Foo Manchu

Hello Everyone,

Just a quick one to get back in business after the summer pause.
I should be in London for carnival but for the first time in 8 years I won't be there.
So, in order to feel some of the vibes, here is a very nice "early reggae" tune.
This one is from the great Desmond Dekker, the man behind such hits as "Israelites", "007/Shanty town"and plenty others.

This tune is an illustration of the links between contemporary jamaican music and cinema.
Plenty LPs, artists aliases, illustrations link movies or TV shows to the music.
As an example you may know about the DJ's known as Al Capone, Clint Eastwood, Trinity, Dillinger, tunes such as China Gate by Guardian Angel, the LP "How the west was won", the saxophonist Richard Hall known as "Dirty Harry", all these are reference to Mafia, Western, Kung Fu or other genre films.

The title is taken from a series of books and movies about the Dr Fu Manchu, a fictious character being some kind of evil genius from chinese origins.

The tune starts with a very nice organ and groovy laidback riddim. Then Desmond Dekker enters with his unique high key voice and the Aces delivering sharp harmonies. Really a winner to me!
The sound on my copy is not optimal but please keep in mind this piece of plastic is almost 50 years old!

As usually you may download the tune by clicking on the blue link below the label.

Hope you enjoy it, plenty more to come!

Peace to one and all,
Ben

Share Desmond Dekker

or

 http://www.mediafire.com/file/0wsbcng199bna9o/Desmond_Dekker_%26_The_Aces_-_Foo_Manchu_%28Pyramid_7_%29.mp3
or
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6pkd5shfpn3emks/Desmond%20Dekker%20%26%20The%20Aces%20-%20Foo%20Manchu%20%28Pyramid%207_%29.mp3?dl=0

Major roots 12", rastaman tune!

Hello people,

Quick one tonight as I had this digitalized some time ago, it makes it easier.

Tonights feature is an all time favourite piece by one legendary singer. At some point member of the Heptones, Naggo Morris is responsible for numerous first class hits such as "Su Su pan rasta", "Flour power", "False rasta", "A true dem no know",...

This one 12", titles Jah Guide came out on the Joe Gibbs Music labelon the crucial year 1980.

As the title suggests, this is a rasta anthem : "Jah guide us all the way..."

The riddim is tight, militant, almost minimal with very nice horns ornaments here and there that culminates in the sax and trumpet solos in the "extended" part.

This ones guarantees to mash the dance for the roots heads every time!

Hope you 'll like it as I do,

Peace to one and all,

Ben

Share Naggo Morris - Jah Guide - JGM 12_.mp3 - 17 MB

 or

 http://www.mediafire.com/file/39yhj3sp5a928ps/Naggo_Morris_-_Jah_Guide_-_JGM_12_.mp3

Some island stuff and a huge digi/rub a dub...

Hello you all,

Long time no post so you'll have three different vibes tonight.

First, as promised somewhere a time ago, here comes a tune I've been searching to ID for long.

It's what the title is, a funky calypso!

I loved this tune in a mix Frankie Francis from the Sofrito's crew did some years ago and could never find what it was... Untill recently, this LP was listed amongst other marvelous music by a big seller and the "soundclip" was this very tune. I love it when this happens so here it is to your musical pleasure (funny thing : the band accompanying band is called Frankie Francis & his Orchestra, is it where the alias comes from...) :

Share Hot, Cool, Spice - Funky Calypso.mp3 - 6 MB

or

 http://www.mediafire.com/file/cfpcfwet62oakg5/Hot%2C_Cool%2C_Spice_-_Funky_Calypso.mp3

