Cut Loose!

Tonight is disco night, and here to get you in the mood is Tapper Zukie with his one and only disco masterpiece, 'Freak'.

Tim Spinner and Woebot, two old friends who I haven't seen in a very long time, provided most of the tunes on CDs and tapes they've made me over the years so thanks to them for making this selection possible.

Here it is

And here's the track list:

1. Sing Sing - Gaz

2. Marvellous - The Jungle Band

3. Life On Mars - Dexter Wansell

4. Over & Over - Material

5. The Razor''s Edge - Defunkt

6. Stellar Fungk - Slave

7. Funky Monkey - Mandrill

8. Shake Your Body Down - Ruddy Thomas & Welton Irie

9. Cut Loose - Bohannon

Hope you enjoy.

Oak Sounds

I thought I'd do a few selections from some of my favourite labels.

First up is Oak Sound, best known for putting out 'Five Man Army' which has to be one of the best deejay tracks of the eighties, but also home to a small but select collection of some of the decade's finest roots tunes.

Oak Sounds

1. Five Man Army - Dillinger, Trinity, Wayne Wade, Al Campbell & Junior Tamlin
2. Man In Love - Echo Minott
3. Three Man Connection - Al Campbell, Dillinger & Trinity
4. Mr Officer - Wayne Blackstock
5. When Music Hits You - Diana
6. University - Paula Clarke
7. Top Of The Pops - Captain Sinbad
8. Open Book - Barrington Levy

Enjoy

More soon, possibly Negus Roots - I feel I owe you something good.

Top Dollar

Here's a great jazz selection from South African pianist Dollar Brand (aka Abdullah Ibrahim): two albums, 'Mannenberg' and 'African Herbs'. I hadn't listened to these in years until I was casting around for something I could post today that required next to no preparation. I dug it out and gave it a spin, and I'm damn glad I did.

These are my favourite Dollar Brand albums, and listening to Mannenberg still gives me goosebumps. I just don't have words to say how beautiful these records are. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have, although I must apologise for the truly appalling sound quality.

I think all the tracks are available on various reissues, and you'll get far better sound and far more enjoyment if you go out and get them (this was ripped from a 10 year old tape and is horribly muffled). To give you an idea of what you might be missing, here's part of the album as it sounds on the CD - I think I might treat myself to a copy sometime over Christmas.

There's a good review of the two albums here:
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/southafrica/raredollar.htm

There's also a superb write-up of 'Mannenberg' here:
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-172134454/mannenberg-notes-making-icon.html

And here they are:
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?bmzozhgjmnm

I recorded these albums off a tape owned by a good friend. She also introduced me to John Martyn and Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath, so I owe her proper.

Super Track!

I'm up late chewing miraa with the missus, talking and watching nigerian films - thought I'd put up a couple more tunes to make up for the poor sound quality of the last post.
Here's a really nice vocal from Jackie Brown together with Jah Lloyd's deejay cut:
Here it is

Three good tracks, one just so-so. Enjoy.

A Bag Of Tools

Today's tune is 'Book Master' by Reco-Boaco & the Stepping Stones, and it's an organ version of the Heptones' 1973 classic, 'Book of Rules' with a great bongo cut on the b-side. Both versions were produced by Harry J and released on his Jaywax label.

There's a very good blog entry about the vocal here:
http://justasong2.blogspot.com/2009/04/heptones-book-of-rules.html

And here it is in all its glory:


It had a pretty decent b-side as well:



The lyrics are taken from R. Lee Sharpe's poem, 'A Bag Of Tools', which dates from some time in the 1940s.

Isn't it strange how princes and kings,
and clowns that caper in sawdust rings,
and common people, like you and me,
are builders for eternity?

Each is given a list of rules;
a shapeless mass; a bag of tools.
And each must fashion, ere life is flown,
A stumbling block, or a Stepping-Stone.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/hdmdybjndj0/Book Master.zip
Anyway, enjoy.

Mother Miserable

Sorry I've not been too active with the blog lately - lot going on. Anyway, here's a comp that I put together a few years ago. 01. Hit Song - Roman Stewart 02. Mother Miserable - The Kingstonians 03. Bubbler - Lloyd Parks 04. You'll Never Find - John Holt 05. Official Trombone - Elaine 06. Flatfoot Hustling - Dillinger 07. Little Village - Charlie Organaire 08. Black Up - Count Ossie & Karl Bryan 09. Mother Nature - Delroy Wilson 10. Uhuru - King Tubby 11. I Want To Be With You - The Paragons 12. That Wonderful Sound - Dobby Dobson 13. Foreman A Bawl Fe Cornflakes - Uncredited (Roy Shirley?) 14. Tribalies Version - Uncredited (Santic All-Stars) 15. Something To Remind Me Of You - Owen Gray 16. Pinnock's Paranormal Payback - Dennis Pinnock 17. Warn The Nation - Alric Forbes 18. Version - Alric Forbes 19. Feeling Right - Susan Cadogan 20. Yesterday Version - Jah Woosh I've tried to put loads of different stuff in there - favourites are probably Alric Forbes' version of 'Warn The Nation' (I prefer it to the Prophets' version) and the track by Jah Woosh (what a mix!). http://www.mediafire.com/?k2dezkmggme Hope you enjoy.

