If one pop artist deserved the Nobel Peace Prize, it was Bob Marley. The Jamaican, who died in 1981, not only worked actively for political peace in Jamaica, but his songs in particular are still able to fraternize people worldwide. Catchy reggae songs like One Love, Exodus and Redemption Song, which he wrote from Rasta convictions, but which carry universal messages of love and tolerance. The
… ethnically diverse British orchestra The Chineke! Orchestra provides the original songs with rich string arrangements. These are tasteful and atmospheric and at best add weight to the content. Nothing is sacred, but shocking is the way the original band renditions were reworked into stomping and dynamics-less contemporary pop hits, with hard bass drum and smoothed-out guitars and choruses. Unlike the strings, such a production takes the soul and warmth out of Marley's music. (MR)more