Jazz-Rock Fusion — the people, the music by Julie Coryell and Laura Friedman is a reasonably accurately titled softback book that is well worth dipping into. The structure offered provides a splitting of featured musicians into categories of instrument played, from Bass to Woodwinds, and gives a short interview (from Coryell) with each, along with a prefacing background Blurb. Photos throughout are seen through the eye of Friedman's lens and vary in quality. Information and insight are undeniable, however, and this aspect is heightened by an extremely thorough discography at the back of the book. Coryell claims that, 'This book strives to document some of (the) people in jazz who had a hand in shaping the course of music from the late sixties through the late seventies,' and in this course it succeeds admirably. Published in UK by Marion Boyars, £6.95, ISBN 714526673. Hardback version available later in '79 at £9.95.

Movement of Jah People by John Plummer with additional material by Derek Bishton and Brian Homer. Taken from Bob Marley's Exodus album, the title of this new book on Rastafarians expresses the feeling of hope and purpose which characterises the philosophy of the Rasta cult. One chapter, The Sounds of Rastafari, is of particular interest. It traces the roots of reggae — the only musical art form to have grown up in Jamaica in the last decade. Author, John Plummer, explains: 'Reggae does not have a very long history; indeed it is only in the last, 20 years that indigenous popular music has developed in Jamaica at all.'

Previously Jamaican music meant either a background soundtrack for tourists in a tropical paradise or a Jamaican form of calypso music called mento, which was derived from ethnic folk. Its effects were not far-reaching.

By the late 50s, the American R & B of Fats Domino, Sam Cooke, the Drifters and Ray Charles set the tempo. Then the sound system took off. It was the poor man's discotheque that became the main outlet for popular music for a whole generation of Jamaicans. The system enabled DJs to introduce records, speaking over the first few bars. This was soon extended to recording voice-overs on top of a backing track. As it was essentially dancing music there had to be a pronounced rhythm, hence the heavy emphasis on bass.
Reggae itself emerged as a combination of American R & B, memo and other native musical forms, with a distinctive reversed beat called 'ska'. The early 60s saw the great rise of reggae with its stars Jimmy Cliff, Toots Hibbert and Bob Marley. And where did the name 'reggae' come from? Well, you'll have to read the book!

Published in UK by PressGang Community Publishers, £1.80. Over 30 photographs and drawings.