Ijahman
Are We A Warrior

Chouette Records-12"-Coming From The Mountains / Wolf + Dirty Business Around / I Fi

For their latest missive, Rock A Shaka have decided to offer up a new pressing of The Chosen Few's early '70s classic "I Love The Way You Love", a slab of languid, soulful sunshine recorded at a time when reggae as we know it today (rather than rocksteady or ska) was still a nascent musical form. While the original vocal version has featured on a number of the Jamaican band's albums over the years, the accompanying flipside "Version" by producer Prince Tony Robinson AKA The Groove Master has previously been frustratingly hard to find. It's worth picking this up just to get it, as Robinson's additional musical flourishes - think Tommy McCook style sax, fluttering flute solos and harder rhythm guitar - lift the band's fine riddim to even higher heights.

Keith & Tex are Jamaican Rocksteady icons, with classics for life, such as ‘Tonight’, ‘This Is My Song’, ‘Run To The Rocks’, ‘Goodbye Baby’ and, of course, the song ‘Stop That Train’, worldwide famous tune that was featured in Jimmy Cliff’s ‘The Harder They Come’ original film sound track. Keith Rowe and Phillip Tex Dixon, both originally from Kingston, were introduced by a common friend and soon formed a singing group which contained three other friends singing everywhere possible, trying to get the chance to record fresh material. They auditioned for the most important producers at the time in Jamaica like Duke Reid, Prince Buster and Coxsone Dodd, but were not successful as a five man group, so the group disbanded leaving the duo Keith and Tex. They later auditioned for Derrick Harriott who recognizing their talent, recorded the duo's best moments on 7” by the end of the 60’s. Hits came soon: ‘Stop That Train’ (actually was a Spanishtonians original Ska track), ‘Tonight’, ‘This Is My Song’, ‘Don't Look Back’ (a The Temptations cover) and ‘Hypnotizing Eyes’. Their Jamaican story didn’t last too long, as they stopped recording in 1970 when they both moved abroad: Keith to USA and Tex to Canada. Keith served in the US Army, while Tex worked for the Canadian Government. Keith continued playing the New York scene and also recorded a classic song with Lee "Scratch" Perry titled Groovy Situation. In 1994 they re-joined to play some gigs and to complete an album titled Together Again. That same year Keith started a new radio DJ career with ‘Sounds of the Caribbean’ show, an exciting adventure that lasted nineteen years until his departure for Tampa, Florida. He continues his radio career with his show ‘Reggae Rhapsody’ on Reggae King Radio, an internet radio station by VP Records. Since 2013 they have toured the world, and played some of the most prestigious Reggae/Ska festivals including North America, Europe and Asia. 2017 sees the release of new original music produced and composed by Roberto Sanchez at A-Lone Ark Muzik Studio with this brand new album. Composed exclusively with original material, keeping the Rocksteady essence the duet was known for during the golden period from 1967 to 1969. Also included are Ska and Reggae cuts within these 11 tracks. This album proves that Keith and Tex continues their excellence and with the stunning Roberto Sanchez's production, this new Album is a must for all serious music lovers.

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