A driving album full of fun

French nine piece band Jim Murple Memorial has been together in various constellations for 17 years and has recently released their ninth official studio album Take Your Flight, Jim!, collecting 16 tracks aimed a starting any party around the globe.

Their sound is a melting pot of ska, rocksteady, calypso, boogaloo and Jamaican and American R&B. They’ve might have listened to an equal amount of Bo Diddley, Fats Domino, Willie Colón, The Skatalites, Slim Smith and Laurel Aitken.

It’s fun, passionate and soulful and unless Tony Soprano has put your feet in wet concrete, you’re guaranteed to at least tap your toes to this full and swinging sound with upright bass, shuffling piano, funky organ, rampant horns and cheerful, but also mild at times, vocals courtesy of no less than five lead singers, who mostly sing in English.

Included are also a number of explosive and catchy instrumentals, where the musicians present their respective skills in a party-styled fashion.

Take Your Flight, Jim! is currently only available via the band’s website and over there you decide the price yourself.

Courtney John is easy like a Sunday morning

Falsetto vocalists have always been popular in Jamaica, and some of the earliest and most acclaimed ones include the late Slim Smith, Cedric Myton, Pat Kelly, Cornell Campbell and Junior Murvin.

A newcomer in this great genre of singers is Courtney John, who just dropped his fourth album From Letters to Words. It’s a ten track ode to 60’s rocksteady spiced with tender 70’s soul and a hint of singer/songwriter.

Courtney John weighs every word, every syllable, carefully, and his smooth falsetto is light as a feather. His hearty lyrics deal mostly with romance and his longing for intimacy.
 
Included are fresh originals and relicks, and also a cover of Chi-Lites 1971 Billboard chart topper Have You Seen Her.

This is a contemporary reggae and rocksteady album with a lazy Sunday morning feeling.

Another set of vintage rarities on Pressure Sounds

UK reissue label Pressure Sounds has started the year in an old school vintage reggae style. First it was a compilation with early reggae scorchers produced by Lee Perry. Now the label has reissued a second collection of tunes from Blondel Keith Calneck, aka Ken Lack, and his group of labels, including Shock, Jontom and Caltone.

Listen to the Music: Caltone’s Jamaican 45’s 1966-69 collects 21 tunes covering frantic ska, up-tempo early reggae and elegant, classy rocksteady. A few straight forward R&B and Sam Cooke influenced tunes from The Uniques are also included.

Ken Lack was a business man with a keen interest in music and is not one of the more well-known producers in the history of reggae music, but thanks to the Pressure Sounds compilation Safe Travel – released in 2005 – he has received some very well-deserved attention.

Bunny Lee and Phil Pratt handled most of the hands-on production on his recordings with input from Trinibagoan guitarist Lynn Taitt, saxophonist Tommy McCook and trumpeter Johnny Moore.

One of the better known singles from the Ken Lack camp is The Heptones’ Gunmen Coming to Town, a tune that borrows its melody from the William Tell Overture.

Ken Lack worked extensively with Tommy McCook, and his saxophone is present on many of the tunes. And the horn arrangements are classy and tasteful throughout the compilation.

Standouts among the vocals cuts are The Claredonians’ – with the extraordinary talent of Peter Austin taking lead – I’m Sorry, Devon & The Tartans’ Making Love and Alva Lewis & Lynn Taitt’s Return Home. The harmonies are excellent and so are the musicianship with outstanding lead guitar and shuffling organ work.

Listen to the Music is currently available on CD, double LP and digital download and includes excellent liner notes courtesy of Pressure Sounds’ founder and director Pete Holdsworth.

Ken Boothe is on a journey

Rocksteady veteran and gritty vocalist Ken Boothe is one of the many reasons why I got into reggae music. Songs such as Freedom Street, Artibella and When I Fall in Love are pure gold.

Ken Boothe has a long career behind him, but just recently started to tour Europe. I had the opportunity to meet him backstage after his performance at Uppsala Reggae Festival in Sweden. Check the full interview over at United Reggae.

Old meets new in fine style

In the early 60’s George “Peckings” Price relocated from Jamaica to the UK. He is said to have been a close friend of producer and label owner Clement “Coxsone” Dodd, a very valuable connection when George Price set up his own record shop in London in 1974.

George Price passed away 20 years later and his sons Chris, Duke and Trevor took over the operations, and also started to make their own productions built on riddims from mainly Clement Dodd and the late Duke Reid.

Their debut album was Bitty McLean’s On Bond Street, which was released in 2005. It was followed by the compilations Old Skool Young Blood in 2006 and 2009 as well as Gappy Ranks’ debut album Put the Stereo On in 2010.

Now another slice of old meets new has arrived, and Old Skool Young Blood vol. 3 picks up where its predecessors left off. The 14 tunes include a number of Duke Reid’s finest cuts of rocksteady riddims. The vocals are provided by singers such as Gappy Ranks and Courtney John as well as lovers rock crooners Peter Hunnigale, Peter Spence, Sadiki and Bitty McLean.

