Pass the Knowledge

While Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert takes credit for coining the word reggae, and Bob Marley is widely considered reggae’s only true superstar, few place The Mighty Diamonds on a similar pedestal for creating the highly influential ‘rockers’ sub-genre. The album was Right Time, and the driving theme combined powerful, apocalyptic messages with a laid-back tone. It’s not so much a contradiction as a statement of key Rasta values: respect for the Old Testament, and a blessed ability to enjoy life in the present regardless of material wealth.

The Mighty Diamonds’ harmonies soar like Bunny Wailer multiplied by three. When the Diamonds’ beautifully tender ‘Jail House’ used The Wailers’ ‘Rule This Land’ as a template, Bunny responded with a clearly Diamonds-influenced solo version. The exact same exchange took place with ‘Keep on Moving’: The Wailers cut a track, then The Mighty Diamonds used it, then a Diamonds-influenced Bunny Wailer version appeared. The first CD here stands out as faultless, summing up the earlier part of The Mighty Diamonds’ career. The second CD has highlights including the summery paean to ganja that is ‘Pass the Kouchie’, made famous in the UK by Musical Youth’s adaptation ‘Pass the Dutchie’.