Historian an co (music aficionados)

[Peter R]

You might like this.

http://www.jamlink.com/index.php?opt...475&Itemid=207

[Historian]

Thanks, Boss

You might like this.

http://www.jamlink.com/index.php?opt...475&Itemid=207

Seems interesting, Peter . I hope it will last longer than a few months (any creative enterprise to revive the sagging fortunes of Jamaica’s popular music genres at this time will help).

I sense, though, that it’s a case of too little too late.

[Reggaedoc]

On another note Storian, when you get a chance listen to Delroy Wilson's Jerk all night. Magnificently done. It was Delroy backed by the Wailers(Bob, Peter, Bunny harmonizing) and accompanied by the full Skatalites band. Just listen to the acoustic bass colossus, Brivette. Beautifully done at Studio One. I can't recall who the engineer with Coxsone was at that time. If you can get a hold of an original vinyl copy, even better. Great great stuff. One has to wonder if Jamaica will ever produce music of that quality again.

[Historian]

Re: Delroy Wilson's "Jerk All Night"

On another note Storian, when you get a chance listen to Delroy Wilson's Jerk all night. Magnificently done. It was Delroy backed by the Wailers(Bob, Peter, Bunny harmonizing) and accompanied by the full Skatalites band. Just listen to the acoustic bass colossus, Brivette. Beautifully done at Studio One. I can't recall who the engineer with Coxsone was at that time. If you can get a hold of an original vinyl copy, even better. Great great stuff. One has to wonder if Jamaica will ever produce music of that quality again.

I’m just catching up with posts I missed, Reggaedoc.

Delroy Wilson is most definitely one of my all-time favorite Jamaican singers, but I’d never heard of “Jerk All Night” before now! It’s a steady, laid-back and truly enjoyable ska number: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVHI1i76pEQ )

It’s hard to say who the engineer was, but if I were to guess, I would say probably Sid Bucknor (Coxsone Dodd’s cousin), who was resident engineer at Dodd’s studio during the early years (early 1960s). This is just a wild guess though.

Listening to this recording just now, among the things that stood out were Lloyd Brevette’s stand-up bass playing and Lloyd Knibb’s drumming. This rhythm section, of course, played a huge role in providing the distinctive Skatalites sound. I’m curious to know who the harmony singers were, however.

Reggaedoc, you’re correct in your admiration of Lloyd Brevette, as he in a sense revolutionized 1960s bass playing in Jamaica with his style of playing long drawn-out spaces in his ska recordings instead of “walking” like jazz bass players tended to do at the time.

(As a point of interest in passing, did you know that P.J. Patterson was at one point a manager for the Skatalites.)

But back to this recording. Listening to “Jerk All Night,” Knibb’s drum roll immediately after the horn solo and again towards the end of the track reminds me of the drummer on Ken Lazarus’ “Soul Ska” (with Byron Lee and the Dragonaires). Although that’s not an uncommon ska drum roll, I’m nevertheless wondering now if he (Knibb) was the drummer on that Ken Lazarus number.

All good things had to come to an end, and so sometime in the mid 1960s the Skatalites disintegrated into two separate groups. Saxophonist Roland Alphonso and his crew of musicians stayed with Clement “Coxsone” Dodd’s Studio One while the other Skatalites’ saxophonist, Tommy McCook, went to Duke Reid’s label with his new group, Tommy McCook and the Supersonics. Don Drummond went to Bellevue Hospital. That was the end of the original Skatalites.

But thanks for introducing me to this fine selection by the great Delroy Wilson!

[Reggaedoc]

I’m just catching up with posts I missed, Reggaedoc.

Delroy Wilson is most definitely one of my all-time favorite Jamaican singers, but I’d never heard of “Jerk All Night” before now! It’s a steady, laid-back and truly enjoyable ska number: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVHI1i76pEQ )

It’s hard to say who the engineer was, but if I were to guess, I would say probably Sid Bucknor (Coxsone Dodd’s cousin), who was resident engineer at Dodd’s studio during the early years (early 1960s). This is just a wild guess though.

Listening to this recording just now, among the things that stood out were Lloyd Brevette’s stand-up bass playing and Lloyd Knibb’s drumming. This rhythm section, of course, played a huge role in providing the distinctive Skatalites sound. I’m curious to know who the harmony singers were, however.

Reggaedoc, you’re correct in your admiration of Lloyd Brevette, as he in a sense revolutionized 1960s bass playing in Jamaica with his style of playing long drawn-out spaces in his ska recordings instead of “walking” like jazz bass players tended to do at the time.

(As a point of interest in passing, did you know that P.J. Patterson was at one point a manager for the Skatalites.)

But back to this recording. Listening to “Jerk All Night,” Knibb’s drum roll immediately after the horn solo and again towards the end of the track reminds me of the drummer on Ken Lazarus’ “Soul Ska” (with Byron Lee and the Dragonaires). Although that’s not an uncommon ska drum roll, I’m nevertheless wondering now if he (Knibb) was the drummer on that Ken Lazarus number.

