From Mento to Reggae to Third World Music is a heady, genre-mashing free-for-all that defies classification. Cedric "Im" Brooks cut his teeth playing on some of the most essential Studio One sides, but on this session he and his band are out to achieve something else entirely. Somewhat of a musical history lesson, From Mento to Reggae finds Brooks and company tracing the dizzying evolutionary path of the music of the African diaspora with the brash exuberance of a disorderly carnival band. For all its infectious joie de vivre, From Mento to Reggae also manages to be one of the most conceptually ambitious and profoundly erudite reggae albums of all time. The band’s earthy renditions of reggae classics like “Satta Massagana” and “Put It On” emphasize their roots in earlier musical styles, while Brooks’ spirited attempts at channeling Afrobeat on “Third World” vividly illustrate the paths of musical and cultural exchange between Jamaica and Africa. A truly singular work of art, From Mento to Reggae is a thrilling musical experience, an edifying history lesson, and an instant dance party all at the same time.