Here we have another 7″ from my collection. Delroy Williams “Idren Feel Nice,” produced by Augustus Pablo, features Williams’ vocal over a classic Augustus Pablo rockers riddim – pure niceness this one. The version on the flip side is murderous. Just check the drum shots at the end. Sounds like someone cuttin’ loose with a sawed-off shotgun…Deep roots vibes here.
Also included are 3 articles from New Musical Express and Melody Maker published 1976 which refer to Pablo and roots rockers reggae.
I have been very impressed with the quality of reggae represses over the past 2 years. Real quality roots reggae, pressed to decent vinyl, and sold at a very reasonable price. This is one of the outstanding represses that Brooklyn’s Deeper Knowledge is responsible for.
Prince Junior’s self-produced “Girl For All Seasons” is originally released circa 1980 on 12″ and LP. Deeper Knowledge pressed it for the very first time to 7″ vinyl. Great heavy roots lovers, as played back in the day by and specially requested on dubplate by Jah Shaka. This one a mad Shaka steppas anthem….
Today I’m sharing a selection of several vital 7″ and 12″ singles from my collection. Some are original presses and some are recent represses.
Here is another great 7″ from my collection. Dennis Brown’s “My Time” released on the Observer label. Wicked version on this one. Enjoy!
Here is a 12″ repress on Lee “Scratch” Perry’s Black Ark label. The tune, Righteous Flame’s “Jah Jah Words” is actually the B-side to LSP’s “Silver Locks” 12″. Great tune with an even better version.
Here is a repress of Prince Far-I’s “Red Sea” on the Coptic Lion label. Coptic Lion has repressed some great tunes lately and the vinyl and sound quality are superb.
Here is a repress of Horace Andy’s “Children of Israel” recently released on the Pressure Sounds label. An Augustus Pablo production.
Here we have another Pressure Sounds repress. Don Prendes’ “Ska-Ba-Doo-Be-Day” on 7″ heavyweight vinyl.
Another deadly Wackies tune from Joe Morgan. This one is straight killer with no filler. “Basement Session” on the City Line/Wackies imprint.
A gorgeous slab of roots from the production team of Michael and Geoffrey Chung. Mikey Chung wrote and arranged the song and the production by Geoffrey Chung is totally sympathetic to Keith Goode’s excellent vocal delivery. This is the first time this tune has been re-issued since it originally appeared in the mid 70s. The first pressing is limited to just 600 copies on 7″ and comes in a re-cycled Pressure Sounds sleeve and hand-stamped bag. An absolute belter of a song that has been versioned in recent years. But this is the original. Mastered to perfection in all its original glory.
Readers of this blog know that I am a Hugh Mundell devotee and I collect anything and everything that has his name attached to it. As a reggae collector, sometimes you just come across pure gold, and when you do, there is nothing like it in the world. I picked this rare gem up for $5.00. Those familiar with Mundell’s masterpiece debut album ‘Africa Must Be Free By 1983′ will recognize this tune as “My Mind,” the second track on the a-side. I’m assuming that this is either an earlier version (but I doubt it because the mix sounds identical) of “My Mind,” or a simple misprint. Either way, there aren’t many of these around.
The scan of the 7″ vinyl disc below and in the video is the actual copy from my collection. As you can see, it is pressed to the Pablo International label. The only other one I’ve seen has a label printed in red/pink. Who knows, there could be a bunch of these floating around. It could be an original, or maybe a repress from the eighties. Like I said, I could find nothing on this one.
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.
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
