Jack Ruby - Jamaica 1986
(A) = 45:24
(B) = 45:33
Featuring Nicodemus, Briggy, Jr Demus, Early B, Joe Lick Shot, Pompadoo.
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Robert Russell aka Brigadier Jerry will be making his debut appearance at the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival in his native element: late night in the dancehall with King Stur Gav Hi Fi Sound System alongside Daddy U Roy. This performance promises to be the kind of treat the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival has become famous for: a rootical outing in an authentic Jamaican style and fashion! And in this case, it is a special treat to present the Brigadier on the original set he began with so many years ago!
While his introduction to an American audience probably came from his 1985 release of "Jamaica Jamaica" on the RAS label, the General had been building a major following in Jamaica by appearing live on the mike, first on the original King Stur Gav Hi-Fi system and later over the Twelve Tribes' Jahlovemuzik set and releasing occasional singles for the local market. Chief among these early releases were "Every Man Me Brethren" and "Dance In A Montreal", both for the foundation studio and label, Studio One. Then in 1982 he borrowed the Studio One riddim used by Slim Smith on his song "Never Let Go" to record a single called "Pain" (actually using a Don Mais produced recut of the original). Many have called Briggy's take perhaps the best use of the riddim ever and it certainly stands as one of the best songs to ever come out of the deejay style. Later he would reprise this riddim with the story telling "Jamaica Jamaica", which relates the tale of a man going in search of groceries in his homeland, only to find out the vendor "never have no sensimilla" even though they have "whole heap a green green Kasaba" and plenty more fruit and vegetables.
But his true impact would not be felt in the record shops, but in the dancehalls and lawns of the ghettos of Kingston. In fact, these local appearances served to spread his fame far and wide; surreptitiously recorded and then distributed worldwide in the form of "sound tapes", those in foreign lands thousands of miles away got a chance to experience Briggy on the microphone via these recordings and subsequent official releases of some of the same sessions.
So when he finally toured, supported by his American record company RAS, he was well received by knowledgeable fans the world over. On one such show this writer attended, Briggy, Charlie Chaplin and Sister Carol accompanied by the High Times band, drew a packed house to a venue in San Francisco, and in many's view, Briggy took it all with his sing-jay style, expressive performance and conscious lyrics, not to mention his unique rolling vocal style (you will see what that means when you witness it for yourselves!)
One thing about Brigadier Jerry, he chats pure consciousness on the mike, even when the prevalent vibe in the dance was slackness. A longtime member of the Rastafarian Christian sect "Twelve Tribes of Israel", Briggy takes every opportunity to teach the youth about righteous runnings and has recorded many tracks pointing out the error of certain ways. In fact, at some point some other deejays derided him as being too reverent, but that never seemed to deter the General from teaching the right from the wrong.
[Brigadier Jerry @ Jack Ruby Dance '86]
Showing posts with label Sound System. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sound System. Show all posts
Friday, September 21, 2007
Coxsone - UK 1986 tape rip
Coxsone - UK - 1986
(A) = 29:14
(B) = 30:56
Featuring Anthony Johnson, Pinchers, Frankie Paul, Yami Crucial, Fat Head, Tenor Fly, Mikey Dread.
download zip
(from uncarved.org)
With Coxsone at the controls Reid controlled south of the Thames and regularly made forays into territory of other sounds north of the river. Competition was fierce, with a tendency for rivalry to spill over into dance. But it was at Carnaby street’s notorious Roaring Twenties which was the premier venue from late 50s and 60s through to the 70s, and the residency at the Twenties was Coxsone’s ambition.
With the formation of Sir Coxsone sound in 1969, based on a team born out of Duke Reid’s, that ambition was soon fulfilled. It was this team that the man called I Roy was to celebrate in his ‘Coxsone Affair’ and ‘Lloyd Coxsone Time’, and it is teamwork that is the foundation of Coxsone sound now.
"To run a good sound in the UK is teamwork… a young team of men who are ambitious, record crazy and have young ideas, If I get old within my ideas there is many young men who come up with suggestions. By building a team you are building your sound for a long term. In my time in England I have seen a lot of good sound die ‘cause they didn’t build a team to manifest the work of the sound. Teamwork and effort is crucial as you can’t live off your name."
For his endeavour Lloyd Coxsone can boast an unrivalled selection of music, that his sound was the first UK system to play dub, that they set the pace in equipment and pioneered the use of echo, reverb, equaliser, and also in paving the way for a sound system such as Shaka to take sound to a new dimension, creating atmosphere out of rhythmic weight and effects. Sound system has come a long way since the days of Lloyd the Matador when upon asking an electronics man named Fred to build him a 600 watt amp, Coxsone was greeted with: "You must be fucking crazy. Do you know how much power it takes to drive a cinema? Ten watts!"
The past 15 years has seen a shift from one extreme to another, and the banks of amplifiers in evidence at any sound dance are testimony to the current fixation with wattage rather than, Coxsone feels, an ability to select and present the music.
"People can’t dance to wattage. If a man comes to me and he deals with sound he almost always deals with wattage. Listen, the more you step up weight you lose quality, and a man must be able to hear your vocal playing. Too much sound in this country is running down weight, but I don’t see sound as is rootin’ down like bulldozer as good sound. I am more interested in quality and selection of music."
[Sir Coxsone Sound crew in 1981]
(A) = 29:14
(B) = 30:56
Featuring Anthony Johnson, Pinchers, Frankie Paul, Yami Crucial, Fat Head, Tenor Fly, Mikey Dread.
download zip
(from uncarved.org)
With Coxsone at the controls Reid controlled south of the Thames and regularly made forays into territory of other sounds north of the river. Competition was fierce, with a tendency for rivalry to spill over into dance. But it was at Carnaby street’s notorious Roaring Twenties which was the premier venue from late 50s and 60s through to the 70s, and the residency at the Twenties was Coxsone’s ambition.
With the formation of Sir Coxsone sound in 1969, based on a team born out of Duke Reid’s, that ambition was soon fulfilled. It was this team that the man called I Roy was to celebrate in his ‘Coxsone Affair’ and ‘Lloyd Coxsone Time’, and it is teamwork that is the foundation of Coxsone sound now.
"To run a good sound in the UK is teamwork… a young team of men who are ambitious, record crazy and have young ideas, If I get old within my ideas there is many young men who come up with suggestions. By building a team you are building your sound for a long term. In my time in England I have seen a lot of good sound die ‘cause they didn’t build a team to manifest the work of the sound. Teamwork and effort is crucial as you can’t live off your name."
For his endeavour Lloyd Coxsone can boast an unrivalled selection of music, that his sound was the first UK system to play dub, that they set the pace in equipment and pioneered the use of echo, reverb, equaliser, and also in paving the way for a sound system such as Shaka to take sound to a new dimension, creating atmosphere out of rhythmic weight and effects. Sound system has come a long way since the days of Lloyd the Matador when upon asking an electronics man named Fred to build him a 600 watt amp, Coxsone was greeted with: "You must be fucking crazy. Do you know how much power it takes to drive a cinema? Ten watts!"
The past 15 years has seen a shift from one extreme to another, and the banks of amplifiers in evidence at any sound dance are testimony to the current fixation with wattage rather than, Coxsone feels, an ability to select and present the music.
"People can’t dance to wattage. If a man comes to me and he deals with sound he almost always deals with wattage. Listen, the more you step up weight you lose quality, and a man must be able to hear your vocal playing. Too much sound in this country is running down weight, but I don’t see sound as is rootin’ down like bulldozer as good sound. I am more interested in quality and selection of music."
[Sir Coxsone Sound crew in 1981]
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