Roots Archives Forum

Hi everyone,

I've been lurking on this board for more than 10 years. It's been a great source of inspiration for me, especially the threads like 'what are you listening to now", etc, that I often follow up on for new selections.

I'm selecting for a party at my friend's bar. We're doing a "Congo" jungle themed party that will feature heavy Roots Reggae, Dub. The kind of stuff I'll be playing:

Congo 'Heart of the Congos' (selected tracks)
Keith Hudson selected tracks
Yabby You selected tracks
Lots of Lee Perry

So you get the idea. I've got a play list of several hours already, but I thought I'd turn to the expertise on this board for some additional selections that I may not know of. Would anyone have any SPECIFIC tracks that come to mind for this type of party? I'm looking to nice up the dance with some hot tracks in this mold. (No dancehall or digital stuff...we're going for deep, deep roots and dub with natural analog sound that conjures a feeling of being deep in the Congo.)

Well if it's a Congo jungle theme you may want to add the sounds of gun fire & explosions, kidnapped girls & woman crying & the screams of animals being killed for bush meat - just to make it that little more realistic....

Quite a strange joke JJ

It maybe KPS, but sadly the truth in many parts of the mother continent.

j j

p.s i'm also a strange guy.

j j wrote:p.s i'm also a strange guy.

Aren't we all hehe.

On topic: Congos, Hudson, Yabby You, Perry sounds like an epic selection to me. Me personally, I'd add some early/mid 70s Tubby dub versions to the mix.

So when and where is the party?

Hhh, yes, in the end we're all strange

On topic : some tunes which comes to mind :
Black Ark In Dub - Cool Rockers
Black Ark In Dub - Money
Watty Burnett - Open The Gates
Bongo Herman - African Breakfast
Chosen Brothers - Mango Walk
Leroy Wallace - Far Beyond
God Sons - Merry Up
Linval Thompson - Sukumaka
Little Dread - Natty Dread On The North Coast

Enjoy the party

Thanks, King Patti, for the specific suggestions. I'm going to check all of those tracks.

Gabranth, the party will be next month at a Tiki bar in Beijing, China. The place is heavily frequented by ex-pats. I choose the soundtrack for the bar. Mostly its Exotica and any and all grooves from the '70s (Afrobeat, Highlife, Cumbia, Italian Cinetrax, Latin Beats, etc, etc...). I'm going to be there in person for this "Congo Jungle Show", though, so I want the place grooving.

Would welcome more suggestions on specific tracks. I guarantee I will check all of them and play many.

Slightly unrelated. But I will be in Shanghai next month (12th to 18th and then I leave for Japan). Do you know anywhere I could check activities there?

@ highplaindrifter, Lumumbo by Bonny and Skitter (on Soul Jazz Studio One Roots vol. 1) mentions the Congo in the lyrics and is a deep roots nyabinghi-style track. Very serious song though, not really what you could call party music!

kalcidis wrote:Slightly unrelated. But I will be in Shanghai next month (12th to 18th and then I leave for Japan). Do you know anywhere I could check activities there?

Hi, kalcidis. I'm very familiar with the happenings in Beijing, but not been to Shanghai in almost a decade. I'm sure you'll enjoy your visit, though.