Black Uhuru – Showcase

What does it sound like?:

This remastered CD reissue of Black Uhuru’s second album slipped out quietly in 2021 on the Jamaican Taxi label.

Showcase restores the album’s original 1979 artwork and offers a much-improved sound, compared to the Heartbreak CD reissue from 1987 (when the collection was retitled Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner).

Typically, Jamaican showcase albums feature a selection of an artist’s singles, each presented in extended discomix style, where the dub version follows on seamlessly from the main song. This release follows that blueprint, presenting extended versions of seven tracks.

Of these, “Shine Eye”, or “Shine Eye Gal”, was a latecomer, added later, and supposedly featuring an uncredited Keith Richards on rhythm guitar.

I can’t emphasise enough how much of an improvement this edition is on previous digital releases. Sonically, it’s much punchier, while retaining a warm, organic flavour – Robbie Shakespeare’s basslines on “Natural Reggae Beat” and “Plastic Smile” are mesmerising.

What does it all *mean*?

Showcase highlights a group in transition. The original Uhuru lineup that cut the Love Crisis album (later remixed and re-released as Black Sounds Of Freedom) had changed, with the addition of the American female singer Puma Jones joining Duckie Simpson and Michael Rose, replacing Errol Wilson.

The group’s sound had evolved too, with Rose’s quavering lead vocals to the fore, backed by Sly and Robbie’s powerful, supple rhythms.

While the group went on to greater success commercially, I don’t think they never bettered these songs. The extended discomix format brings out their best qualities, bringing together superb vocal and instrumental interplay with dexterous dub treatments.

The digital accents which later came to dominate Black Uhuru’s signature sound are here more embryonic and less harsh. The overall feel is warmer, more organic.

A couple of cautionary notes:

The digipack is pretty sparse when it comes to information, but it does list track times. However, these are inaccurate, giving the impression that some of the songs are longer than the previously released versions on Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner.

In fact, they’re not. As far as I can tell, the track lengths are pretty much the same (the Virgin reissue of Showcase, as the self-titled Black Uhuru album in 1980, did have shortened versions of some of the tracks).
The other thing to watch out for is to do with subject matter. The song “Abortion” contains some lyrics which aren’t exactly progressive when it comes to women’s reproductive rights. Putting it in context, Rastafarian lyrics can have quite an Old Testament outlook, and the Book of Leviticus is a common source (it’s hardly socially progressive).

But if you can get past the lyrical content, the track itself is as rhythmically top-notch as its companions. Otherwise, opt for the skip button.

Goes well with…

A hi-fi with a good low-end. Red Stripe and spliff optional.

Release Date:

3 December 2021

Might suit people who like…

Roots reggae and dub, or indeed any other groove-centred sounds.

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