musicology #548

Jamaica #28

(Ken Boothe – Be Yourself)

Top Ranking piece of Jamaican musicology sung by one of it’s greatest artists recorded for and released by it’s champion studio, (Studio 1), and backed by the cream of the island’s instrumentalists.

Doesn’t get better than this as once again I find myself sitting in the park on a scorching day..soaking up the rays…and listening to the sweet sounds of Jamaica. Not sure of the year but do I give a F**K?…no. Peace and love to the haters and doubters that would take pleasure from seeing me stumble and fall..don’t hold your breath ; )

LISTEN TUNE

musicology #547

Jamaica #27

(Bob Andy – Life)

LISTEN

Today’s 1972 cut features the magnificent and supremely talented Keith ‘Bob Andy’ Anderson, (for me one of Jamaica’s premier artists). Founder member of the Paragons whose songwriting is second to none. I must confess that over the past few weeks I have been suffering and once again it has been holding the musicology back so rather than allow my inner turmoil to stop the flow I’ll just let the music speak for a while…

Listen the ‘ride’…

“forget about stupidity,
discover your ability,
develop your creativity,
cultivate humility,
to bear the stormy weather….”

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.

musicology #543

Jamaica #23

(Dennis Brown - No More Will I Roam)

LISTEN

Looking back over the past week on themusicologist I couldn't help but notice my absence..in truth the weather was too nice and I had much street walking, hustling, networking, planning and dreaming to do and themusicologist had to take a back seat but the weather is still scorching so I'll have to come up with a new plan for this week...ahh got it...more music less scribbles, (it's the scribbling that takes ALL my time)

So with that in mind....forward up with the sweet sounds of JA.

Ranking piece from the 'Crown Prince' Dennis Emmanuel Brown produced by Winston 'Niney the Observer' Holness for his Obsever label in 1974.

Listen Tune..

musicology #542

Jamaica #22

(Horace Andy - Let Your Teardrops Fall)

LISTEN

Went to see Dean Chalkley's 'New Faces' exhibition at the Book Club last night with...Good night, Good music, (Led by the Cheeba), excellent venue and the photographs were absolutely spot on. What's that got to do with the Jamaica theme? nothing but you know this is my musical diary so I just wanted to keep yers in the loop and inform the Cats and Kittens of how, (and where), this 'stone' known to some as themusicologist is rolling.

Anyway...back to Jamaica..and today's cut is courtesy of the man Horace 'Sleepy' Hinds aka Horace Andy whose recording career started in 1966 under the guiding hand of heavyweight producer Phil Pratt but didn't really go anywhere until he turned up at Studio 1 guitar in hand, (which he had spent the preceeding 4 years learning), and waxed 'Got To Be Sure' and 'Something On My Mind' and a star was born.

Today's cut is from 1972/3. Don't know who produced it and to be honest I don't really care too much as for me it's only ever about the music and not the information.

musicology #541

Jamaica #21

(Wailing Souls - Don't Fight)

LISTEN

So as the 70's begun Jamaican music yet again changed gear this time from the light soulful, and more accessible sounds of the 60's into the roots and culture. Why? of course there are many reasons but the ones that stand out for me are 1: The artists were beginning to grow weary of being exploited by the producers 2: the social fabric of the island was rapidly disintegrating and 3: Rastafarianism was becoming ever more popular in the ghettos especially with the artists and musicians. Of course the Big producers couldn't really get involved as they were, in essence, Capitalist.

Not surprisingly this change of gear didnt go down well with the record buying public 'up a foreign' who weren't really interested in Ghetto music that talked about sufferation, poverty, exploitation, (no change there then) No they would rather hear about how much the sun shined, unrequieted love and how Jamaica was a paradise...a holiday destination that they could one day envisge visiting. Truth is that most people don't listen to music to hear about harsh reality, (unless it's glamourised of course), rather use music to escape reality. So Jamaican music turned inwards, (due mainly to internal demand), and the Roots & Culture came to dominate the dancehall.

I'm sticking with the roots, (as unpopular as it is), because for me it's the essence of Jamaican, (and all come to that), music. Today's cut is another one from the hallowed halls of Sir Coxsone Dodd's Studio 1 sung by the MAJESTIC Wailing Souls. (essentially Winston 'Pipe' Matthews and Lloyd 'Bread' McDonald), Both born and raised in Trenchtown a Kingston district synonymous with Reggae producing greats such as Ken Boothe, Alton Ellis, Joe Higgs and the Wailers, (to name but a few), Joined in this period by the notorious Errol 'Batman' Wilson, (brother of Delroy), who was immortalised in the Slickers cut 'Johnny Too Bad'. But it was as a quartet in 1969/1971 that they truly made their mark first at Studio 1 with a selection of cuts from where this one is taken and then following on at the Wailers label Tuff Gong.

LISTEN TUNE

musicology #539

Jamaica #19

(Rome - Lloyd Jones)

LISTEN

When I first heard this cut, (more than 20 years ago), I had to sit down. Still to this day I don't know what it is about it that continues to tremble my marrow but as I live and learn about life through the ups and downs there are certain tunes that are an integral part of the soundtrack to my existence...this is one of them. The sounds that pulsed out of the Kingston ghettos during the early 70's continue to speak with unmatched authenticity to my Soul and even though I am a big fan of Ska, Rocksteady and early Reggae it is this period, (the 'Golden Age'), between 1970 and 1976 that really does it for me, (the 90's too but we'll have to wait until later to hear them)

The vocalist on today's piece is Lloyd Jones, (a cat I know nothing about), but what I do know though is that, (as far as I'm concerned), music doesn't get better than this. For 20+ years this cut has been a BIG part of my life. Why? can't say for sure but it's one of the tunes that I will NEVER tire of hearing. Larry, (the field), Marshall cut it at Studio 1 and I'm not sure who waxed the original but I think it's this one....not that it matters of course and whether it's called Babylon, Rome, the Shitstym, Capitalism or Globalisation it's all just 'The Game' and I for one despise it. Sufferers all bleed the same colour blood and it's always RED so be you black, white, pink, brown, yellow or blue this one's for all of us...45 on the English Bullet label.

"From since I was a kid they have had me down as slave,
Keep pushing me everyday until they push me out of the way,
Woooooh Rome I want to go home,
Woooooooh Rome I can't stay no longer in Rome"