After making his mark in the late 60s as one of Jamaica’s brightest young instrumentalists, playing drums and guitar on sessions for Studio One operator Coxson Dodd, Filberto ‘Fil’ Phil Calender worked on sessions for many of the island’s leading producers. He also found time to form The In Crowd, which by the latter half of the 70s provided the primary outlet for his considerable talents as both a musician and songwriter.

In 1978, the septet’s album ‘His Majesty Is Coming’ broke the group in the UK, with the collection swiftly becoming a must-have purchase for all self-respecting British fans of roots reggae. Over the years that immediately followed, Calender and the In Crowd cut a succession of beautifully crafted singles, including ‘We Play Reggae’, ‘Back A Yard’, ‘Born In Ethiopia’, ‘Man From New Guinea’, ‘Marcus Garvey’s Back In Town’, ‘Baby My Love’, and ‘Getting Cozy’, with the popularity of these works prompting a best-selling follow-up LP, ‘Natural Rock ‘n’ Reggae’, released by Creole Records in the early 80s.

The album proved to be their final major work, with The In Crowd disbanding soon after, their break-up in part to Calender deciding to concentrate on gospel material.

Surprisingly, much of the band’s output, including the ‘Natural Rock ‘n’ Reggae’ album have remained unavailable since originally being released on vinyl - an oversight that has finally been remedied with this triple disc set which comprises the entirety of their work from 1977 to 1984.

TRACK LISTING

DISC ONE

NATURAL ROCK ‘N’ REGGAE

1  Introducing Little Dread

2  Dedicated To Jah

3  Man From New Guinea

4  Rasta Man No Evil

4  Daughter Child

5  Reggae Groove

6  Love Dance

7  Give Us More Time

8  His Majesty Is Coming

10  Born In Ethiopia

11  Back A Yard

12  We Play Reggae

13  Milk And Honey

14  Power Of The Spirit

15  Slave Ship

16  Baby My Love

17  Getting Cozy

DISC TWO

1  Beg You A Ten Cent

2  More Employment

3  Let’s Go To The Party

4  A Little Bit Of Reggae

5  You Facey Whitey

6  Riding High

7  Time Is Running Out

8  Marcus Garvey’s Back In Town

9  No Money

10  Island Music

11  It’s Late

12  Sweet Man

13  In My Arms

14  Jah Will See You Through

15  Lady That I Know

16  Gamesta

DISC THREE

1  Weep Little Girl

2  Life

3  Rub A Dub Time

4  Add A Little Light

5  Honey Bee

6  Distant Star, Distant Love

7  Would You Like To Be Loved

8  Shoot Up The Town

THE INCROWD IN DUB

9  His Majesty Is Coming (Part 2)

10  Ethiopia aka Born In Ethiopia Version

11  We Play Reggae Part 2

12  A Little Bit Of Reggae Part 2

13  Riding Version aka Riding High Version

14  Yard aka Back A Yard Version

15  Dub In Love aka Would You Like To Be Loved Version

16  Shoot Up The Town Version