Rocking Machine

Continuing with Studio 1 for just one more post, here's a great track, 'Rocking Machine' by Prince Francis. It's a 1972 version of a song that was a hit for Cliff Richard the previous year. I'm not too keen on the original, but the Jamaican versions just kick arse. Playing the recorder part on the organ works really well, especially when you add those horns at the end of it. 'Rocking Machine' adds a great intro and some spacey sound effects that you don't get elsewhere. As a bonus, it's on the multicoloured Ironside label, which was one of the nicest-looking ones that Coxsone had.
There's also a great version by Dennis Alcapone ('The Sky's The Limit'), a vocal by Teddy Magnus and a really bizarre (but fun) cut called 'Sewing Machine' by Ham & Bone, with a guitar version by Hux Brown ('Plucking Machine') on the flip. All of them are great and well worth having.

In case anyone's wondering, the vocalist on this version is Freddy McGregor. Enjoy.
http://www.mediafire.com/?vnmuuizvnto

Here's the original - see what you think.

Coxsone Time

Sorry I've been out of action for so long - a combination of overtime and ebaying has kept me away from my music. I'm dedicating this week to the mighty Studio 1. I've got a couple of tunes that really show it at its best, and a third which reminds me of what Fred Wesley's meant to've told James Brown, 'Boss, you're copying people who are copying you'. First up, one of my favourites, Larry Marshall's 'I've Got To Make It' - word's can't express what a great tune this is - uplifting and beautifully arranged. As a bonus, we've got a great organ version of Neil Diamond's 'Holly Holy' on the b-side.  Next 'African Descendants by Alton Ellis. Great rhythm, great arrangements, a classic righteous roots tune if ever there was one. Finally, there's the Righteous Flames' ''Solid Foundation' from 1978. Using the classic 'Joe Frasier' rhythm it's quite nice, but not quite the same standard as the other two. Here they all are: http://www.mediafire.com/?njgtcn0maoi Hope you enjoy. While you wait for the download, here's the original Sunshine Showdown, Foreman vs Frazier in Kingston, 1973. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9l_RrjjTMc

How Great Is This Rhythm?!

I've got a proper treat for you this week (sorry the last few weeks have been so lean - I've been rushed off my feet on outside business) - three very rare tunes all on the same rhythm. It's 'Picture On The Wall' - we've all heard great versions by Freddy McKay and Phyliis Dillon, but that's not all there is, not by a long way. What I love about this rhythm is its energy - and almost anyone who sings, plays or deejays over it carries something of that into their performance.

First up, and definitely the rarest and most sought-after is 'We Can Make It' by Pat Satchmo (real name Paul Anthony), which came out in 1971 on Tony Robinson's High School label. This has to be the guy's best ever tune (although his version of 'What's Going On' is damn strong as well), and as a bonus you've got an excellent melodica version by Peter Tosh on the flip. Peter Tosh did a few melodica instrumentals but this one is my favourite - 'A Little Love version 3' is pretty good as well; 'Field Marshall' was hideously distorted on the original pressing (I haven't heard the reissue yet) and the key changes didn't really work for me.

No all-on-one-rhythm selection is complete without a deejay cut, so here goes. My copy of this was a white label with 'Blackbirds' written on it, so that's what I always assumed it was called. Turns out it's actually 'No Turning Back' by Big Joe & Carl Dryden. I'd love to know if a full vocal version exists, but really this version is really just fine - roots deejay laid over a romantic-sounding song. It came out in 1973 on the always-excellent Shelter Rock label, which was a joint venture between Big Joe and Jah Pops. I've always liked this song, but until today I've not really found a good way to showcase it.

Finally we've got another very rare cut, a rootsy vocal by Ronald Phillip called 'Love & Harmony' backed with a wild effects-laden Vin Gordon trombone version called 'East, West, North & South'. It's another one from the Shelter Rock label (1974), and I picked it up while buying records wholesale for someone else; this and Count Ossie's 'Black Up' were the only two I kept for myself.

Highlights for me - Pat Satchmo's vocal, Vin Gordon's trombone - but there's not a bad cut in this lot. Here's the link: http://www.mediafire.com/?mzmyzhrzhnn

Finally, just to remind us how great the original was:

Hope you enjoy.

Tempo, my God dis ya soun' in a tempo!

Today's tune is something that I remember very well from when it first came out. Released in 1985 (just before 'Sleng Teng'), 'Tempo' was the first proper digital tune, and is still my favourite even after all these years. The rhythm is close to 'Stalag 17', and the lyrics are a proper anthem to all sound systems.

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There's a nice little article in the Gleaner about how the tune was recorded. There's some more here about what Redrose has been up to since.

