Today's tune is 'One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer' by Pete Campbell. It's a very nice version of the Amos Milburn's 1953 classic - quite rare, but not in the least bit expensive. While trawling the web, I stumbled across this write-up from Black Music magazine:
FROM JA TO UK - A BRITISH REGGAE ROUND-UP:
An in-depth survey by Carl Gayle:-BILL AND PETE CAMPBELL:
Recording Label: BB...
Latest Releases: "Stand By Me" (Paradise), "Make Me Yours" by Bill Campbell (BB), "One Scotch One Bourbon One Beer" by Pete Campbell (BB).
Background: Bill is twenty-five; Pete a year younger. Both brothers were born and raised in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, where they sang in church choirs. At age 15, Bill recorded a tune called "Come On Girl" for producer Duke Reid. They came to Britain in the sixties and went to the People`s College of Further Education in Nottingham for three years. They started singing together in a six-piece band called Mighty Sparrow while still at college. After one gig in London they moved down to the capital. Their first disc was "You`re Mine" for Trojan in 1971. They later (1973) recorded "So Glad You`re Mine" for Count Shelly, as well as Ben E. King`s "Stand By Me" as a duo. Bill has sung things like "I`ll Be Missing You" and "Here I Am" solo, while his brother has done "The Love You Try To Hide" for Shelly`s labels. They formed the BB label themselves last year.
Prospects: Pete is a good vocalist but they lack capital. They ought to sing together more often.
Carl Gayle-Black Music April 1976:
peaceOf course, there's another far better-known version. Prince Jazzbo's 'One Scotch' came out on the Pantomine label in 1972, and is one of his best tunes. The 1972 release had a dub on the b-side, but the copy I'm posting today is the 1973 release. This had a really nice vocal on the flip, a duet called 'Open Up Your Heart' by Glen Brown and Susan Prescott.
Check them both out
http://www.mediafire.com/?nn4mzdom4zz
And just in case you were wondering what the original sounds like. here it is:
2 comments:
Laurel Aitken was the first Caribean artist to record it back in 1960, under the title "Hey Bartender", with a band that sounded very much like Clue J and the Blues Blasters, plus a full horn section.
It was released in the UK by Emile Shallit's Melodisc label, so production credits are uncertain - similar in style to "More Whiskey" on Treasure Isle, but I can't see The Duke giving full rights to a foreign-based label.
After re-reading this post, I'm a little confused as to whether you ever posted the first Jazzbo version of the 45 with the dub? Thanks.
Post a Comment