Larry Marshall Showcase

artist: Larry Marshall

album: Showcase

label: Little Bird

tracks:

  1) Bredda Nancy bw Anancy Skank

  2) Can't you understand bw Locks of Dub

  3) Brand new baby bw Clash of Steel

  4) Captivity bw Version

  5) Come on baby bw Version

  6) Heavy heavy load bw Version

  7) How can I forget you girl bw Version

  8) I admire you bw Watergate Rock

  9) Jah jah hear my cry

10) Run Babylon bw Version

11) Serious Love bw Joyce

12) Thelma bw Still calling

Larry Marshall was a transformative figure in reggae music.  He began recording music in the early '60s for various producers but he had his greatest success with Clement Dodd at Studio One singing as a solo artist and as part of the duo Larry and Alvin. His music was huge in the Jamaican dancehalls of the late '60s and early '70s.  "Mean Girl", "Throw Me Corn", "Keep On Pushing" and "Nanny Goat" were dancehall mainstays.  Perhaps more importantly though, Larry Marshall worked as a Studio One engineer and he was one of the guys coaching the musicians, throwing out melodies and bass lines for the artist to jam on.  He didn't play an instrument.  He would hear the riddims in his head and sing them to the musicians like "Bassy mon play this!"   Many foundation reggae bass lines arose in Larry Marshalls mind.  Lord only knows how many songs have been sung to the "Throw Me Corn" riddim.  His song Nanny Goat is regarded by many as the record that initiated the transition from rocksteady to reggae.  It is claimed in fact that Larry Marshall is the person who came up with the term "reggae." "Reggae" he said, is how his mother used to say the word "regular."  Reggae music.. Regular music..  Could be... But as with all things reggae who knows.

Wikipedia says that in 1974 Clement Dodd offered Larry Marshall the head engineer job at Studio One but that Marshall declined the offer and left Studio One to begin releasing music as a solo artist.   He released the singles "I Admire You" and "Can't You Understand" on Carl Pitterson's Black and White label both of which had dub versions by King Tubby (included here).  Later Marshall split with Pitterson and set up his own "Amanda" label.  In 1975 Larry Marshall completed his self-produced album "I Admire You" and released a limited number of copies in Jamaica and the United Kingdom on the Java label.  During the period of 1974 to 1985 Discogs lists 36 singles released by Larry Marshall.  

I myself became aware of Larry Marshall when I bought the CD of "I Admire You." 

If you don't own this CD you pretty much have to get it.  

 You can buy it here.

I picked up my copy of the I Admire You CD as a blind buy in a little music shop in Pasadena sometime in the mid 1990's.  I had no idea at the time who Larry Marshall was.  I wasn't too impressed by the cover, but it was on the Heartbeat label and it was an inexpensive used CD, so I decided to give it a try.  One of those blind music buys that turned into an obsession.  I started buying everything by Larry Marshall that I could get my hands on.  I bought a ton of his singles from eBay and from record lists.  Some of the records were from Jamaican used record dealers and they came to my door in pretty shitty condition quite frankly, but I didn't care.  It was always a nice day when I got a Larry Marshall single in the mail.

Larry Marshall died in 2017 at the age of 75 of complications of Alzheimers.   He had received very little financial compensation for his music and it's a damn shame.  In later years he had left Jamaica and had moved to Miami where he worked as a day laborer on construction sites to support himself.  He had given the world beautiful music and the world had moved on.  He continued to record occasionally but certainly his music never brought him fortune.  Maybe one could argue that it was his own fault that he had never capitalized on his music.  History is filled with great artist who were inept when it came to the business end of their craft, and the music industry is filled with crooks, so Larry Marshall is not a unique story.  Life is not fair, for sure.  But still, it's a damn shame. 

When I knew I was coming to the Philippines I got rid of all of my singles.  Some I sold and others I gave to friends.  Everything in the Philippines rots with fungus and as much as I loved my singles I didn't want to see them ruined by tropical mold.  So, they're all gone.  

"We'll sing in the sunshine,

We'll laugh every day,

We'll sing in the sunshine,

Then I'll be on my way."

- Gale Garnett

Before I left however, I did manage to record a lot of my records.   I put together this showcase album from some my Larry Marshall 45's. There's a few snaps and crackles on some of the songs but it's all beautiful music. I'm posting the files for this album because I want people to hear the music.  If anyone has a problem with me posting these files and they have a legitimate claim, I will take them down but to be honest if you are so concerned about the royalties this music can bring, you probably should have thought about that when Larry was alive.

Until otherwise noted the files for this album can be found HERE.

