I’ve decided to finally dig into my collection and unearth my favourite deep roots tunes I’ve accumulated over the many years collecting and enjoying Jamaican music.

Whilst talented men like Yabby You and Augustus Pablo etc have made some of the most deep and enduring roots music ever made, for these shows I wanted to focus on the more obscure artists and lesser-known individuals and producers who ventured into the studio only a handful of times or perhaps once only. Often self-funding their own productions on their own labels I feel these tunes deserve to be heard and appreciated by a wider audience. Indeed you’ll recognise some labels and artists who’ve had quite prolific careers and I felt one of their early efforts deserved to be included.

Musically, roots music is based around minor chord structures and heavy basslines. These riddims are perfectly ‘dread’ for the artists to sing or chant serious and conscious lyrics over – hardships of life and oppression in the ghetto, black history and slavery, politics and of course praising Jah, King Selassie. That said, I’ve included some tunes where the singer is concerned about love and the lighter side of life. Sung in a very roots style, the riddims they ride are super heavy with thunderous version sides to match.

So trod along, take a draw and enjoy deep roots from the yard……

– Adrian Crestani  firecorner.com