Rasta Showcase

RASTA SHOWCASE To satisfy the appetite of the local market, reggae began to invent different production and recording systems which became specific features of this delectable music made in the studios of Jamaica. All this effervescence began at the start of the seventies with King Tubby, the mentor of dub who gave the form its full expression, leading to the automatic issue of singles with an instrumental of the same track on the B side, remixed with echo vocal and fader effects. King Tubby, the "dub master", opened up the way for a whole series of classic albums with appropriate names like "Herb Dub", "Ital Dub" and "Dub Wise" and the historic encounters between sound engineers in "King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown" and "King Tubby Meets the Upsetters". Dub Became so popular that producers built a whole industry around it, supplying limited pressings of dubs to the sound systems. Thus, in the mid-seventies Channel One introduced the first 12 inch singles, also known as disco singles, to prolong the charm of the dub technique even further. Then came the "showcase", an album with about three tracks on each side followed by their respective dubs or DJ versions (since then, compact disc technology has greatly increased the number of possible tracks). All these techniques formed the basis of the "Rasta Showcase", synonymous with rarities issued on singles, maxi-singles or compiled from album tracks (vocal dub versions). Clearly, this form of emulation primarily benefited the producers, who could put out a track in different forms (vocal, dub, DJ), but never mind, this situation worked in favour of the whole of reggae music which also began to play around with different styles: the "flying cymbal" of 73 led onto the "rockers" sound of 76 and "rub a dub" in the eighties. Jamaicans now possessed all the secrets of studio craft, despite the rudimentary facilities at hand. "Rasta Showcase" is also a sample of the work of four prolific producers of the seventies and eighties: the late JJ Johnson, Bunny "Striker" Lee, Niney "The Observer" and, above all, Tommy Cowan. J.J. JOHNSON ------------ JJ. Johnson is famous for his recordings of The Ethiopians (Esoldun LG 1086 and 1088), produced between 1968 and 1972 on the edges of rock steady and reggae. A little later, J.J. Johnson converted Winston Wright's and Ansel Collins' Instrumentals into dub version, often injecting a "roots" percussion sound. This approach can already be seen in 1969-70 with the single "One". The band later recorded "Writing On The Wall" for the Mam Roots label. Like JJ Johnson, Winston "Niney" Holmes, aka The Observer, of was one the producers who contributed to the political, rebellious side of reggae. His first hit with Junior Byles in 1971, was called "Blood and Fire". Niney also produced the Ethiopians' classic "Slave Call". He worked not only with top singers (Dennis Brown, Horace Andy) and DJs (Big Youth, Dillinger) but also with lesser known artists like The Jewels "One Lick" came out on the Observer label. BUNNY LEE --------- It is hard to talk about Bunny Lee (Like Niney) without associating him with King Tubby. After learning dub techniques with Duke Reid, Lee Perry and Augustus Pablo, King Tubby pushed the new effects provided by the mixing desk even further. Starting in 1973, he innovated constantly with the Aggrovators (Bunny Lee's house band). Together, they "patented" the famous "flying cymbal" beat introduced by the Robbie Shakespeare/Santa Davis rhythm section. Bunny Lee was a tutor to established artists like Derick Morgan but also to younger ones like Horace Andy, Ronnie Davis, Cornel Campbell and above all, Johnny Clarke. With the latter, Bunny Lee began recording (in 1974) an incredible quantity of tracks and covers of standards by the Paragons, Bob Marley and Burning Spear. This splendid "Peace and Love in the Ghetto" was issued on the Weed Beat label in 1978. TOMMY COWAN ----------- "Rasta Showcase" gives pride of place to Tommy Cowan (The Jamaicans). Before becoming a well-known producer, Tommy Cowan was a member of The Jamaicans and on this basis alone deserves several pages in the history of rock steady. Tommy Cowan's productions in the mid-seventies were issued on the Top Ranking label and mostly involved the Fatman Ridim Section (formerly Inner Circle). Tommy Cowan also had a more commercial approach, with Jacob Miller for instance, and a more cultural approach with Ras Michael's Nyabinghi. The track by Winston "Electric Dread" McAnuff is taken from the album "What The Man a Deal Wid", while the David Jahson track dates from 1978 and comes from "Natty Chase the Barber". The "Mr. Scientist" and "A Different Song" maxi-singles date from 1980 and, to end up Israel Vibration, which is still as authentic as it was at the time. "Never Gonna Hurt Me Again" came out in 1981. "Rasta Showcase" may deal with techniques, producers and music but clearly it is primarily dedicated to Rastafarianism. Franck Jacques -------------------------------------------------- Errata: Track duration of 10 "Never Gonna Hurt Me Again (Maxi Version)" is listed as 3:48 Most of the producer credits on the back cover are listed erroneous. Entered correctly in the credits section.