Sly & Robbie Present: Stepper Takes The Taxi

As much as I return to reggae music, I have to acknowledge that it is a genre where my own knowledge of it ended several decades ago. I couldn’t tell you who the current leaders in the genre are, outside of Snoop Dogg’s request to now be known as Snoop Lion.

Of course, this probably explains why I no longer follow the genre.

But when the iconic “Riddim Twins” are featured prominently on a new release, there’s a good chance that their shared history will come through in the recording.

Sly & RobbiePresent: Stepper Takes The Taxi is a collaboration featuring saxophonist Guillaume “Stepper” Briard, the long-time Taxi Gang member and lifelong devotee to the Jamaican artform. It is an instrumental album where Guillaume was given access to Sly & Robbie’s catalog of unfinished work, as well as new sessions.

It harkens to reggae’s classic period while sounding stunningly fresh as the collaborators have created a debut record for Guillaume that is incredibly timeless. For anyone who hasn’t strayed too far from the genre’s bountiful origins or may be too timid to explore reggae’s new urban direction, Stepper Takes The Taxi is a perfect cab ride back to the time when our island neighbor had the world’s ear.