Second tune featured tonight was also part of that great listing. This one I did not know at all but this LP is great, full of different caribean vibes, from calypso to reggae and more, with a brass flavour.
The band originated from the island of Antigua and began their carrier in 1964. They even won the Brassorama Champion title in 1975 says the back cover.
Obviously, I'll go for the reggae tune but the whole LP deserves attention. It is a nostalgic piece titled "Tighter", sung by the guitar player of the band and it goes like this :
"We must look for one another
And stop this fighting between brothers, brother
That is what Jah Jah wants for all of us
If you look in the book that is what he say
And time is getting tighter and tighter me tell you...tighter
We must be loving and trusting each other for ever"

Share Saints brothers of Antigua - Tighter.mp3 - 9 MB

 or 

http://www.mediafire.com/file/pn5sbwc106seltu/Saints_brothers_of_Antigua_-_Tighter.mp3

Last but not least tune for tonight takes us to the 80's or even later. Do not know about the date of issue of this but it has this typical late 80's sound...very different vibe but I can't wait to share it with you.

Tune is from Moses E. Henriques, which is pretty unknown to me. It seems he did a tune for Wackie's in 1982 according to discogs (https://www.discogs.com/Moses-Itopia-Band-When-The-Vampire-Come-To-Your-Neighborhood/release/4733134).

This 12" comes on the Mokin original label and if you have a proper sound system to drop it, the riddim is masive. Straight forward lyrics, the singer claims that he's "ready, willing and able to put bread on the table" and support the family.

Rare and enjoyable piece of digi/rub a dub in my book.

Share Moses E. Henriques and The Revealers - Ready willing and able - Mokin original 12_.mp3 - 9 MB

http://www.mediafire.com/file/mq8c6db94tr8uu8/Moses_E._Henriques_and_The_Revealers_-_Ready_willing_and_able_-_Mokin_original_12_.mp3

That's all for tonight but stay tuned as more is coming, hopefully soon!

Peace to one and all!

Ben

In these times

Hello people,

Quite some time since last post, sorry to be so elusive...
A quick one tonight while digitalizing some of the latest additions to the vaults.
This one is re-take of extra classic "summertime" theme from the great George Gershwin.
Errol Walker did a first re-lick of it with Lee Perry, that you can find here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkMRXQygxTI
A repress of this tune has been done on 7" recently, that I do not know if it's legit or bootleg business.
On the 7" cut, the lyrics are quite the same as on original song and the tune benefits from Perry dubbing expertise.

Well, here is the later 12" cut on Solid Gold, second 12" release on that label, as B side to All my love to give.
I did not know much about Errol Walker but it appears is lead vocalist to the band The In Crowd, who did the massive hit "Mango Walk" that you will find on the superb Darker than blue comp' (PK label for the vinyl release and Blood and Fire for the CD).

The year of release of the 12" is unknown to me but it sounds like 1979 or 1980 release with that typical drumming that reminds of Sly Dumbar, super tight on the snare drum; repetitive and hypnotic bassline, just balanced by some organ. Just add the smooth as sugar voice (made deeper by constant echo effect) and that timeless theme and you get a hell of tune.

This is to be played loud when summertime comes, but while waiting the nice days to come, it warms my heart nice!

Share Errol Walker - In these times - Solid Gold 12_.mp3 - 12 MB

or
http://www.mediafire.com/file/mlz6y3silz8c5bi/Errol_Walker_-_In_these_times_-_Solid_Gold_12_.mp3

I hope you like this as much as I do, just click on the blue link to download the tune in nice quality.

Feel free to comment or leave a hello while listening,

More soon,

Peace!

Best ever roots instrumental!!!!! (at least for me...)

Hello Ladies and Gents, 

Today's feature is nothing less than what I consider the best ever instrumental roots reggae tune of all times. Obviously this is a subjective opinion and if you want to champion this, you are very welcome to submit your own favourite!

I've been hunting this for a long time and am very happy to finally be able to share this with you all.

So, not much information about the band The Righteous Foundation. According to Discogs, some of the tunes are credited to Hopeton Thaxter, Maurice Roberts, Randall Thaxter.

More or less, these are non other than original members of the much more known Gaylads band!