OK, the evil money men have spoken.  The file has been taken down.  I hope you were one of the lucky people who downloaded this great alum while it was up.  

Larry Marshall

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Jacob Miller Greatest Hits

Don't give up, don't give up

The Roman soldiers of Babylon

are right behind us...

Jacob "Killer" Miller was taken from us way too soon.  

From what I've read one day Jacob Miller was hanging out with the Wailers band.  Accounts say he went on a pizza run and died in a car crash.  On Hope Road.  March 23, 1980.  At age 27.  A tragic loss.  The local newspaper wrote: "He took the world by storm and would be missed for his playfulness, gaiety and laughter."

RIP Jacob Miller

artist:  Jacob Miller

album: Greatest Hits!

label: Top Ranking International

side one

1 Standing firm

2 Tenement yard

3 Tired fe lick weed in a bush

4 Forward Jah Jah children

5 All night till day light

side two

1 Forward Ever

2 Roman soldiers of babylon

3 80,000 careless Ethiopians

4 I see the light

5 Peace on the earth again

Many people first become aware of Jacob Miller through his appearance in the movie "Rockers."  His performance of Tenement Yard is one of the great moments in Reggae cinema.  So let's watch it.

Jacob Miller was a likeable guy and charismatic performer.  He gained his nick name Jacob "Killer" Miller because he "Killed" all his competitors at concerts.

Jacob Miller got started early.  He hung out at Studio One studios as a youth and recorded three singles at the age of 13.  The song "Love is a Message" became a minor Jamaican hit. 

Nine years later in 1974 the then 22 year old Miller met Augustus Pablo.  Pablo was recording music on his own "Rockers" label at that time, and he suggested to Miller that they remake the song Love is a Message in a Rockers style.  The resulting "Keep on Knocking" is a reggae classic and IMHO great music.  

Here is the Greensleeves 12 inch.  A nice piece of vinyl to have if you can get your hands on it.

This Greatest Hits album I'm posting is a good selection of Jacob Miller's late 70's reggae singles.  It was put out on the Top Ranking International label in 1979 a year before Millers passing.  I've always had good luck with the Top Rankin International label by the way.  Always good solid roots music.  Top Rankin was the label that introduced Israel Vibration for example.  

I go through intense internal debates as to whether or not to post music files.  Blogspot massive what do you think?  Should I or shouldn't I? 

I take that as a yes answer.  Get it HERE

Update: I see that Mediafire has place a red check mark on this file that gives me the cryptic message "This file has been restricted due to copyright claims."  I always live in fear that the entire grooVemonzter set up is going to be taken down so I have to take this file down.  I hope you got here quick enough to be one of the 27 people who got the files.  If not let that be a lesson.  

"Dread out" - Jacob "Killer" Miller

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David Crosby live with Venice

 

artist: David Crosby with Venice

album: Jammin in the Canyon

year: 2004

David Crosby has moved on.

I know my blog is known for African and Reggae music but before all that, back in the 60s, I was a West Coast Hippie.  The albums "Crosby, Stills and Nash" and Neil Young's "After the Goldrush" pretty much summed up everything as far as I was concerned.

David Crosby had been beset with health issues in recent years but let's face it, it was a miracle that he made it past the 1960s.  Starting with the legendary Byrds and then CSNY, David Crosby was definitely a product of the sex, drugs and rock and roll 60s, and by all accounts he led the life fully.

David Crosby was a difficult man to live with.  It is not by chance that the bands he was associated with were as famous for their battles as for their music.  David Crosby was a larger-than-life character with a huge ego, but we cannot deny the fact that he was part of some of the best music to come out of a decade that was famous for its music.  Damn, we'll miss you David.

I found this CD at a thrift shop in the San Fernando Valley in 2016.  You never know what you'll find when you go hunting.  It was a homemade CD in a plain CD case with a handwritten cover: "David Crosby live with Venice."  I bought the CD for about two bucks and it's great.  It sounds like a soundboard recording.  It features David Crosby singing with the Los Angeles based band "Venice."  In the intro they mention that the show is part of "Jammin in the Canyon." Checking the internet, Jammin in the Canyon is a benefit show put on by Pacific Palisades High School and this performance was in 2004.  

I only put the David Crosby section on the video but if you want to hear the whole show get it HERE.

My favorite David Crosby story revolves around his relationship with the then unknown Joni Mitchell.

In 1967, after Crosby had been kicked out of the Byrds, he bought a sailboat and spent some time sailing around the Florida Keys.  One day after Crosby had anchored his boat he went into town and in his own words, "I walked into a coffee house in Coconut Grove, and she [Joni Mitchell] was standing there singing those songs and I just was Godsmacked."

