In all honesty, we have to admit we'd never heard of Colonel Maxwell, but in France, he's considered one of the absolute pioneers of the local ragga scene. Maxwell took his first steps into the music world back in the late 1980s, when the first sound systems emerged in Paris. During a stay in Waterhouse, Kingston, in the late 1990s, he developed his own digital rub-a-dub style, reminiscent of greats from that era like Tenor Saw, Nitty Gritty, and King Kong. But it's only now, many years later and thanks to a chance meeting with producer Sky from Abendigo Records, that a first full-length album is finally seeing the light of day.
By Jah Rebel
‘Jah Is My Leader’ was recorded in the Early J and Ouragan studios in Brittany and features 12 tracks that instantly transport you back to the 1980s, when the digital revolution in the reggae genre was at its peak.
The track list predominantly features original productions, spiced up with (digital) reinterpretations of well-known and lesser-known classic riddims such as Ba Ba Boom (opener and title track ‘Jah Is My Leader’), Tempo (‘Ital’), and Jollification (‘Sweetest Love’).
While the digital revolution in Jamaica often went hand in hand with the popularization of slackness lyrics, in his songs Colonel Maxwell maintains a conscious course, focusing primarily on classic roots themes such as ital food (the aforementioned ‘Ital’), ganja (‘Ganjah Farmer’), and Jah (title track ‘Jah Is My Leader’).
An excellent introduction to one of France’s best-kept reggae secrets!
Founder alongside Jah Shakespear who transitioned to this role in late 2014. Previously worked as critic and reporter, balancing passions for music and Haile Selassie spirituality.
June 18, 2024