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Saturday, March 29, 2003

Playlist - 29th March 2003

George McCrae -I get lifted -(Soul Jazz Records) -
James Knight & the Butlers -Funky cat -"
Kelly Joe Phelps -Cardboard box of batteries -(Ryko)
John Handcock -There is mean things happening -(Document)
Smokey Smother -The case is closed -(Ace)
Muddy Waters -Tom cat -(Chess)
Henry Flynt -Echo rock -(Locust)
DJ Spooky -Asphalt -(Thirsty Ear)
Dj Spooky/Twilight Circus -Variation Cybernetique -(Thirsty Ear)
Charlie Hunter Quintet -Oakland -(Ropeadope)
Port Sulphur -Wave Noise -(Creeping Bent)
Makale -Makalintro/Salla -(Barbarity)
Deadbeat -Organ in the attic sings the blues -(~scape)
Tommy Guerrero -Abiento -(Mo Wax)
Lord Alibaski -Top Gun -(Ultimate Dilemma)
45 King -Funk Box -(Ultimate Dilemma)
Syran Mbenza-Mbote Ya Damba-(Stern's Africa)
Nuspirit Helsinki-Makoumba-(Guidance)
Alabama 3-Reachin-(One Little Indian)
Ad Vanderveen-Everything is Free-(Unique Gravity)
The Kills--(Domino)
Stiffed-What you gon do-(Cool Hunter)
Anders Parker-Still Dream-(Munich Records)
Pilot to Gunner-We got games at High Speeds-(Rykodisc)
Kelly Joe Phelps-Slingshot Professionals-(Rykodisc)
Morphine-You look like rain-(Rykodisc)
Dayna Kurtz-Somebody Leave Light On-(Munich Records)
Little Axe-Long way to go-(On U Sound)
Al Gromer Khan-Airwave-(Intuition)
Camper Van Beethoven-Take the Skinheads Bowling-(Cooking Vinyl)
Culture-Tribal War-(RAS)
Tere Quartet-Diplomat Waltz-(World Music Network)

Saturday, March 22, 2003

Playlist - 22nd March 2003

Tappa Zukie - MPLA Dub (Bigga Bush) - (Select Cuts)
Aswad - Dub fire - (Island)
Pole - Arena - (Mute)
Al Moodie - Bull Bay jumping - (Wackies)
Prince Far I - Deck of cards - (Trojan)
Prince Jazzbo - Mr Harry skank -
Shorty the President - Yamaha skank -
Jah Woosh - Its alright -
True Tone Hi Fi - Jah love - (Gob in a Box)
Augustus Pablo - Far east - (Pressure Sounds)
Augustus Pablo - Ras Memelik congo-
Eeek-a-Mouse-Ganja smuggling-(Shanachie)
Sir Coxsone Sound - Tribute to Mohammed Ali - (Tribesman)
Sir Coxsone Sound - Black Wars Reggae -
Restless Mashaits - Africa - (Addis)
Junior Delgado - Tichion - (Sound Boy)
Phase Selector Sound - The sound of tblclths - (Lush)
Joie Higgs/Augustus Pablo - Creation/Version - (PK)
Ilodica - Ilodica theme - (Boom)
Shacka-Lacka -
Jammys - Dub is a moment in space - (Jammys Gold)
Jah Stitch/Barry Brown/Tubbys - Ragga Muffin Style/Politician/Dub - (Attack)
Gold - -
Horace Andy/U Roy - Better Collie/Gorgan wise - (Attack Gold)
Ghetto Priest - Masters of Deception - (Sound Boy)

