Downbeat The Ruler

musicology #0632

the Inspirations – Down In The Park


Day #5 of the Upsetter tribute and after spending the first few years of his career helping to build Sir Coxson’s Studio 1, (and the Downbeat sound), into the #1 outfit on the Island Lee Perry became dissilusioned with Coxson’s lack of appreciation as well as any real opportunities to progress his career so he decided it was time to break free and make his OWN play but it wasn’t really until 1968 when things began to look up for the Upsetter.

Lee Perry was already well on his way to mastering the art of picking, creating and crafting hit records but funds were tight and it wasn’t easy but in the year of the earth monkey, (1968), the English market began to gather speed due, in part, to the rise of Jamaican musics popularity with the working class youngbloods who became known as Skinheads.

Today’s cut is another Upsetter scorcher from 1968. Voiced by the Inspirations, (Trevor Shaw & Ransford White), and recorded at either Dynamic or the Chin family’s ‘Randys’ studio. (Trevor Shaw went on to reinvent himself as ‘Jimmy London’)

the (Limited Edition) Upsetter tribute tee (available in 3 Colours), below was designed and produced as a direct reference to these times…

click on image to see it in all it’s glory.

the Upsetter tribute tee exclusively at bloodsweatandtees

musicology #573

Essential Cuts #3

(Jerry Jones – Still Waters)

Didn’t manage to lay a cut yesterday..BIG night Friday and as a result I floated through yesterday in a bit of a bubble. That’s one of the things about BIG nights out..sleep deprivation..Worth it though. Music was excellent, company too. Met some good people, (all genuine music lovers), which is always a real pleasure. In fact it was a proper gathering of musicologists. The Filthy Six were excellent and by a strange serendipitous, (having already laid it down on themusicologist a few hours earlier) quirk had included Sookie, Sookie in their set. If any of you cats and/or kittens get the opprtunity to catch them live…take it. If not then second best is to buy their self titled set available on Acid Jazz.

Part of what I, (Sir Errol too judging from his recent comment), enjoy about music is the voyage of ‘discovery’ and on the night Corinna Greyson and Noel McKoy were both welcome additions to my list of noteworthy vocalists. I can’t lay an example of Corrina’s vocals on you as I don’t have any to pass on but I bought 2 copies of Noel’s latest CD, (Brighter Day), on the night so hopefully, (if/when I confirm with him that it’s ok), I’ll lay down an example on themusicologist.

So on with the Essentials…(all cuts that, for me, ‘stand’ at the top of the musical mountain). Today’s cut is another from the number one Jamaican sound ‘Sir’ Coxsone ‘Downbeat The Ruler’s Studio 1. Absoulte marrow trembler released 1970 in the UK on the Bamboo label….Jerry Jones’s version of the Four Tops scorcher.

Listen Tune.

musicology #523

Jamaica #3

(Prince Buster – Linger On)

Moving out of the Studio 1, (before it threatens to consume the WHOLE theme), and into a cut from one of the other notable players in the development of Jamaican musicology…Cecil Bustamente Campbell who along with Sir Coxsone, Duke Reid, Justin Yap and King Edwards had a major impact on the Ska.

Prince Buster, (so named because of his boxing prowess), was a security man for Downbeat in the early 60’s but turned his talented hands to recording and producing in 1962 after leaving Coxsone. Today’s 1964? cut is a piece from the ‘Golden Age’ paying tribute to the legend known then as Cassius Clay. Note the innovative Reverb technique employed by Buster which at the time must have been well and truly ‘modern’. The musicians backing the man were known as Buster’s All Stars and included legends Val Bennet, Raymond Harper, Baba Brooks, Junior Nelson, Rico Rodriguez, Earnest Ranglin, Jerry Haynes, Gladstone Anderson and Arkland Parks.

musicology #431

butterfly mind #1

(Delroy Wilson – Keep On Trying)

Over the last few days/weeks/months..maybe even years !! I have been doing a LOT of, (maybe too much?), thinking and subsequently find myself a bit lost as I wander through a maze of internal dialogue that seems to do nothing but ask questions.

The butterfly mind has that capacity, mesmerising to observe as it flutters from one place to another but a hard road to travel and extremely distracting. I don’t know whether ‘the road’ leads anywhere particular as, for me, it tends to be the journey more than the destination but responsibility both for self and others, (children), is a great leveller and something I take VERY seriously so it feels like I’ll have to turn my gaze from the butterfly and focus instead on building “a heaven on the earth”

as for themusicologist, I have spent too much energy searching for cuts that expressed my deepest feelings which has bottlenecked the flow of music. so from now my intention is to set the music free from the bondage of too much meaning and just try to lay down one slice a day that I feel like sharing. It will continue to be the soundtrack to my life but with a little more freedom.

first up…one from Delro’ (Wilson), Jamaican musicologist and sweet soul singer whose career stretches way back to the early sixties when he cut his recording teeth in 1963 at the tender age of 15, hooking up to Sir Coxsone, Downbeat the Ruler Dodd’s Studio 1. big 10 inch from the 1970’s on one of Coxsone’s many labels, (music lab).

musicology #329

DownbeatTheRuler #9

(Ken Boothe – Just A Little Bit Of You)

Short but sweet today as I’m out early morning back late afternoon and then out playing football in the evening. Today’s slice of the Downbeat pie is one of my absolute favourites from what, for themusicologist is Studio 1’s Golden age. Delivered by a Cat who has already featured on this theme but, in true musicology style, the axiom “as in music so in life” comes through loud and clear on this one…so this one it had to be.

