BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974: Vol. 1 / Issue 12
JAMAICA SHOWCASE
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britain Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris:
I FIRST HEARD Al Brown And Skin Flesh And Bones` version "Here I Am Baby" on a dance floor back in March of this year. Senses distorted by booze, my first thought was "Wow, Al Green`s gone reggae . . . and doin` it better than everybody else".
Later I found out that it wasn`t Mr. Green. But who was Al Brown? Who were Skin Flesh And Bones? Nobody knew. All they could tell me was: "Dem Good Carl, take me word fe it. Dem outta sight man!" True enough. The record was a massive disco success, probably the biggest reggae hit in Britain And Jamaica this year--even though it was ignored by the compilers of the pop charts. A big, fat vibrant sound that was tailor-made for the Chucky, the current dance craze. First shoulders, then head and arms, and soon stomach, hips and the rest of the body would start jerking and quivering to the inimitable reggae guitar rhythm and the bubbling rock steady bass lines that erupted immediately after the opening line . . . "I can`t believe that it`s real . .". No matter how many times in a night you heard it, the song always produced the same results. It made everybody move.
"Here I am Baby", released in Jamaica in November 1973, was Al Brown And Skin Flesh And Bones` first single. It made them. When I spoke to Brown he revealed: "I didn`t really have any confidence at all in the record, you know, that it would be a hit. That`s how singers are most of the time. They do a thing and they don`t really have much confidence in it until they start hearing it a lot, and seeing the reaction of the people to it.
"But it took about three or four weeks to reach number one and stayed there about eight weeks. That`s a record for this year. It`s the biggest seller for this year I think except for the Festival song ("Play The Music" by Tinga Stewart) which is always the biggest."
The Rainbow Theatre in London`s Finsbury Park was only two thirds full for the first London appearance of the Jamaica Showcase package which featured Skin Flesh And Bones, Cynthia Richards, Al Brown, Dennis Brown, Sharon Forrester, and the Maytals, Count Prince Miller, in good humourous form throughout, introduced Skin Flesh And Bones--Bertram Maclean (guitar), Lloyd Parks (bass), Errol Nelson (organ), Charles "Sly" Dunbar (drums) and Pat--(conga and bongos)--who opened with a funky "TSOP", a straight but haunting reggae version of "Norwegian Wood", and an old ska number, setting themselves a highly competent standard which they maintained throughout. They provided the backing for all the vocal artists with the exception of Sharon Forrester who was accompanied by some of the session musicians on her studio album including Richard and Robert Bailey and Philip Chenn.
Al Brown`s billing seemed to inflict the audience with more nervous anticipation than that of Toots And The Maytals. And his four numbers left the audience in a subdued state after Cynthia Richards had left them ecstatic. Al, dressed in a blue velvet suit, said a few words, then began with "Wonderful World Beautiful People" which seemed shallow despite his vibrant vocals in his natural style. Sometimes he walks from one side of the stage to the other and when he gets going he stomps and jerks on the spot. But his height adds awkwardness to his somewhat contrived postures.
His follow up to "Here I Am Baby", as yet unreleased in Britain, was next. William Bell`s "I`ve Got To Go On Without You" with a very raunchy reggae rhythm. An uptempo dancer which would`ve had Al himself dancing if only he could. The record, with its cascading intense vocal ending is a powerful follow up. "But it didn`t do too well," Al said before the concert. "I think they put it out too quick because even now `Here I Am Baby` is still going strong in Jamaica".
Carl Gayle:
Part 1
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
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1974-1980 reviews on current reggae releases...
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Re: 1974-1980 reviews on current reggae releases...
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Re: 1974-1980 reviews on current reggae releases...
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974: Vol. 1 / Issue 12
JAMAICA SHOWCASE: - PT. 2
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britain Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris:
Brown introduces "God Is Standing By", a number from Al Green`s album "Gets Next To You", with a short rap. He sings it like Green, slowly and intensely. And Skin Flesh And Bones are brilliant. "Actually Al Green is one of my favourite singers and I always try to get in some of his vocal style especially when I`m singing `his` songs," Al confirmed. "I also sing `For The Good Times` and `Have You Been Making Out Ok` sometimes".
But Brown`s imitation of Al Green in speech on stage was contrived and embarrassing. He has nothing to say. His attempts at communication and humour were condescending and inaudible most of the time. And when he tried to involve the audience that too largely failed. But Brown put everything into his final number, the one they`d all been waiting for. His set was saved by a superb performance on "Here I Am Baby". The excellent Skin Flesh And Bones continued with their instrumental "Butter Fe Fish" as Brown left the stage.
"Here I Am Baby" was not Al Brown`s first record. Eight years ago he recorded a song called "Dying Love" for promoter Clement Dodd who, however, issued it only as a various artists LP track on his Sir Coxsone label. Before that Al had stuck to popular night clubs like the Holiday Inn, the Bamboo, the Tit For Tat, and a few others.
Born in Swallowfield, an area in upper Kingston, Al is from a non musical family of seven boys and six girls. He started singing in front of audiences when he was nineteen. He`s twenty-eight now.
"My mother used to tell me that I used to sing myself to sleep (laughs) . . . that was the beginning of it I think. Actually I`m a welder and a body straightener by trade, but it`s quite a while since I got at it!
"I thought Coxon (Clement Dodd) was gonna put the record on a 45 because it was nice in those times. I thought it would have made a hit. After that I went back to night club singing and just kept doing it. I used to do an average of about four or five nights a week. The money used to be small, about £2 a night. Sometimes it was smaller but. . . ."
Al speaks slowly but easily in his natural Jamaica tone: "The very first band I started singing with was the Calypso Volcanoes with this bandleader here, Lynford Harvey at the Tit For Tat club. Ken Boothe was saying a lot then. Delroy Wilson as well. His songs like `Once Upon A Time`, I used to sing on stage. I used to sing everything, soul, reggae, calypso, jump up. . . .
"Then we went to the country (Runaway Bay) to take up a little job at a club called the Calypso Colony. But we spent about a year (between `68 and `70) doing odd jobs before going to the country, after leaving Tit For Tat. . . . We had a one year contract with the hotel but we only did three months. They went into liquidation. I was glad to come back to Kingston but after a while, going around and not getting anything to do we decided to check Dicky Wong. He`s the owner of the Tit For Tat club, we had a good name from the country and we decided we really wanted to get into the band business. So we decided to call ourselves Skin Flesh And Bones. That was about three and a half years ago".
The only change in the original band`s line up has been the replacement of James Aryss by Lloyd Parks on bass guitar two and a half years ago. "Cynthia Richards told me that they wanted a bass player for Skin Flesh And Bones. I sat in and we had a good thing going," said Lloyd. "Al Brown`s first record changed everything. Changed the music, changed the dancing, changed the scene. As soon as it came out it started selling. It didn`t pick up slowly, it was an instant seller".