Saturday, March 15, 2003

Playlist - 15th March 2003

Little Roy -Hardest fighter -(Trojan)
Horace Andy -Do you love my music -(Select Cuts)
Tosca -Everyday and every night -(!K7)
Mapstation -Gravity -(Staubgold)
The Rootsman feat. Horace Andy -My world is spinning -(Meteo)
King Tubby -Niney skank -(Heartbeat)
Clive Field Marshall -Love is what you want -(Wackies)
The Upsetter -Slow motion -(Trojan)
Eu Sou -Big up slow down -(4Daz)
Bob Marley & the Wailers -Roots, rock, dub -(Tuff Gong)
Prince Far-I -Bedward the Flying Preacher -(Sound Boy)
Yush2K -Fade away -(Genuine)
Winston "Niney" Holness -Mutiny -(PK)
Light of Saba -Africa -(Honest Jon's Records)
Jurassic 5 -A Day at the Races -(Intenscore)
Momana-Its -Temposhere)
DJ Pogo-Block Party Breaks-(Strut)
Michael Jackson-Don't Stop-(Epic)
Lonesome Echo Production Feat. Byron Stingly-Sweet Dream-
James Brown-Give me some skin-(Madhatter CDR Exculsive)
Incognito-People at the Top-(Dome)
Terry Walker-Cuing Cuing-(Def Soul)
Bambu-The Real Thing-Bitches Brew)
Gil Scott Heron-Moving Target-(Ariha)
Full Flava and Charleen Anderson-Stories-
K. Kelly-Chocolate Factory-(Jive0
Matty Hellibrown-Nature Boy-(Nite)

Saturday, March 08, 2003

Playlist - 8th March 2003

Blood and Fire show

Skatalites -Latin Goes Ska-(Treasure Isle)
Tommy McCook-Eastern Standard Time-(Treasure Isle)
Bobby Ellis-Shank I Sheck-(High Note)
MBV-No Parole-(Mudies Records)
Reggae Magic-Jackie Mittoo-(Studio One)
The Meditations-Changing of the times-(Wild Flower)
Dennis Brown-Man Next Door-(Blood And Fire)
Johnny Clarke-Roots Natty Roots Natty Congo-(Blood and Fire)
Junior Byles-Remember Me-(Blood and Fire)
Prince FarI-No more war -(Cry Tuff)
Culture-Natty Never Get Weary-(High Note)
Yabby You-Zambia Dub Feat. Jah Walton-(Blood and Fire)
I-Roy-Camp Road Skanking-(Blood and Fire)
Peter and Lucky-Nonstop Reggae-(Roots Tradition)
Dennis Brown-Whip Them Jah-(Hawkeye)
Rae and Christian Feat. The Congos-Hold us Down-(Grand Central Records)
King Shango and Prosperity-Light a Fire-(Prosperity)
Junior Kelly-Boom Draw-(VP)
Shabba Ranks-Have this woman-(Cal Bud)
Leroy Smart and Bounty-Tribalism-(Real Music)
Marcia Griffiths-I Shall Sing-(Penthouse)
Ward 21-Reggae Pledge-(Jammys Records)
Beres Hammond-Stay With Me Jah-(Xterminator)
Spikey Tee and Blue Foundation-Talk for Five-
Spikey Tee -Stranger-(Unreleased)
Ranking Joe-Woman of Samaritan-(TR Groovemaster)
Big Youth-Whole Lotta Fire-(Blood and Fire)

