Description
After making their recording debut during the rock steady era of the late sixties, the Gladiators enjoyed modest success before commencing a hugely successful working relationship with Kingston-based producer ëPrince Tonyí Robinson in 1976. Over the next few years, the trio of Albert Griffiths, Clinton Fearon and Gallimore Sutherland recorded an array of superb roots reggae sides for Robinson, most of which were issued outside their native Jamaica by Virgin Records. The best of these recordings subsequently featured on 3 popular long players: ëTrenchtown Mix Upí (1976), ëProverbial Reggaeí (1978), ëNaturalityí (1979), while a fourth, self-produced LP, ëSweet So Tillí ensured that as the decade drew to a close, the Gladiators were firmly established as one of reggae musicís leading acts. Yet despite the long-standing popularity of their work, only 3 of this quartet of albums have to date been rereleased in any format, with the outstanding ëNaturalityí inexplicably unavailable since the year of its original issue. Now, at long last, all four of these magnificent LPs, plus both sides from a highly sought-after Virgin single, are brought together to comprise this truly essential collection of roots reggae classics, performed by one of its most accomplished exponents.
