ULTIMATE COLLECTION

Personnel includes: Gregory Isaacs (vocals); Bertram "Rancie" McLean (guitar, bass); Earl "Chinna" Smith, Tony Chin, Radcliffe "Dougie" Bryan, Mikey "Mao" Chung, Barry Reynolds, Dwight Pinkney (guitar); Herman Marquis (alto saxophone); Tommy McCook (tenor saxophone); Dean Fraser, "Deadley" Headley Bennett (saxophone); Bobby Ellis, David Madden, Chico Chinn (trumpet); Vincent "Don D Junior" Gordon (trombone); Ansel Collins (piano, organ); Robbie Lyn (piano, synthesizer, bass, programming); Robbie Shakespeare (piano, bass); Franklyn "Bubbler" Waul, Richard Johnson, Keith Sterling (keyboards); Wally Badarou (synthesizer); George "Fully" Fullwood, Errol "Flabba" Holt (bass); Lowell "Sly" Dunbar (drums); Sky Juice (percussion). Producers include: Alvin Ranglin, Gregory Issacs, Lee Perry, Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare. Compilation producer: Dana G. Smart. Includes liner notes by David Katz. All tracks have been digitally remastered. Personnel: Robert Lyn (guitar, piano, keyboards, drums); Dwight Pinkney, Earl "Chinna" Smith , Tony Chin, Barry Reynolds, Noel Sowell Bailey, Bertram "Ranchie" McLean, Dalton Brownie (guitar); Dean Fraser (saxophone); Herman Marquis (alto saxophone); Tommy McCook (tenor saxophone); David Madden, Chico Chin, Bobby Ellis (trumpet); Ronald "Nambo" Robinson (trombone); Ansel Collins (piano, organ, keyboards); Franklyn Waul, Keith Sterling, Wycliffe "Steely" Johnson (piano, keyboards); Robbie Shakespeare (piano); Richard G. Johnson, Gladstone Anderson, Leslie Butler, Ossie Hibbert, Errol "Tarzan" Nelson (keyboards); Phil Ramacon, Wally Badarou (synthesizer); Lincoln "Style" Scott, Santa Davis, Sly Dunbar (drums); Ruddy Thomas, Sky Juice, Noel "Scully" Simms, Uziah "Sticky" Thompson (percussion). Photographers: David Katz; Adrian Boot. Arranger: Gregory Isaacs. ULTIMATE COLLECTION is something of a misnomer in that 20 tracks could never hope to capture the "ultimate" work of an artist with a career as long, prolific, and stunningly diverse as Gregory Isaacs. Nevertheless, this collection does a fine job of representing Isaacs move from roots-inspired singer, to lover's rock crooner, and on to dancehall master, while covering all points in between. Isaacs's lovely voice can be both laid-back and passionate, and his delivery is always marked by an assuredness and grace that shines through no matter what stage in his career (he recorded steadily from the 1970s through the 2000s). His early hits like "My Number One" were recorded with some of Jamaica's most famous producers, including Lee Perry and Niney Holness. Isaacs's later recordings, including dancehall classics like "Rough Neck," might not appeal to fans of his early work, but they demonstrate the singer's incredible range, and round out this excellent career overview.

• Genre: Pop
• Format: CD
• Released: 6/26/2001