Zak Starkey, son of Ringo Starr, has started a new reggae label called Trojan Jamaica. The idea is to to explore Jamaica’s diverse musical legacy, from its African roots to the endless inspiration of classic and contemporary American soul, R&B and blues.
Trojan Jamaica’s first project will be Red, Gold, Green and Blue, a compilation featuring reggae artists covering classic American soul, R&B and blues tunes (the original Trojan Records was famous for its reggae compilations). To preview the album, Trojan Jamaica, a partnership with BMG, shared Mykal Rose’s (Black Uhuru) cover of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ seminal 1956 cut, “I Put a Spell On You.”
Rose – who’s also working on a new album, Ska, Ska, Ska – says recording such a famous blues song like “I Put a Spell on You” was a different experience for him, but notes the tremendous influence that the genre has always had on reggae. He went on to say
We always liked blues. That is how we get the feel because blues and reggae and rock music is similar with energy.
