musicology #644
27 Feb 2012 4 Comments
in Jamaica, Studio1, Ska, Tribute T-Shirts, Lee Perry, tUmp, bloOdsweatandtees Tags: themusicologist, coxsone dodd, jackie mittoo, the skatalites, bob marley, peter tosh, bunny wailer, Lee Perry, the wailers mp3, the wailing wailers t shirt, bloOdsweatandteeS, tUmp, theUrbanMusicologyProject, vocal groups, Freedom Time
tUmp #6
the Wailers – Freedom Time
More Ska from the Wailers, who were first introduced to Studio 1 by percussionist Alvin ‘Seeco’ Patterson and went by the name ‘the Teenagers’. Bob had already recorded a tune for Leslie Kong before arriving at Coxsone’s Brentford Road gate but as a (5 piece), group they were yet to record. Lee Perry was assigned the task of making the ‘Wailers’ the islands #1 group and encouraged them to work at their original material rather than the covers that Coxsone, (who was a fan of the group), was forwarding. This SUPERB piece is one of those original compositions..Jackie Mittoo on the keys leading the Studio 1 band, (formerly known as the Skatalites)
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musicology #0631
05 Nov 2011 1 Comment
in themusicologist, Reggae, Jamaica, Lee Perry Tags: reggae mp3, studio 1, jackie mittoo, peter tosh, Lee Perry, black ark, bloOdsweatandteeS, The Ethiopians mp3, Leonard Dillon
The Ethiopians – Life Is A Funny Thing
If you only listen to ONE tune from the(urban)musicologist’s Upsetter tribute it HAS to be this one from the Ethiopians. Leonard Dillon, Stephen Taylor and Aston Morrison. KILLER piece from the early days, (1974), of the Black Ark released in JA on theUpsetter’s Justice League Label.
Leonard Dillon’s career first hooked up with Lee Perry at his Studio 1 audition in the 60′s when he cut 4 tunes for Sir Coxsone…on the strength of his connection to the Wailers. Those present at the audition were Downbeat, Jackie Mittoo, Peter Tosh and Lee Perry. It was here where he got his nickname…
Leonard Dillon….Rest In Peace
musicology #0627
28 Oct 2011 2 Comments
in themusicologist, Reggae, Jamaica, Studio1, Tribute T-Shirts Tags: themusicologist, studio 1, coxsone dodd, horace andy, jackie mittoo, leroy sibbles, Sound Dimension, bloOdsweatandteeS, Mellow Sounds and System Dub
Sound Dimension – Tricky (Just Say Who)
round 2 of the(urban)musicologist’s audio/video combos highlights a tune from the ‘Mellow Sounds & System Dub’ LP.
Dubwise to Horace Andy’s KILLER ‘Just Say Who’. One of my FAVOURITE pieces that drifts like the scent of honeysuckle on a summer breeze and never fails to move me.
The eagle eyed amongst you may notice my blatant product placement of the mellow sounds tee on the video…but if a man can’t mix, blend and share theUrbanMusicologyProject (tUMp) on here then where else !
Just to let you know that I won’t be making themusicologist an advert for bloOdsweatandteeS…it’s just how I’m rolling right now and the ‘project’ is what it is.
musicology #535
07 Apr 2010 3 Comments
in Reggae, Jamaica, Studio1 Tags: themusicologist, coxsone dodd, 1969, jackie mittoo, studio 1 mp3, Early Reggae mp3, Sound Dimension, Jamaican Music History, Baby Face mp3, Bamboo Label
Jamaica #15
(Sound Dimension – Baby Face)
As far as the music of Jamaica is concerned for themusicologist there is only one studio that stands above all others..Coxsone Dodd’s legendary Studio 1. Almost every singer, instrumentalist, songwriter, arranger has at one time passed through the Brentford Road gates. Far too many to list or even mention so I won’t even try, suffice to say that if you pick a name he will have a connection. Coxsone was a visionary…and as such allowed others far more suited to the creative process to express themselves. He opened the doors for Jamaican music to carve itself a unique sound that finally arrived during the period now in question…(late 60′s early 70′s), known globally as Reggae. To wax a tune at Studio 1 meant that, as an artist, you had made it to the top. Not financially but artistically. No matter how much the sound was crafted by others, (and it most certainly was), it was Coxsone who drove it. His greatest skill was in his ability to see the wider picture and create a platform to realise it. Ideas are the lifeblood of innovation but on their own they are no more than talk….when you check it no one person did more than Coxsone to establish Jamaican music as a global force and the music stands as witness to such a claim.
