Friday 23 June 2017

Red Gold & Green #19 - Gregory Isaacs

Your humble author with his copy of 'Soon Forward', purchased 38 years ago

A couple of weeks ago, in the 17th instalment of this occasional dip into my reggae archive, I shone a light on The Voice of Thunder, Prince Far-I. Today we travel to the opposite end of the vocal spectrum to sample a tune from that sweetest of voices, The Cool Ruler himself, Gregory Isaacs.

In a career spanning over 40 years, Gregory Isaacs was a prolific recording artist and you're on pretty safe ground picking up absolutely anything you find by the great man from the 1970's up to and including 'Night Nurse' in 1982. Thereafter, his prodigious output continued, but, with the exception of one or two stand-out moments, the quality was never quite the same. It was a long and painful decline, exacerbated by health and drug dependency issues until lung cancer claimed his life in 2010. He was just 59.

Here's 'Soon Forward', the title track from Gregory's 1979 LP on Front Line Records. A sublime performance from an artist at the very top of his game.

Gregory Isaacs - Soon Forward

9 comments:

TheRobster said...

Sublime indeed. Great minds think alike too (my place next Wednesday...)

Ramone666 said...

A nightingale from the island. Great stuff.

Swiss Adam said...

Stunner.

Alyson said...

Excellent indeed. As you know I am no expert on any of this but there is something about Reggae that is timeless and can never sound dated despite being, as you say, from 38 years ago.

I don't know if it's just me and I know you don't have a telly so this may be lost on you but it could be James Nesbitt the actor peeping out at us from behind the album cover.

The Swede said...

TheRobster. I'm looking forward to your selection. I changed my mind at the last moment, so it'll be interesting to see which tune you choose.

Ramone666. Well said.

Swiss Adam. Indeed!

Alyson. Funnily enough I briefly caught James Nesbitt on the TV while we were staying with my Aunt in London last week. Has he had some kind of hair transplant in the recent past? I'm sure I remember his noggin being a little less hirsute last time I saw him.

Alyson said...

Re James Nesbitt, yes he has definitely gone down the replenishing the follicles route it seems, just like Rob Brydon and probably others we don't know about. It wasn't so much the hair but the eye/eyebrow combo that made me see the resemblance though. One day we will all do the big reveal - I have been brave enough to put a thumbnail on my About page now but that's enough for now!

Chris said...

Night Nurse is the obligatory hit I already knew, nice to become acquainted with another quality tune by Gregory Isaacs. I recently bought a box set of Peter Tosh cds which I look forward to exploring.

Rol said...

This is why I can't take time off from the blogosphere. I go away for a day or two and people start putting up selfies!

Old Pa's Corner said...

Great stuff, Night Nurse album was my album of the year 1982

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