ReggaeMATTic

Largely avoiding the clichés and big tunes promulgated by other inferior and less imaginative podcasters !-) we bring you a selection of largely uptempo and positive reggae vibes from Funkenskankenland:

Charlie Ace and the Inswings - Bits and Pieces (Tropical)
Merlene Webber - In Our Time (Third World)
Jimmy London - Don't Keep The Children In the Dark (Grounation)
Honeyboy - Everybody Needs Love (Horse)
Ronnie Davies - I Lost My Lover (Attack)
Flick Wilson - When You Get Right Down To It (Bimbo)
Owen Gray - Lonely People (Live and Love)
Keith Poppin - Get Together (Eagle)
Maytones - Please Let me Go (Lord Koos)
Euslin Gregory - You Are So Real (Fay Music)
??? - I A Come (Sir Collins Blank)
Hopeton Lewis - Dip and Fall Back (Grounation)
Johnnie Clarke - Going To A Ball (Justice)
Prince Jazzbo - Ital Natty Dread (Jackpot)
Black Starline Band - Suffer Height (T Bones Records)
Quiz Artist - This Months Mystery Tune (Dodgy Label)
Jackie Bernard - Roots Music (Grounation)
Land, Wood and Water - Tribulation (Trenchtown)
Gregory Isaacs - Black A Kill Black (Morpheus)
Max Romeo and the Upsetters - War In A Babylon (Island)
Brown Sugar - Hello Stranger (Lovers Rock)
The J Sisters - I Can't Give You Anything (Cactus)
Cornell Campbell - Release Me (Jamaica Sound)
Black Art - Vampire (PM Records)
Santic - Bloody Eyes (Santic)

Comments welcome as always.

A bit of digital randomness, i.e. the uncontrolled action of a finger selecting 45s at random, not some computerised bleeps, has resulted in the following tunes being rationally organised, assembled and intertwined with vocal ramblings:

Joe Gibbs and the Love Generation - Hot Dog (Jogib)
Sir Harry - My Time Now (Carib Dis-Co)
Jimmy London - Oil In My Lamp (Impact!)
Johnny Clarke - Don't Go (Success Blank)
Bill and Dicky - Darling it's You (Queen)
Eddie Ford - Jango (Duke Reid Greatest Hits)
Philip Parkinson - Just What I Own (Twinkle)
Cornell Campbell - I Got To Keep On Running (Bar Bell)
Heptones - Forward On A yard (Aires)
Jah Glen - ??? (South East Music)
Al Campbell - Every Man Say (Terminal)
Morwell Esquire - Run Bald Head (Morwell Esq.)
Roy Shirley - More Black Love (Public)
Bros. Lloyd - Steady Rock (Reggae Connection)
Juba Tate - African Girl (Marcus)
Brent Dowe - It Was Love (Warika)
Wailing Souls - Joy Within Your Heart (Channel One)
Prince Tony Allstars - Version (Top Secret)
Captain Sinbad - A One Sound (Youth In Progress)
Dennis Reid - Ghetto Man (Black Roots)
Michael Black - Blessed are the Poor (Sir Percy)
Johnny Osbourne and the Prophets - Keep That Light (Studio 1)
Yellowman - Belly Move (Volcano)

Relatively free from clunkeration and CD sized for an hour and sixteen minutes of amused amazement on the train, plane or automobile, or anywhere else you can connect.

Sitting somewhere between 1969 and 1971 this assortment of unfiled plus a couple of random favourites is a bith shorter than usual and yet somehow includes more turntable errors and crass mixer effects bodges but reassuringly retains a quite personal and positive vibe throughout.

