Show Playlist 2/23/2010

A great collection of the early Trinidadian calypso gems recorded in the late 50s by one of the greatest calypsonians, Mighty Sparrow. I am amazed by the beautifully played fluid horn sounds! My favorite would be the politically charged "No, Doctor, No". The album is an assuring statement that Calypso really gave the people of the Caribbean a sense of power and originality. Great powerful songs. 

I played a cover of Otis Redding's "Try A Little Tenderness" off of this 1969 LP, Sparrow meets the Dragon. I have played plenty of Byron Lee & The Dragonairs' Early Reggae and Rocksteady tracks in my past shows, but actually the band started out in the late 50s as a calypso band, playing for tourists at various hotels and such. Therefore it comes as no surprise that the Dragonairs are playing calypso on this one, and playing it tight! 

El Michel's Affair "Creation"

The Aggrolites "Funky Fire"

The Lions "Think (About It)"

The Lions "Giving Up Food For Jah"

Dave Barker & The Upsetters "Do Your Thing"

James Brown "Let A Man Come In And Do The Popcorn"

Jackie Mittoo "Hot Tamale"

The Maytones "Loving Reggae"

Hortense Ellis "Can I Change My Mind"

Derrick Harriott "The Loser"

Dave & Ansel Collins "Monkey Spanner"

Sir Collins & Mickey "Shake Down"

The Upsetters "Jungle Lion"

Bob Marley "Sugar Sugar"

Youthman "Love"

Marvin Gaye & Jackie Mittoo "What's Going On"

Bagdad Cafe The Trench Town "New Days"

Risingtones "積恋雪岬"

Little Tempo "Shake It Up Baby"

The Miceteeth "Them!"

Hepcat "Tommy's Song"

Roland Alphonso "Four Corners"

The Ethiopians "Train To Skaville"

The Reggae Boys "The Reggae Train"

Rocking Time "It Just Is Inside"

Tommy McCook "Shadow Of Your Smile"

Joe Gibbs "Hijacked"

Ska Cubano "Big Bamboo"

Mighty Sparrow "Sparrow vs. Melody Picong"

Mighty Sparrow & The Dragonairs "Try A Little Tenderness"

Hopeton Lewis "Funky Kingston"

The Sand Dollars "Waterloo Sunset"

Jimmy London & The Impact All Stars "Loving Is A Hurting Thing"

Leona Collins, Sir Collins Junior, Steve Collins "Teach The World ABC"

The Clash "Career Opportunities (Sandinista Ver.)"

Davina Collins "Teach The World 123"

The Specials "Too Hot"

Lloyd Charmers & The Hippy Boys "House In Session"

The Maytones "Sentimental Reason"

Young Souls "Man A Wail"

Prince Buster "Rum And Coca Cola"

Folkes Brother "Oh Carolina"

Johnny Osbourne & The Sensations "Come Back Darling"

The Versatiles "Push It In"

Lloyd Charmers & The Hippy Boys "Soul At Large"

Augustus Pablo "Too Late"

The Soulmates "Jump To It"

The Black Stones "Out A Road"

Risingtones "Tenohira (Dub)"

Show Playlist 2/16/2010

The Aggrolites "You Got 5"

Toots & The Maytals "Funky Kingston"

Ken Boothe "Old Fashioned Way"

The Versatiles "Children Get Ready"

Slim Smith "Ain't Too Proud To Beg"

Cool Sticky & The Upsetters "Dry Acid"

The Boris Gardiner Happening featuring Leslie Buster "Ghetto Funk"

Busty Brown "Fight For Your Right"

Derrick Morgan "Hold Your Jack"

Laurel Aitken "Jesse James"

Jackie Mittoo "Fireball Rock"

Im & David "Money Maker"

Ken Boothe "I Wish It Would Be Peaceful Again"

Derrick Harriott & The Crystalites "Musical Madness"

The Kingstonians "Hold Down"

The Upsetters "Cold Sweat"

The Maytals "Don't Trouble Trouble"

Derrick Morgan "Stand By Me"

Tsuyoshi Kawakami & His Moodmakers "Moodrop"

Gladstone Anderson & The Mudies All Stars "Black Beat"

Little Tempo "Sky Stepper"

The Heavy Manners "Cut The Babylon System"

Westbound Train "Gone"

Rocking Time "It Went Out Somewhere"

Rhythm Doctors "Mark's Mood"