I’m gambling that it’s Leroy Sibbles on Bass? with full Sound Dimension crew locked tightly in the groove….

Listen Tune..

musicology #328

DownbeatTheRuler #8

(Horace Andy – Found Somebody Of My Own)

Today on the Downbeat Tribute it’s the turn of Horace Hinds, (cousin of Justin) A.K.A Horace Andy renamed by Sir Coxsone in time for his seminal 1970 set ‘Skylarking’, (one of the first Studio 1 LP’s that themusicologist had the pleasure of owning). Introduced by the inimitable ‘Dread At The Controls’…Mikey Dread from a radio program showcasing Studio 1. Could have been one from any number of Horace’s recordings but didn’t want to pass up an opportunity to pay a second tribute on themusicologist to Mikey Dread who is no longer with us. Not only that but it’s one that is lesser known although, for me, just as good as many of his classics. Taken from one of the mighty Dread’s Rockers In The Morning sets.

Mikey and Horace…come in and let the people know what you’re talking about.

musicology #326

DownbeatTheRuler #6

(Dave Barker – Johnny Dollar)

Today’s page of the Downbeat story is a 45 from an artist known by the name of Dave Barker, (a nom de plume courtesy of Lee Perry), who is probably best known for his part on the well known single ‘Double Barrel’. A singer and ‘DJ’ who was among the earliest proponents of the ‘chatting’ style made popular by such luminaries as U-Roy, Dennis Alcapone, I-Roy and Dillinger. There were earlier Cats who dropped ‘chat pon the mic’ but it wasn’t until Hugh Roy stepped up that the genre came of age and flew out of the dance and into the recording studio in 1970 on Arthur ‘Duke ‘ Reid’s definining rocksteady rhythms.

This one, a 1970 cut on the English Studio 1 subsidary label Ackee, is a cover of Garnett Mimm’s earlier majestic 1964 Soul recording ‘A Quiet Place’ and finds Mr Barker, who in my opinion was a much better singer than ‘DJ’, in fine voice expressing concerns about people intruding on his quiet time.

musicology #324

DownbeatTheRuler #4

(Ken Boothe – You’re No Good)

Today’s cut is from one of THE greatest Jamaican vocalists never known, (outside of the Reggae community)..one of music’s many mysteries to me is how Ken Boothe has never had the global recognition that his talent deserves. Time after time, year after year from the earliest days right up until the present this Cat has delivered. In truth his Studio 1 output alone could have easily filled this theme to overflowing. His ‘cup certainly runneth over’ as they say and todays slice should illustrate why.

I love Alton Ellis as well you know but I would have to say that in my humble opinion Ken Boothe is ‘Mr Soul Of Jamaica’.

Born and raised in Kingston Mr Boothe was a foundation stone in the Coxsone empire as important to the Label’s success as the Miracles were to Tamla Motown who stuck by Downbeat until parting company in the early Seventies. Without further delay hold this, The original Ska version of his later ‘hit’. Look out for A Ken Boothe special on themusicologist sometime in the future.

musicology #322

DownbeatTheRuler #2

(Bob Andy – I’m Going Home)

Sir Coxson was a music lover and man on the street but also a businessman and a successful one at that which, in my experience is often not appreciated by those who have been left behind to hustle and scratch for survival on the tough streets of places like Kingston, London, New York etc. The truth is that many would rather see you stumble and fall than lift yourself out of the mean streets especially when, as far as they are concerned, (and maybe rightly so), you have made it off the sweat of their brow. This seems to have been the case with Coxsone as the years rolled on but it’s not easy to keep such an enterprise going, (as many record label owners would attest to), when everyone wants a slice of the pie. Coxsone not only put Studio 1 together but also kept it going right up until his death.

Possibly inspired by Cats like Sam Cooke whose SAR label was, (along with Berry Gordy’s Tamla Motown), a pioneer in the record business, Dodd couldn’t afford to ‘take any prisoners’ so paid the Artist, Arranger, Producer and Musician per side, (or as employee), rather than cut them in on the Action. After all it was he who was taking all the risk so why share the rewards? Any business person would agree with his appraisal of the situation but the Artist wouldn’t. To further highlight the point the singer of today’s cut is quoted to say;

“Clement Dodd is a good mentor and he really provided the facilities for a group of youngsters who would never have had anywhere to go in those days, but he could have done more for them. I would say Jamaican music suffers from a Coxsone syndrome.”

I can see why. It was they who created the ‘product’ for Dodd to capitalise on so why should they not be ‘cut in’? Dodd may say that “if you want a piece of the pie you also have to take some of the risk” which hardly any of the Artists were in a position to do. Cats like Prince Buster, (a businessman and Artist), saw the light and parted company with Dodd as soon as possible to make a name, (and hopefully some ‘corn’), for himself but of the many hundreds in Jamaican music history VERY few have much to show, financially, for their achievements.

What they do have though is a place in musical history that will last long after they have been laid to rest and an army of fans that continue to spread their name. Personally I would rather be the Artist than the businessman.

Anyway enough chat and on with the Downbeat show….

This 1966 !! cut, (his first solo piece), is courtesy of former Paragons founding member and songwriter supreme Keith Anderson, (Bob Andy), apparently backed up by The Wailers but to my ears it sounds more like The Heptones? anyway whoever is harmonising it’s Bob Andy’s wailing lead that cuts through and is one of my personal favourites…featured on one of the greatest Studio 1 LP’s Bob Andy’s Songbook.

Bob Andy….Live on…