So with that in mind hold this wicked instrumental cut from the previously mentioned Studio 1 house band..Sound Dimension. One listen, (for those who don’t know it), should be enough to realise why Studio 1 is the Don Sound. 1969 Release, (in the UK), on the English Bamboo label. BIG Tune.
musicology #528
30 Mar 2010 7 Comments
in Reggae, Jamaica, Rock Steady Tags: themusicologist, rocksteady mp3, tommy mccook, the supersonics, jackie mittoo, Bobby Aitken, Johnny Spencer, Gladstone Anderson, The Soul Brothers, Lynn Taitt, Hugh Malcolm, Winston Grennan, One Drop, Derrick Harriott mp3, Do I Worry mp3
Jamaica #8
(Derrick Harriott – Do I Worry)
So what is it about Rocksteady that is different? Musically Rocksteady is built on the ‘One Drop’, (3rd Beat), whereas Ska was built around the ‘after beat’. That and the pronounced Bass evident on the Rocksteady combined to deliver a rhythm that the dancers could sway and ‘Rock Steady’ to while holding up a beer, maybe a spliff and even a girl. While Rocking Steady a man could look nonchalant and slick whereas the ‘Ska’ was all about the wild swinging of arms…not slick and certainly no chance of winding, grinding, smoking and drinking.
In fact to make it clear..Hold this quote from the drummer who many credit with originating the ‘one drop’, Winston Grennan
‘I give a hard blow on the third..that would be a hard one drop and it would cut the beat in half”
Of course there were other key players involved such as the afore mentioned Lynn Taitt, Hugh Malcolm, Bobby Aitken, Gladstone Anderson as well as legends such as Jackie Mittoo, Roland Alphonso and the Soul Brothers and of course Tommy McCook and the Supersonics. Apologies If I have missed some…hopefullly some of you musicologists out there can ‘pipe up’ and let us know?
Right enough of the words and on with the music. I was going to drop cuts chronologically but on reflection I’ll just do my best to throw down cuts that for me define the genres. If I had planned it differently I would probably thrown down a week of Rude Boy cuts that were so prevalent in 1966 but I didn’t so I’ll just continue !!
Today’s piece is from one of Jamaica’s greatest talents the pioneering vanguard Derrick ‘One Stop’ Harriott, a Cat who was there at the birth of the Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae delivering sublime musicology. Have to say that this is one of my all time faves.
Finally…Just like to add that I continually get lost for hours, days and weeks in what I consider to be one of the most original, informative and all round TOP RANKING sites out there
musicology #522
23 Mar 2010 2 Comments
in Mod, Jamaica, Studio1, Ska Tags: duke reid, coxsone dodd, tommy mccook, jackie mittoo, studio 1 mp3, ska mp3, roland alphonso, Prince Buster, Jackie Opel mp3, Lloyd Brevett, Lloyd Knibb, The Skatalites mp3, Don Drummond, Jamaican Musical History, Lester Sterling, Jah Jerry, Johnny Moore and Percival Dillon., Tom The Great Sebastian, Count Nick, Youre Too Bad mp3
Jamaica #2
(Jackie Opel – You’re Too Bad)
Various Cats have laid claim to ‘inventing’ the Ska but as far as I can hear it seems to have been more of an evolution. In an attempt to provide a little insight for those who are not clued up on the historicity of Jamaican musicology before Ska there was what’s known as ‘Shuffle’ which to be brutal was more of a home grown version of American Jump/Rhythm & Blues so popular in the dance. Early Operators such as Tom The Great Sebastian and Count Nick were followed by hungrier Cats such as Duke Reid, Coxsone Dodd and Prince Buster who needed a constant source of new material to ‘mash up the dance’ and ‘Kill’ opposing Sound Systems. The competition was ferocious and it was this more than anything that fed the emerging scene for home grown talent. Combine such a need for a constant supply of fresh cuts, (Concurrent with the decline of Rhythm and Blues and looming Independence from colonial rule), with Jamaica’s strong sense of ‘national’ pride and identity and the stage was set for ‘Ska’
Coxsone led the way by setting up the legendary Studio 1 recording studio in 1963 and the icing on the cake was a collective of the hottest musicologists on the island coming together in 1964 as the Skatalites. As previously mentioned on themusicologist Jackie Mittoo was Coxsone’s musical director and as such is as responsible as anyone for defining Ska.
