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By: Scott Caffrey
Calvin Scott could have become like so many other hopeful Jamaican youngsters who dreamt of Bob Marley's reggae stardom. With no initial success on his single "Searching in the Hills" in 1974, Scott became a horse jockey and fisherman. But this naturally smooth, melodic singer had more than one message spinning in his head. So, he plied his trade with the traveling sound systems that passed through local dancehalls. And after honing his persona into Cocoa Tea almost a full decade later, he detonated the scene.
That tenacity is celebrated on The Sweet Sound of Cocoa Tea (17 North Parade/VP Records), a two-disc, 36-track anthology of one of Jamaica's supreme reggae/dancehall stars. Armed with a honey-smooth voice and a lysergic lyrical tongue, Tea's natural melody manages to make the ladies swoon and deliver conscious lyric assaults, all with the same laid-back approach.
The cuts that launched Cocoa Tea, "I Lost My Sonia" and "Rocking Dolly," are prominently placed as this set's openers. And it's clear he made more than just timely hits – these are out-and-out enduring classics. "Sonia" is so jumpy, the listener can easily miss the melancholy lyrics. But if there is a theme or focus to Disc One it's the super trio that Cocoa Tea formed in 1989 with DJ Shabba Ranks and singer Home T. "Who She Love" is a call and response in the round, and is notable for being Ranks's first legitimate hit. Ranks also outdid himself on their follow-up, "Holding On," showcasing some groundbreaking DJ work. Finally, with an homage to the UK's burgeoning pirate radio that helped launch them, the trio capped their run with "Pirate's Anthem," a certified worldwide smash in 1990.
While Cocoa's smooth delivery is powerful most of the time, Disc Two proves that there are only so many grooves that the likes of Bobby "Digital" Dixon can make to keep this set from hitting a droning repetition. I know I'll hear from devotees for that, but I'd much rather hear something – anything – from Feel The Power (which has gone completely missing here) than still another cover tune.
But these are minor gripes for an anthology full of the good stuff like "Israel King." Ultimately, it's his importance as a vox populi that will make Cocoa's legacy a meaningful one. He takes us from "Rikers Island" and "Bust Out of Hell" in the early '90s to his own Roaring Lion label cuts "Tek Weh Yu Gal" and "Save Us Oh Jah" in the late '00s. And this March's "Barack Obama" (not included here), proves that he will only be content when he's stirring the shit.
Cocoa Tea should be comfortably installed in the modern pantheon with cats like Beres Hammond and old time greats like Burning Spear. For those who own his canon, there may not be a lot here for you to get geeked about, but for anyone in search of an old voice to bring something new to your ears, The Sweet Sound will definitely make you dance. Just make sure you take a few moments to hear his profound messages.
JamBase | Jamaica
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