Wednesday, 20 January 2010

musicology #478

PoliceAndThieves #3

(Gregory Isaacs – Mr Cop)

LISTEN

Hmmm..don’t know what’s happened to the ‘Thieves’ selection..just have to keep rolling with the Police then…

Today’s cut is from none other than the ‘Cool Ruler’ a Cat who has been delivering TOP ranking cuts for 40…YES 40 years. which in this age of here today and gone tomorrow is no mean feat. His recording career begun in 1968 but it wasn’t until hooking up with Errol Dunkley in 1973 and setting up their African Museum label that he began his rise to the top of the Jamaican music tree working with producers such as Niney, Gussie Clarke, Roy Cousins, Alvin Ranglin and Lee Perry sealed his status as one of Jamaica’s top vocalists throughout the 70’s and 80’s. Always ahead of the game Gregory was and still is an inspiration for all Ghetto youths.

Still making TOP ranking music Gregory is the yardstick by which all Jamaican vocalists are measured…with only Dennis Brown for company. Yes there are other singers who are as good but none surpass Gregory…Lee Perry production on this one.

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

musicology #477

PoliceAndThieves #2

(Wasp – Unfair Officer)

LISTEN

Today’s cut on the Police&Thieves is courtesy of Jamaican dancehall artist Wasp with an insight into how things run in the ghetto when a man tries to hustle a little dance to make a ‘play’. Many’s the time I remember back in the late 80’s, early 90’s where the ‘Old Bill’ crashed our dances in London to ‘lock’ off the sound under the premise of ‘Health and Safety’. So much so that a Bill was passed through Parliament to give them the power. Yep money was being made, drugs were being sold but there was never any alcohol on the premises…the truth was that there was no tax being paid and we all know that TAX is what it’s all about.

Life is so unfair,
Me not even sell a crate a beer,
And by the time me look,
Pure police come inna me land,
Say the sound haffi turn off,
I don’t know wey a gwan,
A who invite them inna me land,
But still me nah worry meself,
Ca’ me know fe a fact,
Say them a fight ghetto youths before me born,

Nah lock off me sound officer
And gwan like you take me for clown officer..hey,
When the music nah play In a the ghetto and the shots them a echo,
Ouno say we up to no good,
Make the music play officer,
No bother make the yoots them go astray officer ay,
Just remember say in a JA we party every day,
Man a try fe live life the right way,

So me say,
Living in the ghetto its not easy to survive,
More time you have fe hustle just to stay alive,
Though me no have no big education,
Custom? say me not qualified fe the 9 to 5,
So it’s a dance me a keep,
Take some liquor pon consignment,
and me block the street,
People them come out whole heap,
But by the time me look a pure jeep,

And them come fe lock off me sound officer,
And gwan like you take me for clown officer..hey,
When the music nah play In a the ghetto and the shots them a echo,
Ouno say we up to no good,
Make the music play officer,
No bother make the yoots them go astray officer ay,
Just remember say in a JA we party every day,
Man a try fe live life the right way,

Yeah,
Me a beg the ghetto yout’ them fe put down the gun,
‘Cause if the shot a beat then the music a go done,
‘Cause me no want the police pass through,
And no see no more dead body lay down pon the ground,
Officer me a beg you please,
Come make the ghetto yout them want a hold up the peace,
Man from west and east,
Me rather see dance than see funeral keep,

Nuh lock off me sound officer,
And gwan like you take me for clown officer..hey,
When the music nah play In a the ghetto and the shots them a echo,
Ouno say we up to no good,
Make the music play officer
No bother make the yoots them go astray officer ay,
Just remember say in a JA we party every day,
Man a try fe live life the right way,

Yo tell them weh them want me do,
Tell me weh them all a plan,
When them only gimme life and oppression for the poor man,
So me a keep a dance just to make a couple grand,
Police circle in a de dance and come a with your permit in a y’ hand,
When me show the man me permit,
And im still a say me wrong,
Ca’ the permit stop at 2 and now a 2:21,
A it seem like them nuh care,
Must nuh have nothing fe spare,
So me say alright,
Nuh lock off me sound officer,
And gwan like you take me for clown officer..hey,
When the music nah play In a the ghetto and the shots them a echo,
Ouno say we up to no good,
Make the music play officer
No bother make the yoots them go astray officer ay,
Just remember say in a JA we party every day,
Man a try to live life the right way

Sunday, 17 January 2010

musicology #476

PoliceAndThieves #1

(John Holt – Police In Helicopter)

back on themusicologst train with a new theme..Police and Thieves.

First up it’s the majestic John Holt one time lead singer of Rock Steady legends the Paragons. ‘83 cut on a Greensleeves 12″

Thursday, 14 January 2010

musicology #475

(Billie Holiday – My First Impression Of You)

LISTEN

Today will always be a very special date in my calender…our beautiful son’s birthday. The boy is 12 and I love him more than words alone could ever suggest. The kid is a constant source of joy and inspiration, (they both are), and I just want to lay one down for the kitten in an effort to express my feelings for him.

Recorded 72 years ago, (almost to the day), in New York on January 6th 1938 and featuring an all star cast of Buck Clayton, Benny Morton, Lester Young, Teddy Wilson, Freddie Green, Walter Page and Jo Jones.

Fabian this one’s ALL yours…LISTEN TUNE…..

“My first impression of you was like a sight of flowers in spring,
You were a glorious thing..to see,
My first impression of you was something indescribably new,
I stood there looking at you smiling at me,
If you had stepped right out of heaven it wouldn’t surprise me more,
I thought you were an angel from heavens door,
It may sound silly but true my heart just stopped when I caught your eye,
So overwhelming was my first impression of you”….

Monday, 11 January 2010

musicology #474

2LegendsClash II #10

(Dinah Washington – Journey’s End)

LISTEN

So just leaves Dinah to wrap up this session..beautiful duet with vocal group supreme The Ravens who along with The Mills brothers and The Orioles set the tone for the Doo Wop explosion that followed.

Sunday, 10 January 2010

musicology #473

2LegendsClash II #9

(Billie Holiday – Big Stuff)

LISTEN

penultimate cut of the two legends…feels like the time has come to move on up.

1946 cut on the Decca label. Recorded in New York on March 13th. Featuring Joe Guy, Joe Springer, Tiny Grimes, Billy Taylor and Kelly Martin.

Saturday, 9 January 2010

musicology #472

2LegendsClash II #8

(Dinah Washington -The Man That Got Away)

LISTEN

Today’s appropriate cut from the Legend that we know as Dinah Washington is one for those who know that the only blues is the ‘done lost my wo/man’ blues and no-one sings ‘em better than Ruth Jones….Hold this quote from Pianist Junior Mance, ( 2 year musical companion of Dinah’s), who said;

“When I went to work with Dinah Washington, I learned what the blues were all about”

That’s not to say that the Blues are all about sadness…they’re not. I wrote recently about catharsis and that is what the blues are really all about. No good suppressing your feelings as one day when you are least expecting it they will come back and tear the heart and soul out of you. Another thing to bear in mind is that as sure as the sun shines trouble don’t last always and if you don’t feel pain you won’t recognise joy when it returns into your life.

This one from Dinah is from her Roulette days, (which turned out to be her last), recorded and released in the early 60’s by which time she had been married SEVEN times, (For those who don’t know her story she died at the tender age of 39 on December 19th 1963). Amazingly there are some who felt/feel that Dinah’s voice during this period had “lost it’s lustre” !! If I was there when they said it I would have simply replied;

“you’re talking shit and you don’t have a clue about music”…Job Done.