Today’s cut is a prime slice of the Skatalites pie from 1964? featuring the majestic Jackie Opel on vocals and the combined talents of any number of Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso, Lloyd Brevett, Lloyd Knibb, Lester Sterling, Don Drummond, Jah Jerry, Jackie Mittoo, Johnny Moore and Percival Dillon…in a word..BOSS
musicology #333
16 Mar 2009 1 Comment
in Jamaica, Ska, Studio1, Tribute T-Shirts Tags: 1965, coxsone dodd, Dennis Brown, jackie mittoo, ken parker, musicology t shirt, Reggae Tribute T-Shirt, Studio 1 Ska mp3, Sugar Minott, The Heptones, The Skatalites mp3, The Wailers Ska mp3, themusicologist, Tribute Tee
DownbeatTheRuler #13
(The Wailers – Do It Right)
Final cut of the Coxsone Tribute. Have to finish up with this 1965 piece of rip roaring Ska sung by the Wailers. Featuring not only Jamaica’s premier band the Skatalites but also no less than Sir Coxsone Dodd himself on ‘Beer Bottle Percussion’ Duties !! Just like to add that many a deserved artist didn’t get a spot on the Downbeat Tribute most notably The Heptones, Jackie Mittoo, Dennis Brown, Sugar Minott, Ken Parker, Cornell Campbell, The Clarendonians..(too long a list to name them all). Some of them have already featured on themusicologist and I imagine that all will eventually..
In addition, the Second in the Tribute Tee series is to communicate my appreciation, (in more ways than one), for the man who made it all possible. Clement Seymour ‘Sir Coxsone/Downbeat The Ruler’ Dodd whose musical legacy is, for themusicologist, second to none. For more information click on the images below
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- Gold & Black Sweatshirt
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- Gold & Black ’45′ Tee
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- Gold & Blue ’45′ Tee
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- Downbeat The Ruler
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- Red & White ’33′ Tee
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- Red & White ’45′ Tee
musicology #222
17 Oct 2008 1 Comment
in themusicologist Tags: alton ellis mp3, coxsone dodd, jackie mittoo, leroy sibbles, reggae mp3, studio 1 mp3, The Heptones, themusicologist
tribute to alton #2
(Alton Ellis – Pearls)
round two of the Alton Ellis tribute….another fine piece from his days at Studio1.
musicology #153
21 May 2008 1 Comment
in dancehall, Jamaica, Reggae, Studio1 Tags: beres hammond mp3, bob andy, bob marley, bobby bland, donovan germain, duet, i-threes, jackie mittoo, marcia griffiths, penthouse records, reggae mp3, studio1, themusicologist
duets2 #2
(Beres Hammond & Marcia Griffiths – Live On)
I had planned on throwing this one down yesterday but for some unknown reason my internet connection was playing tricks and locked me out of the ‘information highway’
so i’m taking this opportunity to fling it now in case it happens again.