Saturday, March 01, 2003

Playlist - 1st March 2003 - Baked Goods

AROVANE-Neel.-(City Centre Offices)
XELA-Bobble Hats In Summer-(Neo Ouija)
KOPERNIK-The Sea and The Marsh are One-(Eastern Developments)
SUPERSOUL feat JUDAH MANSON & CYNE-Sattva Guna (Make It Happen)-(Rice & Beans)
SIXTOO-Daggers On All Corners-(Vertical Form)
STYROFOAM-The Long Wait-(Morr Music)
DAEDELUS-Busy Signal (Prefuse 73 Remix)-(Eastern Developments)
RADIOINACTIVE & DAEDELUS-Raffle Ticket Blues-(Mush)
POST HUMAN-Moment Of Weakness-(Seed CD)
OTTO VON SCHIRACH feat MR SOUNDWAVE-Beta Bodega (La Guerra)-(Rice & Beans)
THE STEREONERDS/F.O.N.K-(Is What You Don't Play)-(Rather Interesting)
STEVE BOSWELL-I Am Getting Bad-(Motion)
STAUNCH LIASON-Get A Grip-(Chopped Herrings)
KAMAN LEUNG-Let Go-(Lacerated)
CHRISTIAN GIERDEN-Nsk1.Sharoom-(Lux Nigra).
ULTRADYNE-Theory Prolification (Tangible Remix)-(SCSI-AV)
MONTAG-Objets Trouves-(Ai Records)
CORKER/CONBOY-From The Hip-(Vertical Form0
I'M NOT A GUN-Frequent Syndrome-(City Centre Offices)
ISO68-Moontrain/Here There-(Hausmusik)
FITTED KITCHEN SPECIALISTS MIX- -
BOY ROBOT feat FAITHFUL-Untitled-(City Centre Offices)
TROUBLESHOOTER-Subversive Chasm-Modern Love)
CLARO INTELECTO-Contact-(Ai Recordings)
BITSTREAM-Bionic Hands Of DJ Daddylonglegs Pt 1-(Modern Love)
SOUL ODDITY-Tone Capsule-(Astralwerks)
STAKKER-Positive Electron-(Rephlex)
BABY FORD-Normal (Afx Mix)-(Warp)
LOGREYBEAM-Xed Aut-(Shadetek)
I'M NOT A GUN-Make Sense and Loose-(City Centre Offices)
ELLEN ALIEN-Berlinette-(Bpitch Control)
AROVANE-Dynamo Amx-(Din)
ULRICH SCHNAUSS-Hidden Track-(City Centre Offices)

Dub Review - March 2003

BULLWACKIES ALL STARS w/ NEW BREED BAND

NATURES DUB

WACKIES W306

BULLWACKIES

JAMAICAN SUPER DUB

WACKIES 1720

The Reckless Breed in Jamaica become the New Breed in New York City for this sought after piece reissued in all the glory of its original tacky packaging, but this time on CD too. With Clive Hunt's intricate flute cut of the Studio One cornerstone rhythm Rockfort Rock and a strident steppers version of Junior Delgado's Upsetter classic Sons of Slaves, it would be too easy to miss the quality of the other five tracks on this slight but unmissable early eighties reissue. The musicians on "Jamaican Super Dub" are Itopia augmented by Leroy Sibbles and Jackie Mittoo, with the legendary Ras Menelik on percussion, Annette Brissette takes credits on drums - with her solo album providing three of the outstanding cuts here. Discos from Barrington Spence and Lloyd Hemmings supply more dubbing material for the Wackies mixing desk. Other versions are generated from Sugar Minott, and Leroy Sibbles' version of Lionel Richie's Truly, plus rhythms behind yet-unissued vocal tracks by Milton Henry and The Shades.

CARLTON & THE SHOES

LOVE ME FORVER

STUDIO ONE PSOCD003

The debut appearance on CD for this all-time vocal classic cannot go unremarked. Over the years the pitted and bumped surface on countless Jamaican vinyl pressings has done nothing to diminish the sublime harmonies, the wonderfully crafted lyrics and the timeless rhythms that occupy its grooves. Not only this, but the new silvery version comes with two bonus songs including Never Let Go, one of the most versioned rhythm in all reggae and original Skatalite Johnny "Dizzy" Moore's instrumental takes on two tracks including the title.

DUB SYNDICATE

MURDER TONE

ON U SOUND ONUCD/LP1005

Just as the entire catalogue of the On U Master Recordings is about to be deleted comes this selection of rare recordings by nu dub's foundation band or, to be more accurate these days, the touring vehicle for Style Scott. For although new albums still appear from Dub Syndicate the templates largely conform to the radical pattern created from the late eighties onwards. Most of these tracks appeared between "Stoned Immaculate" and "Echomania" when Scotty and Sherwood were playing out with tunes literally whacked out the day before, in other words its classic Dub Syndicate. The well-loved Night Train occupying centre stage, two versions of tracks from the sadly departed and always underrated Andy Fairley point us back to his overlooked "System Vertigo" album and the bonus is an unreleased dub on Bim Sherman's Across The Red Sea.

