2009 release. The mighty U Roy is the originator, the man who put the DJ phenomenon on the map and made it an artform. U Roy moved into the recording arena firstly cutting two discs for producer Lee Perry: Earths Rightful Ruler and OK Corral, and then following this with Dynamic Fashion Way and Riot for producer Keith Hudson. Producer Duke Reid, seeing the potential in this new found form, brought U Roy to his Treasure Isle Studios to voice over his back catalog of rocksteady hits. His first three releases for Duke Reid Wake the Town, Rule the Nation and Wear You to the Ball held the top three positions for 12 weeks in early 1970s. Here, Kingston Sounds have compiled some of U Roy's best-loved cuts from his mid-'70s period, when all were still looking at him for guidance. The opening cut "Call on Me" sees him working over Delroy Wilson's "Got to Be There." "You Never Get Away" gets U Roy answering Delroy Wilson's "Keep on Rocking." Johnny Clarke's "Time Gonna Tell" with a roots-y bass line turns into "Every Knee Shall Bow." Two extra tracks for the CD release of this album sees the great voice of Slim Smith, and his "Let's Stick Together" becomes "Ain't to Proud to Beg," and Cornell Campbell's "Stand Firm" works with U Roy to sign us off with "I Shall Not Remove." A fine collection of the Daddy of all DJs, who said, "I Originate, so you must appreciate, while the others got to imitate." That says it all, really.
