Isaac Hayes - Tough Guys,Truck Turner,The Men

Here's a spotlight on some of Isaac Hayes' productions from the early 70's. Isaac's orchestral funk and soul productions for the movie industry really shaped the sound of movie soundtracks in the early 1970's, especially the crime/action genre. Anyways, we all know Isaac from his Shaft soundtrack, but here's a few you might not know of. The first selection is the title theme from his 1974 soundtrack from the movie Three Tough Guys, which Isaac apparently stars in, along with The Hammer, Fred Williamson, I have not had the pleasure of seeing this particular film yet. The Title Theme is a classic example of uptempo orchestral soul/funk. Following the title theme to Three Tough Guys, we have Isaac's theme to the 1972 ABC TV crime drama series, or actually mini-series The Men, again tight driving orchestral funk, you cant help but think of a crime drama when your hear this kind of music. Next up is the theme from Truck Turner, which Isaac stars in again. Its actually a good movie, worth checking out just for the music, clothes and cars alone! I've now seen online and I'm sure in your local record store as well, a double CD set with Truck Turner & Three Tough Guys soundtracks packaged together. Anyways, The Theme From Truck Turner fails to disappoint especially the orchestral break about midway through. I had a hard time choosing the last one, Three Tough Guys has a lot of great cuts on it but again I'm a sucka for those big orchestral stabs and breaks so I picked Buns O' Plenty, I know most of the funkateers prefer cuts like Red Rooster or Joe Bell but you'll have to (preferably) dig for it or buy the CD! You can hear the tunes at
http://www.badongo.com/file/1869880

U-Roy, Mykal Rose, Luciano, Early One - Fisherman Riddim

The Congoes' "Row Fisherman Row" is one of the most haunting songs and riddims out there, and more so given Lee Perry's hand at the mixing board, well its certainly not new news that Blood & Fire in connection with Rhythm & Sound voiced a slew of new versions which can be found on the L.P. set called Fisherman Style, and recently they started to put out some of those cuts on 7". Heres a showcase starting with Daddy U-Roy with "Fisherman Style" who still sounds like he has a lot to say, some I dunno 36 or so years since his first recordings, compare him with how he sounds on the "TrueTrueTrue" post below...like fine wine I'm tellin ya. Next up is Mykal Rose, "Let Your Love" has him in classic form, but for my money Luciano blows the doors off of any of these versions. In a tribute vocally & lyrically to Dennis Brown on "I'm Going Home", Luciano absolutly murders this riddim start to finish. This man is clearly in charge and has taken the place in the Reggae world once held by Bob Marley & Dennis and I think he'll be around with us for a lot longer than Bob or Dennis. Early One brings his toast "Jig Jig Jig" to the mix in a fine style, representing the modern version of the DJ tradition handed down to us from originators like U-Roy.
From time to time I read or hear criticism of versioning in reggae, "its all the same" etc, etc, but I'm tellin you, if its a timeless riddim like "Fisherman" than I say the more the better, some cuts I could hear a hundred versions and still want to hear more, I could go on and point out the similarities to versioning in jazz or hip-hop but I'm sure its all academic to those of you reading this, in the mean time goto http://www.badongo.com/file/1195320 and check out "Fisherman Style"

True, True, True - Ken Parker, U-Roy, Papa Ritchie

Treasure Isle time people! This is a showcase of Ken Parker's "True True True", first up is Daddy U-Roy riding Ken's vocal, this cut is from the Version Galore Vol.2 l.p. on Trojan(TBL175) and I'm sure its on one of the MANY Treasure Isle C.D. complilations out there. Next is Papa Ritchie with "Annie Palmer" - not sure if this is in reference to the Palmer family of PAMA & Jetstar fame or not, I have a PAMA 7" from 1970 somewhere titled "Annie Pama", can't remember who the artist is on that one, but I don't know who Annie Palmer or Pama is in reference to. The last version is the original vocal cut "True,True,True" by the great foundation singer Ken Parker. I know this is on 7" but the one you are hearing is from his tour de force l.p. on Trojan(TRLS80) titled Jimmy Brown.

SIDENOTE: For an extensive interview with Ken Parker I strongly recommend you goto
http://www.reggae-vibes.com/ and go to the ARTICLES section, there is an excellent, very informative interview, an absolute must read!




Download the mix at
http://www.badongo.com/file/1869880

15-16-17 Someone Special

OK, now heres an absolute BOOM SHOT..in the mid 70's Dennis Brown relocated to London, while there he linked up with Castro Brown (no relation) and started the DEB label. This occurred right at the same time a new style of Reggae called Lover's Rock was being popularized in the UK. Teenager Louisa Marks was riding high with blues party favorites like "6, Sixth Street" (that particular riddim was popularized again in the 90's with Fashion Records versions by Janet-Lee Davis and Peter Hunningale) "Caught you in a lie" and "Keep it Like It Is". Well, Dennis and Castro smelled a good thing (along with other producers like Leonard Chin, Lloyd Coxsone and Dennis Bovell) and put together three teenage girls from London, Sonia Willaims(15), Christine Mcnabb(16), and Wraydene Mcnabb(17) and had them record "Something Special" along with 9 other tracks that ended up on the "Magic Touch" L.P.

Now "Something Special" really is something special, for all you Dennis Brown fans you'll hear what I believe is the first version of "Something Special" which Dennis himself revisited in the 80's, and itself is a sweet lovers tune, but for me the 15-16-17 version is the definitive one. Castro Brown has repressed this L.P. and its not hard to find, check Ernie B's.

Also, a quick side note regarding Lovers Rock, I constantly see in the crates and online releases that say "Classic Lovers" , or "Lovers Rock" etc..you know most of these that I see are NOT real Lovers. Let me explain, the majority of so-called lovers releases that you find (especially in the US, not so much in the UK) are really what I would call "rub-a-dub", just because its a love song sung by Lukie D, or Mikey Spice, or whoever, doesn't make it "Lovers". A tune like "Sarah" by Frankie Paul is a great love song, great riddim, but its not Lovers. You could sum up Lovers in a nutshell and say it sounds like a Philly Soul ballad played over a fat reggae bassline, it usually has a soulful kind of intro, not just straight riddim like "rub-a-dub". Also as a generalization, the majority if not all Lovers releases come out of the UK, for reasons that I am not clear on, Lovers just never took hold in JA or NYC.

Cotton Comes To Harlem

Inspired by the 1970 comedic Blaxploitation movie " Cotton Comes To Harlem " heres Winston Wright & The Crystalites ode to the saga of Cotton Ed and Gravedigger Jones! Much like the Spaghetti-Western inspired reggae insturmentals of the era, Blaxploitation flicks were ripe with imagery that found its way onto Jamaican wax. That's Derrick& Scotty on the intro: "I'm Cotton Ed" and "I'm the Gravedigger"..."Cotton Comes to Harlem" This is actually a Hammond version of Derrick Harriot's "Lolipop Girl". While the US had its own Hammond organ grinders like Jimmy Smith, Johnny Hammond, Jimmy Mcgriff, etc, Jamaica gave just as good as it got with the likes of Winston Wright, Gladstone Anderson, Jackie Mittoo, Ansel Collins, etc.Looks like its available on repress , I picked this nugget up years ago from Reggae Revive in London, another sublime Hammond reggae cut!