LENKY w/ VARIOUS ARTISTS

MASTERPIECE

GREENSLEEVES GRELCD734

Steve "Lenky" Marsden's Diwali was 2002's supreme rhythm by a clear distance and will be recognised as such by the dance mafia external to dancehall when they finally catch up. This follow-up lacks Diwali's urgency, shock and handclaps, but retains a clear Lenky pedigree with a drive and direction of its own - like a monster wind-up mouse on a hard wood floor, which way is this thing going to go next? Like so many of reggae's old school digital innovators Lenky is a riddim auteur and masterminds the subjugation of a series of class JA acts to the domination of his beats. If you cannot take the ruff with the smooth then best to avoid the nineteen vocal and DJ takes which veer wildly from the preposterously raw - Elephant Man's Give it Her Good and Spragga Benz' Dat She Like - through the purely physical and mind-numbingly dumb Shake It from Zumjay to the clear champion Buccaneer whose Price Tag I would settle for on 7" vinyl with the version on the flip.

MUSLIMGAUZE/SYSTEMWIDE/SOUND SECRETION

CLASSICS SELECTION

BSI RECORDS BSI 029-2

As Bryn "Muslimgauze" Jones opens up this album with a virtually straight mix of the Stalag rhythm a blissful groove state is induced for those unaware of what is inevitably about to arrive - crunching proto-glitch as practiced by the natural possessor of the nasty beat. And so it is duly delivered with Nommos Descending and four more Systemwide tunes fed through the underground machines of darkest Swinton. His latter-day emergence as a textural don no doubt amuses his friends as much as it would Bryn himself, who in his early days carried his entire catalogue in a carrier bag. These tracks were originally released a long time ago - in the last century, 1999 - on a series of 12" singles. Sound Secretion as the spore of Mark Stewart before he discovered rave and the continent and Systemwide resolutely occupying the dub territories of the Pacific North West.

NINEY THE OBSERVER

AT KING TUBBY'S - DUB PLATE SPECIALS 1973-1975

JAMAICAN RECORDINGS JRCD011

The output of the Jamaican Recordings label has been at best patchy, promising a lot but disappointing in the delivery. The quality control function in the reggae business is largely distinguished by its absence and very little is usually left unissued. But this album seems like the real deal claiming to feature dubplates that Tubby cut for playing out on his own Home Town Hi-Fi, mainly as beds for DJs to stretch out on. For sure there are fourteen recognisable Niney rhythms all mixed down with nuances varying from the original version. Most outstanding amongst these are the rhythms originally created for Dennis Brown, many coming in raw drum and bass versions with maximum tweakage on EFX - notably No More Dub (No More Will I Roam) which comes with a different bassline and Dub With Tubby a slowed down take Westbound Train on which Tubbs gives the hi-hat his signature slicing effect. A real treat is the early dubwise version of a rhythm that was to become internationally known as The Right Time when the Mighty Diamonds gave it the lyrics it deserved, here titled Swallow Field & Dub.

UP, BUSTLE AND OUT

URBAN EVACUATION

UNIQUE 069

With this new set UBO fully deliver on the promise of the two earlier singles that signalled their change in direction away from previous Hispanic excursions and direct into the heart of Jamaica. Both Runaway Hague and Wild Majesty are on the album, the former a reference to trumpeter Andy whose upbeat showcase track is one of the many highlights. UBO increase the ratio of vocals with the introduction of guests Ras Jabulani from Black Roots, Jamaican DJ Mexican (who logged into Wire's Best of 2002 Dub chart alongside The Bug and Rootsman) and Roni Size's sidekick MC Nicky Blaze. Also new is the addition of warm effects built into the studio from scratch Tubby's electronic engineering style which, together with flamenco guitar, double bass, percussion and trumpet, takes the feeling back to early Studio One acoustics - circa Juks Incorporated - but denser and dubbier. Disembodies wisps and ghostly snatches of familiar basslines, melodies and lyrics float through most of the tracks. The title tune picks up Scratch's City Too Hot theme with what sounds like A Darker Shade of Black sunk six feet down in the mix. The central cut though is the scary Hooded Hordes linked with its dub version, which globalises the context of the Specials' Ghost Town for serious times.