The riddims are played by The Supersonics – an outfit led by master saxophonist Tommy McCook – and are beautifully crafted. You simply can’t go wrong with music like this. It’s smooth, melodic and infectious. Just like Gappy Ranks’ “ah ah ah ah aaaah” chorus in his Kooyah Kooyah.

George Price should be proud. His sons are doing a great job in keeping the reggae legacy alive.

Rocksteady is The Sidewalk Doctors’ Medicine

One of this year’s best releases is Alpheus ska and rocksteady set From Creation. Now there’s a new album in a similar style – Music is Medicine from London’s The Sidewalk Doctors.

Music is Medicine is their debut album and includes nine authentic rocksteady and ska-styles tunes fused with lead singer Nathan Thomas’ soft, almost whispering, voice.

This production is straightforward and non-polished. The organ is – as it should be – in the front seat on several songs, and the piano hook on With You is nicely borrowed from The Uniques’ My Conversation.

Music is Medicine might not be as great as From Creation, but it’s certainly a nice change to hear reggae that is not roots or dancehall these days.

Prince Blanco does it ska style

Veteran singer Prince Blanco has just put out the ska-tinged EP Unify On The Hi-Fi. The EP is produced by Canadian dub master Dubmatix, with whom Prince Blanco won a Juno Award in 2010.

Prince Blanco has previously put out albums with various groups, such as The Skanksters and The Liquidaires. He has also performed alongside acclaimed singers Michael Rose and Freddie McGregor and contributed to the Joe Strummer tribute compilation Shatter the Hotel.

The new EP does not really sound as a Dubmatix production, even if the heavy bass lines are present. Unify On The Hi-Fi is a ska, rocksteady and early reggae love affair.

However, it is not mainly in the Jamaican tradition. It leans more towards the UK sound and artists and bands such as Dandy, The Specials and Pama International. It is reggae with lots of 60’s soul.

Three of the five tunes are in the ska vein and the pounding Ska Tissue, with some moaning horns, certainly makes your heart beat. The other two tunes include some nice and groovy organ work.

Highly recommended for everyone who is interested in expanding their one drop or dancehall horizon.

Roberto Sánchez knows vintage reggae

Trying to imitate or copy a sound without sounding dull is tough. Many have tried but few have succeeded. Roberto Sánchez from Santander in north Spain has however managed to produce records that are both foundation rocksteady and roots reggae. Reggaemani got a chat with him from his studio on the day Alpheus new album From Creation hit the streets.

Roberto Sánchez is a talented man. He is a producer, engineer, singer, song writer and musician. He also owns and operates A-Lone Ark Muzik Studio and A-Lone Productions (his label) as well as heads the Lone Ark Riddim Force, a live and studio band.

The label was created in 1997 and has since its inception released tunes from both veterans and newcomers.

Last January saw the acclaimed release of And God Said to Man from foundation singer Earl Zero. That album was in a style that Roberto Sánchez is most comfortable with – late 70’s roots.

The new album from Alpheus is a completely different story. From Creation is all about rocksteady and ska – Jamaican music from the 60’s – and is based on riddims from producers Coxsone Dodd, Duke Reid and one of the many unsung heroes of reggae – Phil Pratt.

“It’s like a old picture”
 “I’ve always loved Studio One productions and the productions just before Jackie Mittoo left for Canada. You know the tunes from Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson and Ken Boothe. They’re amazing”, says Roberto Sánchez, and continues giving a comparison between two legendary labels:

“Treasure Isle has always had a more sophisticated sound. I love the rawness of Studio One. It’s warm and not a lot of clarity. It’s like an old picture”.

Rocksteady for the first time
But the album is not entirely based on other producers’ riddims. Roberto has managed to pen a few by himself as well.

“I wasn’t really into rocksteady before I did this album and I had never worked with this kind of riddims. My aim sound is late 70’s and Channel One”, he says, and continues:

“In the 60’s in Jamaica they were doing it U.S style. It was quality back then. Just listen to Lynn Taitt’s guitar play. In the 70’s it was rawer. In rocksteady they tried to be musicians in the full sense of the word”.

Started recording in 2006
From Creation has taken some time to record. Roberto and Alpheus met in 2006 and the first tune they recorded was Ultimate, a cut of Phil Pratt’s Dirty Dozen, originally performed by trombonist Vincent “Don D Junior” Gordon.

 “Already back then, we thought of doing an album together. The album was recorded between 2006 and 2010. It was finished last summer and it took some time to decide how to release it. We decided to do it ourselves”, he says, and continues to explain how he and Alpheus work together:

“We complement each other. Alpheus knows ska and rocksteady very well and I know minor chords riddims. And the results are amazing”.

Even though From Creation only has been out for about a week, critics have already praised it.

“We have had great response so far from media and radio. Many people seem to like the album”, he says and continues:

“I think people like it because it has original feelings. It’s from a golden era in Jamaican music. It’s also made with care and love. It has an amazing style and I think it’s Alpheus best work yet. It’s just pure loving’”.

More to come
Some of the finest music in the rocksteady era was made by vocal harmony groups like the Gaylads, the Melodians, the Techniques and the Uniques. Roberto is thrilled by the idea of making this kind of music again.

