This DVD holds the first two parts of Howard Johnson’s documentary that traces the development of Jamaican music. The film was shot in the early ’80s, and Johnson probably was inspired to get this stuff on tape after the untimely death of reggae star Bob Marley.

Part one, “Revival,” starts at the very beginning and explains how slaves brought various African musical styles to Jamaica. Johnson hits a gold mine when he interviews various members of the Skatalites, one of the island’s first superstar groups. These fellows were quite old at the time, and Johnson gets some very interesting answers and demonstrations when he asks them individually about the first type of music they remember.

The “Ranking Sounds” portion of the film picks up at the time when “sound systems” were all the rage – when acts would take their equipment out into the streets and sing, dance and perform all kinds of routines for their fans. These raucous street parties found acts like Count Matchouki and Jack Ruby, both seen here, experimenting with dub sounds and vocal improvisation that is often credited with being the earliest form of rap music.

These segments are very thorough. Johnson asks all the right questions, incorporates incredible pieces of old film and presents it all so it’s easily comprehended. Narrated by Mikey Dread, these segments feature shots of U Roy, Prince Buster, Toots Hibbert, Jimmy Cliff and many others.

Parts three through six of the film will be featured on future releases.

Grade: A

Deep Roots Music, Vol. 1: Revival/Ranking Sounds is currently available.