LEGENDARY roots-reggae singer Bunny Wailer is set to release a commemorative 50-track album titled Reincarnate Souls in April.

“No one has ever done this. These are 50 tracks that have never been heard before,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

WAILER… no one has ever done this before..

Wailer, who turns 66 on April 10, said the album commemorates Jamaica’s 50th anniversary of Independence and is produced by his Solomonic Productions.

“It’s very symbolic and significant to our existence… musically,” he said.

Wailer, whose given name is Neville Livingston, is one of reggae’s standard-bearers. In August, last year, he was awarded Jamaica’s fifth highest honour, the Order of Jamaica, for his contribution to the country’s music.

An original member of the Wailing Wailers which included Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, Wailer went solo in 1974. He went on to win Grammy awards for Best Reggae Album in 1991, 1994 and 1996.

He has similar aspirations for his newest project.

“It’s a very strong album. It’s gonna do excellent, as far as the Grammy awards are concerned,” he said.

“I’m just focussing on making what is good for music for people to ‘full-joy’.”

Wailer says he supports the new wave of roots-reggae artistes, which includes Chronixx, Iba Mahr, Protoje, Kabaka Pyramid, Jah 9, and Kelisa.

“If these youths are focussing on the futuristic value of the music, then I’m 100 per cent in support of them,” he said.