Kaya

Bob Marley & The Wailers: Bob Marley (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, percussion); Julian “Junior” Marvin (guitar); Tyrone Downie (keyboards, percussion); Aston “Family Man” Barrett (bass, percussion); Carlton Barrett (drums, percussion); Alvin “Seeco” Patterson (percussion).

The I Threes: Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths, Judy Mowatt (background vocals).

Additional personnel: Vin Gordon (saxophone); Glen Da Costa, David Madden (trumpet).

Producer: Bob Marley & The Wailers.

Reissue producers: Bill Levenson, Maxine Stowe.

Originally released on Island (9517).

Digitally remastered by Ted Jensen (2001, Sterling Sound, New York, New York)

Japanese limited edition features the bonus track “Smile Jamaica.”

Marley is in a mellow and happy mood as the album opens with “excuse me while I light my spliff” on “Easy Skanking” and maintains the feeling throughout. “Kaya” has one of the best bass riffs of any Marley song (played by the wonderful Aston “Family Man” Barrett). The hit single “Is This Love” is included and he sounds upbeat singing “She’s Gone,” although the subject is that his lover has just left him. Nothing fazed him; he was able to address political and emotional subjects with the same degree of feeling and his manner was truly saintly. KAYA is one of his finest moments.

What the critics say…

Q (8/01, p.153) – 4 stars out of 5 – “…The real deal. Contemporary punks’ chillout soundtrack of choice…“
Mojo (Publisher) (8/02, p.85) – “…Captures Marley’s quite staggering spirituality, sexiness and sense of fun….a total classic.”