David and Joni rapidly became involved, and she moved in with him on his sailboat.  The stories I've read tell of David and Joni sailing around the Caribbean on his sailboat singing songs together.  I wish we had those songs recorded.  

After a while Crosby decided that it was time for him to rejoin the real world, so he sold the boat and traveled back to California, with Joni.  He rented a place in Laurel Canyon and one night he threw a party for all of his record industry friends.  Into the party he said to everyone, "I have someone who I want you all to meet" and out came Joni Mitchell with her guitar. 

"This is Joni," Crosby said and Joni Mitchell proceeded to play her songs for everyone, for all the record executives, and all the artist, and all the hipsters hanging out, and by all accounts everyone was Godsmacked.

Crosby went on to arrange and produce Joni Mitchell's first album.  And the rest is musical history.

David Crosby and Joni Mitchell

Take care David.  Don't give God a hard time.

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Studio One Dub Store Special

 

album: Dub Store Special

label: Studio One

released: 1974

I used to drink entirely too much.  It's not something I'm particularly proud of.  I'm just telling you this as an historical fact that I can't deny and to establish the image of me quite often waking up in the morning with a pile of records that I had bought the night before in a drunken haze lying next to me.   

Many was the time that I quietly nursed a hangover with a cup of hot black coffee while I went through the nights haul in amazement.

I remember the morning I woke up to find King Sunny Ade's Original Syncro System lying by my side and what significance buying that record had to my later life.

But today we're taking about the album Studio One Dub Store Special.  

I found my copy of Dub Store Special sitting next to me one hungover morning in the 1980s.  What a beautiful thing it was.  I remember putting it on the turn table and having a listen to it while I brewed my second cup of java.  The music was understated and soothing.  Just what the doctor ordered.

I had the record in my collection for over 40 years.  I sold it last year before I came to the Philippines.  But before I sent it off I gave it one last spin and recorded it.  

Let's talk about Studio One.

Studio One was the brainchild of Clement "Coxsone" Dodd.  It was a record label and recording studio that is credited by most people as being the birthplace of modern Jamaican music.  So many of the famous Jamaican recording artist began their career as part of the Studio One stable.  Burning Spear, Dennis Brown, Leroy Sibbles, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Joseph Hill, Horace Andy, Lee Perry, Prince Buster, The Gladiators, The Maytals, The Heptones, the list goes on.  

Clement Dodd was by all accounts a cantankerous character.  And a penny pincher.  He was famous for putting out great records on cheep used vinyl.  Many of the Studio One records I bought were literally bumpy with left over chunks of unmelted vinyl.  But the music was so great that it was hard to complain.  When recording music perhaps the most important ingredient is the atmosphere of the studio and Studio One was the place to be.  Many Jamaican artist thought of Studio One as their home and their school.  But then again, many Jamaican artist to this day charge Dodd with becoming rich on their music while giving them little to no compensation.  So it goes.

Clement "Coxsone" Dodd standing outside his music shop in Jamaica

I bought this record at Rhino Records in Westwood.  I found it in the used reggae bin in a plain white sleeve.  Did Dodd put it out in a plain sleeve to save money or did the sleeve get lost before it was returned to the store?  Whatever.   It's actually a very nice pressing by Studio One standards and it's a record I have loved.   It features the version sides of various Studio One singles.  Lovely music.  I bought it for something like three bucks and sold it on Discogs for a pretty penny and a nice profit.  Coxsone would be pleased.  Lol

For the record, I got the images for the cover and the back sleeves off of Discogs.  I can't figure out how to determine who uploaded them but thank you to the uploader.

When I played it to record it I was amazed that it still played great after all these years.

Good bye old friend.

Also, for the record, I stopped drinking alcohol on the advice of a Judge in 1995.  Everyone here in the Philippines keeps offering me alcohol.  People are so friendly.  They offer me shots of whiskey and I tell them thank you, but I don't drink.  They ask me why, so I tell them it's because I once made a promise to a Judge.  

Last night a lovely Filipina said, "But the Judge isn't here now."

"Yes," I said, "But God is."

Cheers from the Philippines.

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Sir Shina Adewale Verse 2

artist: Sir Shina Adewale and His Superstars International

album: Super Star Verse 2

year: 1977

track listing:

Eyo Mo Wa

Ori Mi Gbemi Leke

Oluwa Yi Won Lokan Pada

Eda To Molak Kosi

A Dupe Emaseun Eni

Adura Mi Ti Gba

Ope Ni Fun Eledumare

Mi O Sojo Mo

Aigbagbo Bila

Tunde Bakare Balogun

Bola And Kamoru

I've moved to the Philippines and in the process I bought a new computer and I'm having all my files downloaded from Carbonite.  And look what came down!  Sir Shina Adewale Verse 2.  Wow.  It's like my Welcome to the Philippines gift.