day two of the duets selection is one of the tunes that drew me back to the sweet sounds of Jamaica in 1993 after a year spent in the musical wilderness waiting to be inspired after 5 years listening, playing and DJ’ing ‘house’ which by then had made the transition from under to overground and was being used to to sell cat food, yoghurt, etc …
the male vocal comes from the pipes of the mighty Beres Hammond whose career stretches back to the early 70′s but for themusicologist it was throughout the 90′s that he established himself as one of Reggae’s greats. one of those rare artists who rarely seem to put a foot wrong, (Bobby Bland is another who springs to mind), this cat could charm the birds out of the trees with his blend of harmony, sincerity and effortless timing.
the female vocal is courtesy of the queen of Jamaican music .. Marcia Griffiths. whose career stretches way back into the sixties, first as solo singer, (1964), then in tandem with Bob Andy, (musicology #37), then as member of Bob Marley & the Wailers backing group the I-Threes.
this piece, (which I never tire of hearing), produced by Donovan Germain for his trend setting Penthouse label is a slice of the ‘College Rock’ rhythm from 1992/3, a ‘digital’ reworking of Jackie Mittoo’s late 60′s Studio1 cut ‘Freak Out’…
beautiful song sung expertly by two of Jamaica’s premier vocalists….one especially for all the couples out there who understand what it takes to hold on when the road is rough and rocky.
“live on….”
musicology #93
14 Feb 2008 5 Comments
in Jamaica, Rock Steady, Studio1 Tags: althea and donna, alton ellis, coxsone dodd, jackie mittoo, Jamaica, leroy sibbles, newmusicology, reggae mp3, reggae music, studio1 mp3, themusicologist, three peice suit, trinity, uptown top ranking
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #16
(Alton Ellis – I’m Still In Love)
a piece of Valentines day musicology delivered by Mr Soul of Jamaica…Alton Ellis.
if it sounds familiar but you can’t quite place it this is the original cut to Trinity’s top ranking Saturday night special ‘Three Peice Suit’ which in turn spawned the more well known cut by Althea & Donna ..’Uptown Top Ranking’
musicology #92
13 Feb 2008 2 Comments
in Jamaica, Reggae, Studio1 Tags: alton ellis, coxsone dodd, heptones, jackie mittoo, Jamaica, leroy sibbles, newmusicology, reggae mp3, reggae music, studio1 mp3, themusicologist
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #15
(Alton Ellis – Hurting Me)
next piece from Mr Ellis…yet another Brentford Road, (Studio1), diamond.
one from out of the top drawer..with what sounds like the Heptones on backing vocals..definately Leroy Sibbles on the ‘four string’ delivering the essential bassline vibes.
Studio1, (and Leroy Sibbles in particular), pioneered the bass as an essential reggae ingredient. before him the bass was almost inaudible..maybe it was due to the fact that not only was Leroy Sibbles an all round musicologist in charge of arrangement, production, (after Jackie Mittoo left for Canada), and vocal duties but he was also resident bass player at the peak of the Studio1 sound.
stands to reason that he would favour the bass drenched approach, (although the ‘ganja’ must have had something to do with it too !!), anyway hold this top ranking cut sung by Alton with all the soul a man can muster…no wonder he was known as Mr Soul Of Jamaica…a richly deserved title…one of themusicologists favourite reggae cuts, slides into the dubwise..dancehall, discomix style.
musicology #91
12 Feb 2008 4 Comments
in Jamaica, Reggae, Studio1 Tags: alton ellis, blood sweat and tears, brenda holloway, channel 1, coxsone dodd, duke reid, frank wilson, jackie mittoo, Jamaica, leroy sibbles, reggae mp3, reggae music, studio1 mp3, treasure isle
sixartist, sixtune, sixweekspecial #14
(Alton Ellis – You Make Me Happy)
day two of the Alton selection is a piece from the early 70′s cut for Jamaica’s dominant production house, Coxsone Dodd’s Studio1. After a succesfull spell at rival Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle singing rocksteady classics Alton returned to Studio1, (I imagine), as the sweet and heavy sounds coming out of Brentford Road at that time were second to none, (Treasure Isle was also on it’s last legs)
With musicologists such as Jackie Mitto and Leroy Sibbles, (to name but two), at the controls the Studio1 sound had evolved into something special as well as unique and no studio could contest Dodd’s during this period. (it would take Channel 1, structured on the Studio1 sound, to try and wrest control from Coxsone in the mid 70′s),
Alton and Coxsone collaborated successfully at the birth of the Jamaican music industry in 1959 and although there would have been no love lost due to their previous financial dealings both knew their musical ‘onions’ inside out and had great respect for each others musical knowledge so a reunion was always on the cards…Alton Ellis had a very special quality that few possess, namely to make any tune sound like his own..
