Al Crosdale on Jimmy Lindsay November 1980

Late last year Jimmy Lindsay undertook an arduous British tour as support act. Tough Jimmy and his band Rasuji tuned in for a lengthy tour with an average of fifteen years playing experience apiece. For the wider audience Ronny Lane attracts They were armed only with Jimmy’s superlative re-working of the Commodores’ Easy and a punchy album called ‘Where is your Love’, his debut LP on Gem Records The tour kicked off from up north, and, aided in no small way by the hipness and size of ‘Lanes’ audience, their name as an outstanding band quickly spread all over the country. Rave reviews became more of an everyday affair in keeping with the success of the tour as it progressed through the North West and the midlands. So by the time they reached London Rasuji’ line-up was in full flight.

One London gig which stands firmly to mind was the one at the venue. The place, Candle lit and packed to the brim, is an old converted cinema with excellent acoustics and a small floor for dancing. Jimmy simply’ mash it up’, His vocal authority and Commanding technique did something to that audience they might never forget.

Not so long after the Venue demanded Lindsay back as headliner and the result was the same, except that the inevitable critical acclaim ensued.

Gem Records have always believed that Jimmy Lindsay is a genuine reggae artist with a different something to say…that’s why they signed in the first place! And the singer’s second LP for the label, called ‘Children of Rastafari ‘, proves true that belief. Like the venue gig mentioned earlier, Children of Rastafari looks destined to make the next change in Jimmy Lindsay’s 17 year old singing career.

The album is cardinal in every way and after you’ve played once you’ll see, why Lindsay had to wait all these years to do it since he first planned Children of Rastafari in 1973.

In short, it is an album of naked truth.

In order to present the truth in such musically articulate manner as we hear on Children of Rastafari, Jimmy chooses to go further into the roots of reggae. I say ‘chooses’ because Lindsay has already proved his worth as a ’Soul’ singer way back in the’60s and also as’Rock’ master during his spell with Cymand’e in the early ‘70s.

Anyway back to Children of Rastafari. Hear for example his moods the funde drums rhythms (often called traditional Rasta beat) from the start of the title we find our self’s   off on this unique listening trip. As if the heavy percussion wasn’t enough to grab us Lindsay weighs in with a kind of spiritual melody which guarantees to do the trick. But check the Ska electric piano as Jimmy sings… Our treasure is an open sky and the moon that fills the night to guide us on our way’’. So although Jimmy started singing as a twelve-year old
Brixton schoolboy in 1962 His real ferocity lies in his Jamaican roots.

Moving on through the album to ‘People of the Third World‘the only song not written by jimmy’ we hear him getting as tigerish as the Jamaican masters who laid foundations for the
Music.

Now   Jimmy Lindsay finds himself doing for British reggae what the likes of Joe Gibbs, Jimmy Cliff.  Bob Andy and Bob Marley did for the Jamaican interpretation of the Music

Children of Rastafari take reggae into many new dimensions. First, there is the undisputed excellence of Lindsay’s singing. Then there is his song-writing, Which on this album has skipped a few classes to take its proper place in the first division of international song-writing. There is little doubt that the freshness of the chord progressions will appeal to the general listener on the first playing of the album.

Jimmy’s band Rasuji, augmented by Black Slate’s bass player,  rises to the occasion with remarkable confidence and passion, just listen to the way they hold down steady, catchy riffs all the way throughout the album. To crown such an excellent collection of players and singers is co-producer Lloyd Coxone,   long famed for his leading role in the UK Sound System Culture. Lloydie has been involved in the music from when we use to call it anything from Blue Beat to Ska, so he knows it inside out. And this comes out in the mix

In the end we’ll all be on our feet dancing around our front rooms.

It would not surprise many people if Children of Rastafari revives earlier intrests in Lindsay’s other releases on Gem and on his own Music Hive Label, What an Album!

AL Crosdale Music Editor

West Indian Digest