Liner Note Authors: Roger Steffens; Leroy Jodie Pierson.
Collecting Bob Marley & the Wailers' complete mid-1960s sessions at Clement "Coxsone" Dodd's revered Studio One in Kingston, Jamaica, this two-disc set reveals the formative sound of the legendary reggae group, which was known then as simply the Wailers. While the tracks here find Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer easing into their signature vocal styles, and consist primarily of vibrant, horn-laden ska and rocksteady (the roiling classic "Simmer Down," the revelatory '65 rendition of "One Love"), other songs present fascinating detours into gospel (the celebratory "Amen") and pop (the surprisingly straightforward "Teenager in Love," a soulful cover of the Beatles' "And I Love Her"). Far more than just a curiosity, the 41-track ONE LOVE AT STUDIO ONE presents a complete picture of the crucial first steps in a revolutionary musical journey.