Someday Roots, Sunday Culture

Today's selection is by way of compensation to Ernie at 27 Leggies for last Sunday's crushing disappointment of posting a mixtape side titled Roots 'n' Culture that was completely devoid of dub and reggae.

No red herrings here, with plenty of bass-heavy rhythms amongst the genre-hopping bakers' dozen of tunes. At least one tune from each of the last six decades and, as far as I can tell, all appearing here (in these versions at least) for the first time. 

Lee 'Scratch' Perry is hidden in plain sight, collaborating with Bob Marley on the opening song and reappearing as the Upsetter on the penultimate track. 

 

There are a trio of tunes from 1982, quite by accident, featuring UB40, Rico ably accompanied by The Specials and one of the greatest voices of all time, Bim Sherman.

 

As you may have guessed, International Beat was a spin-off from The Beat, their debut album produced by none other than Ranking Roger.

 

The 21st Century is well represented by Richard Norris, Adrian Sherwood and Prince Fatty, plus Wrongtom remixing Staines skankers Hard-Fi.

There are a couple of covers, with Rico and The Special AKA taking on the title track of Japanese jazz musician's Sadao Watanabe's 1979 album Morning Island.  

 

For Me You Are by Prince Fatty, Hollie Cook and Horseman has a rather more complicated history. The song was originally titled Bei Mir Bistu Shein and written by Jacob Jacobs and Sholom Secunda in 1932 for a Yiddish language comedy musical, I Would If I Could, performed by Aaron Lebedeff and Lucy Levin.

Five years later, Sammy Cahn and Saul Chaplin got their hands on the song, wrote English lyrics, Germanised the song title spelling and created a global hit for The Andrews Sisters with Bei Mir Bist Du Schön (Means That You're Grand)

 

The name of Prince Fatty's 2012 remake is an approximation of the original Yiddish to English song title translation, To Me You're Beautiful. 

 

Phew, history lesson over, time to enjoy the music!

1) Keep On Skanking: Bob Marley (1972)

2) Golden Morning Song: Bim Sherman (1982)

3) Better Do Better (Wrongtom Wild Inna 81 Version): Hard-Fi (2006)

4) Rock Steady: International Beat (1989)

5) Foundation Style: Richard Norris (2024)

6) Two Versions Of The Future: Adrian Sherwood (2006)

7) I Won't Close My Eyes (Remix): UB40 (1982)

8) Jah Vengeance / Jah Bible: Yabby You & Trinity (1980)

9) For Me You Are (Single Version) (Cover of Aaron Lebedeff & Lucy Levin / Andrews Sisters): Prince Fatty ft. Hollie Cook & Horseman (2012)

10) Tapper Roots: Tapper Zukie (1979)

11) Easy Dub: Alpha & Omega (1994)

12) Rumplesteelkin: Upsetter (1973)

13) Easter Island (Cover of 'Morning Island' by Sadao Watanabe): Rico ft. The Special AKA (1982)

 

1973: Rhythm Shower: 12

1979: Tapper Roots: 10

1980: Jah Jah Way: 8

1982: Across The Red Sea: 2 

1982: Jungle Music EP: 13

1982: UB44: 7

1989: The Hitting Line: 4

1990: The Best Of Bob Marley 1968-1972: 1 

1994: Safe In The Ark: 11

2006: Becoming A Cliché: 6

2006: Better Do Better EP: 3

2012: Prince Fatty Versus The Drunken Gambler: 9

2024: Oracle Sound Volume Three: 5

Someday Roots, Sunday Culture (47:54) (KF) (Mega)

Gather Together

Some roots music to soothe the soul, courtesy of Alpha & Omega.

Christine Woodbridge first met John Sprosen when she moved to Plymouth in the early 1980s. John had been looking for a musician to work with and, according to Christine, "It just clicked instantly, there's no other way of putting it. It was just one of these mystical things that was meant to be, I suppose."

 

Alpha & Omega "just came out of nowhere really, because we never set out with any real intentions." Christine plays bass, John the melodica, guitar and 'everything else'. After a few tryouts, Alpha & Omega's debut single Gather Together was released on 7"in 1985. It's relatively modest impact and scarcity since (depending on where you read, between 100 and 500 copies were pressed) doesn't bother Christine greatly. “It was horrible, and I sung.”

 

I first became aware of Alpha & Omega in 1994 when they provided a couple of remixes of Darkheart by Bomb The Bass. This was back in the days of multiple formats and (at least) 2 CD singles per release. I'd originally made a beeline for the 2nd CD which featured two Sabres Of Paradise versions but I was eventually drawn to the companion piece as I loved the song so much. Against stiff competition, Alpha & Omega's contributions - a vocal and a dub - were excellent. 

At this point in time, the duo were already six albums in, releasing a least an album per year since 1989. There were two more in 1994: Safe In The Ark and The Signs, Alpha & Omega sharing a side of vinyl with Iries In Roots, providing original tracks and dubs of the latter.

There must now be 30+ Alpha & Omega albums, not including compilations or last year's Record Store Day collection of unpublished versions from the vaults, Ancient A&O. Yet they're arguably one of the unsung heroes of the UK reggae and dub genre.

John never performs on stage, although Christine has toured occasionally over the years. Interviews are also rare, but there are a couple of brief ones (including the above quotes) available at Rebel Base (2009) and Dub-Stuy (2007).

I've got a pitifully small collection of Alpha & Omega albums, none on vinyl, and a handful of their remixes, including the aforementioned Bomb The Bass, Judy Green, Aketi Ray and John's son Ben Sprosen aka Alpha Steppa. 

 

I've collated an 11-track selection, spanning three of their four decades, omitting the debut which provides today’s post title (as I don't have it!) but hopefully giving a flavour of how consistent, and consistently great, Christine and John have been throughout. The influences are clear but they have created their own musical legacy that's up there with the greats. 

 

1) It's Critical: Alpha & Omega Meets Ras Tinny ft. JahYu (2016)

2) Poor Man's Dub (Version) (1992)

3) Bind Us Together Dub (Unpublished Version) (1993)

4) Talk To Me (Dubplate Mix) (Indica Dubs Meets Alpha & Omega): Judy Green (2014)

5) Over Hills and Mountains (1994)

6) Kayagum (Alpha & Omega Remix): Alpha Steppa (2010)

7) Under Contention (ft. Daddy Teacha) (1994)

8) Kongoman (ft. Jonah Dan) (2003)

9) Darkheart (Alpha & Omega #2 Dub): Bomb The Bass ft. Spikey Tee (1994)

10) Mirror Dub (Alpha & Omega Remix): Aketi Ray (2017)

11) Back Against The Wall Of Babylon (2000)

 

1992: The Sacred Art Of Dub: 2 

1994: Darkheart EP: 9

1994: Safe In The Ark: 5

1994: The Signs (Alpha & Omega Meets Iries In Roots): 7 

2000: Mystical Things: 11

2003: Spirit Of The Ancients: 8

2010: Kayagum EP: 6

2016: No Beginning No End: 1 

2014: Talk To Me EP: 4 

2017: Mirror EP: 10

2023: Ancient A&O (Unpublished Versions 1989-1993): 3

Gather Together (47:07) (KF) (Mega)