Jimmy Cliff Give Thanks CD

Many of the great reggae singers who emerged in the '60s and '70s were Rastafarians, but Jimmy Cliff is an exception. Cliff is a Muslim, which is why you won't find references to "Jah Rastafarai," "I-tal food" or "ganja" in any of his material. While the absence of Rastafarian terminology in Cliff's songs is one of the things that sets him apart from other reggae artists, his message of Black liberation has been well received by Rastas. Cliff proves that you don't have to be a Rastafarian to be a reggae star, and he also proves that a reggae artist doesn't have to perform reggae 100% of the time. 1978's Give Thanx, in fact, has as much to do with R&B as it does with reggae. While "Stand Up and Fight Back" and "Wanted Man" are reggae gems, "You Left Me Standing At The Door" and "She Is A Woman" are southern-style soul treasures that would have fit right in on a Stax/Volt release. And "Meeting in Africa" is the type of English-language African pop one would expect to come from a South African artist rather than a Jamaican reggae singer. Cliff's eclectic nature proves to be an asset throughout this fine LP. ~ Alex Henderson

Personnel: Jimmy Cliff (vocals); Earl "Chinna" Smith, Ernest Ranglin (guitar); Paul "Scooby" Smith, Keith Sterling, Ansel Collins (keyboards); Ronnie Murphy (drums); Rebop Kwaku Baah (congas, percussion); Uziah "Sticky" Thompson (percussion); The Meditations (background vocals).

Recording information: Aquarius Recording, Kingston, Jamaica.