this song, (extended dancehall ‘discomix’), co written by Brenda Holloway and Frank Wilson, was made ‘famous’ by the group Blood, Sweat & Tears but for themusicologist Alton’s is the one that does it most justice…
for another example of the man’s special quality check Alton’s rendition of the Bee Gees song Massachusetts, (musicology #60), thrown down during ‘coversweek’
musicology #37
17 Oct 2007 2 Comments
in duets, Jamaica, Reggae, Studio1 Tags: bamboo 45, bob andy, coxsone dodd, duets, jackie mittoo, leroy sibbles, marcia griffiths, Musicology, reggae mp3, streamingaudio, studio1, themusicologist
doublebubble .. day3
(Bob & Marcia – Always Together)
one of themusicologists favourite duets. this time from 1970 and the island of Jamaica. epitomising the sound of late 60′s early 70′s reggae and one that many a genuine rudeboy/skinhead would have moved to down at El Partido.
I have 3 versions of this, the UK mix/the dancehall 12″ and this one which, after much deliberation is the one that has come out on top. I love the 12″ just as much but it’s more of a specialists cut, (9 mins long), made for playing ‘in the dance’….
the male singer in the duet is also the songwriter, (one of Jamaicas finest poets), and I would imagine, for this session at least, is heavily involved in arrangement, production and final mix down. no prizes for guessing that its yet another Studio1 production.
musicology #645
01 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
by themusicologist in Social Commentary, Reggae, Jamaica, Rock Steady, Studio1, Ska, Tribute T-Shirts, Lee Perry, tUmp, bloOdsweatandtees, theUrbanMusicologist Tags: themusicologist, duke reid, coxsone dodd, jackie mittoo, the skatalites, bob marley, peter tosh, bunny wailer, king edwards, Prince Buster, Lee Perry, the wailers mp3, the wailing wailers t shirt, Justin Yap, Leslie Kong, bloOdsweatandteeS, tUmp, theUrbanMusicologyProject, vocal groups, theUrbanMusicologist
tUmp #7
the Wailers – Sinner Man
what more can I say about the ‘Wailing Wailers’…the trio who went on to internationalise the music of Jamaica that has since had such a BIG impact on contemporary music especially ‘Hip Hop’ and ‘House’ both of which owe a great debt to the artists, producers and engineers who were always innovating and showing what was possible with limited technology. EVERY 21st ‘bedroom producer’, whether consciously or unconsciously, takes inspiration from Jamaican Urbanmusicology.
From the early 1950′s the Sound System pioneers helped to blaze the trail for what was to follow, chatting on the mic, selecting in the dance etc but it was in the 1960′s and particularly with Sir Coxsone Downbeat’s Brentford Road powerhouse, appropriately named ‘Studio 1′ that the music really took shape. Of course there were other BIG and influential producers at the time notably Duke Reid, Leslie Kong, Justin Yap, King Edwards, Prince Buster but Coxsone was the one who truly moved the focus out of the dance and into the Studio with artists such as the Wailers. Coxsone was a businessman but also a vanguard AND music lover who knew how to pick a winner and without him the musical landscape of not only Jamaica but, (in my opinion) the world would be a different place.
DOWNBEAT THE RULER will ALWAYS be the CHAMPION sound for me.
Wailing Wailers TributeTees designed and produced by themusicologist available EXCLUSIVELY at
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