For most of his career, Audley Rollen sang Rasta-inspired songs like ‘Repatriation Is a Must’ and ‘Hallelujah’. But on ‘Be Wise’, his 1997 album, the singer showed a different side by recording R&B-influenced tracks.
‘Be Wise’ was re-released on October 26 through CD Baby. It is available on all digital platforms. It contains ‘Between the Sheets’ and ‘Spend the Night’, soul-flavored ballads that feature Frank Cornelius and Sister Rose of soul group The Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose.
That group had a massive hit in 1972 with ‘Too Late to Turn Back Now’. Rollen said the songs, recorded at their Vi Studio in Fort Lauderdale, allowed him to show his versatility.
“I must tell you that I enjoyed working with them, they are very knowledgeable, I picked up a few things there, and the setting was very professional,” he recalled.
‘Be Wise’ also contains a cover of ‘Things in Life’, a big hit for Dennis Brown during the early 1970s. Lloyd “Matador” Daley, who produced that song, was one of the producers Rollen worked with early in his career.
‘Things in Life’ went number one on South Florida reggae charts. ‘Between The Sheets’ also did well in that region, where Rollen has lived for over 30 years.