Jay Boys - Bah Oop Ah (Harry J)
Dave Barker - You Betray Me (Punch)
Dave and Ansel Collins - Doing Your Own Thing (Techniques)
Cynthia Richards (Love and Unity (Escort)
Viceroys with Hubcap and Wheels - Love For Everyone (Dynamic)
Ken Boothe - It's Gonna Take A Miracle (Trojan)
Ken Parker - Sugar Pantie (Duke Reid)
Tillermen - Judgement Rock (Duke)
The Message - Turn Round Twice (Treasure Isle)
Peggy - You Say You Don't Love Me (Hot Rod)
Sound Dimension - Rattle On (Bamboo)
Harmonians - Music Street (Ackee)
Ethiopians - Wreck It Up (JJ's)
Upsetters - Granny Show (Upsetter)
Upsetters - Fire Fire (Upsetter)
Irvin Brown - I'm Still Around (Bamboo)
Minna Boys - False Reador (Punch)
Millie - Honey Hush (Trojan)
Lloyd Jackson and the Scorpions - Little Deeds of Kindness (Pama Supreme)
Bongo Herman and Bunny - Know For I (Songbird)

This is what the random selector came up with this time from the unfiled...

Whistling Willie - Soul Tonic (V&N records)
Lloyd Young - Station to Station (High School)
I Roy - Late Hour (Santic)
Cornell Campbell - My Darling (soul Sound)
Rhythm Force - Ta-Russ (Soul Sound)
??? - ??? (Happy Tone)
Roman Stewart - How Can I Love Someone (Big Hit)
Soul Syndicate - Feast In the East (Observer)
Morwells - Morwell In London (Morwell Esquire)
Ta-Teasha Love - Oh Jah Come (One Way)
Pablo All Stars - Unity Dub (Rockers)
Delroy Williams - Foxhole (Message)
Freddie McGregor - Rastaman Camp (Winro)
Anthony (Rocky) Ellis - Double Minded Man (Studio 1)
Trinity - Suddenly Destruction (Virgonian)
Lopez Walker - Send Another Moses (Phase 1)
Travellers - Black Black Mind (Travellers)
General Roy - African People (Spartacus)
Dennis Walks - navel String (Crazy Joe)
Johnny Osbourne - Play Play Girl (Studio 1)
Ringo - Pam (Hot Rod)
Frankie Paul - Thu-Shun-Peng (Arrival)

This started off as a Mod Pod from the R&B blockers of the early Kinks, but somehow got diverted through a little beaty sixties pop and the karmicly smooth arrangements of LJB, chased up by the slithery sitar of a bit of minor key psych before returning to the Hammond organ licks of the later grooves and culminating in a couple of Marriott/Lanes finest songwriting moments.

The Kinks - Things Are Getting Better (PYE EP)
The Mojos - Everything's Alright (Decca)
The Athenians - Louie Louie (Edinburgh Students Charities Appeal EP)
The Kinks - Come On Now (PYE)
The Rats - Spoonful (Columbia)
Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs - How Do You catch a Girl (MGM, USA)
The Fenmen - I've Got Everything You Need (Decca Demo)
Bruno - The Driver (Parlophone)
Wishful Thinking - Step By Step (Decca)
David Garrick - Let's Go Somewhere (Piccadilly)
Val and the V's - Do It Again Just A Little Bit Slower (CBS)
Los Brincos - I Try To Find (Novola, Spain)
Toussaint McCall - Shimmy (WIRL, Jamaica)
Herman's Hermits - Moonshine Man (Columbia)
Long John Baldry - Wise To the Ways Of the World (PYE)
Hamlet - She Won't See The Light (Decca Demo)
Shawn Phillips - Stargazer (Parlophone)
Ornella Vanoni - Only Two Can Play (Decca Demo)
Cream - N.S.U. (Reaction)
Robb and Dean Douglas - Phone Me (Deram Demo)
Wynder K Frog - Green Door (Island)
The Universals - Hey You (Page One Demo)
Small Faces - I'm Only Dreaming (Immediate)
PP Arnold - (If You Think You're) Groovy (Immediate)

A mixture of calypso, soul, R&B shuffle and ska working through from pre-1960 up to 1966 taken from the unfiled 45's and including all the original snap crackle and pop !

