Toots & The Maytals True Love CD

In addition to being credited with coining the term "reggae" back in the late 1960s, Toots Hibbert is a genre cornerstone whose contributions tend to be overshadowed by better-known artists such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Jimmy Cliff. TRUE LOVE finds producer Richard Feldman trying to set the record straight with this collection of all-star duets that span musical styles and generations. Luckily, Feldman's extensive preparations found him re-recording a number of Hibbert's better-known numbers and using many of the session musicians who played on the original versions.

The result features Eric Clapton peppering "Pressure Drop" with snappy blues riffs, Bonnie Raitt reworking the title cut and providing a fine romantic foil to Hibbert, and Willie Nelson trading verses on the country legend's own "Still Is Still Moving to Me." In keeping an authentic vibe to the proceedings, Feldman also recruited reggae vets Bunny Wailer (contributing to a soulful "Take a Trip") and the duo of Marcia Griffiths and Ken Boothe (on a snappy "Reggae Got Soul").

The calibre of the collaborators on "True Love" reveals the impact that Toots has had on several generations of rockers and rappers, while appearances from reggae icons Bunny Wailer and Marcia Griffiths show the respect granted to the man who might be the music's greatest living vocalist. Special guests include Ben Harper, Shaggy, Willie Nelson, Keith Richards, Ryan Adams, Eric Clapton, No Doubt, Jeff Beck, The Roots, Bootsy Collins, Bonnie Raitt, Trey Anastasio, Ken Boothe, Marcia Griffiths, Terry Hall, Rhazel, The Skatalites, U-Roy, Bunny Wailer and Rachel Yamagata.

Includes liner notes by Anthony DeCurtis.

Personnel: Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Ryan Adams, Trey Anastasio, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Bootsy Collins (vocals, guitar); Bonnie Raitt (vocals, slide guitar); Gwen Stefani, Ken Boothe, Marcia Griffiths, Rachael Yamagata, Rahzel, Shaggy, Terry Hall , U-Roy, Willie Nelson, Bunny Wailer (vocals); Devon James, Dwight Pinkney, Earl "Chinna" Smith, Dougie Bryan, Andy Bassford, Jeff Beck, Richard Feldman, Tim Pierce, Tom Dumont, Hux Brown, Carl Harvey, Brad Rice (guitar); Dean Fraser (saxophone); Cedric 'Im Brooks (tenor saxophone); David Madden, Phil Jordan (trumpet); Gabrial McNair (trombone, organ); Will Clark, Ronald "Nambo" Robinson (trombone); Charles Farquharson, Ansel Collins, Stephen Stewart (piano, organ); Ken Stewart, Kamiah "Little Klang" Gray (piano); Oliver Charles (keyboards, percussion); Jason Yates, Robert Lyn (keyboards); Paul Douglas (drums, tambourine); ?uestlove (drums, percussion); Adrian Young, Lloyd Knibbs, Sly Dunbar (drums); Leon Mobley, Uziah "Sticky" Thompson (percussion); Leba Thomas, Mighty Mo Rodgers, Monalisa Young, Pam Hall (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Richard Feldman; Todd Burke; Tom Weir.

Liner Note Author: Anthony DeCurtis.

Recording information: Anchor Studios, Kingston, Jamaica; Big Yard Studios, Long Island, NY; Bismeaux Studios, Austin, TX; Bogart Studios, Miami, FL; Bootzilla Re-Hab Studio, Cleveland, OH; Camp Street, Boston, MA; Dangerous Music, New York, NY; Grand Master Studios, Hollywood, CA; Lego Studios, Kingston, Jamaica; Mayfair Studios, London, England; Mix One, Boston, MA; NRG Recording, Los Angeles, CA; Olympic Studios, London, England; Puremix Studios, New York, NY; Quad Studios, New York, NY; RPM, New York, NY; Skyline Studios, San Francisco, CA; Sound on Sound, New York, NY; Studio City Sound, Studio City, CA; Studio Of Legends MVP Harry J's, Kingston, Jamaica; Studio, Philadelphia, PA; The Barn, Burlington, VT.

Photographers: Mike Cacia; Scott Soens; David Corio.

Personnel includes: Toots Hibbert (vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, piano, Clavinet, organ, bongos, drum programming); Eric Clapton, Ryan Adams, Bonnie Raitt, Ben Harper, Keith Richards, Trey Anastasio, Bootsy Collins (vocals, guitar); Shaggy, Rahzel, Ken Boothe, Marcia Griffiths, Terry Hall, U-Roy, Bunny Wailer, Rachel Yamagata, Willie NelsoQ (p.121) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[T]he music remains deliciously beguiling..."