaicans, just like the best reggae. I would wholeheartedly advise anyone reading this to immediately click on 'ADD TO SHOPPING CART' and order as many copies as you have friends who like reggae.

A comprehensive factual account of the development of Reggae

This book will not only appeal to Reggae fans and historians, but to any one who has the slightest interest in Jamaican Culture. The material has apparently been thoroughly researched and is presented in manner which is both informative and easy to read.

THE BEST REGGAE BOOK EVER?

'Reggae Routes' claims to be the first book on reggae written by Jamaicans and covers every conceivable aspect of Jamaican music. The authors have an authentic feel for reggae and Jamaica and write quite stylishly. The photos and illustrations are excellent, the criticism is thought provoking and it's well researched - this is the only reggae book with footnotes I've ever seen and it's spiced with high spirited quotes from living legends past and present. I don't always agree with Chang and Chen's judgments, but on the whole their taste is pretty good and I can't seriously quarrel with their all-time reggae top 100 and dancehall top 30 lists. All in all it's a fascinating look at Jamaica through its music and is a must read for anyone interested in the country or its culture. I particularly enjoyed the asides on Jamaican women and men. 'Reggae Routes' is the best book on reggae or Jamaica I've seen and probably one of the best I've read on popular music.