Feel Like Jumping: Best of Studio One Women
Clement S. "Coxsone" Dodd's Studio One sound, its rhythms flowing like water, is the grandfather of modern reggae. Granted, most of the stars associated with Studio One, such asDennis BrownandSugar Minott, were of the male persuasion, but some of the most enjoyable music to come out of this prolific hit factory featured female vocalists.Feel Like Jumpingcollects 16 tracks by some of Jamaica's best-known female artists (Marcia Griffiths,Hortense Ellis) as well as a few who deserve greater recognition (Cecile Campbell, Myrna Hague). The selections, many of which were previously unreleased, are all first-rate and reflect the diversity of styles found within reggae music. Two cuts in particular,Dawn Penn's original version of her late-'80s club hit "No, No, No" and Norma Fraser's delicate rendition of the ageless sound-system staple "First Cut Is the Deepest," make this collection a must-have for serious collectors of Jamaican music.--Rebecca Levine