Frankly, I did not quite get "Ranking Sounds," the part two of the DVD. It was not nearly as interesting as part one. The interviews and footage were mostly of the Skatalites. Its two main members were black men, drinking from little cups, wearing dark sunglasses and dancing the dance of ska—in American-style polyester suits! The tempo of Reggae, by this time, had slowed down considerably. I prefer the faster version. Raw, really typifies part two. But I did learn one thing: why the beat moved from fast (originally) to a much slower tempo. When Johnson asked about this, a simple reply came that “the original musicians were getting old.” In other words, it takes a great deal of energy to keep up that musical pace. So, the jamming sessions slowed down, evolving to the more familiar sound.
Raw footage about the Jamaican people, documents daily life—a purely psycho-sexual embrace of African dance and music. It, combined with the history of the “amazing origins of deejaying and toasting,” is a special experience. One of the most famous deejays is a man named Jack Ruby. What makes him and others like him local heroes? The equipment. They have the ability to produce the loudest echo with large amplifiers and the paraphernalia that accompanies live sound. Here is “the man,” no doubt.
I can still highly recommend this soon to be released musical DVD that clocks in at 100 minutes. Why? Because its claim of being “the best” i.e., a thorough investigation of the roots of reggae—rings true.
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