Joe Silo

The Roots Reggae Library brings to you Reggae music in unique collections. This edition features Joe Silo. The collection is unique because Joe Silo is fairly unknown and the recording of his only album is rare. 

The sound of Joe Silo is in one way unmistakably South African. On the other hand the deepness of his voice is like that of Bankie Banx. Joe Silo could have been a Soul musician for that matter. Not much else can be said about Joe, because there is hardly any other information available. That is another reason to include him into the Library as an effort to preserve South African Reggae, together with other artists such as Sipho Johnson, Reggae Muntu and Joe Gad.

Praises to the South African who made it possible for Joe Silo to be included on the Roots Reggae Library, Dave Durbach, also known as DJ Okapi of AfroSynth, who described the music as Smooth Gospel Reggae. He had a copy of the Joe Silo single that is the only treasure ever to be released by the man. The vinyl record has been digitally recorded to insert it into the Roots Reggae Library.

Joe Silo - Praising Jah

01. Ever Praising Jah

02. Never Let Your Hands

03. Jah Chariot

04. Big Family

05. Freedom

06. So Why

07. Last Hope

08. Long Time

Eight songs on the album Praising Jah that we can enjoy. I only wish there were more because it's all over before you realize. Joe Silo starts Praising Jah by singing that "you don't need to cry" because he can see the almighty "over there" in 'Ever Praising Jah'."praise your faith of the most high" Ï can see the almighty, I can see him walking up and down". The album was clearly named after this first track. It is an uplifting song that makes you feel happy, "children you don't need to cry". Following up with "'Never Let Your Hands' push me away" you may start to make preliminary conclusions that Joe Silo is not a one-hit wonder but has more to offer on this album. "Jah Rastafari", Joe Silo exclaims strongly. Originally written as "Cheriot" on the vinyl record, you will find the song as 'Jah Chariot' on the Roots Reggae Library, more in line with the conventional spelling of the word. "Is coming for to carry me home", to the hill of Mount Zion. The drum-beat is a heavy one here as Silo is trying to "chant down Babylon". "Everybody come together, this is the time, people get ready". The sound you hear in the music of 'Big Family' is like that of other South African artist you are familiar with such as Lucky Dube. The sound of it is very much alike that of the well known South African Reggae star. "Together we stand, united we're gonna fall". A nice tempo in the song 'Freedom', yet another great track on this album that brings a smile to my face. 'Freedom' is instrumental but that doesn't make it any less satisfying. It only builds up a great introduction to 'So Why' in which Joe asks why he isn't treated like a brother. "Fire in Jamaica, thunder in Ethiopia, freedom in Namibia, fighting in South Africa". In the song 'Last Hope' he finds himself in love with a girl and as a result life feels so much sweeter. The way his voice sounds in 'Long Time' is why I mentioned Bankie Banx. "They've got weapons in their hands, they've got rifles to kill, they've got questions in their mind", "I cast my eyes upon the mountain of Reggae, what I can see, see the people killing one another now, that is unfair", "them do me no good".

Studio Albums

««««« (1991) Praising Jah

Original Date Of Publishing: July 2016