First published 1982
Stephen Davis examines reggae music through collected essays and interviews that span from Jamaica's pre-reggae musical traditions to the genre's worldwide influence. The book opens with Jamaica's musical foundations before reggae emerged, then follows the music as it crosses borders and takes root in international communities. Davis presents the key figures who shaped reggae's development and the places where the music found new audiences. Through conversations with musicians and cultural observers, he documents how reggae moved from local Jamaican expression to global phenomenon. The collection reveals both the people who carried reggae beyond its birthplace and the communities that embraced it. Davis shows how reggae's diaspora created new musical conversations across continents while maintaining connections to its Jamaican origins.
Genres: non-fiction, music, international, cultural-studies
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: cultural-exchange, diaspora
Setting: Jamaica, Global
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
192 pages · Paperback · Rogner & Bernhard GMBH & Co.