Man Of Dignity: The Very Best Of Roman Stewart (Deluxe Edition)

A fine set here from another unsung hero of Reggae music, Mr Roman Stewart. Despite having a massive body of work that began in the late sixties and continued right up to his untimely death in 2004 he remains largely unknown outside of Reggae circles.

Roman Stewart was born in 1957, the younger brother of Tinga Stewart (who also went on to become a popular Reggae singer). They grew up in Kingston, Jamaica and attended the Aloysius Boys School and then the Trench Town Comprehensive.

By their early teens the brothers had decided to try and make a living in the growing Jamaican music industry but as so many young Jamaicans were also trying to do the same it proved difficult.

Roman cut his first ever single in the late 1960's at age 11 entitled "Walking Down The Street" for producer Duke Reid, released under the name Romeo Stewart, the youngster failed to maintain any popularity.

The young Roman would spend many hours down at Victoria Pier singing interpretations of Mario Lanza songs to the passing tourists for loose change.

By the very late '60's he began hanging out on Orange Street with other up and coming singers including Dennis Brown, Freddie McGregor and Jacob Miller, all waiting for a chance to hit the recording studio.

In the early 1970's Roman cut the single "Never Too Young To Learn" for producer Glen Brown, a quality record that proved a hit on the local scene. He went on to record singles for Duke Reid and Derrick Harriott and recorded the song "Changing Times" with friend Dennis Brown.

In 1974 Roman's biggest break came when his single "Hooray Festival" won the Jamaican Song Festival competition. The song was written by his brother Tinga who had also won the competition the previous year and was slowly making a name for himself on the Reggae scene.

Roman would then cut singles for a number of Jamaica's top producers of the time including Tommy Cowan, Phil Pratt, Linval Thompson, Everton Da Silva, Augustus Pablo, Tony Robinson and Lee "Scratch" Perry.

A handful of these singles were credited to Roman Scotland, most likely a direction given by Lee Perry who would often release singles using alternative names.

His next big hit came in 1976, funnily enough it was entitled "Natty Sing A Hit Song", it was quickly followed up with another popular record called "Rice And Peas".

Using the money he had made from the huge number of singles he had recorded between 1974 and 1976 Roman moved to New York, USA.

In 1978 the first full album release by Roman came out entitled "Running Away From Love", released on the 'Island In The Sun' label, it was produced by Byron Whitely and arranged by legendary musician Jackie Mittoo.

It is a fine album aimed at the growing 'Lover's Rock' market with some great tracks including "Money Worries", "Live And Learn" and of course the title track that stands as one of Roman's greatest singles.

Roman's live concerts were always highly praised as he would give energetic performances and with his friendly, polite personality he gained the nickname 'Mr. Special' among fans and friends.

In 1979 a second album was released in Jamaica entitled "How Can I Love Someone" on the unknown LP Music label. Production credits are given to Lloydie Soul Combo and the backing Soul Syndicate band. It credits Treasure Isle, Dynamics and Randy's as recording studios.

The album is made up predominantly of older singles recorded before Roman left Jamaica for New York including "Hit Song", "Tears On My Pillow", "Remember" and his wonderful cover of  "Wolverton Mountain".

Roman would regularly return to Jamaica to record singles which would appear on labels such as Greensleeves, GG's, Micron and Trojan.

By late 1979 he recorded a number of disco 12" singles in collaboration with deejay Trinity including the hits "Why You Acting So?" and "Baby Come Back".

In 1984 Roman and his brother Tinga recorded the duet album "Break Down The Barrier", produced by Tinga and mixed by Peter Chemist, it was recorded at Aquarius Studios with musicians including the dynamic duo Sly And Robbie, David Madden, Glen Da Costa and Roman's cousin Owen Fox Stewart on keys and synths.

The album is a solid piece of roots containing the songs "We Are Brothers", "Love Is Here To Get" and the popular single "Coodeh". It came out on Errol Scorcher's 'Scorcher Entertainment' label.

Roman was a quality singer and crossed over easily into the 1980's digital scene, competing well with many more singles appearing throughout the decade.

By 1987 he released his next solo album entitled "Ruling And Controlling" on the '195 Park Heights' label.

The album was produced by Raphael and P. Smart with executive producers Delroy and Flavia Francis and Roman is backed by the Taxi Crew.

It was another nice record which included the tracks "Black Me Black", "Modellers" and "Doing Fine" although it has since become rather hard to locate a copy and is now unfortunately out of print.

As Reggae music headed into the '90's Roman again crossed-over well, his vocal ability seemingly fitting into whatever style was taking over the scene.

In 1991 he released the album "Diplomat" on Shelly's Records with producer 'Count' Shelly Barrett. An album with that distinctive 1990's sound it included a number of well chosen covers such as Bob Marley's "War", Dennis Brown's "Silhouette" and Bob Dylan's "Man In Me".

It also includes updated versions of his own "How Can I Love Someone" and "Breaking Down The Barrier".

The album was re-issued in 2005 as "Continually" on the 'TP Records' label for some reason alongside Errol Dunkley's "Sit And Cry Over You" album which dates from much earlier.