All good things had to come to an end, and so sometime in the mid 1960s the Skatalites disintegrated into two separate groups. Saxophonist Roland Alphonso and his crew of musicians stayed with Clement “Coxsone” Dodd’s Studio One while the other Skatalites’ saxophonist, Tommy McCook, went to Duke Reid’s label with his new group, Tommy McCook and the Supersonics. Don Drummond went to Bellevue Hospital. That was the end of the original Skatalites.

But thanks for introducing me to this fine selection by the great Delroy Wilson!

Indeed Storian. PJ actually represented Don D in his murder trial(for killing Magharita Mahfood). Her uncle, the fish monger Mahfood, was my neighbor in those days. He went on to gain tremendous wealth. Skatalites was truely a great outfit and Delroy ' Saddle' Wilson was a magnificent talent. Clem Dodd once said he was the best singer he ever heard. Incidentally the Wailers backed Saddle on that one. The harmony was truly great.
Thanks again for your comments Storian.

[Historian]

Thanks for the Interesting Info

Indeed Storian. PJ actually represented Don D in his murder trial(for killing Magharita Mahfood). Her uncle, the fish monger Mahfood, was my neighbor in those days. He went on to gain tremendous wealth. Skatalites was truely a great outfit and Delroy ' Saddle' Wilson was a magnificent talent. Clem Dodd once said he was the best singer he ever heard. Incidentally the Wailers backed Saddle on that one. The harmony was truly great.
Thanks again for your comments Storian.

And thanks for the informative stuff in your two posts in this thread. I know a lot about music, but at the same time there is a great deal that I do not know, and so I genuinely appreciate information such as you’ve given.

I share Clement Dodd’s sentiments regarding Delroy Wilson. He is indeed a talented singer, and most certainly among my Top10 Favorite Jamaican singers, male or female. The tragedy for Delroy is the era in which he lived, an era where exploitation was a major aspect of the lives of ska and rocksteady singers, and where there was little wealth to show for their talent and hard work.

As far as the Skatalites are concerned, those guys were awesome, a point that poster X has always stressed. My regret is that this immensely talented group lasted for less than two years! Unbelievable!

I’ll repeat something you said in your first post in this thread, and which I hope forumites will think about seriously. You wrote that “one has to wonder if Jamaica will ever produce music of that quality again.”

Well stated, Doc!

[Mosiah]

The tragedy for Delroy is the era in which he lived, an era where exploitation was a major aspect of the lives of ska and rocksteady singers, and where there was little wealth to show for their talent and hard work.

Who were the producers and owners for the recording labels/studios back then? Who were the exploiters? Can we have names please? I suspect some of them are stil alive. They can defend themselves.

Oh! Who are/were the alleged exploiters?

[Reggaedoc]

Who were the producers and owners for the recording labels/studios back then? Who were the exploiters? Can we have names please? I suspect some of them are stil alive. They can defend themselves.

Oh! Who are/were the alleged exploiters?

Mostly Clem Dodd(deceased), Duke Reid(deceased), Mrs. Pottinger(deceased), Byron Lee(deceased), Prince Buster, Harry J, and a few more.

[Historian]

Mo is Playing Devil's Advocate!

Reggaedoc, this is one question that I wouldn’t waste much time in providing Mo with an answer!

The fact is that the exploitation of ska, rocksteady and early reggae singers and musicians is well documented!! And we are not talking about a couple of singers and musicians being robbed of what they deserved!! This was a common practice in the Jamaican music industry!

To cite just two examples (and I could swamp this thread with examples), although Alton Ellis had huge hits for Duke Reid with recordings like “Girl, I’ve Got a Date,” “Breaking Up,” and so on, Ellis was paid only 20 to 25 pounds for each record that he made with the Duke! And this was some 5 to 10 pounds per record more than Coxsone Dodd paid!

Even talented musicians like the Skatalites suffered, and the band members often faced financial difficulties. This factor, in addition to personal problems being experienced by individual members, resulted in the Skatalites breaking up after less than two years together!

The treatment of female singers was even worse!

But let me leave this sordid topic alone.

[Assasin]

But today a lot of those royalties and rights are sold out to Europeans and foriegn base companies.

[Mosiah]

Harder They Come laid it all out. Then!

But now? What's up?

[Historian]

Treatment is Immensely Better!

Harder They Come laid it all out. Then!

But now? What's up?

Mo, things have changed in radically positive ways for today’s entertainers in Jamaica (even our females)! As far as respect and treatment from producers are concerned, singers and musicians today are living lives that their counterparts in the 1960s and 1970s could not even dream of!

If you notice, boss , my original statement was: “The tragedy for Delroy is the era in which he lived, an era where exploitation was a major aspect of the lives of ska and rocksteady singers, and where there was little wealth to show for their talent and hard work.”

The primary problem our entertainers face today is a drastic fall-off in international demand for their music (the popularity of the Jamaican brand of reggae is nowhere near where it was two decades ago, and so tours tend to be the main saving grace for our singers and musicians).

[Mosiah]

Thanks for the info.

I was wondering what were the reputations of Eddie Seaga, PJ Patterson and Babsy Grange in the music industry?