Search - Ken Boothe :: Man & His Hits

Classic sounds

Sean M. Kelly | 03/11/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"this is ska and rocksteday the way it's ment to be. Ken Boothe is probably the most soulful singer to come from jamaica's littel island. This cd highlites his early gems, has great liner notes and song by song breakdown, written by Chuck Foster. Boothe backed by such great bands as the Skatalites, Soul Venders, and the Soul Brothers shows way he is Mr. Rocksteady"

Good starting point

Sean M. Kelly | Portland, Oregon United States | 09/17/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This lp offers a good introduction to Boothe's body of work (at least in the 60's, at any rate). As you will hear, Boothe was quite an impassioned and fiery vocalist, who borrowed heavily from the American soul singers of the time; and in the era of rocksteady, that made Boothe a popular singer, and with it came a slew of well made hits in Studio One.The cd does a nice job showcasing his early years, including "Artibella," one of his first recordings with Stranger Cole in the duo Stranger and Ken, as well as "The Train Is Coming," a bonus in and of itself as the early Wailers are featured on the track. Other highlights certainly include "Moving Away," "You're No Good (Crying Over You)," a top 15 hit in 1975, and the great "Thinking," to name a few.What I find disappointing, however, is that many of his 70's hits, among the very best he recorded, are missing, and that's a shame. The cd could use "Everything I Own," (later covered by Boy George, of all people) "Freedom Street," and "Why Baby Why" to improve it.Overall, however, the cd is a nice look at this underrated singer, and a nice addition to anyone's collection."