Kaya is the tenth studio album by the Jamaican reggae band Bob Marley and the Wailers, released in 1978. The album consists of tracks recorded alongside those released on the Exodus album. It was produced by the Wailers.
The album's release coincided with the One Love Peace Concert, heralding Marley's triumphant return to Jamaica from exile in London. Three of the songs are new versions of tracks from the 1971 album Soul Revolution Part II. Kaya reached the top five in the UK album charts. A 40th anniversary remix was released on 2 June 2018.
Critical reception
Lester Bangs, in Rolling Stone, wrote: "Musically, Kaya is a succession of the most tepid reggae clichés, pristinely performed and recorded, every last bit of tourist bait (down to the wood blocks) in place just like a Martin Denny record." The Bay State Banner noted that "the Wailers take freely from Gamble & Huff's chords, Euro-disco's burping bass, and pop-soul ballads' blithe strings and synthesizers, but they funk up and condense these styles and use reggae's chicken scratch and snap-on drumming as disco employs congas: for a counter-voice to handle the unspeakable passions in a song." Robert Christgau said, "If this is MOR, it's MOR like good Steely Dan—MOR with a difference." Christgau added, "Marley has sung with more apparent passion, it's true, but never more subtly, and his control of the shift in conception that began with Exodus is now absolute. He hasn't abandoned his apocalyptic vision—just found a day-to-day context for it." The Globe and Mail opined that "Marley's reggae, expansive as always, has this time failed to integrate the Jamaican and American elements."
Track listing
Original album (1978) All songs written by Bob Marley. Mastered by Ted Jensen of Sterling Sound.
The Definitive Remasters edition (2001) All songs written by Bob Marley.
Deluxe edition (2013)
Kaya: 40th Anniversary Mix (2018)
Musicians Bob Marley – lead vocals, acoustic and rhythm guitar, percussion Junior Marvin – lead guitar Tyrone "Organ D" Downie – keyboards, percussion Aston "Family Man" Barrett – bass, percussion Carlton Barrett – drums, percussion Winston Grennan – drums Alvin "Seeco" Patterson – percussion Vincent Gordon – trombone Glen Da Costa – trumpet Rita Marley – backing vocals Marcia Griffiths – backing vocals Judy Mowatt – backing vocals
Charts Weekly charts + Weekly chart performance for Kaya Chart (1978–79) PeakpositionAustralian Albums (Kent Music Report)5Norwegian Albums Chart 6New Zealand Albums Chart 6Swedish Albums Chart 14UK Albums Chart 4 US Billboard 200 50 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 50
Year-end charts + Year-end chart performance for Kaya Chart (1978) Position Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) 12 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) 21
Certifications
References