The Sparrow - The Sack (Kalypso)
Wilfred Edwards - Tell Me Darling (Starlite)
Unknown Artist - Little Miss Lulu (Jamaican Blank)
Erroll Dixon and the Back Beats - Too Much Whisky (Blue Beat)
Basil Gabbidon and Randy's All-Stars - Going Back to JA (Blue Beat)
Raymond Harper - Unknown Title (Buster's Jamaican Blank)
Jackie Foster - I Fell In Love (Planetone)
The Marvels - Together (Blue Beat)
Erroll Dixon - Twisting and Shaking (Carnival)
Wilfred 'Jackie' Edwards and the Velvettes - Do You Want Me Again (Black Swan)
Bonnie and Skitto - Hey Mr. Chauffeur (R&B Discs)
Eric Morris - Drop Your Sword (Island)
Don Drummond and his Group - Festival (R&B Discs)
Ezz Reco and the Launchers with Boysie Grant and Beverly - Little Girl (Columbia)
The Maytals - My New Name (Island)
Jamaica Greatest - Come Home (Blue Beat)
Justin Hines and the Dominoes - Never Too Young (Island)
Charlie Organaire - Rude Boy Charley (Jamaican Blank)
Dion Cameron and the Three Tops - Get Ready (Rio)
Slim Smith - Only Soul Can Tell (Blue Beat)
Rita Marley - You Lied (Jamaican Studio 1)
Soul Brothers - Brand New Ska (Studio 1)

After working most of the weekend it was time to make an unwinder selection and selecting from the washed but unfiled section between 1968 and 1972 produced this fine batch of wax:

Hamlins - Sugar and Spice (Blue Cat)
Slim Smith - I am Lost (Pama Supreme)
The Techniques - There Comes a Time (Duke)
Maytones - Call You Up (Blue Cat)
Sound Dimension - More Games (Supreme Blank)
Laurel Aitken - Heile Heile (The Lion) (Doctor Bird)
Junior Smith - Put On The Pressue (Crystal)
The Beltones - Going Away (High Note)
Roy Richards - Soul Eruption (Bamboo)
Ansel Collins - Bigger Boss (Duke)
Davis Isaacs - Since You're Gone (Upsetter)
Harmonians - Group Of Girls (Ackee)
Irving Brown - Today (Bamboo)
The Champions - I Broke My Heart Version II (Duke)
Dobby Dobson - Carry That Weight (Dynamic)
Hortense Ellis - Stand By Your Man (Gas)
Ian Smith and the Inner Mind - Devil Woman (Bullet)
Pyramids - Mosquito Bite (Creole)
Byron Lee and the Dragonaires - Fire Fire (Duke)
Dave Barker - I Don't Know Why (Big Shot)
Alton Ellis - Wonderful World (Camel)
Reggae Boys - Take It Easy (Attack)
Mudies All-Stars - Ivy Poison (Moodisc)
Derrick Harriott - Over The River (Song Bird)
Freddy McKay - Drunken Sailor (Banana)
Rupie Edwards All-Stars - Riot (Big)

In today's world of entrenched musical styles, where nothing much changes from year to year within a genre and 90% of 'innovations' are retreads of ideas that actually surfaced many years ago, the following podcast just goes to show just how much Jamaican (and British Jamaican) music evolved over a brief five year span. Listen and enjoy if you can...

The Pyramids - Girls Girls Girls (President)
The Wriggers - Get Right (Blue Cat)
The Eathopians - Blacker Black (Crab)
The Dee Set - I Know a Place (Blue Cat)
Larry Marshall - Money Girl (Nu-Beat)
Ansel Collins - My Last Walk (Amalgamated)
Laurel Aitken - 100 Tons of Megaton (Doctor Bird Blank)
Silver - I Need a Girl (Jolly)
Boris Gardiner - Hooked On A Feeling (JJ/Doctor Bird)
Soul Stirrers - Come See About Me (Duke)
Sound Dimension - Rathid (Bamboo)
Gene Rondo - Sentimental Reasons (Down Town)
The Cats - William Tell (Baf)
Owen Gray - Sugar Dumpling (Pama)
Denzil Dennis - Come On In (Torpedo)
Rosco - Al Capone (Trojan)
Pama Dice - The Worm (Attack)
Trevor and Keith - The Ark (Punch)
Guts McGeorge - Oh Me Oh My (Explosion)
Brentford Road All Stars - Soul Shake (Bamboo)
The Ethiopians - True Man (Randys)
Lloyd and Doreen - Midnight (Jackpot)
Derrick Harriott - Candy (Song Bird)
Mahalia Saunders - Right On The Tip of my Tongue (Pama Supreme)
Dennis Alcapone - Horse and Buggy (Dynamic)
The Teardrops - I've Got A Feeling (Ackee)
Mello and the Meltones - Haile Selassie (Summit)

