TRACKLIST
Disc 1: Kaya (Original)
Side A
1. Easy Skanking
2. Kaya
3. Is This Love
4. Sun Is Shining
5. Satisfy My Soul
Side B
1. She’s Gone
2. Misty Morning
3. Crisis
4. Running Away
5. Time Will Tell
Disc 2: Kaya 40 (Stephen Marley Mix)
Side A
1. Easy Skanking
2. Kaya
3. Is This Love
4. Sun Is Shining
5. Satisfy My Soul
Side B
1. She’s Gone
2. Misty Morning
3. Crisis
4. Running Away
5. Time Will Tell
ABOUT THE ALBUM
Celebrating 40 years of Kaya, Bob Marley & The Wailers’ historic March 1978 release, this most special anniversary edition features Stephen “Ragga” Marley’s exciting and vibrant new Kaya 40 mixes of all ten tracks from the original album alongside its original mixes in an essential 180-gram 2LP-set. Recorded in London concurrently with the material that ultimately comprised 1977’s Exodus – Kaya is the perfect sonic-sibling bookend that shares all the joy, spirit, and literal DNA of some of Marley’s most groundbreaking material. It contains a number of the most enduring, heartfelt songs in the entire Marley canon, including “Is This Love,” “Easy Skanking,” and “Sun Is Shining.”
The album was recorded with the then-new configuration of The Wailers that comprised brothers Carlton and Aston “Family Man” Barrett on drums and bass, Tyrone Downie on keyboards, Alvin “Seeco” Patterson on percussion, and the I Threes – Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths, and Judy Mowatt – on backing vocals, along with newest member Julian (Junior) Marvin on guitar. Two of Kaya’s songs had previously appeared in different arrangements on 1971’s Soul Revolution – the title track, and “Sun Is Shining.”
Stephen’s goal in mixing Kaya 40 was to create a balance that drew heavily from the original versions. Using Bob’s vocals from demos from original Kaya sessions that were recorded at different tempos, Stephen synched the vocals with alternate takes and layered it over different instrumental arrangements. Stephen tried to keep the flavor as authentic as possible. To mix the album, he used a similar minimal approach, basing his version heavily off the classic analog concepts they used in the ’70s.
Bob Marley’s artistic legacy forever endures, and the 40th anniversary edition of Kaya only serves to reinforce just how much we all share the shelter of this special music.
