Here is a great 7″ from our good friend Steve Barrow’s Blood & Fire label. Their last release was an album featuring our favorite reggae artists singing or toasting over Lee “Scratch” Perry’s legendary “Fisherman” riddim, made famous by The Congos’ “Row Fisherman Row” off the ‘Heart Of The Congos’ album. This 7″ features Luciano blessing the riddim with his vocal and U-Roy toasting the riddim on the flip side.
PLUS MILTON HENRY IN THE BLACK ECHOES ARCHIVES!
Heavy, heavy dread vibes from the Black Ark. Milton Henry, who just released a new 12″ produced by Roberto Sanchez on Iroko Records, is perhaps best known for his Wackies classic “Who Do You Think I Am?”
Vital Upsetter riddim and Black Echoes article courtesy of MIDNIGHT RAVER’S Peter van Arnhem.
After rocksteady followed ska there was more room in the newly minted reggae sound for harmonies to shine through. The Mighty Diamonds forged their heavenly three part vocals during that key period, as the 60s turned 70s, and uncorked joyful eruptions of listening epiphanies everywhere. In this newly mastered premiere radio program Tabby, Bunny & Judge sing one of their very first gems “Mash Up” as well as perform spectacularly on several other scarce seven inch singles & dubs, like this personal favorite “Identity” with its refrain about the people being astray as lonely sheep. The Diamonds were in the rough; tough and tight somewhere nearby tuned in, recovering from a long flight from Jamaica into Northern California and preparing for rehearsals with Phone Bill, local reggae pros, for an upcoming massive major venue West Coast tour put on by Turk Arsenault for Strictly Rockers International (tour flyer below) starting a few days later in Santa Cruz. The Mighty Diamonds were set to play the Oakland Municipal Auditorium, the same venue Bob Marley had just played his last, what turned out to final bay area concert the previous October. Reggae is on the move like never before in California & the around the world and I & I Are There!
Dreadcasting & streaming liquid musical jewels with daily 21st Century Midnight Dread programs at 12am including deja views often heard in Wendt’s Best of All Worlds slot when noon is high. Become conscious with the indigenous sounds of Native Son Rising curated by Doug everyday at 6am (all Pacific Times). Explore more Midnight Dreadness here.
Here’s Peter Tosh live at The Roxy in L.A. in 1979 plus Toots & The Maytals live just a few days before this 33 years ahead Midnight Dread aired its fierce radio show Mikey Dread Salute on KTIM, the natty North Bay noise, plus a cavalcade of seven inch Jamaican singles from Debonair’s “Across Trench Town” and The Heptones & Lee Perry’s “Sufferer’s Time/Dub” to The Mighty Diamonds’ “Release The Chains” single mix of “Gotta Get Away”. It’s the week Saturday Night Live did a skit on KTIM radio but in their version of the station it was ‘K-Time, All-Time, All The Time’ as every new minute is announced with glee & nuance. Meanwhile on the real KTIM Sunday night brings reggae music in droves minute by minute with the week’s Reggae Calendar promising a free Memorial Day “Last Blast On The Grass” in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park at Marx Meadows with Jah Love & Sweet Tommy in a benefit/signature gathering event for NORML & CMI-80. The absolute highlight of the program is Joe Higg’s heartfelt rendition of his amazing love song “My Devotion (Has A Definition)”. Definitely! One Love every One.
Dreadcasting & streaming liquid musical jewels with daily 21st Century Midnight Dread programs at 12am including deja views often heard in Wendt’s Best of All Worlds slot when noon is high. Become conscious with the indigenous sounds of Native Son Rising curated by Doug everyday at 6am (all Pacific Times). Explore more Midnight Dreadness here.
33 years ahead Midnight Dread with The Sound of The Century including Neville Martin’s “The Message” 7″ (as featured throughout Jeremy Marre’s fine documentary on prime music time in Jamaica ROOTS ROCK REGGAE) plus “Hotter Fire”-Big Youth, “Punk Reggae”-Jah Lloyd, “Mad Mad Skank”-Dillinger, “Tear It Up”-Roland Alphonso, “Cleopatra Dance”-Prince Buster, a “Night Boat To Cairo” and other avenues of escape from Babylon. If it’s Sunday Midnight it’s time to get dread. Drop ins by Mikey Dread. Music via Jah. Without any apology. Dub out.
Dreadcasting & seriously streaming 21st Century Midnight Dread programs daily at 12am with repeats often in Doug’s Best of All Worlds noon slot. Go Native Son Rising everyday with Wendt at 6am (all Pacific Times). Explore more MDness here.
