Reggae Fever New Re-Releases September 2015


RF065

Inspirations - Wonder Of Love

Clive All Stars - Greatest Scorcher

A-side features Jimmy London and Billy Dice as The Inspirations with their early reggae lovers rock "Wonder Of Love". B-side is a rare side, "Greatest Scorcher" was only released on a handful of blank 7" in the UK, no JA release. Its a DJ cut on the same riddim as the Kingstonians hit tune "Another Scorcher".


RF066

Tennors - Do The Reggae

Pacesetters - Nimrod Leap

The Tennors ride the new Reggae dance fever here with their fast driving early reggae song. B-side is the Glen Adams organ instrumental "Nimrod Leap" on the same riddim. 
It seems that both song were only released in the UK at the time, at least as far as we know.


RF070

Natives
Do Ba Do Ba Do

Theo Beckford+Deltone All Stars
Te Ta Toe

The Natives recorded only a few songs, and this is probably the rarest as it was only pressed in Jamaica on a small run of pre release 7". The Instrumental side "Te Ta Toe" is on the same riddim and features Theophilius Beckford on the organ. The Natives Band members seems to be a hard puzzle, we heard that one of them was Ossie, who was the same Ossie as in Ossie and the Upsetters.


RF072

Keeling Beckford
Combination

Versatiles (Junior Byles)
Action Line

Keeling was a young teenager when he recorded "Combination" for cousin producer and business woman Enid "Del" Barnett. "Combination" was a instant hit in 1968. 
B-Side is a talk over on the same riddim. 
By the way "Eric Barnett" is a misspelling of"'Enid Barnett",  misspelled and reinvented artist credits often occurred in the transfer of Jamaican music credits to English pressings.


RF075

Winston Jarrett (Righteous Flames)
Mini Mini Dress

Danny Clarke+Lee Perry
Not Taking Any Sentence

Winston Jarrett's "Mini Mini Dress" only got a very limited release on Jamaican Pre 7" and is almost impossible to be found on original press.


RF087

Inspirations (Hot Spurs)
Bhutto Girl (Hook Buttoo)

Ranny Williams+Hippy Boys
Ranny Bop Special
(Aka The Heart Of Ranny Bop)

One day Ranny Williams came back to Jamaica from a stay in England, and that night he got some free studio time starting at midnight at Dynamic Sounds studio. The Hippy Boys laid the original cut to Shocks of Mighty, which was written, arranged and produced by Ranny. The tape got stolen shortly thereafter; then some time later Bunny Lee gave Lee Perry the tape, magically. (read the whole story in David Katz's book "People Funny Boy") The original cut to 'Shocks" was versioned (overdubbed) for at least 14 releases between 1970 and 1972, and one of these was Bhutto Girl, released on an Impact! label 7" with, oddly, no matrix in the runout.


RF091

Lloyd Robinson+Devon Russell
Baby Let's Reggae Now

Vin Gordon+Hippy Boys
Tribute To A Great Man
(Aka Hot Pepper Aka Rise Up)

Two early reggae songs produced by the Hippy Boys guitarist Kenneth Jackson Jones. 
A-side was originally released in England on the Amalgamated label and in Jamaica on the Ken label. The instrumental side was recorded at Studio One, released in Jamaica on the Capital label and in the UK on Jackson's own Hot Shot label in 1970. 

We've never seen a labelled Jamaican copy of either side, so if anyone has a labelled copy, send us a label scan, would you please?


RF093

Frank Brown+Consumates
Do It Now

Frank Brown+Consumates
The More They Get

Two fine Rocksteady gems, both playing on the same riddim and laid down by Lynn Taitt + Jets, produced by Derrick Morgan.


RF096

Dawn Penn
When I'm Gonna Be Free

Derrick Morgan+Kenneth Rose
Tears On My Pillow

Two Rocksteady Hits from 1968. This was Dawn Penn's first recorded song. B-side is by Derrick Morgan and the Blues Blenders (Kenneth (Froggie), Bill and Jill). Dawn Penn recalls: "When I'm Gonna Be Free" was composed and recorded when I was having on-going stress with my dad on the subject of couldn't get permission to go out/ socialize. He was very strict and it was home, school and church. Thank God for those were the days. Bless"


RF100

Rajah Ruffin+Upsetters
Street Walking

Blood Relatives+Friends
Street Dancing

Great Black Ark/Upsetters song by Rajah Ruffin, produced by Lee Hamilton+Lee Perry. Original release was on the hard to find "General" Label. Dub side sounds like mixed at Jammys.


RF105

Clarendonians &
Aubrey Adams All Stars
I'll Never Try

Kingstonians
Why Wipe The Smile From Your Face

After Peter Austin left Studio One he joined Blondel Calnek (Caltone Label) and worked for him as a inhouse producer. The Clarendonians recorded several songs with Calnek, two of them were released in Jamaica on the Shockin' label.

Peter Austin about Calnek: "All the songs I did on the Caltone label were recorded after i left Studio One, the very first was Bye Bye Bye, as most of my song depicted my problems and struggle through life, "I'll Never Try" was another of them. As I've said before B.K.Calnek (Caltone) was the best producer I've ever work with he was a most honest, and decent man. May his soul R.I.P.