Another interesting link is that they also are credited as composers of the other deep roots favourite tune "Wolf in sheep clothing" by...The Upright Foundation (on the Wisdom label, featured on the excellent Wanted compilation on Makasound).

Many interesting links here!

Production duties are done by Delroy Hinds who vocalised, wrote or arranged some nice Burning Spear and Horace Andy tunes.

What to say about the tune itself? 

It's a stormer steppers piece with a prominent trombone (anyone who knows who plays it?) and very nice horns section arrangements. The melody reminds me of some of the best Rico pieces form the man from Wareika period. The trombone solo form 1:34 to 2:02 is a masterpiece, the little "birds" sounds and other percussive additions, all here is rich and well done!

Icing on the cake, the B-side is blessed by a very delicate, still heavy dub mix of the tune. By stripping the piece to the bone it gives the drumming/guitar more presence and, as a steppers piece, it guarantees every massive to go mad dancing!

So here it is, just click on blue link below the labels to access this beautiful tune! 

Peace to one and all and to the world!

 

 

Share The Righteous Foundation - The second comming - Cosmic label 7.zip - 16 MB

http://www.mediafire.com/file/xuwvoi4xu9dqaju/The_Righteous_Foundation_-_The_second_comming_-_Cosmic_label_7.zip

PS : I received two comments by on person today (a first in this blog's history!). So this post goes livicated to David, whoever and wherever you are.

Gully bank...

Hello people,

In these times when the US and many European countries are trying to close their borders and bring new boundaries to culture, people and thinking it is time to share more and more!

And what I can share is some music :-)

So here is a new 7" ina me boxes, from early 80's (1982 to be precise).

Roots music from that era tends to be more crude than the golden 70's (less horns, more organ, heavier mixes, and eventually crude in the lyrics also).

This one is heavy in the mix and serious in the lyrics.

Devon Russell (half of the Lloyd and Devon combo) sings about these tuff times when violence was rising in the island : "you gotta be a tuff hombre to stay in town, you gotta be a tuff tuff hombre to move 'round and r'ound, You gotta be real cool if you want to keep your crown" and then warning the bad boys "ranking a burried 'pon gully bank in these times". Literally "the high end killers ("ranking") will end up in the sewer..."

The riddim is tuff also and will most certainly make you move your feet, fe sure!

So here are both sides for you to enjoy and heat a bit this winter.

Peace to you all,

Ben

Share Devon Russell - Gully Bank - High Music 7_.zip - 14 MB

Rub a dub fever

Hello y'all!
Just a quick one this evening.

I received a LP today, not one you see so much in the Fatman Ridim Section series.
It's titled Dub in South Africa and its a Dub/DJ combination style LP with Brigadier Hulk as DJ (absolute unknown to me, any info welcome).
It's not the whole LP that's good and the toasting is quite basic stuff (even if he does not stop to rest!) but the opening title of B-Side "African Rub a dub" is so heavy when played loud that I listened to it all afternoon and so I must share it with you!

That bass (somehow it reminds me od natural mystic...) and the elusive horns section in the back, plus tipically echoed keyboard drives me mad (and I am usually not fond of these rud a dub riddims).
I kinda fantasize of playing this on a proper sound system to feel the ground tremble on a nice open air venue under summer sun, hummm!

So here is the ugly but funny cover and the label design, and the link to the tune itself below.
Hope you like it, as I said and as the cover suggets, this is heavy weapon so play it LOUD with bass boosted and get the "Rub a dub fever"!
NB : I have to re-record it 5 times, don't know why Audacity kept cutting parts of the tune as if it was skipping (the record is as new...) so I had to listen to it many times and...it's getting better every time :-)

Share Fatman Ridim Section meets Brigadier Hulk - African rub a dub.mp3 - 10 MB

Hey nice, it seems my browser is generating direct links again (so you don't have to cut/paste this time but simply click on the link above, nice and easy!