derrick harriott

musicology #0635

Keith Rowe – Groovy Situation

(tUmp diSco miX)

Next piece of the Upsetters Jamaican Soul selection with this Classic piece of Black Ark musicology featuring Keith Rowe. One Half of the duo (Keith & Tex), that dropped two Rock Steady Bombs for Derick ‘One Stop’ Harriott back in the late 60’s..’Stop That Train’ and ‘Tonight’ this one was recorded in 1977 during Lee Perry’s ‘Goldfinger’ period at the Ark when he was producing international hits. Rowe had won a trip to Jamaica for a few days after spending the preceeding 5 years in America..

BIG

BIG

BIG

tune for the(urBanmusicologist)….

 

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LIMITED edition tribute tees at bloOdsweatandtees

musicology #0630

Earl Sixteen – Freedom (theUrbanmusicologist mix)

Today’s MASSIVE cut is courtesy of The MAJESTIC Earl John Daley aka Earl 16..who started his recording career at Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle in vocal group The Flaming Phonics but had little impact until after going Solo in 1975. Teaming up first with Derrick Harriott and then Boris Gardner before linking with Lee Perry in the late 70’s when he waxed a few gems for the Upsetter at the Black Ark..

In a, (top ranking), interview from AUTHENTIC Reggae periodical Small Axe Earl has this to say about the session….

“We actually laid the track with Dalton Browne, that was actually the first time that Steelie came to the studio as well, we first brought him, Steelie, Albert Malawi, (he used to play in sound system, but he’s a drummer), and Dalton Browne, that’s the musicians that we used for that session, and we did four songs all at once. We did “Cheatin” (?) was played by Boris Gardener, and “Bird in the Hand”, those two were played by Boris Gardner, but “Give Black People Freedom” and “Do Good and Good Will Follow You” was played by Albert and them lot”.

BIG piece of Rebel Music, (mixed down by themusicologist)…….

musicology #529

Jamaica #9

(Larry Marshall – Money Girl)

Moving out of the Derrick Harriott and into yet another fine piece but this time it’s courtesy of producer George Phillips better known as Phil Pratt..a name bestowed on him by Caltone founder Blondel Keith Calneck, (Ken Lack).

You may have noticed that one of the things about Jamaican music is the significance of the producer in musical proceedings and Phil Pratt is certainly one of them. Horace ‘Andy’ Hinds, (cousin of Justin), The Heptones and Bunny Lee all begun their journey beside the Cat at Caltone so its, (and his), importance in the development of Reggae deserves wider recognition.

The cut today is courtesy of singer Larry Marshall, (who would go on to find a place at Coxsone’s Studio 1), and features the talents of Rocksteady’s core protagonists that include Lynn Taitt, Gladstone Anderson, Winston Wright, Clifton Jackson, and one from Winston Grennan, Hugh Malcolm or Arkland Parks. From the sounds of it I would hazard a guess that it’s a 1967 recording but I could easily be mistaken and if so it would be early 1968. Whatever the year it was arranged by a name we have become familiar with over this week…Lynn Taitt.

Finally just like to praise the label Pressure Sounds for releasing the CD, (Safe Travel), from which today’s cut emerged. ESSENTIAL purchase…FULL of TOP Ranking Rocksteady that were you to try and buy the 45’s featured would cost you a small fortune, (if you were lucky enough to find them)

LISTEN TUNE…

musicology #230

communication #8

(Dennis Brown – It’s Too Late)

Artist, producer and one of Jamaica’s most loved sons, Dennis Emmanuel Brown first recorded at the tender age of 11 for Derrick ‘One Stop’ Harriott but it was at Coxsone Dodd’s Studio 1 that he made his name starting with a cover of the Van Dykes cut, ‘No Man Is An Island’ in 1969. The man had a prolific career that stretched right up until his untimely death in 1999 at the age of 42.

This one written by Carol King is, for themusicologist, a great example of what a cover version should attempt to do, namely bring something new and fresh to a song. Something which Jamaica’s musicologists seem to have perfected….Recorded for Joe Gibbs sometime in the 80’s.

musicology #167

malevocals2 #5

(Amblique – Yesterday)

big night tonight…a friend’s 40th birthday bash and ‘yer man’, (themusicologist), is selecting the sounds.

the menu consists mainly of Soul, Funk and Boogie, (70’s and 80’s), but I’ve also put together a ‘Dancehall’ set and a ‘Dubstep’ selection to satisfy all tastes…should be a top night…almost all the ‘cats’ are making an appearance.

this cut, a cover of The Beatles song ‘Yesterday’, is by one of my favourite ‘digital’ singers over the last 15 years who began his career as a youth under the tutelage of Derrick ‘One Stop’ Harriott’ in 1970 as Ramone The Mexican but it wasn’t really until 1994 when he teamed up with Sly & Robbie that his career began to take off, which just goes to show the importance of sticking to your guns. since then he has continued to ‘tear up’ the dance with his recordings and performances.

this one is taken from a 45, (a vinyl single to all those digital heads), and it’s a Clive Hunt production on the Kickin’ label from around 1996, (if memory serves me right), as is often the case there is very little information on the label, not even an ‘engineer’ credit…no surprise really as I doubt the song was licensed from whoever holds the rights.

musicology #161

vocalgroupaction2 #6

(The Uniques – Lessons Of Love)

day six !! of the vocalgroup selection and the tunes just keep on coming…by now i’m sure you’ve realised that the two genres that feature heaviest on themusicologist are Soul & Reggae and today’s cut is no exception.

courtesy of one of the most ‘important’ of Jamaica’s vocal groups The Uniques whose previous incarnation, (The Techniques), had already played a huge part in shaping the vocal group sound of Jamaica with Duke Reid at Treasure Isle. (for an example of the Techniques work with ‘The Trojan’ take a listen to musicology #44).

but it was as this pivotal line-up, (Roy Shirley, Jimmy Riley, Lloyd ‘Charmers’ Tyrell and Keith ‘Slim’ Smith), produced by the Islands top producer at the time Bunny ‘Striker’ Lee that they rose to the top of Jamaica’s vocal group tree with a string of Rock Steady classics such as ‘Gypsy Woman’, ‘My Conversation’, ‘The Beatitude’, Love & Devotion, ‘Facts Of Life’ (to name a few)

briefly…Bunny Lee was a major figure in the evolution of Jamaican musicology especially during this period. One of the first, (the first being Cecil ‘ Prince Buster’ Campbell), independent producers to challenge Coxsone Dodd and Duke Reid he was instrumental in breaking the hold the two held over the music resulting in the emergence of other notable producers such as Derrick’ One Stop’ Harriott and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry.

Recorded in Kingston at the Treasure Isle, (or W.I.R.L), studio in 1968.

musicology #120

jamboree #7

(Derrick Harriott – No Man Is An Island)

tasty slice of the Jamboree pie from Mr ‘One Stop’. Vocalist, producer and ‘Reggae’ pioneer whose contribution to the development of Jamaican musicology from the earliest days, (with the Jiving Juniors 1958-62), right through the Ska and Rocksteady periods and into the sound we know and love today deserves honouring.

from the 1976 LP.. Music For Midnight Lovers

“No man is an island, no man stands alone,
treat each man as your brother and remember that each man’s dream is your own”