5.0 out of 5 stars
"Young, gifted and black" -- emphasis on GIFTED, February 11, 2011
This review is from: Pied Piper (Audio CD)
Wow -- the early Marcia Griffiths, especially in her work with Bob Andy, was nothing but a red-hot powerhouse of reggae soul! If you have any feel for reggae at all, or if you like 60s and 70s soul, it's impossible to deny the power and pull of some of these songs. The originals are great, and I loved most of the covers, which include the Beatles' "Don't Let Me Down," Freda Payne's "Band of Gold," and even, bizarrely, "Play Me" by Neil Diamond. The arrangements are surprisingly sprightly and include liberal, but never smarmy, use of string sections. The standout tracks for me were the joyful and determined "Young, Gifted and Black" -- my favorite version of this song, which is amazing when you consider that even Aretha covered it -- and "I Just Don't Want to Be Lonely." But there aren't many duds in this sizeable compilation. Marcia sang backup for Bob Marley for years. Listen to this, and you'll know why he chose her.
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