Ken Boothe - Freedom Street

CHARLY RECORDS

£26.98

Format:Vinyl / 12" Album
Label:Charly Records
Catalogue No:BLP010
Barcode:5060767445648
Genre:Reggae
No of Discs:1
Release Date:17 May 2024
Weight:236g

What you have here is Ken Boothe's only album for Leslie Kong’s Beverley’s Records. It is a collection of the singles he recorded while there. The title track, written by his good friend and label mate Harris Seaton, became an anthem of intent and struck a chord with the Jamaican public, becoming a huge hit and an early Reggae classic.

As Rock Steady transitioned to Reggae at the end of the sixties, Ken Boothe was in a prime position for international success. Freedom Street is an important artefact and classic Beverley’s album. It includes other Seaton compositions, an inspired version of Satisfaction, Mungo Jerry’s hit In the Summertime, and The Royalettes' hit It’s Gonna Take a Miracle. Songs like Drums of Freedom and Love and Unity point the way to what would typify Reggae in the coming generation.

The two bonus tracks take us back to Ken’s Soul singer days but with an almost psychedelic twist.

Long awaited re-issue of Mr. Rocksteady’s only Beverley’s album
• Jamaican vocal legend who almost reached international stardom along the lines of Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff
• 2 Bonus tracks on the LP