"It was my idea to record the song first," said Al Brown. "Dicky Wong wasn`t actually a producer yet. `Here I Am` is actually his first production. We used to do it on stage--Al Green style and we thought it could work out well as reggae. Dicky came up with the idea at the same time and we went down to the studio. When he came and asked me to do it with the band I was just about to go to another producer because I saw that it could make a reggae hit. Anyhow, he convinced me that I should do it with Skin Flesh And Bones, so we did it.
"Each person went into the studio with their own ideas. But most of the ideas came from the lead guitarist Ranchie (Bertram Maclean), the drummer and the bassman Lloydy".
Al Brown is the band`s lead singer. Cynthia sings with them too but remains a solo artist in her own right. Al Brown`s first LP ("Here I Am Baby"), soon to be released in this country by Trojan, includes "For The Good Times" and "Love And Happiness", "Listen To The Music", Jerry Butler`s "Girl On My Mind", Dobie Gray`s "Loving Arms" and at least one original song, "Up From The Ghetto".
Carl Gayle:
Part 2
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
peace
JAMAICA SHOWCASE: - PT. 2
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britain Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris:
Brown introduces "God Is Standing By", a number from Al Green`s album "Gets Next To You", with a short rap. He sings it like Green, slowly and intensely. And Skin Flesh And Bones are brilliant. "Actually Al Green is one of my favourite singers and I always try to get in some of his vocal style especially when I`m singing `his` songs," Al confirmed. "I also sing `For The Good Times` and `Have You Been Making Out Ok` sometimes".
But Brown`s imitation of Al Green in speech on stage was contrived and embarrassing. He has nothing to say. His attempts at communication and humour were condescending and inaudible most of the time. And when he tried to involve the audience that too largely failed. But Brown put everything into his final number, the one they`d all been waiting for. His set was saved by a superb performance on "Here I Am Baby". The excellent Skin Flesh And Bones continued with their instrumental "Butter Fe Fish" as Brown left the stage.
"Here I Am Baby" was not Al Brown`s first record. Eight years ago he recorded a song called "Dying Love" for promoter Clement Dodd who, however, issued it only as a various artists LP track on his Sir Coxsone label. Before that Al had stuck to popular night clubs like the Holiday Inn, the Bamboo, the Tit For Tat, and a few others.
Born in Swallowfield, an area in upper Kingston, Al is from a non musical family of seven boys and six girls. He started singing in front of audiences when he was nineteen. He`s twenty-eight now.
"My mother used to tell me that I used to sing myself to sleep (laughs) . . . that was the beginning of it I think. Actually I`m a welder and a body straightener by trade, but it`s quite a while since I got at it!
"I thought Coxon (Clement Dodd) was gonna put the record on a 45 because it was nice in those times. I thought it would have made a hit. After that I went back to night club singing and just kept doing it. I used to do an average of about four or five nights a week. The money used to be small, about £2 a night. Sometimes it was smaller but. . . ."
Al speaks slowly but easily in his natural Jamaica tone: "The very first band I started singing with was the Calypso Volcanoes with this bandleader here, Lynford Harvey at the Tit For Tat club. Ken Boothe was saying a lot then. Delroy Wilson as well. His songs like `Once Upon A Time`, I used to sing on stage. I used to sing everything, soul, reggae, calypso, jump up. . . .
"Then we went to the country (Runaway Bay) to take up a little job at a club called the Calypso Colony. But we spent about a year (between `68 and `70) doing odd jobs before going to the country, after leaving Tit For Tat. . . . We had a one year contract with the hotel but we only did three months. They went into liquidation. I was glad to come back to Kingston but after a while, going around and not getting anything to do we decided to check Dicky Wong. He`s the owner of the Tit For Tat club, we had a good name from the country and we decided we really wanted to get into the band business. So we decided to call ourselves Skin Flesh And Bones. That was about three and a half years ago".
The only change in the original band`s line up has been the replacement of James Aryss by Lloyd Parks on bass guitar two and a half years ago. "Cynthia Richards told me that they wanted a bass player for Skin Flesh And Bones. I sat in and we had a good thing going," said Lloyd. "Al Brown`s first record changed everything. Changed the music, changed the dancing, changed the scene. As soon as it came out it started selling. It didn`t pick up slowly, it was an instant seller".
"It was my idea to record the song first," said Al Brown. "Dicky Wong wasn`t actually a producer yet. `Here I Am` is actually his first production. We used to do it on stage--Al Green style and we thought it could work out well as reggae. Dicky came up with the idea at the same time and we went down to the studio. When he came and asked me to do it with the band I was just about to go to another producer because I saw that it could make a reggae hit. Anyhow, he convinced me that I should do it with Skin Flesh And Bones, so we did it.
"Each person went into the studio with their own ideas. But most of the ideas came from the lead guitarist Ranchie (Bertram Maclean), the drummer and the bassman Lloydy".
Al Brown is the band`s lead singer. Cynthia sings with them too but remains a solo artist in her own right. Al Brown`s first LP ("Here I Am Baby"), soon to be released in this country by Trojan, includes "For The Good Times" and "Love And Happiness", "Listen To The Music", Jerry Butler`s "Girl On My Mind", Dobie Gray`s "Loving Arms" and at least one original song, "Up From The Ghetto".
Carl Gayle:
Part 2
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
peace
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Re: 1974-1980 reviews on current reggae releases...
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974: Vol. 1 / Issue 12
JAMAICA SHOWCASE: - PT. 3
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britain Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris:
EACH MEMBER of S. F. & B. is a solo artist in his own right but only Lloyd Parks already has an LP out in Britain. Titled "Officially" it was made in 1972 and shows him to be a fine singer/songwriter. A group called the Thoroughbreads--Rad Bryan (lead guitar), Phillips Grant (guitar), Neville Grant (drums), Ansell Collins (organ) and Lloyd (bass)--whom Lloyd was with at the time, played on the album.
"It took quite a while for `Officially` to really get to the people," Lloyd said, speaking in short sharp bursts while strumming a guitar. "It was out for almost six months before it really became popular. But it stayed six weeks at number one on RJR and seven weeks on JBC radio. I arranged and produced it myself and released it on my label, Parks. It sold over 20,000. It could have sold many more but I was inexperienced at that time".
