The art of the remix is pretty well established by this point as a variation on a cover song, except instead of entirely rerecording a song in another artist’s style, the remixer will rework the track using the original elements of the track being remixed. It can lead to the same sort of pleasure as hearing a great cover song, as a great remix can give a whole new impression of a familiar piece of music. And at this stage, there is very little music that any but the most fervent purist would say shouldn’t be experimented on in that way. That said, the corpus of Bob Marley’s music might be one such “untouchable” batch of songs, at least for some.
Undaunted, KCRW’s own Jason Bentley has broken down the wall & helped produce an amazing assortment of unique takes on the music of the reggae legend. With the good graces of the Marley family, including Bob’s sons Ziggy & Stephen (who were so inspired that they offered up some rare remixes of their own), Bentley has assembled a stellar batch of contemporary producers to tackle such beloved musical texts. The roster includes many familiar names to KCRW listeners, such as Thievery Corporation, Z-Trip, RAC, Pretty Lights and Jim James, as well as Photek, whose darkly dubby take on “One Love/People Get Ready” Bentley admits is a personal favorite. Versions of “Stir It Up,” “I Shot the Sheriff,” “Redemption Song” and all the other Marley classics are given a new look by some of today’s most acclaimed music makers. It’s an intriguing exploration of some nearly “sacred” music, examined with respect and creativity.
- Eric J. Lawrence
Track List:
1. Waiting In Vain (Jim James Remix)
2. Stir It Up (Ziggy Marley Remix)
3. Three Little Birds (Stephen Marley and Jason Bentley Remix)
4. Could You Be Loved (RAC Remix)
5. No Woman No Cry (Stephen Marley Remix)
6. Get Up Stand Up (Thievery Corporation Remix)
7. Satisfy My Soul (Beats Antique Remix)
8. I Shot The Sheriff (Roni Size Remix)
9. Exodus (Pretty Lights Remix)
10. Easy Skanking (Stephen Marley Remix)
11. One Love/People Get Ready (Photek Remix)
12. Redemption Song (Ziggy Marley Remix)
13. Is This Love (Jason Bentley Remix)
14. Jamming (Nickodemus and Zeb Remix)
15. Punky Reggae Party (Z-Trip featuring Lee 'Scratch' Perry Remix)
16. Buffalo Soldier (Stephen Marley Remix)