DOCTOR BIRD | Lee Scratch Perry Presents Soulful I & The Reggae Christmas Album both out this month…
Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry Presents Soulful I - The Jamaican Singles 1969-1970, Various Artists 2CD
- Boss reggae productions from the legendary Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry.
- An abundance of rare tracks & alternate takes.
- A follow-up to the popular ‘People Funny Boy’ collection.
After making an explosive start to his career as an independent record producer with his groundbreaking hit, ‘People Funny Boy’, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry further cemented his reputation as one of Jamaica’s most creative music makers with singles issued on his Upsetter label peppering the local charts throughout the remainder of 1968 and well into the next year. By this time, the UK’s leading Jamaican music specialists, Trojan Records were releasing his work in Britian, where both Jamaican ex-pats and the rapidly growing number of ‘skinhead’ reggae fans were drawn to his often-quirky instrumental recordings, performed by The Hippy Boys, a tight 4-piece combo that Perry credited rebranded as The Upsetters on his releases.
‘Soulful I’ picks up where the previous Doctor Bird collection, ‘People Funny Boy’, left off by collecting Perry’s Jamaican 7” singles from 1969 through to early 1970, while also featuring rarities from the period that remained all but forgotten in the Trojan archives until earlier this century. Along with the companion volume, ‘Clint Eastwood & The Many Moods Of The Upsetter’, this 2CD set not only provides a captivating insight into the development of reggae music and arguably its most accomplished creator during a fascinating period in the early development of reggae music and arguably its most accomplished creator, but also provides a hugely enjoyable listening experience.
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DISC ONE 1 Hard To Handle - Carl Dawkins 2 Night Doctor - The Upsetters 3 To Love Somebody - Busty Brown 4 Man From M.I.5 - The Upsetters 5 Soulful I - The Upsetters 6 Babam Bam - The Ravers 7 Kiddy-O - The Silvertones 8 Thunder Ball (take 2) - The Upsetters 9 Big Noise (take 1) - The Upsetters 10 Crash It (take 5) - The Upsetters 11 Endlessly - The Silvertones 12 What's Wrong With You - David Isaacs 13 Tidal Wave - The Upsetters 14 He'll Have To Go - David Isaacs 15 Since You Are Gone - David Isaacs 16 I Can't See Myself Cry About You - Busty Brown 17 Cold Sweat - The Upsetters 18 The Vampire - The Upsetters 19 Drugs and Poison - The Upsetters 20 Till I Can’t Take It Anymore (take 4) - Pat Satchmo 21 Goosey (take 2) - Gladstone Anderson & The Upsetters 22 Check Him Out (take 1) - The Bleechers 23 Sign Of The Times (take 2) - The Upsetters 24 Prove It (take 1) - The Upsetters 25 X-Ray Vision (take 4) - Glen Adams & The Upsetters 26 Caught You Red Handed (take 1) - The West Indians 27 Thunder Ball (take 1) - The Upsetters |
DISC TWO 1 Big Noise (take 3) - The Upsetters 2 Goosey (take 3) - Gladstone Anderson & The Upsetters 3 Sign Of The Times (take 7) - The Upsetters 4 Prove It (take 1) - The Upsetters 5 Never Get Away (take 2) - The West Indians 6 One Little Lie - Dave Barker & The Upsetters 7 Slow Motion (take 1) - The Upsetters 8 Summer Come - The Upsetters 9 Love Me Baby (take 2) - The Upsetters 10 Bab Thool - The Upsetters 11 Take A Sip - The Upsetters 12 T’ank You - The Upsetters 13 Bab Theef - The Upsetters 14 The Dentist (take 1) - The Upsetters 15 Soul Walk - The Upsetters 16 One Punch - The Upsetters 17 Wax It - The Upsetters 18 Let’s Not Fight It - The Upsetters 19 Hurry Up - The Versatiles 20 Django Shoots Again - Val Bennett & The Upsetters 21 Sit Back - The Upsetters 22 Toothache - The Upsetters 23 No Sin (take 6) - The Upsetters 24 Slow Motion (take 2) - The Upsetters 25 Love Me Baby Version (take 1) - The Upsetters 26 The Dentist (take 2) - The Upsetters 27 Sign Of The Times (take 1) - The Upsetters |
The Reggae Christmas Collection, Various Artists 2CD
- Most tracks officially unavailable for decades.
- Features some of reggae’s biggest stars.
- The perfect alternative Christmas soundtrack.
Christmas: the time of the year when thoughts turn to fun, family and jollity, and of course reggae!
Yes, despite the music’s long association with blues skies and summer, the festive season is of course also a time of great celebration in the Caribbean and from the 1960s to the 80s almost every Jamaican producer of note marked the holiday by releasing a seasonal recording performed by a leading recording artist.
And of all the Kingston’s major music makers, none proved more committed to celebrating Christmas than Joe Gibbs, who between 1978 and 1982 released two albums, largely comprising medleys that featured such renowned performers as Dennis Brown, Horace Andy, Jacob Miller, Culture, June Lodge. The Mighty Diamonds, Trinity and Sly & Robbie. Both these celebratory collections feature on the first disc on this fun-filled set, which also features popular singles from Kodak &Liza and Home T-4
Disc Two showcases two more giants of the Jamaican music scene in John Holt and Yellowman, whose respective long-players are arguably the best-selling reggae Christmas single artist LPs ever to see issue.
So, for all those tired of hearing the same old records and seeking to spice up their holiday with some irresistible Caribbean sounds, this 2CD set, jam-packed with festive favourites performed by some of Jamaica’s finest is a must. 100% guaranteed to have you and all the family skanking around the Christmas tree!
