John Masouri

I had a great interview with Miami based radio presenter G Cole whilst in the city for the Miami Book Fair. A week later, Jimmy Cliff passed away, leaving millions of us reggae fans mourning the loss of this iconic artist. I had the honour of meeting and interviewing him numerous times over the years, and one of the most memorable musical events I've ever witnessed was his spontaneous rendition of Many Rivers To Cross , shared with South African harmony group Ladysmith Black

This month's Echoes' reggae content was written in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Melissa; a Category 5 storm that devastated huge swathes of Jamaica, and left many people homeless and without support. Our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of all those who died or were badly affected by the worse Caribbean hurricane in living memory, and respect to everyone who contributed to the relief efforts including artists like Shaggy, Sean Paul and Maxi Priest.

I'd like to thank Jesse Royal and Easy Star for their time and support in making this months' lead reggae interview possible - it's always a pleasure! - and Al "Fingaz" Newman for bringing back great memories with his book Greensleeves: The First 100 Covers , which is the subject of our second reggae feature. Elsewhere we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Damian "Junior Gong" Marley and Dan Dalton's Welcome To Jamrock Cruise ; review singles galore by Friends Only, Collie Bud

teppin' Razor: The Rebel Life of Peter Tosh is published as part of the Omnibus Press Remaster series on 19 February 2026.

It’s been forty-five years since reggae producer Dennis Bovell took Dub Band stalwarts Nick Straker and John Kpiaye, together with...

This is the album with Sister Nancy's best-known hit on it - the iconic Bam Bam , which can still be heard in reggae dances and playlists...

There were so many highlights from my recent trip to the Rototom Sunsplash in Benicassim, Spain to savour, but meeting Marcia Griffiths...

Pioneering UK producer Adrian Sherwood celebrates his new album The Collapse of Everything in this exclusive interview. Elsewhere in...

After four decades, the first British reggae band to hit number one in Jamaica is back. In this issue we hail the glorious return of the...

Hollie Cook is this month's cover star. Grateful thanks to her and Lila Ike for giving up their time and making both these features...