The Soul Captives "Ray's Mood"

The Miceteeth "Sensui"

A Million Bamboo "Lucky Sunday"

Osaka Monaurail "Alligator Bogaloo"

The Japonicans "Kuchinashi no Hana"

Ego-Wrappin' "Lemon"

The Slackers "Happy Song"

Laurel Aitken "Rude Boy Dreams"

The Selecter "Carry Go Bring Come"

The Chosen Few "Collie Stuff"

Carl Bradney "Stepping Into Darkness"

The Aggrolites "Faster Bullet"

Sidney, George, & Jackie "Papa Was A Rolling Stone"

The Aggronauts "Chicken Shake"

Prince Buster "Judge Dread"

Bob Andy "Going Home"

Desmond Dekker "Peace Of Mind"

The Wailers "Soul Shakedown Party"

Jackie Mittoo "Henry The Great"

Lloyd Charmers & The Hippy Boys "How Long (Will It Take)"

Westbound Train "Soul Revival"

Tsuyoshi Kawakami & His Modmakers "Evening Moon"

2/9/2010 Show Playlist

Yes! My scanner is working! Just to celebrate the fact that I have this amazing machine, I'm uploading images of a few of my 7-inch vinyls.

Up top, this one's a slow 'n smooth, sexy jam released by Truth & Soul Records. Without doubt one of the best deep-funk labels around today. "These Moments" by The Expressions.
"The Monster" by Beverley's All Stars.

This one's a bit of a gem, hidden as it's on the B side of an Ansel Collins instrumental track "Night of Love", which in my personal opinion, is a rather mediocre tune. This B side on the other hand, is a killer! Pure '69 skinhead reggae sound with a brilliant deejay (not quite sure who) laying out the right atmosphere, and not over-doing it like how some Lee Perry intros sound, for example. (Actually, try King Horror's "Loch Ness Monster" if you want to hear a great example of a completely over done deejay intro. Kinda scary!)
One of my favorite skinhead reggae tracks! A cover of The Beatles' "Don't Let Me Down" done so beautifully by Marcia Griffiths backed by the tight Harry J All-Stars. The B side is also a great gem, an instrumental version featuring (most likely) Winston Wright on the Hammond Organ! It's a treasure.

The Upstrokes "Greatful Head"

The Upstrokes "In My El Camino"

The Expressions "These Moments"

Byron Lee & The Dragonairs "Birth Control"

Dobby Dobson "Ride Me Donkey"

Prince Buster "Beg You Little More"

Ansel Collins "Night Of Love"

Carl Dawkins "True Love"

The Ethiopians "Reggae Hit The Town"

Marcia Griffiths "Feel Like Jumping"

Ken Boothe "Tomorrow"

Derrick Harriott "Look Over Your Shoulder"

The Heptones "Message From A Blackman"

Freddie McGregor "Get Involved"

Beverleys All Star "The Monster"

Chosen Few "Do Your Thing"

I Roy "Tougher Than Tough"

The Rebels "Rhodesia"

Jackie Mittoo "Soul Bird"

Chosen Few "I Love The Way You Love"

Pat Kelly "How Long"

Eric "Monty" Morris "No More Teardrops"

Laurel Aitken "Everybody Suffering"

The Paragons "Lonely and Blue"

Freedom Singers "Lovers Train"

Prince Buster "Too Hot"

The Wailers "Good Good Rudie"

Hugh Malcolm "Mortgage"

The Slickers "Mother Matty"

John Holt "Have You Ever Been To Heaven"

Tyrone Taylor "Delilah"

Toots & The Maytals "Alidina"

Ken Parker "It's Alright"

The Sparkers "Dip It Up"

The Web "Rated G"

The Tennors "Reggae Girl"

Boris Gardiner "Reggae Me Dis, Reggae Me Dat"

Harry J All Stars "Don't Let Me Down Version"

Toots & The Maytals "Pressure Drop"

Karl Bryan "Red Ash"

Jimmy Cliff "Harder They Come"

Ken Boothe "Satisfaction"

Prince Buster "The Scorcher"

The Melodians "Say Darling Say"

The Wailers "Habits"

Robert Marley "One Cup Of Coffee"

Tommy McCook & The Supersonics "Real Cool"

Tommy McCook & The Supersonics "Dreads Leaving Babylon"

Bobby Ellis & The Crystalites "Step Softly"

