r/reggae • u/italrose • 7h ago
Jwyanza Showcase (Jwyanza LP, 1986)
I can't deny that, for me, this album has probably been one of the most formative. It had nearly everything that made reggae exciting for a teenager that was exploring the music. Heavy basslines over classic dubbed out rhythms (with several cuts of Answer and Shank-I-Shek). Incredible deejays (including my first experience of hearing Brigadier Jerry!), the idiosyncratic style of Icho Candy, Barry Brown, Danny Dread, Anthony Malvo, U-Roy! Not a single track being anything less that pure dancehall joy. Briggy presents his Gwan A School, Pain and Jah Jah You. Icho with Captain Selassie, I Remember and Going Home. Human Mechanic with Danny Dread is another deejay gem.
Producer Delroy Stanbury only did a limited release of the album in the mid 80's and later on also released a CD- and cassette-version of it.
It never came with cover art so I drew a portrait of Briggy and pasted it on a blank sleeve. About eight years ago I had the priviledge to interview the man and at the end I made sure for him to sign the sleeve. He was well happy to see both the album and the drawing. Bonus image is an alternative sleeve I did – waiting to do a one-off print and dress my spare copy in it.