Thursday 29 April 2010

musicology #544

Jamaica #24

(Gregory Isaacs – Financial Endorsement)

LISTEN

Out of the ‘Crown Prince’ selection and into one from the ‘Cool Ruler’…aka Jamaican Superstar Gregory Isaacs..who, (along with the Heptones and Beres Hammond), I will be catching Live at the Brixton Academy next week…

Born and raised in West Kingston’s notorious Denham Town, The Cool Ruler begun his recording career in 1968 with a self produced cut and followed with one for Prince Buster, (apparently under gentle persuasion from the notorious ghetto legend Jim Brown to offer his ‘bredren’ Gregory a platform to record), but amazingly it wasn’t until setting up his own African Museum label in 1973 in collaboration with Errol Dunkley that he began to climb his way up to the top. Why? certainly nothing to do with his immense talent, maybe he was just toorudefor the producers to deal with for more than the odd session? anyway thankfully Gregory continued to record and has gone on to deliver some of the finest music to have ever graced themusicologist’s ears.

Today’s 1974 cut was recorded for producer Alvin Ranglin and released on his GG’s Label.

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