Dennis Brown: the Crown Prince of Reggae

Together with bass player and producer Leroy Sibbles of The Heptones he recorded “All For One” at Jamaica’s legendary Studio One, for which Sibbles was a session bassist as part of their in-house reggae bands the Sound Dimension and Soul Vendors.

His album Visions of Dennis Brown was the first release from his sessions with producer Joe Gibbs, who was the first to ask Brown to record an album for him, leading to his international breakthrough. The album sees roots reggae come together with lovers rock, with a line-up of acclaimed musicians including Sly Dunbar on drums.

1985's Slow Down, on the other hand, was produced by Prince Jammy a.k.a. King Jammy, who started out as a dub master at King Tubby's Studio. By 1985, Jammy was one of the producers at the forefront of dancehall production, but blended in smoothly with Brown’s roots style of reggae. "Jammy's style appealed to audiences across the musical spectrum, while Brown's ability to shift from roots to lovers rock electrified audiences young and old, making Slow Down one of those rare records: an album that really can be all things to all people," writes Jo-Ann Greene in a review on Slow Down.

Another collaboration with Jammy that followed, was the Material Girl 7" in 1986 for Jammy's own reggae/dancehall imprint. And for 2018’s King Jammy Presents… Dennis Brown - Tracks of Life, Jammy returned to the master tapes of Slow Down and other releases, revamping them to the sound of today with additional vocals and lyrics by the likes of Damian Marley, Busy Signal, and others.