“It would be amazing to record a vocal group. The Viceroys are touring now and they would be my first choice. Tetrack would also fit on a rocksteady riddim”, he says.

But that is not in the pipeline. Not yet anyhow. Instead Roberto has plans to put out singles from Linval Thompson and Keith Rowe (Keith in Keith & Tex, responsible for hit song Stop That Train). Keith Rowe has voiced two riddims on the From Creation album.

“I’ve also started recording a showcase album from Milton Henry. It’ll be released next year. There’ll be no more albums from me this year”, he explains and continues:

“I also hope to do some more dub versions from the From Creation album. We also recorded a lot more than what’s on the album. Those songs will hopefully be put out as 7, 10 or 12 inches”.

A FEW FAST ONES TO ROBERTO SÁNCHEZ

Favourite artist/group?
Naggo Morris

Favourite label? 
Many!!! Observer

Favourite album?  
Johnny Osbourne – Truths and Rights

Favourite tune?
At the moment Little Roy’s False Talk

Favourite producer?
Dennis Bovell

Favourite riddim?
Studio One and Cornell Campbell´s Stars

Alpheus takes it from the foundation

London born singer Alpheus has together with talented Spanish producer Roberto Sánchez managed to create one of the better albums I’ve heard in a while.

From Creation consists of sixteen tunes of pure ska and rocksteady magic recorded with live instruments. There are twelve vocal cuts, two instrumentals and two dub versions. Seven of the tracks are relicks of riddims from producer Coxsone Dodd and the more obscure – but just as great – Phil Pratt. The other five are written by the duo themselves.

And interestingly enough the tunes penned by the duo are just as good as the relicks. The haunting Far Away and the stomping We Are Strong could easily have been written in the 60’s.

Alpheus singing is inspired. By the natural way he rides the riddims it certainly seems like he has enjoyed the time in the studio. His powerful tenor is deep, soulful and sometimes dramatic, such as in the minor chord masterpiece From Creation, which is nicely complemented by an intense percussion driven dub version. It’s as if Roberto Sánchez had invited legendary Jamaican percussionist Bongo Herman to the session.

From Creation is obviously created by people who love music. It’s carefully made by the exact blend of heart, mind and soul. A must have in any good record collection.

Den jamaicanska musikens inspiratörer

Häromdagen skrev jag en krönika på Rebelmusic om kopplingen mellan reggae och de förenta staterna. Faktum är att även om USA har dåliga reggaegener, så har landet haft stort inflytande över den jamaicanska musikens utveckling, och reggaen härstammar i ett krokigt nerstigande led från tidig amerikansk r&b och storbandsjazz.

Amerikansk r&b dök upp på Jamaica på 50-talet genom handelsresande och säsongsarbetare. De som hade radio kunde också lyssna på favoriter som Nat ”King” Cole, Fats Domino och Clyde McPhatter genom amerikanska radiostationer. När populariteten började dala i USA och delvis övergå till rock n’ roll, bestämde sig de jamaicanska herrarna Prince Buster, Clement Dodd och Duke Reid för att producera sin egen r&b.

Den jamaicanska versionen påminde en hel del om sin amerikanska motsvarighet. Men upphovsmännen valde att också använda influenser från latin och mento (tidig jamaicansk musik som bygger på afrikanska rytmer) samt sångteknik och klassiska melodier från England och Irland. Eftersom flera av dåtidens musiker var jazzskolade andades dessutom vissa låtar swing och bebop.

Klassiker från den här perioden är exempelvis Boogie in My Bones med Laurel Aitken, Donna med The Blues Busters och Easy Snappin’ med Theophilius Beckford. Det finns även ett antal instrumentala rökare från The Blues Blasters och Duke’s Group.

Rocksteadyns intåg
Rocksteady-perioden i den jamaicanska musikhistorien var kort – 1966 till 1968. Men genren har haft ett enormt inflytande på hela reggaens utveckling. Under den här perioden fick basen och trummorna en ännu mer framträdande roll. Rocksteadyn är cool, lugn och melodiös, och tempot är långsamt.

Dessutom hade 60-talets soul ett betydande inflytande på rocksteadyn. I boken Reggae: The Rough Guide, av Steve Barrow och Peter Dalton, menar reggaeradiostjärnan och selectorn David Rodigan att soulsångaren Curtis Mayfield är ”godfather of reggae”. Och det stämmer nog rätt väl. Lyssna på klassiska jamaicanska falsettsångare som Slim Smith, Ken Parker och Pat Kelly, så är det tydligt varifrån de hämtat en stor del av sin inspiration.

Rocksteadyn och dess rytmer byggdes till stor del kring dessa Curtis Mayfield-imitatörer och därför kan soulens – och inte minst Curtis Mayfields – bidrag till rocksteadymusiken inte överskattas.

Reggae, rocksteady och jamaicansk r&b delar en gemensam  kärlek  till amerikansk musik. Relationen har varat i över ett halvt sekel, och ännu brinner lågan. Nutida dancehallstjärnor som Mavado och Sean Paul för traditionen vidare genom framgångsrika jamaicansk-amerikanska samarbeten.