Steffens, founding editor of The Beat
, and Simon, photographer and coauthor of Reggae Bloodlines
, fuse their talents to create this vibrant and all-encompassing history of the Jamaican music phenomenon that swept through the U.S. in the mid-1970s. While paying homage to “reggae royalty” icons such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Jimmy Cliff, the authors go to great lengths to explore lesser-known musicians in glossy photographs, essays, copies of advertisements and detachable postcards. The editors successfully use the reggae aesthetic in a burst of bright primary colors and a flurry of marijuana leaves (with accompanying clouds of thick smoke). The result is a thoroughly enjoyable scrapbook with equally captivating design and content. (Oct.)
