
Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae
Documentary chronicling the rocksteady era of Jamaican music in the 1960s, which gave birth to reggae. Some of the island's greatest singers and players perform a reunion concert.
The rocksteady era of Jamaican music in the mid-to-late 1960s is considered a golden age because rocksteady's sweet, soulful vocals, romantic but often socially conscious lyrics and prominent basslines gave birth to reggae, which went on to capture the world.
This documentary chronicles the coming together of rocksteady's surviving vocal stars - artists like the Tamlins, U-Roy, Ken Boothe, Leroy Sibbles from the Heptones, Judy Mowatt, Dawn Penn, Rita Marley and Marcia Griffiths - and some of the island's greatest players, to celebrate their greatest 60s hits, perform a reunion concert and celebrate that golden era. Think of it as a kind of Buena Vista Social Club for the great 60s architects of Jamaican music. It is also a beautiful portrait of Jamaica.
In 1962, Jamaica gained its independence from Great Britain. There was celebration, optimism, economic growth and opportunity. Recording studios popped up all over Kingston and a generation of great singers and players emerged playing the tuneful, mellow music that became known as rocksteady - tunes like The Tide Is High, Rivers of Babylon and You Don't Love Me Anymore, No No No, which were so successfully celebrated by UB40 on their Labour of Love albums. By 1968, Jamaica's economic bubble had burst and social unrest took to the streets. As poverty, violence and political upheaval spread, rocksteady became politicised, upped its tempo and began to evolve into the music they call reggae.
Last on
Music Played
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Rocksteady Band & Singers
People Rocksteady
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Hopetown Lewis & The Tamlins
People Rocksteady
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Rocksteady Musician
Unidentified flute music
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Stranger Cole & Rocksteady Band
Morning Train
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Stranger Cole & Uroy
Morning Train
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Stranger Cole
Rough and Tough
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Hopetown Lewis & Rocksteady Band
Take It Easy
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Judy Mowatt & Rocksteady Band
Silent River Runs Deep
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Rocksteady Band
Band rehearsing
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Alpha Boys' School Band
Alpha Boys' School band warming up
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Rocksteady Band
Band warming up
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Marcia Griffiths & Rocksteady Band
The Tide is High
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Marcia Griffiths (acapella)
The Tide is High
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Marcia Griffiths
The Tide is High
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Hopetown Lewis & Rocksteady Band
By the Rivers of Babylon
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Rocksteady Band & Singers
By the Rivers of Babylon
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Dermot Fagan
By the Rivers of Babylon
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Dawn Penn & Rocksteady Band
You Don't Love Me, No No No
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Rocksteady Band member singing
Nice Time
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Derrick Morgan
Tougher Than Tough
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Derrick Morgan
Tougher Than Tough & Rocksteady Band
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Ken Boothe & Rocksteady Band
Shanty Town
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Ken Boothe
Shanty Town
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Uroy
Stop That Train
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Leroy Sibbles & Band
Equal Rights
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Ken Boothe & Rocksteady Band
Freedom Street
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Hopetown Lewis
In a Vision
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Untitled
Stranger Cole & Gladdy Anderson with the Alpha Boys’ School Band -Love Me Today
Ken Boothe
Nice Time
Lynn Taitt
Bog Walk
Derrick Morgan
Conquering Ruler
Rocksteady Musician
Unidentified humming
Broadcast
- Sun 13 Feb 2011 21:00