Humble Yourself, My Children

As highlighted by Ernie Goggins at the always entertaining 27 Leggies blog on 1st February, Jamaica is currently celebrating Reggae Month. Ernie marked the occasion with music from a personal favourite, on what would have been the legendary Dennis Brown's 65th birthday. In typical fashion, I'd celebrated Dennis Brown here two weeks early.

By way of compensation and further celebration, here's more Dennis, accompanied by several other reggae legends, on a selection of cuts from 1972 to 1977. Most of the songs feature the vocal A-side paired with the version B-side, predominantly featuring The Aggrovators, for an extended rhythm. Is there a better way to roll into the weekend? Possibly, but this is pretty much guaranteed to shake you from a slumber to a slink in less than an hour.

 

1) Can You Feel It (Sufferation Every Day) (12" Version By Niney The Observer): Junior Byles (1977)

2) Skylarking / A Better Version (12" Version By Bunny Lee / King Tubby): Horace Andy ft. The Aggrovators (1976)

3) Declaration Of Rights / Dub Of Rights (12" Version By Bunny Lee) (Cover of The Abyssinians): Johnny Clarke ft. The Aggrovators (1975)

4) Jah Jah Is The Conqueror / Conqueror Dub (12" Version By Bunny Lee): Linval Thompson ft. The Aggrovators (1975)

5) Invasion (Wa Da Da) / Invasion Version (12" Version By Bunny Lee) (Cover of Burning Spear): Jackie Edwards ft. The Aggrovators (1976)

6) Wolf And Leopards (12" Version By Niney The Observer): Dennis Brown (1976)

7) Stir It Up (Album Version By Bob Marley & Chris Blackwell): Bob Marley & The Wailers (1972)

Humble Yourself, My Children (43:12)

Bass, The Final Frontier

Celebrating Robbie Shakespeare, 27th September 1953 to 8th December 2021.

I read the sad news little more than an hour before posting this, so today's selection is particularly on the fly and, like Lee 'Scratch' Perry and Richard H. Kirk previously, how do you begin to do justice to an artist whose contribution to music has been so vast, so far reaching?

I couldn't avoid including some of the obvious choices that will have been popping up all over the internet in the wake of his passing, but I've tried to include some less well-known pieces, whether as Sly & Robbie, providing essential bass to iconic songs or at the controls, producing and remixing. If Robbie Shakespeare had 'only' been a bass player, he would still be a legend. His impact on my musical education and the sheer joy of hearing him in perfect harmony with Sly Dunbar gets me every time.

 

1) Legalise The Dub: Sly & Robbie Meet Bunny Lee (2002)

2) Fu-Gee-La (Sly & Robbie Mix): Fugees (1996)

3) Dub The Government: Sly & Robbie (1997)

4) Sound Man Style (Prince Jammy Presents Uhuru In Dub With Sly & Robbie): Black Uhuru (1982)

5) Night Nurse (Sly & Robbie Dub Mix): Sly & Robbie ft. Simply Red (1997)

6) Aux Armes Et Cætera: Serge Gainsbourg ft. Sly & Robbie, Ansel Collins & The I Threes (1979)

7) Private Life (Long Version By Chris Blackwell & Alex Sadkin) (Cover of The Pretenders): Grace Jones ft. Sly & Robbie (1980)

8) Superthruster (Album Version): Sly & Robbie & Howie B. (1999)

9) Spasticus Autisticus (12" Version): Ian Dury ft. Sly & Robbie (1981)

10) Ruined In A Day (Rhythm Twins Dub By Sly & Robbie): New Order (1993)

11) Mop Head: Sly & The Revolutionaries (1977)

12) Strange Turn: Adrian Sherwood ft. Sly & Robbie (2003)

13) Getting Hot (Original 12" Version By Steven Stanley): Gwen Guthrie ft. Sly & Robbie (1983)

14) Boops (Here To Go) (Vocal 12" Version By Bill Laswell): Sly & Robbie ft. Shinehead & Bootsy Collins (1987)

 

1977: Go Deh Wid Riddim: 11

1979: Aux Armes Et Cætera: 6 

1980: Warm Leatherette: 7

1981: Spasticus Autisticus EP: 9

1982: Uhuru In Dub: 4 

1983: Padlock EP: 13 

1987: Boops (Here To Go) EP: 14

1993: Ruined In A Day EP: 10

1996: The Score: 2

1997: Dub Rocker's Delight: 3 

1997: Night Nurse EP: 5

1999: Drum & Bass Strip To The Bone By Howie B.: 8

2002: Sly & Robbie Meet Bunny Lee At Dub Station: 1 

2003: Never Trust A Hippy: 12

 

Bass, The Final Frontier (1:00:39) (GD) (M)

Where The Man A Forward To?

From 1973, a classic Bunny Lee production showcasing I-Roy aka Roy Samuel Reid, with a version from Augustus Pablo on the flipside.

 

Cow Town Skank: I-Roy / Pablo Skank: Augustus Pablo (1973)
 

The Originator

Ewart Beckford aka U-Roy, 21 September 1942 – 17 February 2021