Lloyd sings in a high tenor reminiscent of the late Slim Smith and has a knack of writing strong melodies and good lyrics. "Officially" has been covered by the highly respected Fabulous Five band. And Lloyd`s "message" song on the album. "Slaving" inspired at least two DJ versions. Big Youth with a version called "Honesty" points to the iniquities of his society . . . "You work so hard and still you don`t get no pay . .". In I. Roy`s hands, Lloyd`s song becomes the DJ classic "Black Man Time" where Roy is more explicit as he rejects a young street corner beggar and goes on to say . . . "Illiteracy programme is designed to open your mind/so you can be literate and get a job and feel so fine, instead of begging on the corner everyday . . . ". . . because . . ."this a black man time".
"I did `Officially` and `Slaving` on the same session," said Lloyd. "I wanted some money to push `Officially`. A guy called Ossie wanted to buy `Slaving` so I transferred it from my tape to his. He didn`t give me all the money even up to now. Another guy called Gussie wanted a cut off `Slaving` too. He gave me $90 also. So you find that`s why you have these versions. And you know, maybe they even sell it again!
Lloyd Parks was born 25 years ago in Kingston. He was good at art and painting so he went to the Jamaican School Of Art And Crafts on leaving school. There, he went into the music field. "I had an uncle who used to play banjo with a band. I used to go around with them and sing and it developed from there. That was around 1967. Then I started singing with a guy called Wentworth Vernon as the Termites. But the group was going before I joined, I replaced another guy."
The Termites were never a very big name but they made a very memorable cover of "Have Mercy Mr Percy" and the very emotional "My Last Love", a forgotten original great of the rock steady era. The Termites split up after about three years and then: "There was a little band going called the RHT Invincibles. I used to go around with them trying to get to sing a song you know. I used to like their music. The bass player, whenever he put down the bass I went and played around with it. He didn`t like it but. . . . That was late 1969. The guitarist later dropped out of the band and I replaced him for about a year".
The guy Lloyd replaced was co-incidentally Bertram Maclean (Ranchie) currently Skin Flesh And Bones lead guitarist and leader. "I couldn`t make any money with the band," Lloyd continued, "so I left. Then I was invited by a guitarist, Bobby Aitken--Laurel Aitken`s brother--to take a job at the Stable in Redhills Road, Kingston. I played guitar for them (the Thoroughbreads) for about six months. When the bass player had to go to University I played bass for them."
Lloyd payed his dues and learned his trade in nightclubs backing popular artists like the Maytals, Heptones, Hopeton Lewis, and many others. He also recorded "Stars" for Randys plus a medley of two of his own songs "You Don`t Care" and "Say You Love Me" which was a very big seller due to the DJ version, "Buttercup", on the B side. Earlier he had replaced Pat Kelly in the Techniques for a time, making hits with them (Dave Barker and Winston Riley) for less than a year, including the beautiful "You Don`t Care".
"Double Barrel` by Ansell Collins," said Lloyd, "was done in 1968, and he gave it to Winston Riley to release on his label (Techniques). It was a big success in JA around 1969 then they released it over here".
On stage Lloyd Parks is cool and detached even when he`s singing, as he did at Dingwalls club in London when S F & B were backing Toots and Raleigh. "I`m not conscious of sounding like Slim although people have told me that I do,` he says. "Ken Boothe is one who really inspired me. As long as there`s successs I`ll be with Skin Flesh And Bones. If not I`ll form my own band".
Carl Gayle:
Part 3
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
peace
JAMAICA SHOWCASE: - PT. 3
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britain Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris:
EACH MEMBER of S. F. & B. is a solo artist in his own right but only Lloyd Parks already has an LP out in Britain. Titled "Officially" it was made in 1972 and shows him to be a fine singer/songwriter. A group called the Thoroughbreads--Rad Bryan (lead guitar), Phillips Grant (guitar), Neville Grant (drums), Ansell Collins (organ) and Lloyd (bass)--whom Lloyd was with at the time, played on the album.
"It took quite a while for `Officially` to really get to the people," Lloyd said, speaking in short sharp bursts while strumming a guitar. "It was out for almost six months before it really became popular. But it stayed six weeks at number one on RJR and seven weeks on JBC radio. I arranged and produced it myself and released it on my label, Parks. It sold over 20,000. It could have sold many more but I was inexperienced at that time".
Lloyd sings in a high tenor reminiscent of the late Slim Smith and has a knack of writing strong melodies and good lyrics. "Officially" has been covered by the highly respected Fabulous Five band. And Lloyd`s "message" song on the album. "Slaving" inspired at least two DJ versions. Big Youth with a version called "Honesty" points to the iniquities of his society . . . "You work so hard and still you don`t get no pay . .". In I. Roy`s hands, Lloyd`s song becomes the DJ classic "Black Man Time" where Roy is more explicit as he rejects a young street corner beggar and goes on to say . . . "Illiteracy programme is designed to open your mind/so you can be literate and get a job and feel so fine, instead of begging on the corner everyday . . . ". . . because . . ."this a black man time".
"I did `Officially` and `Slaving` on the same session," said Lloyd. "I wanted some money to push `Officially`. A guy called Ossie wanted to buy `Slaving` so I transferred it from my tape to his. He didn`t give me all the money even up to now. Another guy called Gussie wanted a cut off `Slaving` too. He gave me $90 also. So you find that`s why you have these versions. And you know, maybe they even sell it again!
Lloyd Parks was born 25 years ago in Kingston. He was good at art and painting so he went to the Jamaican School Of Art And Crafts on leaving school. There, he went into the music field. "I had an uncle who used to play banjo with a band. I used to go around with them and sing and it developed from there. That was around 1967. Then I started singing with a guy called Wentworth Vernon as the Termites. But the group was going before I joined, I replaced another guy."
The Termites were never a very big name but they made a very memorable cover of "Have Mercy Mr Percy" and the very emotional "My Last Love", a forgotten original great of the rock steady era. The Termites split up after about three years and then: "There was a little band going called the RHT Invincibles. I used to go around with them trying to get to sing a song you know. I used to like their music. The bass player, whenever he put down the bass I went and played around with it. He didn`t like it but. . . . That was late 1969. The guitarist later dropped out of the band and I replaced him for about a year".
The guy Lloyd replaced was co-incidentally Bertram Maclean (Ranchie) currently Skin Flesh And Bones lead guitarist and leader. "I couldn`t make any money with the band," Lloyd continued, "so I left. Then I was invited by a guitarist, Bobby Aitken--Laurel Aitken`s brother--to take a job at the Stable in Redhills Road, Kingston. I played guitar for them (the Thoroughbreads) for about six months. When the bass player had to go to University I played bass for them."
Lloyd payed his dues and learned his trade in nightclubs backing popular artists like the Maytals, Heptones, Hopeton Lewis, and many others. He also recorded "Stars" for Randys plus a medley of two of his own songs "You Don`t Care" and "Say You Love Me" which was a very big seller due to the DJ version, "Buttercup", on the B side. Earlier he had replaced Pat Kelly in the Techniques for a time, making hits with them (Dave Barker and Winston Riley) for less than a year, including the beautiful "You Don`t Care".