A selection of Jamaican 45s from approximately 1974-81 drawn from the keepers pile, including the following:

1. El Tibby and the Stingers - Stepping into Zion (Bongo Man)
2. Dobby Jones - Time to Leave Babylon (Cash)
3. Exclusive Two - World Without War (Juliette Records)
4. Unknown (Juliette Records)
5. Leonard Dillon - Them A Wicked (Impact!)
6. Manchie and the Coolers - Passing Through (Roothsful)
7. Johnnie Clarke - African People (Zion Rock)
8. Dr. Alimantado - Teach the Children (Black World)
9. Michael Anthony and the Black Star - Son Of A Slave (Seven Seal)
10. Richeous Generation - Give Jah Praise (Clandisc)
11. Leroy Stewart - Oh Dread Locks (The Buke Star)
12. Barry Pang - Psalm of Satta (The Buke Star)
13. Prince Alla and Philip Frasier - Black Rose (Freedom Sounds)
14. Prince Alla - Lady Deceiver (Freedom Sounds)
15. Easton Clarke - Unknown (Chanan Jah)
16. Silford Walker - Jah Golden Pen (Joe Gibbs)
17. Freddie McKay - Jah Love I (Lucky Star)
18. Sister Jam - A man Like You (Rockers)
19. Pablo All Stars - Orchid Road Dub (Rockers)
20. George Nooks - Man To Man (40 Leg)
21. Thommy Thompson - Love Life (Express)
22. Jimmy Riley - A Yuh (Errol T)
23. Hortense Ellis - How Could It Be (Freedom Sounds)
24. Michael Prophet - True Born African (Roots Tradition)

All Titles and Artists as per the record labels although these may be wrong, and if you have any info about any of these then please leave me a comment. Happy Listening !!

A bit of reggae randomness and waffle, ska to digi, amongst which you will hear...
Leo Graham - Perilous Time
Mike Brooks - Woman of Silo
Glen Brown - Holborn High Street Song
Bruce Ruffin and the Temptations - Long About Now
Harmonians - Music Street
Laurel Aitken - Mr. Popcorn
Charlie Organaire - Royal Charlie
Prince Buster's Allstars - Call Me Master
Tony Washington and the DC's - Show Me How to Milk A Cow
Erroll Bellot - What A Wonderful Feeling
J C Lodge - Slow Hand
Derrick Parker - Joy Ride
Ricky Lee Smith - Reggae Time
Earl Sixteen - Mister DJ
Prince Hammer - Selassie School
Desmond Dekker - Sentimental Reason
Invaders - Maga Dog
Sound Dimension - Doctor Sappa Too
Upsetters - The Jumper
Inner Mind - Jesse James Hits Back
Name That Tune ???
Laurel Aitken - 100 Tons of Megaton
Larry's All Stars - In The Fields

All the following singles were released between 1976 and 1978 in the UK and illustrate to some extent the conflicting vibes to be found within the reggae scene at the time. From deep Jamaican roots and the often equally deep UK version to the sweet sound of Lovers Rock via the regular sounds of Jamaica's biggest hitmakers of the time, you never quite knew what was in store when attending a family function. Unlike todays revive dances, the genre wasn't quite so focused on a narrow range of styles unless you went to a 'rasta' dance.

All credits are as per the record labels although some are certainly wrong, and I haven't messed about with anything much - the peculiar mix of the Levi tune is as cut into the plastic. Apologies for the noise on the African Brothers but it has seen better days. All original 7-inch and nothing expensive !

