Get Wise

Description

With his sweet falsetto, Horace Andy has long been regarded as one of the most inimitable voices in roots reggae. His iconic track, Skylarking, is one of those rare songs that is instantly recognizable, even to casual reggae fans. At the age of sixteen, he made his debut with producer and mentor Phil Pratt. His expressive vocal style, influenced by soul artists like Otis Redding, Smokey Robinson, and Jamaican Alton Ellis, stands out immediately. Released in 1975, Get Wise brings together a series of singles produced by Pratt, including versions of classics like Money, Money (renamed Root Of All Evil) and Zion Gate (I Don't Want To Be Outside). Recorded between 1972 and 1974, these tracks were captured in legendary studios such as Channel One, Black Ark, Dynamic Sound, and Randy's Studio 17, with legendary engineers like Ernest Hoo Kim, Lee Perry, Carlton Lee, and Errol Thompson at the helm. Initially released on Pratt's Sunshot label, the album also serves as a showcase for The Soul Syndicate Band, an ad hoc session group that included Sly & Robbie, Aston "Family Man" Barrett, and Earl "Chinna" Smith.