Roman would often re-cut earlier hits in an updated style and this was the case with songs such as "Coodeh", "Rice And Peas", "Cheater" and "Baby Why".

In the mid-90's Roman returned to the studio with his brother Tinga to record a second duet album entitled "Brother To Brother" released on the 'Jamhill Records' label, produced once again by Tinga.

The recording was split between Scorpio studio with backing from Scorpio Sounds and Heavybeat Studio with backing from the Heavybeat Crew. Another high quality album featuring the songs "Reggae Music Comes From Yard", "Amor", "Doorbell" and the updated "Coodeh".

The album was re-issued on the 'Emperor Records' label in the US in 1998 and is available on iTunes.

In 2001 Roman began working with producer Gussie P and released a number of excellent singles on the 'Sip-A-Cup' label. Returning to the roots rockers style in which he had started his career these singles include "Shashamane Land", "True Colors", "No Peace In The City" and "Praise Jah". An album surfaced called "Wisdom Of Solomon" which is an amazing roots record definitely worth tracking down.

In 2010 a posthumous 'Greatest Hits' was released on the 'Sergent Major Company' label containing 13 not particularly well chosen tunes entitled "Roman Stewart - The Best Of Collection".

In New York Roman would frequent local Reggae studios, occasionally recording material. He would often perform at local Reggae festivals, charity events and would support visiting Jamaican artists such as Dennis Brown and Freddie McGregor.

It was whilst coming out to perform some songs after a Freddie McGregor concert in New York that Roman felt ill, complaining of chest pains he was taken to hospital where he slipped into a coma.

He had been struggling with drink and drug abuse for some time and had vowed to clean up his act but it proved too late. Roman died in his coma in January 2004 aged just 47.

Who knows just what Roman may have gone on to achieve had he survived and cleaned up his lifestyle?

What is known is that he has left us an amazing body of work, some of the greatest roots reggae and a voice like no other in reggae music.

Rest In Peace, Roman Stewart, A Man Of Dignity.

Man Of Dignity: The Very Best Of Roman Stewart (Deluxe Edition)

Disc One:

1) Walking Down The Street {Romeo Stewart}

2) Hooray Festival
3) Changing Times (With Dennis Brown)
4) Never Too Young To Learn
5) Try Me
6) Why
7) Fire At Your Heel
8) Only Fay
9) Never Again
10) If I Didn't Love You
11) One Broken Heart
12) Seasons In The Sun
13) Bad Minded People
14) Arab & Israelite
15) Daughter Like It Hot
16) In The Chapel
17) Jean
18) Wolverton Mountain
19) Wolverton Version
20) Loving Arms
21) Remember
22) I Was Lonely
23) Tears On My Pillow
24) Peace In The Valley
25) Man Of Dignity

Disc Two:

1) Pretty Blue Eyes
2) In The Morning
3) Your Arms
4) You Belong To Me
5) Money Worries
6) Running Away From Love
7) Live And Learn
8) You'll Lose A Good Thing
9) Do Right
10) Jealousy
11) Hit Song
12) Love Is Here To Stay
13) Doing Fine
14) Doing Fine (Version)
15) Babylon
16) Nattie Grove
17) Herbalist
18) Feel Good
19) If I Had A Hammer
20) Praise Jah
21) Casanova
22) No Peace Until (With Barrington Spence)
23) Rice And Peas
24) Today
25) What You Wanna Do?
26) Breaking Up

Disc Three:

1) Mr. Officer
2) Peace Talk (With Ricky Grant)
3) Problems
4) Since You're Gone (With Trinity)
5) Why You Acting So? (With Trinity)
6) Baby Come Back (With Trinity)
7) True Colours
8) My Heart
9) Jamaican People
10) Dancing Time
11) Same Folks (With Tinga Stewart)
12) Break Down The Barrier (With Tinga Stewart)
13) Break Down The Barrier (Dub)
14) Coodeh (With Tinga Stewart)
15) We Are Brothers (With Tinga Stewart)
16) Love Is Here To Get (With Tinga Stewart)
17) Love Is Here To Get (Dub)
18) Heart Break Girl (With Tinga Stewart)
19) Starting All Over Again (With Tinga Stewart)
20) Listen Is To Learn (With Tinga Stewart)
21) Holy Place (Mount Zion)
22) Modellers
23) Ruling And Controlling
24) Black Me Black
25) Breaking Down The Barrier

Disc Four:

1) Diplomat
2) Jail House Rock
3) Man In Me
4) Silhouette
5) Make Them Talk (With Bobo General)
6) Love Is Amazing
7) Unchained
8) War
9) How Can I Love Someone
10) Baby Why
11) There's No Me Without You
12) My Love
13) Love And Hate (With Reggie Stepper)
14) Doorbell (With Tinga Stewart)
15) Reggae Come From Yard (With Tinga Stewart)
16) Amor (With Tinga Stewart)
17) Soul Power
18) Rice And Peas (90's Re-Cut)
19) Wisdom Of Solomon
20) Mount Zion
21) Shashamane Land
22) Shashamane Dub
23) No Peace In The City
24) Cheater
25) Wars (Rumors Of Wars)

Man Of Dignity (Deluxe Edition) 

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