"Double Barrel` by Ansell Collins," said Lloyd, "was done in 1968, and he gave it to Winston Riley to release on his label (Techniques). It was a big success in JA around 1969 then they released it over here".
On stage Lloyd Parks is cool and detached even when he`s singing, as he did at Dingwalls club in London when S F & B were backing Toots and Raleigh. "I`m not conscious of sounding like Slim although people have told me that I do,` he says. "Ken Boothe is one who really inspired me. As long as there`s successs I`ll be with Skin Flesh And Bones. If not I`ll form my own band".
Carl Gayle:
Part 3
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
peace
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Re: 1974-1980 reviews on current reggae releases...
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974: Vol. 1 / Issue 12
JAMAICA SHOWCASE: - PT. 4
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britain Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris;
THE FIRST vocal artist on stage at the Rainbow had been the ebullient Cynthia Richards. Influenced by Mavis Staples and Gladys Knight, Cynthia Commanded the stage with her natural physical grace, and held the audience`s complete attention with her throaty soul/gospel singing. As her opener, "Sentimental Reasons" ended there was loud applause and shouts of approval and salutation. She had a natural rhythm both in motion and in song, and was very confident.
After a short rap she slowed it down further with "Never Never Never", meant "for the romantics". It was an emotively charged, spellbinding performance, Skin Flesh And Bones` keyboard man displaying his wizardry. She builds each song to a climax, moving her slim elegant frame (which is hidden beneath a colourful African gown of pink, red, and blue) with increasing vitality to coincide with the rising intensity of her voice.
Off stage though, she puts on her specs, dresses reservedly in jacket and trousers, and reverts to a quiet amicable disposition. But Cynthia likes to talk. She does so with the same urgency and vitality that marks her onstage performances. And she`s persuasive and convincing.
"I`m from a family of about 12," said Cynthia before the show. "I`m a religious type of person but for the past few years I haven`t been to a church. I strongly believe in God. I try to live up to the Commandments. I don`t really live for the world alone because certain things become like vanity. I`m not really fussy about material things. I don`t like to make plans without having something secure. That is why I stayed with my parents until about a year ago. It was quite convenient. Now, I have an apartment for me and my nine year old daughter. I see that as a foundation so now I can think of having a car and all the rest of it. But I still live in Duhaney Park, the same district as my mother".
The first time I heard Cynthia Richards was in 1969 when she recorded "Foolish Foll" and "Conversation". But of course she`d been around years before. "I made my name as a professional singer live, not by recording," Cynthia said proudly. "I started singing professionally at the age of about 18. I`m thirty this year. And I didn`t start recording until 1969".
Carl Gayle:
Part 4
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
peace
JAMAICA SHOWCASE: - PT. 4
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britain Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris;
THE FIRST vocal artist on stage at the Rainbow had been the ebullient Cynthia Richards. Influenced by Mavis Staples and Gladys Knight, Cynthia Commanded the stage with her natural physical grace, and held the audience`s complete attention with her throaty soul/gospel singing. As her opener, "Sentimental Reasons" ended there was loud applause and shouts of approval and salutation. She had a natural rhythm both in motion and in song, and was very confident.
After a short rap she slowed it down further with "Never Never Never", meant "for the romantics". It was an emotively charged, spellbinding performance, Skin Flesh And Bones` keyboard man displaying his wizardry. She builds each song to a climax, moving her slim elegant frame (which is hidden beneath a colourful African gown of pink, red, and blue) with increasing vitality to coincide with the rising intensity of her voice.
Off stage though, she puts on her specs, dresses reservedly in jacket and trousers, and reverts to a quiet amicable disposition. But Cynthia likes to talk. She does so with the same urgency and vitality that marks her onstage performances. And she`s persuasive and convincing.
"I`m from a family of about 12," said Cynthia before the show. "I`m a religious type of person but for the past few years I haven`t been to a church. I strongly believe in God. I try to live up to the Commandments. I don`t really live for the world alone because certain things become like vanity. I`m not really fussy about material things. I don`t like to make plans without having something secure. That is why I stayed with my parents until about a year ago. It was quite convenient. Now, I have an apartment for me and my nine year old daughter. I see that as a foundation so now I can think of having a car and all the rest of it. But I still live in Duhaney Park, the same district as my mother".
The first time I heard Cynthia Richards was in 1969 when she recorded "Foolish Foll" and "Conversation". But of course she`d been around years before. "I made my name as a professional singer live, not by recording," Cynthia said proudly. "I started singing professionally at the age of about 18. I`m thirty this year. And I didn`t start recording until 1969".
Carl Gayle:
Part 4
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
peace
*Reggae Record Label Artwork*
http://leggorocker.ning.com/
http://leggorocker.ning.com/
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stepping razor
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Re: 1974-1980 reviews on current reggae releases...
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974: Vol. 1 / Issue 12
JAMAICA SHOWCASE: - PT. 5
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britain Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris:
While at school (Denham Town Primary) Cynthia was the top female singing attraction at end of term concerts. A teacher suggested that she joined Vere John`s talent contest, Opportunity Hour. She did, and got through to the finals, winning enough in prize money to pay her private school fees and buy a few books and clothes herself. "I never gave my parents much trouble on the whole. I like to be independent you know".
For a time Cynthia was a clerk with a magistrate, Judge Keary. She also worked with a band called Bobby Aitken And The Carib Beats but both jobs were financially insecure. "I joined another band, the Falcons. I got a lot of exposure with them and of course people like Byron Lee, and the Mighty Vikings--practically all the big bands in Kingston--started checking me. I`ve worked with many people there.
"I started getting the big breaks with the Falcons but financially it wasn`t really progressive. I left after three years and was just a guest artist. But that alone couldn`t keep me. So I joined a merchant firm called LP Azar as a salesgirl. And I was still living with my parents."
Cynthia`s first record was her own composition. It was called "How Could I" and was released by Clement Dodd (Sir Coxon). "I got about £10 and a whole pile of paper. Up to 1969 I was inexperienced in the recording scene. But I try to forget those things. It`s just the action of people that relly hurts you sometimes".
Her next record, "Fooloish Foll" for producer Clancy Eccles was a big JA seller and edged into the British pop charts. "That`s where people started to hear about Cynthia Richards. But I didn`t get a fair share financially, up `till now. It`s Just Disgusting. I don`t really like to call people names but the truth is the truth. I did `Foolish Fool` and `Conversaton` but it wasn`t satisfactory so I decided to give the recording scene a rest".