Cool Notes - Jah Lovely - Wonderful - Marvellous (Safari) Prod: Cool Notes
Dennis Curtis - Come With Me (K&B) Prod: D Curtis
Jah Whoosh - Jah-Jah Dey Dey (Cactus) Prod: R Edwards
Max Romeo - Mr Jones (Eve) Prod: B Riley
Ruddy Thomas - It Hurt My Heart (Love) Prod: W Feanny
Jackie Edwards - Tell Me Darling (Caribbean) Prod: E Lee
Errol Dunkley - Repatriation (Caribbean) Prod: Shelly
Caribbeans - Poverty (Lucky) Prod: G McLean
I Roy - Forward I Man Back A yard (Fay Music) Prod: W Edwards
Dennis Brown - Why Must I (Oval) Prod: W Holness
Ken Boothe - Love Come Tumbling Down (Pacific) Prod: B B Seaton
Gregory Isaacs - Lovelight (Morpheus) Prod: G Isaacs & C Brown
Amigo - Jah Jah A Go Bus Dem Shut (Organisation) Prod: D Harris
Cassandra - I'll Never Let You Go (Out Of My Life) (Lovers Rock) Prod: D Harris
Levi - Put It On The Line (Tempus) Prod: Angel Nyah
Eric Clarke - Julie (Lucky) Prod: Harris and Brown
Freddy McKay - Funny Girl (Eagle) Prod: Lloyd Campbell
Tidals - Want Gold Ring (Caribbean) Prod: R Prendergast
Easton Clark - Dig A Hole (Burning Sounds) Prod: A Ranglin
Twinkle Brothers - Jah Army (Carib Gems) Prod: N Grant
Lester Lewis - I man Free (Attack) Prod: H Johnson
African Brothers - Gimme Gimme African Love (Main Line) Prod: L Donaldson
Trinity - Shown Me Your Company (Dread Hot) Prod: C Reid
Junior Byles and Rupert Reid - Chant Down Babylon (Black Wax) Prod: Ja Man

Every fourth picked from my small pile of minor uncatalogued seven-inch singles awaiting filing and archiving in the cold store. Sorted and sequenced to make sense in a style progression across the ages. From '69 to '81: Tuneful toe-tappers...

Luther Ingram - My Honey and Me (Stax)
Al Green - Full of Fire (London)
The Montclairs - Is This For Real (Or is it Just a Dream) (Paula USA)
Donny Hathaway and June Conquest - I Thank You (Buddah)
Curtis Mayfield - Keep On Keepin' On (Buddah)
MFSB - Lay In Low (Philadelphia International)
The Best Ever & Muhammad Ali - Rope A Dope (Polydor)
Olympic Runners - Party Time is Here to Stay (London USA Demo)
Nino Tempo & 5th Avenue Sax - Come See Me Round Midnight (A&M)
Jambo - Bwala Dance (Power Exchange Demo)
Love Unlimited Orchestra - Always Thinking Of You (20th Century)
Frankie Avalon - Venus (Polydor)
The Imperials - Where You Gonna Find Somebody (Power Exchange)
Liquid Gold - One of Us Fell in Love (Polo)
Sex O'Clock USA - You're My man (Decca)
Galaxy - Disco Boogie (Sidewalk)
Freedom - Set You free (PYE International)
Transvolta - Disco Computer (Pinnacle)
State of Grace - Walking Rhythm (Flamingo)
State of Grace - Walking Rhythm (Version) (Flamingo)
Hot Cuisine - Who's Been Kissing You (Prelude USA)
Suzy Q - Get On Up Do It Again (Atlantic USA)

I make no apologies for my love of disco music, fashionable though it may not be. I had some great times going to and DJing in many hot spots between 1978 and 1985 and still collect the music to this day. Having got my twelves to hand at present and in a reflective, nostalgic mood for better times long past, I thought I'd 'ave a little dip and spin a few. Dance your ass off !

Northend - Tee's Happy (Emergency) 12" USA
Chain Reaction - Dance Freak (Destiny) 12" UK
Davis Import - How My Love Goes (AVI) 12" USA
Dee Dee Bridgewater - Lonely Disco Dancer (Elektra) 12" UK
Fat Larry's Band - Lookin' For Love Tonight (Fantasy) 12" UK
Wizzdom - Free Bass (TK Records) 12" USA
Keni Burke - Let Somebody Love You (RCA) 12" UK
Marcus Miller - Loving You (Is Such An Easy Thing To Do) (Warner Brothers) 12" UK
Caroline Crawford - A Nice Feeling (Mercury) 12" UK
First Love - Love Me Today (Dakar) 12" USA
Jerry Butler - (I'm Just Thinking About) Cooling Out (Philadelphia International) 12" USA