Phil Pratt All Stars "Victory"

The Ethiopians "The World Goes Ska"

The Uniques "My Conversation"

Clancy Eccles & The Dynamites "Mr. Midnight"

Betty Padgett "Never Never Never"

Boris Gardiner & The Love People "Darkness"

Gladstone Anderson & The Mudies All Stars "Leaving Rome"

Fishmans "Magic Love"

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra "Silent By Your Side"

Show Playlist 2/2/2010

Let's talk "funky reggae". Alright, Jamaican music, especially the Rocksteady and the (Early) Reggae have always been greatly influenced by American Soul music. The radio airwaves coming from Miami reached the shores of Jamaica, and people were able to really follow American music without having to spend money on records. Naturally, there's been a great deal of mixing between sweet Jamaican sounds and sweet Soul music! With any style though, only a select few can really nail it down. Above is a compilation of Funky stuff done right by the reggae-soul maestro, Derrick Harriott, released (probably) in 1975. Great hair.

When it comes to Funksoulreggae, Jackie Mittoo is truly the originator and its master. Even in his teenage years working as the musical director at Studio One, his love for Soul & Funk came through quite obviously. This one right here, titled Wishbone was recorded in 1971 up in Toronto where he had relocated since 1969. His use of Canadian funk/soul musicians and an additional string section resulted in a reggae sound found nowhere else. I have learned to really respect Jackie's talent as an arranger. "There was a sophistication that was achieved through simple means", tells Jamaican jazz pianist Marjorie Whylie. "One didn't have to spend too much time intellectualizing and analyzing. The effect on one was immediate". I would like to call him the "architect of sound".

Great music. And yes, great hair.

Lyn Taitt & The Jets "Napoleon Solo"

Gladstone Anderson with Lyn Taitt & The Jets "Rainbow Valley"

Joe White "Rudies All Around"

Lee "Scratch" Perry with Lyn Taitt & The Jets "Soul Food"

Hopeton Lewis "Cool Collie"

The Kingstonians "Crime Don't Pay"

Ken Boothe "You Left The Water Running"

Prince Buster "Bye Bye Baby"

Derrick Harriott "Go Away Dream"

Jackie Mittoo "Freak Out"

Slim Smith "You've Got What It Takes"

Jackie Mittoo "Mother Funk"

Toots & The Maytals "Living In The Ghetto"

Byron Lee & The Dragonairs "Way Back Home"

Tommy McCook & The Supersonics "Real Cool"

Desmond Dekker & The Aces "Young Generation"

The Wailers "Do It Twice"

The Untouchables "Tighten Up"

The United Brothers "What More Can I Say?"

Freddie Notes & The Rudies "Down On The Farm"

Tsuyoshi Kawakami & His Moodmakers "I Wish You Love"

Linton Kwesi Johnson "Loraine"

Ego-Wrappin' "5 Gatsu no Clover"

Gladstone Anderson & Mudies All Stars "Mudies Groove"

Bagdad Cafe The Trenchtown "Rainy Days"

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra "Utsukushiku Moeru Mori (Instrumental)"

Little Tempo & Yoko Fujita "Cha no Aji"

Little Tempo "Cha no Aji Dub"

Jackie Mittoo "Evening Time"

Rico Rodoriguez "Japanese Invasion"

Phillis Dillon "Boys And Girls Reggae"

Justin Hinds "Time Pass By"

Harry J All Stars "Spyrone"

The Victors "You Can't Stop Me"

Alton Ellis "Be True (To Yourself)"

Lee Perry "Skango"

Prince Buster "Cincinnati Kid (live?)"

Prince Buster "Pharaoh House Crash"

The Ethiopians "Mother's Tender Care"

The Ethiopians "Conditions Bad A Yard"

Ken Boothe "The One That I Love"

Winston Wright "Cool Down"

Toots & The Maytals "Just Tell Me"

Dennis Alcapone "DJ's Choice"

Lennie Hibbert "Village Soul"

Tommy McCook & The Supersonics "Twilight Rock"

Dermott Lynch "Hot Shot"

John Holt "Ali Baba"

The Techniques "There Comes A Time"

Desmond Dekker & Derrick Morgan "(What A) Revenge"

Soul Vendors "A House Is Not A Home"

Byron Lee & The Dragonairs "Soul Serenade"

The Upsetters "Bad Luck"

Nina Simone "Baltimore"