Sean De Laire / The Roots / Black Ark

[Mick Sleeper]

Sean De Laire recorded some excellent singles at the Black Ark by The Roots (Mash Down, Look Around, Praises To Jah) as well as a couple of great songs by Sons Of Brave (Fighting For Survival, What A Situation), all released on the Grass Roots label. Does anyone have more information about De Laire and/or The Roots? Can't seem to find anything about these mysterious guys...

[hot milk]

i've always wondered the same thing, mick. i wonder if those roots tunes were done in one session, though? maybe he bought a big chunk of studio time and that was it?

while we're at it, who were the (twin) roots? keith and kenneth are the names i've heard before (i think) but that doesn't give us a bunch to go on. i don't hear keith rowe in there, or keith blake (aka prince alla).

[Mark]

@hot milk, I guess you don't mean these two:
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Keith+%26 ... th+And+Ken

[Sammy]

actually its Keith and Kenneth Thompson, as it is written on the original JA issue. There are alot of artists that have only appeared at black ark & then disappeared.

It is also known Scratch use to give names for artists & groups. For example "Truth, Fact & Correct" are actually "The Viceroys" (aka The Interns).

[Sammy]

slight correction, in case of misunderstanding. I meant Keith and Kenneth Thompson = Twin Roots, NOT The Roots.

[skippy]

good info!

[RestoreJuniorByles]

I suspect The Roots and Sons Of Brave are the same artists.

Someone, I forget who, once suggested Sean De Laire is/was Lee Perry. I have a record inscribed "Complimentary--Sean De Laire", which is definitely NOT in Perry's hand, so I'm pretty sure we can dismiss that theory! Also there is at least one Grass Roots 7 definitely not produced by Lee Perry nor recorded at Black Ark.

[drive instigna]

I suspect The Roots and Sons Of Brave are the same artists.

Someone, I forget who, once suggested Sean De Laire is/was Lee Perry. I have a record inscribed "Complimentary--Sean De Laire", which is definitely NOT in Perry's hand, so I'm pretty sure we can dismiss that theory! Also there is at least one Grass Roots 7 definitely not produced by Lee Perry nor recorded at Black Ark.

3 or 4 non perry related ones actually..None of them is really good.

[Sammy]

The Roots and Sons Of Brave, that is possible.

You can definitely hear the touch of Scratch, although some of the mixes are unfinished. I guess Sean De Laire was more likely a distributor or financial producer on these records.

[Mick Sleeper]

I asked David Katz what he knew about De Laire, and he told me that he "couldn't find out very much". I can understand a one-off record with a Black Ark connection being so mysterious, but since De Laire recorded several tunes, I would have thought there would be more information on him. So I guess De Laire will remain a mystery - unless someone he or someone he knows reads this and let's us know!