VARIOUS

AFTER THE DUB

ÚLTIMA MULT2002

This set's so slinky it slipped through the net in 2002. That Portugal is a European outpost becoming known for its love of reggae is a fact happily beyond logic but Última label boss José Gueddes proves as fine a selector as stalks the dancehall in this collection of contemporary dub dancers. The long-lost Big Bud reappear with 2000's Runaway, dzihan & Kamien's Smile is remixed by Aromabar, there's a stomping West Coast jig from Migs & Jelly and a liquid flute version by Butch Cassidy Sound System of the Red Hook label - is this named after the great beer? But pride of place is a throbbing disco mix of Prophecy Reveal by the Ballistic Brothers' where the vocal sample is lifted from Mr.Bojangles' DJ version of Culture's Two Sevens Clash - a cut found on the recent Pressure Sounds' Mighty Two dub set.

VARIOUS

FUNKY KINGSTON - REGGAE DANCEFLOOR GROOVES 1968 - 1974

TROJAN TJDCD054

VARIOUS

IMPACT! - REGGAE, FUNK & SOUL FROM IMPACT

UNIVERSAL SOUNDS USCD/LP18

A tale of two labels both flourishing in reggae's perplexing ecology. Whereas Trojan feeds on itself, and some would say with liberal sides of take-away, Soul Jazz and its sister label Universal Sounds have become deeper feeders. Vincent Chin and son Clive are now untouchable as owners of VP, the New York label and largest reggae distributor of reggae in the US. But thirty years ago they founded one of the most influential of Jamaican labels, Impact!, and were pivotal in fostering the career of the young Augustus Pablo. Back then though most money was made tracking the US market and so here we get a stack of back in fashion skanky funk, fuzz and wah wah evoking memories of when just walking down the street became an art form. Inevitably the instrumentals come out the rockingest with Skin, Flesh & Bones' Do It Til You're Satisfied, the wonderfully arch Guns In The Ghetto from Broadway & Randy's All Stars with the MC coming on like clapped out social worker and Jackie Mittoo's take on Soul and Inspiration. But for sheer class check Donovan Carless' version of William de Vaughn's Be Thankful (For What You've Got), it takes some nerve to cover such a great tune but it's carried off in true JA style.

"Funky Kingston" starts off with ..(as J.B. might say)..you got it! Toots' Funky Kingston! So this set struggles a lot more to chunk up the funk and there's some all too slack shots that must always remain close to the top of a big pile of tunes down at Trojan HQ, a shame when there's such a massive catalogue to trawl. If education is paid for - then demand quality, if the appeal is to reggae newcomers then the obvious thought must be "what's the fuss?" Nevertheless the Chosen Few were well named and their covers of Funky Stuff, as Reggae Stuff, and Isaac Hayes' Do Your Thing raise the temperature at either end of the set, and if anyone discovers Lee "Scratch" Perry through the inclusion of Jungle Lion then this collection will be fondly remembered.

VARIOUS

WE ARE GETTING BAD - THE SOUND OF PHASE ONE

MOTION RECORDS FASTCD/LP013

The work of producer Roy Francis has been poorly represented in the reggae reissue market with the notable exception of Blood and Fire's booming discomix selection from a few years ago ("Children of Jah - The Chantells & Friends 1977-1979"). As if by rare design the two sets do not share any tracks. Also, a couple of Phase One dub albums tend to appear occasionally and promptly disappear with little promotion and, more crucially, no background notes or information about the origin of the music. This album fills another gap in documenting more of the remaining output from this great little roots label. Roy Francis started out as a freelance producer and used the mixing talents of Jo Jo Hookim at Channel One and Errol Thompson at Joe Gibbs' studio. The output of Phase One more closely traced the templates punched out by the all-conquering Hookim brothers' imprint from which its name was derived in tribute. First time on CD for many of these cuts with a couple of unreleased DJ cuts as a tease for the collectors. The Chantells, Heptones, Jah Berry, Dean Fraser and Tabby are spread into a sprinkling of versions alternately thunderous and sweet - just the way it should be - with Steve Boswell's wickedly brooding I Am Getting Bad and its fierce dub guaranteeing a well-deserved "essential" tag.