Sweet Roots

Thought I'd continue the roots theme with a tune from one of my favourite singers - Sugar Minott. 'Africa Is The Black Man's Home' came out onhis LP 'Ghetto-ology'. The 7" mix is different, and I prefer it to the one on the LP.
Vocal: http://www.mediafire.com/?byzznnlwtnw
Dub: http://www.mediafire.com/?kjc2g2mmzyn
I really can't recommend Sugar Minott enough to anyone out there who doesn't know him. From his early work with the African Brothers through his classic Studio 1 LPs to the great tunes he did at Wackies he is one of the most solid and consistent roots artists that ever come out of Jamaica. There are lots of albums and compilations available, but the best one to start with is the one that got me hooked: his first Studio 1 LP, 'Live Loving'.
I hope you enjoy this one, it's a gem.

A Couple Of Nice Roots Tunes

Here are a couple of nice roots tunes that I was meaning to put up over the weekend, but events (perfect weather for taking the kids out to pick blackberries) intervened. First up is one that I got off a mailing list about 10 years ago, 'Earth Runnings' by the Africans. I bought it because I had another great tune by the Africans on the 'Rebel' label, called 'Have A Grand Time' , it was cheap enough to buy on the off-chance, and the guy who ran the list had it flagged as having a great dub.

He was certainly right about about the dub; but until yesterday when I was trying to figure out how to describe it, I'd never listened to the vocal side all the way through.

It's actually quite a solid roots tune. Judge for yourself:

Vocal: http://www.mediafire.com/?2wmjmizy2mz
Dub: http://www.mediafire.com/?jjmodumzgzn

Second up is a classic roots tune from Enos McLeod with backing vocals by the Mighty Diamonds. Both sides have already been compiled on a Pressure Sounds release called 'The Genius Of Enos' and if you don't know it, I'm hoping this will encourage you to buy it or at least check it out.

Vocal: http://www.mediafire.com/?mktjz2ou5a5
Dub: http://www.mediafire.com/?yljurkmw1qj

BTW, nice to get a shout from Popbitch ("Somebody's roots collection")
- plenty more tunes to come.

Knotty Vision

Today's post features Jackie Brown, one of the forgotten heroes of reggae, in his twin roles of producer and singer. For anyone wanting to know more about him (and he's an interesting guy), there's an excellent interview here:

http://www.reggae-vibes.com/concert/jackiebrown/jackiebrown.htm

Anyway, this first post is from 1974, and he's wearing his producer hat:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/ytycmm2nugu/Time To Leave Babylon.zip

Dobby Jones has quite a similar style of singing to Jackie Brown himself, and as far as I've been able to discover, only recorded 6 records. Anyway, the rhythm's great, the vocal's heartfelt & conscious and kind of country style, and there's talk that it was recorded and mixed at the Black Ark. I couldn't find my copy to scan, but I'll post an updated link in the comments when I do.

It was clearly too good to leave at just one cut, so JB sang his own vocal version a couple of years later, and it turned into quite a big hit. 'Knotty Vision' is strong in all the same ways as the original tune, and one of my favourites from all his records. My copy is completely mashed, and although I've did what I could to clean it up, the sound's still quite poor.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/jm1ydxhfzqm/Knotty Vision.zip

Simply Beautiful

Here's a nice vocaI I picked up years ago - it's a version of Sam Cooke's 'Send Me Some Loving' by the sublime Slim Smith. If this is unfamiliar to anyone, I strongly recommend they go and check out some of the many compilations that highlight Smith's beautiful voice - particularly the ones that feature his work with the Techniques (the original 'Queen Majesty' and 'Travelling Man'!) and the Uniques ('The Beatitude', 'Watch This Sound' and too many others to mention).  He really was in a league of his own, with a beautiful tenor which could extend to a falsetto, and the talent to give a song a depth of feeling that few reggae artists could match. He seems to have had a turbulent life, and died tragically young (age 25) in London in 1973. Who knows how much more wonderful music he might have blessed us with if he'd lived. My copy is a bit ropy (that seems to be the theme for this week) but it should give you an idea of how great this tune is, and I hope it inspires you to go and check out some more of his stuff. http://www.mediafire.com/?wvjjj5u0m4i There it is, so enjoy.

One track of a dubplate

I'm sorry I've not been able to post much recently - my mac died on me about 10 days ago, and although I've still got all the music I've lost most of my label scans. There've also been a couple of other things going on that've kept me away from the computer for a while.

Anyway, today's post is a so-so Tubbys dubplate that I found at the back of a cupboard behind a pile of kangas. Unfortunately it's wrecked - it's a one-sided dubplate that had 2 versions of Little Roy's 'Fathers Call' until my nephew stepped on it and some of the acetate flaked off the metal core. Now it only has one version, and soon it'll be completely dead.

The surviving track is quite a nice drum & bass version - the background noise is very strong but you can still hear quite a nice mix behind it that gives some real impact to the drums.

http://www.mediafire.com/?yiunlmgzjno

I'll try and get a bit more stuff together for another post soon. Hope you enjoy this one.