It wasn`t until the beginning of 1970 that she began recording again. "Duke Reid (a promoter/label owner) sent for me and I did `Clean Up Woman` and `Sentimental Reasons`. Then I did my biggest seller `Aily I`. I didn`t get much from it either. That tune is on an LP: a company from California came down for it, Shelter Records. The promoter did negotiations behind my back. I didn`t know anything until one day somebody said to me `I heard your tape in the States`. So I was surprised. I checked with Duke Reid. He said `yes I just sent the tape`. So I told him I didn`t feel good about it, that wasn`t business at all."
Carl Gayle:
Part 5
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
peace
JAMAICA SHOWCASE: - PT. 5
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britain Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris:
While at school (Denham Town Primary) Cynthia was the top female singing attraction at end of term concerts. A teacher suggested that she joined Vere John`s talent contest, Opportunity Hour. She did, and got through to the finals, winning enough in prize money to pay her private school fees and buy a few books and clothes herself. "I never gave my parents much trouble on the whole. I like to be independent you know".
For a time Cynthia was a clerk with a magistrate, Judge Keary. She also worked with a band called Bobby Aitken And The Carib Beats but both jobs were financially insecure. "I joined another band, the Falcons. I got a lot of exposure with them and of course people like Byron Lee, and the Mighty Vikings--practically all the big bands in Kingston--started checking me. I`ve worked with many people there.
"I started getting the big breaks with the Falcons but financially it wasn`t really progressive. I left after three years and was just a guest artist. But that alone couldn`t keep me. So I joined a merchant firm called LP Azar as a salesgirl. And I was still living with my parents."
Cynthia`s first record was her own composition. It was called "How Could I" and was released by Clement Dodd (Sir Coxon). "I got about £10 and a whole pile of paper. Up to 1969 I was inexperienced in the recording scene. But I try to forget those things. It`s just the action of people that relly hurts you sometimes".
Her next record, "Fooloish Foll" for producer Clancy Eccles was a big JA seller and edged into the British pop charts. "That`s where people started to hear about Cynthia Richards. But I didn`t get a fair share financially, up `till now. It`s Just Disgusting. I don`t really like to call people names but the truth is the truth. I did `Foolish Fool` and `Conversaton` but it wasn`t satisfactory so I decided to give the recording scene a rest".
It wasn`t until the beginning of 1970 that she began recording again. "Duke Reid (a promoter/label owner) sent for me and I did `Clean Up Woman` and `Sentimental Reasons`. Then I did my biggest seller `Aily I`. I didn`t get much from it either. That tune is on an LP: a company from California came down for it, Shelter Records. The promoter did negotiations behind my back. I didn`t know anything until one day somebody said to me `I heard your tape in the States`. So I was surprised. I checked with Duke Reid. He said `yes I just sent the tape`. So I told him I didn`t feel good about it, that wasn`t business at all."
Carl Gayle:
Part 5
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
peace
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Re: 1974-1980 reviews on current reggae releases...
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974: Vol. 1 / Issue 12
JAMAICA SHOWCASE: - PT. 6
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britain Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris:
Disillusioned by her experiences with producers, Cynthia tried to go it alone. In 1972 she wrote, arranged and produced (with Al Brown) her own record, "Mr. Postman". But more hassles followed. "That record was released in Britain without my consent by Pama Records. I wrote to them many times and they kept promising to pay me. But to this day they haven`t turned up with a cent. And now they`ve gone out of business. What really hurts me is that I had to borrow money to make that record and then someone just comes along and takes it."
"Anyway after that I stopped recording singles and said I`m going to work on an LP. I started doing a whole lot of writing and arranging. That`s late `73. Then I heard a Mavis Staples record, `If You`re Ready Come Go With Me` and we (Skin Flesh And Bones) were rehearsing it to do on stage because we were resident at Tit For Tat club. I said to Lloyd Parks `this thing can go reggae`. The following day we squeezed in a little recording session. It took us about just fifteen minutes to take a cut of that record, and we brought it out and it was successful."
"If You`re Ready Come Go With Me" was released after "Here I Am Baby" and reached number three in the charts. It won Cynthia "top female vocalist" in El Suzie Magazine and "joint top" (with Judy Mowatt) in Swing Magazine.
Cynthia had joined Skin Flesh And Bones back in 1970, maintaining her individuality as a solo recording artist at the same time: "I was on a six week engagement at the Runaway hotel. Skin Flesh And Bones were just below me on the north coast in a hotel. The hotel went bankrupt. They had to go back to Kingston, they were the Volcanoes at the time. At the same time my engagement was through so I went back to Kingston too doing a few guest artist spots. Then they decided to form a band and started thinking of a female singer. One or two people recommended me. That`s when they became Skin Flesh And Bones."
"There are more female singers going into the recording business now. The promoters were responsible for keeping us back. It wasn`t until you heard of all the American female singers that people in Jamaica started to say `What`s happened to the Jamaican female singers?`
"On the whole I`d say people like Marcia Griffiths sort of opened the door, opened people`s eyes more to female singers. . . . You`re treated better because you`re a woman. When the fans love you. . . . I realise that the people love me and that is it. They know I made it `live`. I didn`t make it from recording first. If I`m not even singing, the moment I go on stage there`s an uproar. The public on the whole in Jamaica wouldn`t like to go to a show and it`s all male singers. They appreciate seeing a female singer on stage. I think."
The audience at the Rainbow appreciated Cynthia Richards. During "Aily I", a powerful stage number, she danced the "shuffle" as only guys are supposed to and was mightily applauded for it. Skin Flesh And Bones launched straight into "If You`re Ready Come Go With Me" without missing a beat. The applause which erupted as the number ended was not surpassed for the rest of the night. They brought her back with cries for "more" and Cynthia performed "Midnight Train To Georgia", going off finally to a loving ovation.
Carl Gayle:
Part 6
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
peace
JAMAICA SHOWCASE: - PT. 6
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britain Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris:
Disillusioned by her experiences with producers, Cynthia tried to go it alone. In 1972 she wrote, arranged and produced (with Al Brown) her own record, "Mr. Postman". But more hassles followed. "That record was released in Britain without my consent by Pama Records. I wrote to them many times and they kept promising to pay me. But to this day they haven`t turned up with a cent. And now they`ve gone out of business. What really hurts me is that I had to borrow money to make that record and then someone just comes along and takes it."
"Anyway after that I stopped recording singles and said I`m going to work on an LP. I started doing a whole lot of writing and arranging. That`s late `73. Then I heard a Mavis Staples record, `If You`re Ready Come Go With Me` and we (Skin Flesh And Bones) were rehearsing it to do on stage because we were resident at Tit For Tat club. I said to Lloyd Parks `this thing can go reggae`. The following day we squeezed in a little recording session. It took us about just fifteen minutes to take a cut of that record, and we brought it out and it was successful."
