Roots, Rock, Reggae: Inside the Jamaican Music Scene  (1977)

Theatrical Release Information:
Roots, Rock, Reggae: Inside the Jamaican Music Scene

From the Beats of the Heart documentary series, originally aired on public television, comes Roots, Rock Reggae: Inside the Jamaican Music Scene. This film offers a street-level look at the culture birthing reggae and features vintage performances by some of the genre's leading artists, as well as personal interviews and studio scenes. Viewers travel from Jamaica's Trenchtown ghetto to the serene hills of Kingston where followers of Rastafari drum and sing hymns. Rasta forms the base of reggae music, which developed from elements of American rock and blues, Caribbean musical styles, folk music, Pocomania church music, Jonkanoo fife and drum bands, fertility rituals, plantation work songs and other musical forms. Musicians appearing in this video include Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley, Toots and The Maytals, Jacob Miller & Inner Circle, The Abysinnians, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Ras Michael & Sons of Negus, and Joe Higgs. Beats of the Heart is comprised of 15 volumes including, Chase the Devil: Religious Music of the Appalachians, Salsa: Latin Pop Music in the Cities, There'll Always be Stars in the Sky: Indian Film Music and others. ~ Sally Barber, All Movie Guide