Category Archives: Lacksley Castell

Raver’s Album Pick of the Week!

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Hugh Mundell’s ‘Jah Fire’ feat. Lacksley Castell (Arawak)

Recorded in 1980 when Mundell was only 18 years of age, ‘Jah Fire’ is an album that spoke to me the very first time I heard it, and it has been a favorite of mine ever since.  Featuring the riddims of Mundell’s personal friend and spiritual advisor Augustus Pablo, the album was brilliantly produced at Jammy’s studio in Waterhouse by Jammy himself.  While the album is credited primarily to Mundell, it is Lacksley Castell who does the heavy lifting here, singing all but 3 of the songs.  I have read that when the album was recorded, Jammy recorded Mundell to the A side and Castell to the B side, intending to release it as a showcase of two young rising stars with very unique, yet similar singing styles.  I don’t know what happened after that.  What I DO KNOW is that this is one of the best roots reggae albums I’ve ever heard.

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Hugh Mundell – ‘Jah Fire’ (1980)

Jah Fire
Walk With Jah
King Of Israel
Be My Princess
Million Miles
My Woman Can
You Over There
Black Sheep
Million Dub
King Pablo
Pablo In The Moonlight

Mixing Engineer : Prince Jammy

Producer : Prince Jammy

Vocals : Lacksley Castell & Hugh Mundell
Drums : Santa Davis & Horsemouth Wallace & Sly
Bass : Robbie & Jah Mike
Guitar : Chinna & Bo-Peep Bowen & Bingy Bunny
Piano : Keith Sterling & Gladdy Anderson
Horns : Deadly Headly & Cedric Im Brooks & Bobby Ellis
Percussions : Scully Simms & Sticky

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Lacksley Castell ‘Morning Glory + Dub Tracks’ (Negus Roots, 1982)

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Repost:  This is a re-post from November 2, 2012.  This album is so good that I must share it here at least twice per year.  Better yet, I did a mix of the album which features the hard-to-find dub tracks immediately after each album track.  This is one of our most popular posts.
At the risk of blowing up my site too soon, this is probably the best share I can offer here.  If you are a fan of reggae, and you have never listened to Lacksley Castell’s ‘Morning Glory’ (Negus Roots, 1982), then you are about to discover an album which will reset your dial in terms of quality roots reggae.  Many of the melodies and riddims contained in this album sound almost divinely inspired.  It is a wonder how someone so young (Castell was only 20 years old when he composed the album) was able to deliver something so inspired, so groundbreaking, so monumental. Unfortunately, Castell would release only one more studio album before passing away in 1984 due to complications of asthma and tuberculosis.
I personally remastered the album, inserting at the end of each track the Sly and Robbie dub track.  The dub tracks to the album were released as ‘Dub Rockers Delight’ by Sly and Robbie the same year.  This vinyl LP is very rare and really expensive, however, it was re-released several years ago on compact disc under a different name.  Castell’s ‘Morning Glory’ was long out-of-print before it was re-released in 2005.  Because both albums were recently re-released, I am unable to provide a download link.  However, upon listening, I’m sure many of you will track these albums down.
Record date : 1982
Album style : roots, dancehall, solo vocal
Mixing Engineer : Errol Brown & Phillip Zadie & Steven Stewart
Engineer : Errol Brown & Steven Stewart & Crucial Bunny
Producer : Robert Flako Palmer
Vocals : Lacksley Castell
Studios :
Channel One (Kingston, JA) & Tuff Gong (Kingston, JA)
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1. Leaving plus Dub
2. Morning Glory plus Dub
3. Righteous Stand plus Dub
4. Message To My Woman plus Dub
5. Cold Winter Night plus Dub
6. Speak Softly plus Dub
7. Doctor Love plus Dub
8. Bound In Bondage plus Dub
9. Government Man plus Dub
10. Jah Love Dub

Pick of the Week: ‘Princess Lady’ by Lacksley Castell

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‘Princess Lady’ by Lacksley Castell is one of only two studio albums that he released in his short career.  Both albums are considered masterpieces of roots and culture reggae.  There simply aren’t many reggae albums that match Castell’s two albums: ‘Morning Glory’ (1982) and ‘Princess Lady’ (1983).  If you like these albums, you most assuredly should check out Hugh Mundell’s ‘Jah Fire’ which features Lacksley Castell.
Like I did with ‘Morning Glory,’ I mixed at the end of each album track the rare dub versions by Mad Professor.  You will not find anything like this on the web.  Enjoy!

Mixing Engineer : Mad Professor
Recording Engineer : Mervyn Williams
Arranger : Lacksley Castell & Robert Flako Palmer & Dean Fraser
Producer : Robert Flako Palmer
Vocals : Lacksley Castell
Drums : Mikey Boo Richards
Bass : Ranchie
Lead Guitar : Duggie
Rhythm Guitar : Lloyd Willis & Duggie
Organ : Robert Lynn
Piano : Ansel Collins
Synthesiser : Robert Lynn
Horns : Dean Fraser & Nambo Robinson
Percussions : Alvin Haughton
Strings : Robert Lynn
Studios :
Mixing : Ariwa (London, UK)
Recording : Aquarius (Kingston, JA)