"If You`re Ready Come Go With Me" was released after "Here I Am Baby" and reached number three in the charts. It won Cynthia "top female vocalist" in El Suzie Magazine and "joint top" (with Judy Mowatt) in Swing Magazine.
Cynthia had joined Skin Flesh And Bones back in 1970, maintaining her individuality as a solo recording artist at the same time: "I was on a six week engagement at the Runaway hotel. Skin Flesh And Bones were just below me on the north coast in a hotel. The hotel went bankrupt. They had to go back to Kingston, they were the Volcanoes at the time. At the same time my engagement was through so I went back to Kingston too doing a few guest artist spots. Then they decided to form a band and started thinking of a female singer. One or two people recommended me. That`s when they became Skin Flesh And Bones."
"There are more female singers going into the recording business now. The promoters were responsible for keeping us back. It wasn`t until you heard of all the American female singers that people in Jamaica started to say `What`s happened to the Jamaican female singers?`
"On the whole I`d say people like Marcia Griffiths sort of opened the door, opened people`s eyes more to female singers. . . . You`re treated better because you`re a woman. When the fans love you. . . . I realise that the people love me and that is it. They know I made it `live`. I didn`t make it from recording first. If I`m not even singing, the moment I go on stage there`s an uproar. The public on the whole in Jamaica wouldn`t like to go to a show and it`s all male singers. They appreciate seeing a female singer on stage. I think."
The audience at the Rainbow appreciated Cynthia Richards. During "Aily I", a powerful stage number, she danced the "shuffle" as only guys are supposed to and was mightily applauded for it. Skin Flesh And Bones launched straight into "If You`re Ready Come Go With Me" without missing a beat. The applause which erupted as the number ended was not surpassed for the rest of the night. They brought her back with cries for "more" and Cynthia performed "Midnight Train To Georgia", going off finally to a loving ovation.
Carl Gayle:
Part 6
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
peace
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Re: 1974-1980 reviews on current reggae releases...
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974: Vol. 1 / Issue 12
JAMAICA SHOWCASE: - PT. 7
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britain Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris:
DENNIS BROWN, young and smiling, strode onstage after Al Brown wearing a black cap, a black sweater, and black leather pants. And without hesitation went straight into "Cassandra" a song that uses "Here I Am Baby" riffs and that was one of Dennis` big hits this year. It produces a dancing response from a few in the somewhat reserved audience. Dennis is an admirable mover. Cool, and if anything over-confident with his big voice that belies his age and his small build. The adults love him because he sings about love like a thirty-five year old. The teenagers love him because they relate to his age. He`s only eighteen.
Dennis Brown used to live in a large back street tenant yard between Orange St. and North St. Kingston with his mother, father (who`s a scriptwriter and newspaper journalist), three elder brothers and a sister. His neighbours were supporters of the Jamaican Labour Party. He used to sing for them for pennies and for pleasure. Encouraged by them, Dennis accompanied his neighbours to a conference and a concert at the National Stadium and performed. The little nine year old was a big success.
"I sang Alton Ellis` song `Ain`t That Loving You` and Desmond Dekker`s `Unity`," recalled Dennis: "The money I got I took it and bought a suit for about £8. Then Mr. Seaga, who was Minister of Finance, said he`d start giving me some shows with Byron Lee. At that time Miriam Makeba and Adam Wade were to perform at the same arena, at a charity ball. I performed there too."
That was a week after the National Stadium gig. Suddenly Dennis was appearing with acclaimed "stars" in front of very big audiences. "At first I got stage fright. But my mother was really surprised to know that I went out and did these shows and was bringing back money. `Cause at that time I was able to sort of finance the house, my family was very poor really."
Dennis used to sing with his church choir. He left school before time, when he was 14, and went to a private (secondary) school, St. Stephens High. Between his initial public performances and leaving school he sang at various Government functions with Byron Lee And The Dragonaires all over the Island. Dennis soon became known as "the boy wonder".
He made his first record--an original called ("Lips Of Wine")--for producer Derrick Harriott which wasn`t released immediately. He then recorded "No Man Is An Island" for promoter Clement Dodd and it became a chart topper shortly after release. Derrick Harriott then released "Lips Of Wine", another big hit. But as usual Dennis, who was then living with his aunt after his mother`s death, earned very little. He did two more albums with Dodd, "No Man Is An Island" and "If I Follow My Heart".
Dennis was still singing on stage with Byron Lee. In 1968 he performed on the same bill as King Curtis, Johnny Nash, and the Sweet Inspirations on one of Lee`s shows and began making a very big name for himself. The record that "made it" for him though was "Baby Don`t Do It" for label owner Lloyd Matador.
It`s a love song where the singer appeals to his girl to be fair to herself by not leaving him. . . . "Now I know that you`re not smart/how you said goodbye and now you are sad/Baby don`t do it, don`t break your own heart. . . ." Dennis wrote and sang the song from a true experience and it came across like that. The melody is hypnotic and distinct, the lyrics infectious and mature, a surprising feat for a youngster in his mid teens.
Carl Gayle:
Part 7
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
peace
JAMAICA SHOWCASE: - PT. 7
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britain Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris:
DENNIS BROWN, young and smiling, strode onstage after Al Brown wearing a black cap, a black sweater, and black leather pants. And without hesitation went straight into "Cassandra" a song that uses "Here I Am Baby" riffs and that was one of Dennis` big hits this year. It produces a dancing response from a few in the somewhat reserved audience. Dennis is an admirable mover. Cool, and if anything over-confident with his big voice that belies his age and his small build. The adults love him because he sings about love like a thirty-five year old. The teenagers love him because they relate to his age. He`s only eighteen.
Dennis Brown used to live in a large back street tenant yard between Orange St. and North St. Kingston with his mother, father (who`s a scriptwriter and newspaper journalist), three elder brothers and a sister. His neighbours were supporters of the Jamaican Labour Party. He used to sing for them for pennies and for pleasure. Encouraged by them, Dennis accompanied his neighbours to a conference and a concert at the National Stadium and performed. The little nine year old was a big success.
"I sang Alton Ellis` song `Ain`t That Loving You` and Desmond Dekker`s `Unity`," recalled Dennis: "The money I got I took it and bought a suit for about £8. Then Mr. Seaga, who was Minister of Finance, said he`d start giving me some shows with Byron Lee. At that time Miriam Makeba and Adam Wade were to perform at the same arena, at a charity ball. I performed there too."
That was a week after the National Stadium gig. Suddenly Dennis was appearing with acclaimed "stars" in front of very big audiences. "At first I got stage fright. But my mother was really surprised to know that I went out and did these shows and was bringing back money. `Cause at that time I was able to sort of finance the house, my family was very poor really."
