Rain ; The Best of Bruce Ruffin 1967-71 - Trojan CDTRL449 2001
I only bought this album recently, and there`s a reason for that. Given the title , I assumed it would be basically a re-issue of BR`s Rain album, which I already have, plus maybe a couple of bonus tracks. This impression was re-inforced by the use of a badly-cropped version of the cover illustration from that album on the front.
In fact, only some of the tracks appear from Rain appear on this, and what you get is 27 tracks featuring most phases of his career - solo tracks, The Techniques, The Shades, Pat and Bruce, Tyrone and Bruce, Winston and The Shades. There is nothing here from his band Chain Reaction - I must admit I`m quite glad about that as for some reason I can`t get on with their stuff !
With such a comprehensive collection, my only quibbles are rather minor - I personally would have included Make Love Not War, for instance.
What we get here is the essence of Bruce - never knowingly uncommercial, versatile but not to the point where he becomes faceless. If you`re looking for roots reggae, Bruce isn`t your man, but if you like vintage reggae, soulful reggae, `60s/`70s pop reggae and related styles, this is for you.
As a youngster, BR`s plan was to perform as a singer until he reached the ripe old age of 24 and then become a professional songwriter. In the event he eventually set up his own company, BRM (Bruce Ruffin Music) and went behind the scenes as a legal adviser to other reggae artists.
It`s a good many years since his performing career ended, but a collection like this helps keep ensure his music is not forgotten. That`s got to be a good thing !
