Roots Archives Forum

This is something I've wondered about for a long time.
I think I read something somewhere a few years ago (sorry, can't remember the source) that LP did let out the Black Ark to a few select producers every once in a while.

I know Tappa Zukie was one, and there is no doubt that August Pablo did some work there.

I find this really interesting because the sound of the studio is so evident in for example Tappa's production of Prince Alla's 'Bosrah' and what distinguishes it from a full blown Perry production is the lack of over the top phasing, Echoplex etc. that LP would have used. The drum sound is so unique - many have remarked on this.

Anyone else know of other non LP Black Ark recordings?
Anyone share my curiosity?
And, how would this process have worked? I'm guessing that the basic tracks would have been recorded at Black Ark and then vocal overdubs - possible brass overdubs too done elsewhere. I really don't know, so don't quote me!

Out of several thousand reggae and dub tracks that I know and love, I can only come up with maybe four such tracks.

The Pablo track(s) I'm thinking of is on the Hugh Mundell Africa Must be Free album.

Bosrah is just a f%#king monster track. Love it to the end of time.
Hope this tickles your brains as a discussion...
Respect

Augustus Pablo - east of the river nile ( the tune, not the complete album )

I heard some time ago that the tune *Nowhere* by Ras Danhi, produced by David Madden, was recorded there at the Black Ark... or wait... maybe it was recorded elsewhere and just mixed there; can't remember it right.
But this information about the Kingston Connexion release is quite interesting, because the sound has some mystic vibes&sounds that could have been created at the Ark.
Anyway, it was backed by Zap-Pow, group that had some connexion with David Madden and Lee Perry's studio.

PS: who produces Zap Pow 1977's hit *Last War* at Black Ark?

Respects brothers

Last War was produced by David Madden..

A curious thing is that if you look at popsike, you can see a lot of copies from the 12" cut, all of them have been labeled 'recorded at black art' but at all copies this has been covered/deleted by Swastikas.

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/6702/lastwarvo5.jpg
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/9496/lastwar3lf5.jpg
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/5356/zappow1mb9.jpg

except for the 12" that says 'treasure isle'.....
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/6051/lastwar2ww7.jpg

and according to RNR it was also released on the High Note label which credits Sonia Pottinger as the producer.

all very interesting - yes the Zap Pow thing...hmmm...more listening to do!
And a bit of vinyl digging...

i suspect that some tunes generally considered to be perry productions might actually have been done by others

a sure thing is that alot of tunes were MIXED at the black ark and not record there, i believe that's the case with most of dennis brown's(excellent) "wolf and leopard" album

I think I've read somewhere that Gregory Isaacs' Mr Cop was a Black Ark but non Lee Perry product.

["River" or "Rivers of Mystery"](http://www.smokeyroom.net/images/bigup/ ... zappow.jpg) was a Zap Pow production. Though this 'piece of art'doesn't quite fit in of a non LP Black Ark recordings. Although it wasn't produced by Scrtach, it was heavily mixed by him.
Same goes for [Happy Birthday Jamaica](http://www.smokeyroom.net/images/bigup/07inch/tulsa.jpg)
Although a non Perry production, it does have a heavily mixed dubversion on the flipside.

A few more:

[Joy Of The Earth](http://www.smokeyroom.net/images/bigup/ ... vessel.jpg)
[Open Book](http://www.smokeyroom.net/images/bigup/ ... giment.jpg)
[Heads ago Roll](http://www.smokeyroom.net/images/bigup/ ... kworld.jpg)
[What a Situation](http://www.smokeyroom.net/images/bigup/ ... sroots.jpg)

Some of the very nice "Message from the Meditations" lp, produced by Dobby Dobson was recorded at Black Ark and according to RA engineered by LP, though it doesn't say so on the United Artists release that I have. Mind you if it had been released today it would have had "Lee Perry presents the Meditations" or something like that plastered all over it!

Great album albeit with those weird backward tape noises over some of the tracks.

There are dozens - probably hundreds - of songs that were recorded at the Black Ark but were not produced by Scratch. Producers Pete Weston, Phil Pratt, Rupie Edwards and others used the Black Ark to record, so there are tunes with Black Ark connections scattered all over the place. Two good examples are the Slickers Breakthrough album and Jamaica Serenade by Rupie Edwards. Trying to compile a list of all of them is almost impossible, but Ron at Smokey Room has done a very good job of listing everything he can find with a Lee Perry connection:

http://www.smokeyroom.net/index1.html