Dennis used to sing with his church choir. He left school before time, when he was 14, and went to a private (secondary) school, St. Stephens High. Between his initial public performances and leaving school he sang at various Government functions with Byron Lee And The Dragonaires all over the Island. Dennis soon became known as "the boy wonder".
He made his first record--an original called ("Lips Of Wine")--for producer Derrick Harriott which wasn`t released immediately. He then recorded "No Man Is An Island" for promoter Clement Dodd and it became a chart topper shortly after release. Derrick Harriott then released "Lips Of Wine", another big hit. But as usual Dennis, who was then living with his aunt after his mother`s death, earned very little. He did two more albums with Dodd, "No Man Is An Island" and "If I Follow My Heart".
Dennis was still singing on stage with Byron Lee. In 1968 he performed on the same bill as King Curtis, Johnny Nash, and the Sweet Inspirations on one of Lee`s shows and began making a very big name for himself. The record that "made it" for him though was "Baby Don`t Do It" for label owner Lloyd Matador.
It`s a love song where the singer appeals to his girl to be fair to herself by not leaving him. . . . "Now I know that you`re not smart/how you said goodbye and now you are sad/Baby don`t do it, don`t break your own heart. . . ." Dennis wrote and sang the song from a true experience and it came across like that. The melody is hypnotic and distinct, the lyrics infectious and mature, a surprising feat for a youngster in his mid teens.
Carl Gayle:
Part 7
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
peace
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Re: 1974-1980 reviews on current reggae releases...
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974: Vol. 1 / Issue 12
JAMAICA SHOWCASE: - PT. 8
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britain Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris:
The LP "Super Reggae And Soul Hits" which Dennis made with Derrick Harriott after leaving Clement Dodd is his most accomplished. It includes excellent cover versions of love songs like "Silhouettes" (one of his biggest ever sellers), "How Could I Let You Get Away", his own "I Didn`t Know" and his beautiful, innocent "Lips Of Wine". Others like "Concentration", "Changing Times" and especially "He Can`t Spell" proved his ability to write social comment songs.
Dennis left Harriott after the LP. "At first it looked good," said Dennis "but after getting to know each other. I wasn`t getting nowhere."
Dennis never finished school. He left prematurely to pursue his musical fortunes. Last year however it meant a spell in hospital through overwork. "There were rumours going around", recalled Dennis, "that I had one lung, and I only had on week to live and this and that. It was a chest hospital. I had pains in my chest and when I saw the doctor she ordered me to rest for a month. If I`d stayed at home I wouldn`t have rested enough. But people thought it was TB. . . . At that time I was bleaching (missing his sleep) a whole lot, singing with the Falcons and then the Soul Syndicate, then the Now Generation".
There were other big hits: "Black Magic Woman", "Don`t You Cry", "Things In Life", The Song My Mother Used To Sing", "It`s Too Late", "What About The Half" and "Money In My Pocket".
"Joel Gibson bought `Money In My Pocket` from a youth and asked me to sing it," said Dennis. "I didn`t want to do it because I didn`t think that what we had was very good. Anyway I decided to improvise some of it". Dennis also made an LP "The Best Of Dennis Brown" with Joel Gibson. But he`s been working with producer Niney since last year. His work with Niney is noticeably re-juvenated despite the fact that he didn`t repeat his award winning success of last year with Swing Magazine (he got "most popular male vocalist" with El Suzie magazine). "Westbound Train", "Cassandra", "I Am The Conqueror" and "Ride On Ride On" (with Big Youth)--a version of "Cassandra"--are more exciting than anything he`s ever done.
Dennis shows no resentment for the fact that all he`s got to show for his nine years of stage and recording successes is a piece of land in Spanish Town called Delbago Heights. Maybe it`s because he`s still very young.
"The audiences in JA are exciting but they don`t jump on stage or anything like that. They`re just cool. But it`s hard to make it in Jamaica. I mean there`s no money back home. You got to go out of the country and work for it."
Carl Gayle:
Part 8
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
peace
JAMAICA SHOWCASE: - PT. 8
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britain Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris:
The LP "Super Reggae And Soul Hits" which Dennis made with Derrick Harriott after leaving Clement Dodd is his most accomplished. It includes excellent cover versions of love songs like "Silhouettes" (one of his biggest ever sellers), "How Could I Let You Get Away", his own "I Didn`t Know" and his beautiful, innocent "Lips Of Wine". Others like "Concentration", "Changing Times" and especially "He Can`t Spell" proved his ability to write social comment songs.
Dennis left Harriott after the LP. "At first it looked good," said Dennis "but after getting to know each other. I wasn`t getting nowhere."
Dennis never finished school. He left prematurely to pursue his musical fortunes. Last year however it meant a spell in hospital through overwork. "There were rumours going around", recalled Dennis, "that I had one lung, and I only had on week to live and this and that. It was a chest hospital. I had pains in my chest and when I saw the doctor she ordered me to rest for a month. If I`d stayed at home I wouldn`t have rested enough. But people thought it was TB. . . . At that time I was bleaching (missing his sleep) a whole lot, singing with the Falcons and then the Soul Syndicate, then the Now Generation".
There were other big hits: "Black Magic Woman", "Don`t You Cry", "Things In Life", The Song My Mother Used To Sing", "It`s Too Late", "What About The Half" and "Money In My Pocket".
"Joel Gibson bought `Money In My Pocket` from a youth and asked me to sing it," said Dennis. "I didn`t want to do it because I didn`t think that what we had was very good. Anyway I decided to improvise some of it". Dennis also made an LP "The Best Of Dennis Brown" with Joel Gibson. But he`s been working with producer Niney since last year. His work with Niney is noticeably re-juvenated despite the fact that he didn`t repeat his award winning success of last year with Swing Magazine (he got "most popular male vocalist" with El Suzie magazine). "Westbound Train", "Cassandra", "I Am The Conqueror" and "Ride On Ride On" (with Big Youth)--a version of "Cassandra"--are more exciting than anything he`s ever done.
Dennis shows no resentment for the fact that all he`s got to show for his nine years of stage and recording successes is a piece of land in Spanish Town called Delbago Heights. Maybe it`s because he`s still very young.
"The audiences in JA are exciting but they don`t jump on stage or anything like that. They`re just cool. But it`s hard to make it in Jamaica. I mean there`s no money back home. You got to go out of the country and work for it."
Carl Gayle:
Part 8
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
peace
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Re: 1974-1980 reviews on current reggae releases...
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974: Vol. 1 / Issue 12
JAMAICA SHOWCASE: - PT. 9
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britain Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris:
SHARON FORRESTER walked gracefully on stage with a flower in her hair. Sharon commands your attention with her beauty but she doesn`t move around with natural ease and looked a little uncomfortable on the large Rainbow stage.
