niney the observer

musicology #583

Flow #2

(Don Carlos – Mr Sun)

Sticking with the sweet sounds of Jamaica and this 1982 slice from the unmistakable vocal chords of Ervin Spencer, (AKA Don Carlos), produced by Winston ‘Niney The Observer’ Holness.

musicology #543

Jamaica #23

(Dennis Brown – No More Will I Roam)

Looking back over the past week on themusicologist I couldn’t help but notice my absence..in truth the weather was too nice and I had much street walking, hustling, networking, planning and dreaming to do and themusicologist had to take a back seat but the weather is still scorching so I’ll have to come up with a new plan for this week…ahh got it…more music less scribbles, (it’s the scribbling that takes ALL my time)

So with that in mind….forward up with the sweet sounds of JA.

Ranking piece from the ‘Crown Prince’ Dennis Emmanuel Brown produced by Winston ‘Niney the Observer’ Holness for his Obsever label in 1974.

Listen Tune..

musicology #332

DownbeatTheRuler #12

(Delroy Wilson – I Want Justice)

Penultimate cut of the Downbeat Tribute selection. Just like to make clear that for themusicologist Sir Coxsone’s Studio 1 is the Number 1 sound which is obviously a reason for paying a two week tribute to the musical legacy he laid down. Of course without the musicians, singers, producers and engineers who contributed it wouldn’t be. So even though this is a tribute to Downbeat it’s just as much a tribute to all who participated in delivering some of greatest music ever made and I hope the last two weeks have been as enjoyable for you as it has been for me.

Tomorrow I will be releasing part two of ‘The Project’ that has occupied an ever growing part of my heart and mind for more than 20 years and as always would appreciate your feedback/critique/opinions on it.

Today though it’s time for a slice from Mr Delroy Wilson who begun his career with Coxsone at the tender age of 13. Born in 1948 Delroy first enjoyed ‘success’ with his musical attacks on Dodd’s one time employee Prince Buster, ( ‘Joe Liges’), which I was going to lay down, but it was during the Rocksteady period, (and after), that his star truly shone with cuts like I’m Not A King, Dancing Mood, Riding For A Fall,  Keep On Trying etc, (all of which almost made it onto the tribute), At the tail end of the Sixties Delroy and Sir Coxsone parted ways and he drifted between various producers such as Bunny Lee, Gussie Clarke, Niney The Observer and the Hookim Brothers Channel 1 but as with many of Jamaica’s foundation artists the 80’s weren’t kind to him and his star begun it’s descent into almost obscurity by his untimely death in 1995.

So if you’re listening Delroy…this one’s for you….a top ranking slice of the Ska pie from 1965 originally released as a 45 on the Studio 1 label featuring, (unless my ears are deceiving me), what sounds like The Wailers on backup.

musicology #71

newyearboogie #3 (Johnny Clarke – Age Is Growing)

been involved in a lot of interesting debates over the last few weeks one of which concerned themusicologist and how it was/is evolving…..

allow me to elucidate…the early posts, (musicology #1-7), were raw, intense, deeply personal and provided a much needed outlet for expressing how it felt to be, once again, staring into the abyss and as music has always provided themusicologist with a most effective outlet for emotional expression the musical diary was born.

but when you find yourself on the ‘hill and gully ride’ as sure as day follows night, up follows down. and the next stage of evolution took themusicologist on a journey from down low to up high which just goes to show that “joy and pain are like sunshine and rain”

without getting too philosophical I suppose this could be seen as striking the eternal balance..or to put it another way the polarisation of extremity…hmmmm.

don’t get me wrong, ‘hill and gully’ has a lot going for it but, as I’m sure you will agree, it’s a hard road to travel and has just as many, if not more, pitfalls associated with it than ‘slow and steady’.

it’s like riding a wave, sometimes you can stick to it like glue and you feel invincible and nothing or no-one can stop you. other times the wave comes crashing down and it’s immediate wipe out …. but I suppose if you ride like lightning, stands to reason that you’re more likely to crash like thunder.

in a sentance, themusicologist is a soundtrack to an existence…and as the only thing constant in life is change so the message is always changing but, there is always a message there.

so, with that ‘off me string vest’ back to newyearboogie…

this piece, sung from the heart and mind of roots and culture legend Mr Johnny Clarke, is from the very special and life changing year of 1995 when it appeared as if by magic on the occasion of my first born child ..

“man don’t run around every day wasting time, man don’t sit around every day, watching the days go by…just think of the youts cos there’s a lot to be done” …

true enough it kicked themusicologist up the arse back then so what better way to confirm and reiterate the direction of 2008 than with this prime slice of musicology. Winston ‘Niney’ Holness production on his own Observer label. proof, if needed, that music will always be there to deliver inspiration.