Bob Marley is best known for his classic Island Records catalog, and while that material is undeniably great, there are many Marley fans and historians who feel that his finest recordings actually came earlier, when he and the Wailers were still largely a Jamaican phenomenon. Wherever one stands on that issue, the fact remains that Marley's early work, particularly the sessions with producer Lee "Scratch" Perry in 1970 and 1971, are of an uncommonly high quality. This collection combines several of the Perry tracks ("The Sun Is Shining," "Duppy Conqueror," "African Herbsman," "Mr. Brown") with those produced by Leslie Kong ("Soul Shakedown Party") and by the Wailers themselves ("Trench Town Rock," "Lively Up Yourself," both of which were originally released on the group's own Tuff Gong label), and the selections are enough to provide a brief but decent introduction to this Jamaican phase of Marley's career. There are literally hundreds of editions of this material on the market -- some legally licensed, some not -- but Roots of a Legend is at least honestly rendered, with decent packaging and sound. A bonus DVD featuring footage from Marley's 1980 tour (undertaken just 17 months before his death) in support of the Survival album is also included.

The album’s title ‘Preaching to the Choir’ has different meanings, on different levels. When applied to the band Kalle Wallner says, “It’s about blind understanding. When you get the right people on board, there is no need for lengthy explanations. You just hit the recording button. And when you then give the right musicians the right music … that’s when they help you take it to the next level.” He goes on to say, “No need to convince anybody, no discussions. And no compromises are necessary. You just pump it out.”

The concept of the super-group, while not new, has evolved a bit since it was dabbled with in the 60s and 70s. From Cream to ELP to Asia to The Traveling Wilburys, the super-group has always been a productive outlet for both record labels and rock stars either looking for a momentary change of scenery, or a new direction following a breakup. While they seem to have fallen out of fashion from about 1990 on, in recent years, some labels, such as Frontiers Music, have been reinvigorating the idea, albeit with mixed results. Whereas in 1980 a recording producer could play Nikola Tesla with a lab full of exciting new elements and concepts, today that is less so the case. It may be less Tesla, and more of opening up the pantry to see if there is anything to throw together which may resemble dinner. In fact, sometimes today when semi-retired veterans are put into a studio to do an album, many songs feel a bit like reheated leftovers, perhaps unused ideas from yesteryear which may have been better left on the cutting room floor.