She wasn`t helped by the restless Jamaican audience, many of them impatient for the Maytals. Nor by the choice of material, namely "Don`t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", "All In Love Is Fair", "All Of My Life", "Clothe My Lonely Body", "Put A Little Love Away" and "Golden Lady". But the songs were delivered with skill and style. Her voice soared above the subtle, gracious music creating a warm and delicate but intense sound which nevertheless was far too sophisticated for the rowdier element who made their presence felt with shouts of disapproval. On the whole the audience responded with long and warm applause after each number even though they, like myself, would have preferred to hear things like "Silly Wasn`t I" and other reggae based material.
Carl Gayle:
Part 9
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
peace
JAMAICA SHOWCASE: - PT. 9
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britain Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris:
SHARON FORRESTER walked gracefully on stage with a flower in her hair. Sharon commands your attention with her beauty but she doesn`t move around with natural ease and looked a little uncomfortable on the large Rainbow stage.
She wasn`t helped by the restless Jamaican audience, many of them impatient for the Maytals. Nor by the choice of material, namely "Don`t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", "All In Love Is Fair", "All Of My Life", "Clothe My Lonely Body", "Put A Little Love Away" and "Golden Lady". But the songs were delivered with skill and style. Her voice soared above the subtle, gracious music creating a warm and delicate but intense sound which nevertheless was far too sophisticated for the rowdier element who made their presence felt with shouts of disapproval. On the whole the audience responded with long and warm applause after each number even though they, like myself, would have preferred to hear things like "Silly Wasn`t I" and other reggae based material.
Carl Gayle:
Part 9
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
peace
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http://leggorocker.ning.com/
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Re: 1974-1980 reviews on current reggae releases...
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974: Vol. 1 / Issue 12
JAMAICA SHOWCASE: - PT. 10
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britaitn Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris:
Hopefully the world will soon wake up to the immense talents of Frederick Hibbert, alias Toots of Toots And The Maytals. Those that know what he can do tend to take him for granted yet are still surprised by whatever he does. Those that are just getting to know about him are amazed. When Count Prince Miller introduced "Toots And The Maytals" at the Rainbow, the auditorium came to life as Skin Flesh And Bones played the strains of "Everybody Needs Somebody" and a number of people left their seats for a good position just in front of the stage in anticipation of what was to follow.
Toots walked briskly on the stage in a red suit accompanied only by Raleigh (Ralphus Gordon). Jerry, the other Maytal, was in New York negotiating a tour. "Everybody Needs Somebody" started at double speed and ended at treble, forming an introduction to "Got To Be There", one of the delights of the trio`s new LP "In The Dark".
Toots is a bouncing red ball of energy exploding from within. He burns himself up, but never out, and the endless sweat comes pouring down. "In The Dark" is much more than the good catchy pop tune, it`s disguised as. When Toots sings "In the dark you cheat and lie/in the dark you want to fuss and fight" he`s being highly critical of the political, economic, and social ignorance and injustices which are the result of lack of faith, the inability to "see the light". According to Toots we`re all in the dark.
In "Time Tough" Toots persuades the audience to sing where the song goes "higher and higher". At this point the song could go on forever, so infectious is the melody and so spiritual is the feeling these words convey. "Country Roads" was followed by Otis Redding`s "Dreams To Remember".
Then "Broadway Jungle" erupted. It`s a song of a dog fight ("Dog War"), an almost frightening portrayal in music of the fever and intensity of Kingston`s concrete jungle. It`s not a song, it`s a physical and spiritual force, a sustained climax. During the excitement Toots took the guitar from Ranchie and played a few bluesy bars to the audience`s delight. He plays anything y`know.
They brought him and Raleigh back for "54-46 Was My Number" . . . "Put your hands in the air sir!" demanded Toots. The members of S. F. & B. trembled, arms held way above their heads as Toots held them up with his gun (fingers). Raleigh too jumped nervously when Toots pointed the gun at him. The youngsters sang and danced through "54-46". Skin Flesh And Bones` music sounded as if it was coming out of Coxsone`s Sound System. Toots, breathing hard and raining sweat, waved to the aroused audience and then he was gone.
Carl Gayle:
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
peace
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jah Rastafari
JAMAICA SHOWCASE: - PT. 10
Some Of JA`s Finest Hit Britaitn Recently.
Report By Carl Gayle: Pictures By Dennis Morris:
Hopefully the world will soon wake up to the immense talents of Frederick Hibbert, alias Toots of Toots And The Maytals. Those that know what he can do tend to take him for granted yet are still surprised by whatever he does. Those that are just getting to know about him are amazed. When Count Prince Miller introduced "Toots And The Maytals" at the Rainbow, the auditorium came to life as Skin Flesh And Bones played the strains of "Everybody Needs Somebody" and a number of people left their seats for a good position just in front of the stage in anticipation of what was to follow.
Toots walked briskly on the stage in a red suit accompanied only by Raleigh (Ralphus Gordon). Jerry, the other Maytal, was in New York negotiating a tour. "Everybody Needs Somebody" started at double speed and ended at treble, forming an introduction to "Got To Be There", one of the delights of the trio`s new LP "In The Dark".
Toots is a bouncing red ball of energy exploding from within. He burns himself up, but never out, and the endless sweat comes pouring down. "In The Dark" is much more than the good catchy pop tune, it`s disguised as. When Toots sings "In the dark you cheat and lie/in the dark you want to fuss and fight" he`s being highly critical of the political, economic, and social ignorance and injustices which are the result of lack of faith, the inability to "see the light". According to Toots we`re all in the dark.
In "Time Tough" Toots persuades the audience to sing where the song goes "higher and higher". At this point the song could go on forever, so infectious is the melody and so spiritual is the feeling these words convey. "Country Roads" was followed by Otis Redding`s "Dreams To Remember".
Then "Broadway Jungle" erupted. It`s a song of a dog fight ("Dog War"), an almost frightening portrayal in music of the fever and intensity of Kingston`s concrete jungle. It`s not a song, it`s a physical and spiritual force, a sustained climax. During the excitement Toots took the guitar from Ranchie and played a few bluesy bars to the audience`s delight. He plays anything y`know.
They brought him and Raleigh back for "54-46 Was My Number" . . . "Put your hands in the air sir!" demanded Toots. The members of S. F. & B. trembled, arms held way above their heads as Toots held them up with his gun (fingers). Raleigh too jumped nervously when Toots pointed the gun at him. The youngsters sang and danced through "54-46". Skin Flesh And Bones` music sounded as if it was coming out of Coxsone`s Sound System. Toots, breathing hard and raining sweat, waved to the aroused audience and then he was gone.
Carl Gayle:
BLACK MUSIC NOVEMBER 1974
peace
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Jah Rastafari
*Reggae Record Label Artwork*
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