RF111

Stranger Cole+Gladdy Anderson
Make Good

Stranger Cole+Gladdy Anderson
Version

Originally released on a limited blank 7" release in Jamaica only through JJ Johnson. 
"Make Good" is is one of a few great early reggae songs produced by Stranger Cole.

Reggae Fever New Re-Releases Mai 2015

RF051

Blue Bells - Freedom Fighter

Blue Bells - Freedom Dub

With Sly Dunbar & Robbie Shakespeare on Drum & Bass, Ansel Collins on the organ, Bingie Bunny on Guitar and Sticky Thompson at the percussion.

RF052

Blue Bells - Live As One

   

Blue Bells - One Version

Out of the same session like >Freedom Fighter<, same personnel.


RF053

Peter Austin - Your Cheating Heart

Stud All Stars - Cheating Version

Peter Austin: "Your Cheating Heart" is a song I used to sing for one of my uncle when i was a little tot, listening to the good old gramophone (78rpm) and hearing this song sung by the great Nat King Cole. So this song was recorded for Byron Lyons a true friend of mine.


RF054

Clarendonians - Lion Head

Clarendonians - Lion Head Version

Recorded with Bobby Ellis Band at Channel One Studio. Peter Austin: "With regards to 'Lion Head', I had taken a break from music, because of the treatment i was or was not getting. 
I was now an aviation worker when one day i met Leroy Smith, a friend from way back and he asked me to record with him this song he wrote and it came out pretty good."


RF055

Ernest Wilson & Freddie McGregor
Take A Message To Mary

Michael Martin & Hippy Boys
Spy 13

12 or 13 year old Freddie McGregor ! Recorded 1968 at Dynamic Sounds Recording Studio. Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies.


RF056

Clarendonians How Sweet It Is

Michael Martin & Hippy BoysDrum Beat Special

The Clarendonians aka Leonard Wilson (Lead Singer) and Ernest Wilson (Backing Vocals). Musicians: The Hippy Boys Band. Recorded 1968 at the Jamaica Recording and Publishing Studio (Studio 1). Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies. Produced by Kenneth Wilson and Evelyn Carty.


RF057

Clarendonians Early
In The Morning

Sir Harry
Musical Broom

Peter Austin recalls: "It was early in the morning, when Ernest Wilson and myself met at Randy's Recording Studio, along with his brother Kenneth Wilson. The Hippy Boys Band was actually the studio band and they were there and out of nowhere came the inspiration and i wrote this song 'Early in the morning'. Its one of my favorite songs." 

Recorded 1971 at Randy's Recording Studio 17, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies. 
Produced by Kenneth Wilson. Musicians: The Hippy Boys Band. 
Kenneth Wilson Remembers: "Some years ago, Sir Harry came to me and said, listen Drum-Beat, I would like you and I to produce a tune. But him didn't have any rhythm track. So I took him to Randy's Recording Studio and used my rhythm track "Early In The Morning" and record "Musical Broom" with him."



RF058

Sir Harry - Apples To Apples

Sir Harry - Ambitious Man

Kenneth "Drum-Beat" Wilson recalls: "Apples to Apples' by Sir Harry and The Clarendonians was released by Trojan Records without my permission.
It went to No. 1 on the UK charts in 1971/72"

RF059

Peter Austin
Lonely Nights 

Peter Austin
Lonely Nights Version

Peter Austin remembers: 
"This one was produced by a friend of mine from youth days name Jackson Jones. 
He is a musician, Guitarist and a member of the Hippy Boys Band. 
He played on most of my recordings in the 60's and 70's and also sings with Mr. Lonely. 
'Lonely Nights' in my opinion is one of my better songs, because at the moment i was having domestic problems with my sweetheart Hortense Lewis, my girlfriend of about four years so there is a lot of feelings in this song."   
Vocal Is Mono, Version Is Split Stereo



RF060

Tony King & Ranny Williams
Hog In A Me Minty

Ranny Williams & Hippy Boys
The Clean Hog

A song about raw sex between man and woman, recorded at Dynamics Studio. 
This song shows Ranny 'Bop' Williams songwriting skills.... 
With Carly Barrett, Familyman, Theo Beckford...


RF061

Winston Shan & Hippy Boys
Throw Me Corn

Ranny Williams & Hippy Boys
Savage Colt

Produced by Ranny 'Bop' Williams, with Jackson Jones, Theo Beckford, 
Carly Barrett and Familyman, recorded at Randy's Studio. 
Glen Adams plays organ on "Savage Colt"
Around 1968/69 Ranny Williams was one of Duke Reid's main musical arrangers.  
Duke Reid took exception to the fact that Ranny was dividing his time by arranging music for other producers, and at other studios.  With that, Ranny Bop decided not to give "Throw Me Corn" to Duke Reid but brought it to Harry Robinson instead to distribute on his Carib Dis-Co label. How the song ended on Pama's Bullet Label, is a different story...   Given the meaning of the expression, "throw me corn," it seems fitting that Ranny Bop decided not to "pick it up already," and stayed faithful to his broader career potential in the music industry.

