The best kinds of music documentaries do more than just educate and entertain; they send newfound fans into frenzies, delving into the discographies of the artists profiled. With its in-depth exploration of the Jamaican genre of rocksteady, following many of the movement’s most celebrated stars in preparation for a recent reunion, Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae succeeds on all fronts.

Griffiths says reggae artists have a duty to use music to educate, uplift and unite the world, adding that some still don't understand the responsibility they have. "If you are chosen to do this work, then you must contribute in a positive way," she says. "If you're in it for any other reason, then you will fall by the wayside."

CD Review: Rocksteady can be treated like the Buena Vista Social Club breakout record: a solid primer, but one that should be a guide to delving deeper and seeking out more of the original material.

Solid intro into musical genre...

Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae is a new documentary about Jamaican music in the 1960s. The film covers a brief period in that country's music, a period that became the platform upon which reggae was built and upon which careers like Bob Marley's were founded.

...love saturates every single frame of Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae, one of the best docs about Jamaican music ever filmed.

"(a) contemporary timelessness"

"You’ve heard it performed in the streets of Toronto, now learn about the fascinating history of reggae music in the new documentary film"

Rocksteady make's NOW's Flick Finder!

9.2 out of 10! Rajo loves this entertaining new doc about Jamaican Rocksteady music. Perfect for rainy days...

"Sibbles sees rocksteady revival. Hopes new documentary will follow trail blazed by the Buena Vista Social Club."

" a rich and rewarding music documentary endowed with a wonderful sense of the significance of its subject, with revealing tales"

"While the interviews offer great insights to viewers already familiar with the subjects, the majority of people will care about the music the most. And they shouldn't be disappointed with such songs as "People Rocksteady," "Equal Rights," (both by Sibbles), "Rivers Of Babylon" (Hopeton Lewis), "Shanty Town (007)" (Boothe), "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)" (Penn), "Tide Is High" (Griffiths), "Tougher Than Tough" (Morgan) and "Stop That Train" (U-Roy)."

"There's such a combination of personal warmth, talent, history and creativity that it's impossible not to get caught up in their pride and love for the music they created."

One of the pleasures of popular music is its unpredictability: You just never know what sound or song is going to strike that magical, mystical chord with a listener and change his or her tastes, maybe even his life.

"Caribana's got us feelin' hot, hot, hot"

"the strength of a solid musical doc like Rocksteady: The Roots Of Reggae. Give a song back its heritage and let it groove."

"an engaging celebration of the smooth, lovers-friendly musical style that ruled the island in the years between ska and reggae."

"a valuable introduction to a valuable musical genre."

"Sibbles' profile has enjoyed a boost since the release of the documentary Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae, which I talked about in last week's column. Sibbles also contributes two songs to the film's soundtrack."

"This well-crafted Swiss-Canadian coproduction documents a reunion of surviving pioneers of rocksteady, the slow-beat, skank-heavy sound in question."

"Stascha Bader’s charming documentary finally gives the under-appreciated music genre its due."

The 90-minute film features interviews with some of the genre's leading performers and musicians. It premiered earlier this month at the Montreal International Jazz Festival which had a slot dedicated to the sound.

"I was lucky enough to be in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to see the opening of the film Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae by Swiss director Stascha Bader. What a wonderful film. Just amazing..."

" riveting documentary"

5 Stars!!! - Review

Rocksteady: The Roots Of Reggae is an upcoming music documentary about some of the more unheralded progenitors of reggae music, including Marcia Griffiths, Ken Boothe, Stranger Cole and Marley backup singer Judy Mowatt. The movie's world premiere will happen at Montreal's Musee D'Art Contemporain from July 4-12, and this Sunday at 9 p.m. the aforementioned legends will perform the classics live.

Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae recalls an era with an album, a documentary and a big reunion concert

The film features new recording sessions with some of the artists’ biggest hits, which will be released as part of the film’s official soundtrack. Among its highlights is an interview with Rita Marley, the widow of reggae icon Bob Marley, as well as a scene with songstress Judy Mowatt.

The superb documentary film that spawned this soundtrack reunites some of the seminal Jamaican artists behind the rocksteady movement of the mid-1960s - and you absolutely must catch it

In the style of Wim Wenders's Buena Vista Social Club, Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae reunites some of the old-timers behind those great records to revisit their hits in the studio and, ultimately, to perform a live show. Along the way, they tell their stories whileBader examines the political, social, economic and cultural changes that surrounded the music.

The much-anticipated Alpha Blondy concert, the momentous Burning Spear and Toots & The Maytals doubleheader, as well as the massive outdoor free Rocksteady concert with the biggest stars of that era are a music-lover's wet dream. And it was all sparked by the extraordinary 2009 documentary film Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae, which is also having its world premiere during the Jazz Festival.

Brendan Kelly’s Jazz Fest highlights (Rocksteady concert and film)

"a top notch cast of veteran singers and players to let them shine once again"

"l'effort est plus qu'honorable" - 3.5 Stars!

"I would definitely recommend this documentary to anyone interested in this kind of music, or even other types of music in general. A well put together documentary."

"Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae, a documentary about the Jamaican music genre that preceded reggae, opens in Canada today."