I know I say things like this a lot but I had forgotten I had this video.  I must have pulled it off of Youtube sometime back.  If this is your video... Thank you.

It's been a while since I've posted any Juju music.  For those of you who have followed this blog you will remember that I started out posting Juju music.  Theophilus Iwalokun, Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, Prince Adekunle, Dele Abiodun and, Sir Shina Adewale.  When I first found Sir Shina Adewale's music they totally blew me away.  Their guitar work was and is sublime.  

Segun Adewale and Shina Peters were musicians playing with the great General Prince Adekunle in 1977 when they decided to strike out on their own.  They created the mythical character "Shina Adewale" by combining their names and proceeded to make some great music.  Over the next few years they produced nine albums.  When I first got into their music I hunted high and low and could only find Verse 1, Verse 4 and Verse 7.  This video that I'm posting here, that seems to have downloaded from heaven, is Verse 2.

Spoiler alert, I think we only get side one with this video.  But hey, that's better than a swift poke in the eye.

And oh, I got the images form Discogs.  I'm a bit of a pirate.  That's just the Filipino in me.

Cheers.

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Barrington Levy - Poor man style

 

When Dance hall was lovely.

album: Poorman Style

artist: Barrington Levy

musicians: Roots Radics

producer: Linval Thompson

mixed by Scientist

studio:Channel One

label: Clocktower/Abraham

How did Dancehall become Yellowman?

That is a question that has haunted me for 40 years.

Dancehall, the dancehall that I fell in love with, was so good. Those wicked Roots Radics rythms.  Producers like Linval Thompson and Junjo Lawes.  Artist like the Wailing Souls, Barrington Levy, Linval Thompson himself. The ever present Scientist mixing.  Channel One Studio.  Good music.  When Yellowman came out... It was like loss of Eden..

And I didn't even get the apple.

She Is The Best Girl

I get a tickle every time I see the "Abraham" logo.  A lot of people give Abraham a lot of grief.  Call him a bootleg label.  Say all sorts of ill things but I just want to say "Thank You Mr. Abraham."  Back in the 80s and 90s I purchased so much vinyl on that label.  So many great Channel One albums that I would have otherwise never found.  I'm glad to see he's still putting out material on CD.  Cheers.

edit Feb 9, 2023.  Can someone please tell me why, of all my posts, does this post get so many views?  I'm very curious.  

I Love I Love Her

Barrington Levy

Little Roy - Bongo Nyah

artist: Earl Lowe aka Little Roy

songs:  Jah can count on I b/w Bongo Nyah

label: Tafari

year: 1979

Technically speaking Bongo Nyah is the B side of this record but it was the song I was interested in when I bought this single. I found it one day in a used reggae bin in Chicago.  About blew my socks off.  I had been hunting for this record high and low for years and then there it was just sitting with the rest of the records.  It's moments like that that I feel a joy and the room spins a bit. 

Little Roy

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Sylford Walker and Welton Irie

artists: Sylford Walker and Welton Irie

album: Lamb's Bread International

label: Blood and Fire

Dreadful music.  Jamaica mid 1970s.  

Glenmore Brown productions. 

We're in the heart of Kingston's downtown on Gold Street, between East Queen Street and Harbor Street.  Yabby You is lurking in the shadows behind all the smoke.  Wicked a go run.

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Lamb's Bread

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Original Music Various Artist

 

artist: Various Artist

album: Reggae Revive Classic's

label: Original Music

year: 1997

recorded: 1976 - 1979

I don't think I've ever heard an Original Music production that I didn't like.  Roots music with that low budget air of authenticity.  This album has seriously good versions.  Credited to The Revolutionaries.  Great mixing.  Shades of King Tubby Uptown.  Classic.  Dread.  

Jah Woosh - Marcus Say and Version

Joseph Earlocks and The Revolutionaries - Free the Black Man Version

• Musicians:
• 
  
• Bass – Flabba*, Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace, Robbie Benbon, Style Scott
• Drums – Eric "Fish" Clarke, Sly Dunbar
• Horns – Hedly Bennet*, Georgie Sax
• Organ – Ansel Collins
• Percussion – Bongo Herman, Scully*
• Piano – Ansel Collins, Tarzan*, Snapping*
• Producer – Neville Beckford

Horace Andy - Tonight and Version

Michael Prophet - Zion Train and version

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