Kenneth Wilson Producer, Sound System Operator, Artist and Songwriter

Kenneth "Drum-Beat" Wilson was born in Hayes, Clarendon, Jamaica in 1942. He has two  younger brothers, Leonard Wilson, who died in a train accident in 1977, and his youngest  brother, Ernest (Shark) Wilson.

"Shark Wilson is the same person as Ernest Wilson. He was given that name by Bunny Lee

because Bunny says Ernest is too sharkish for money when he is doing recordings for Bunny  Lee”, Kenneth smiles.

At the age of nine he came to Kingston to live with his aunt who was living at the McGregor Gully,

where he attended the Rollington Town Primary School. After finishing school he did construction

work and was a security guard with a company on Holborn Road.

"About 1958/1959 I started operating a sound system called "Ajax;" this was owned by a

man from Clarendon by the name of "Tilbaney Singh."  For 5 years I operated that sound

and I remember one night in 1963, I went to play at a place called Brandon Hill in Clarendon

and the Clarendonians (Ernest Wilson and Peter Austin) came there to sing and because

there was no band, the group had to sing from the records I was playing." Drum-Beat was also close to Freddie McGregor's family, as they were nearby neighbours.

"I remember one morning in 1963, Little Freddie came through the fence singing a song,

"If You Want To Know How Dumpling Sweet, Dip It Ina Coconut Oil", and my brother Ernest

said to him ....'You sound like you can sing.'  So my mother gave him bus fare and Ernest took

him to Sir Coxson Dodd in Kingston." Kenneth recalls his first recording session:  "It was the year 1967. My mother and a cousin gave me 25 pounds to go and try my hands

at producing artists. So I took Peter Austin, my brother Ernest Wilson and Freddie McGregor

to Federal Recording Studio and record my first two songs with Lynn Taitt and The Jets to

do the backing tracks.  Freddie McGregor was 10 years old at the time. On that session I laid

down two tracks, one with Peter and Ernest entitled 'Take it or Leave it' by the Clarendonians.

The next track was 'Deep Down in My Heart' with Ernest and Freddie. So I released both

songs as the Clarendonians A & B on a Drum-Beat label."  These were followed by  "Take A Message To Mary" and "What You Gonna Do About It."

In these early days Kenneth didn't have the money to buy stampers to press his productions, so  he had to pass the recordings on to people who he trusted to release them for him, but most of the time he never heard about his recordings again, and he rarely received payment from his productions. For example, he gave several songs to Harry B. Robinson, who had a label called  Carib-Dis-Co, and never saw a penny. Robinson, in turn, sold some of these tunes to Pama in  England.

Six other songs that Kenneth produced and recorded in 1968, at Studio One, with the financial  help of his auntie Evelyn Carty were given to a UK soundman for sound system use only.   Kenneth never knew that these songs got released in England on Birmingham's Junior Records  label (Junior Bradley). "’Make up Your Mind’ by Devon and Cedric was produced by me, Kenneth Wilson. I can  remember giving them 40 pounds up front in those days. Their real names are Devon Russell  and Cedric Myton." The band who Kenneth used to record in the late 60's and early 70's were the Hippy Boys.   "I can only remember a few of the musicians’ names right now.  On bass was Aston Barrett (Family Man), Bob Marley's bassist.  Me, Kenneth Wilson was the second person to take him  to a recording studio.  His first recording was entitled "Watch This Sound."  I think it was done by The Uniques.  He didn't start to do recordings for Bob Marley as yet, though. On  drums was his brother, Carlton Barrett (Carlie).  I was the first to take him to a recording  studio. Lead guitarist was Ranny Williams (Ranny Bop), second guitar was Jackson Jones  (Jacko), on keyboard was Michael Martin, and Bobby Kalphat was 2nd Keyboardist.” Most of Kenneth’s masters were destroyed by one of his family members, so these new re- releases were copied from records and re-mastered.  Kenneth must have produced over 50  songs with many version sides, and on one of them, "Chapters Of Life," he can be even heard singing. Today, Kenneth lives in Vineyard Town in Kingston 3 and moves around with a crutch. He was  involved in a motor vehicle accident in October 2009, and suffered various injuries including a  broken leg. To this day we cannot find all the recordings that Kenneth remembers:  "There are still some tracks that I lost and cannot find. Somewhere about 1974 I remember  I overdub on a rhythm track with an organ playing a melody. It was something like this,  "Dog Gone A Matthews Lane Them Can't Bite Me." You have the rhythm track on one of those records. I do not remember which of them. I gave it to Record Distribution to distribute  only overseas (not in Jamaica). His name is L.O. Pottinger; he is now deceased. One of his label was Record Distributor."  One other record Kenneth is still looking for is "Take Your Things And Go" by Leonard Wilson.  This one could not be located yet:  "The Seven in One (Medley) rhythm. I put a Horns Man on such. His name is Bobby Ellis. I cut the stamper and press about 50 pieces and that's it, I cannot find nothing." special thanks to Colby/vintage boss magazine, who had an article in Vintage Boss that we used for some references...