Bim Sherman
was quite simply my guide to roots reggae having first seen and heard him
play with Adrian Sherwoods On U Sound System in the 1980’s. The awareness
of reggaes rich history and personal began here with him. I became fascinated
in the spiritual quality of his voice and his simple direct lyricism.
I
was fortunate to have met Bim through his Century record label and had the
opportunity of meeting his children and his wife Hyacynthe. I shared the same
fascination for his vocals that others had for the greats such as Nat King
Cole. His passing was sudden and unexpected, his musical history remains in
tact through his many friends and colleagues.
Rest In
Peace
Smart
Monkey
Artist
: VARIOUS ARTISTS
Title
: NU SHOOTS INNA ROOTS ( VOCAL STYLE )
Label
: FREE RADICAL SOUNDS
Format
: C.D / DBLE VINYL
Available
in the shops from 04/02/02. 'Nu Shoots Inna Roots'
our third compilation album celebrates the diversity of vocal style & riddim
in the influential, yet under exposed roots reggae scene. We have sourced
some fine cuts from the cream of contemporary roots artists. Most of this
stuff has never been available to album buyer and all has been thoroughly
road tested on the Free Radical Sound System.
Nu Shoots Inna Roots ( Vocal Style ) is a collection
of outstanding vocal performances from both fresh young talents such as Danny
Vibes and Bobo BlackStar as well as contemporary classic tracks from respected
elders of the scene.
bimble@freeradicalsounds.com
FULL
TRACK LISTING
( Red text indicates link to exclusive
interview with F.R.S or artist profile)
VIBRONICS
FEATURING BONEY L: Positive Direction
KNATTY
P & RDK HI-FI: Arrival Pt 2
DANNY
VIBES / DUBWISE PRODUCTIONS : Nah Give Up
ANTHONY
JOHNSON / JAH WARRIOR : Africa
STEVE
ITAL: Dangerman
GARY
JAMES & THE GOLDMASTER ALL - STARS: Jah Don’t Let Me Down
DEVON RUSSELL / MANASSEH: Underground
ROBERT
LEE: Stride
JUNIOR
MURVIN / DUBWISE PRODUCTIONS : Wiseman
JAH
FREE: Creation Blues
WAYNE
MCARTHUR: Jah MessenJah
MIKE
BROOKS / STINGRAY: Over Yander
BOBO
BLACKSTAR: Clean Hands
PRINCE
ALLAH & THE DISCIPLES: One Bright Day
NU
SHOOTS INNA ROOTS - DUB VERSIONS
OUT
NOW
READ
THE REVIEW
Also
check these Nu Shoots Inna Roots related links :-
Artist
: AFRICAN BROTHERS
Title : WANT SOME FREEDOM
Label : EASY STAR RECORDS
Format : C.D.
Having
recently purchased the reissued Righteous Kingdom
seven inch single. I looked forward to receiving this through the post from
New York’s Easy Star Records.
First
a history lesson : The African Brothers were
a vocal harmony trio formed in 1969 by Sugar Minott,
Tony Tuff and Derrick Howard AKA
Eric Bubbles. In the seventies as a group the African Brothers recorded
for Rupie Edwards, Coxsonne Dodd, Winston Blake and
Micron Music among others. Backed up by the likes of Sly
and Robbie, Aston and Calton Barrett and The
Soul Syndicate Band the guys scored big hits with Righteous
Kingdom, Lead Us Father, Party Night and Hold
Tight. All of which are thankfully contained here. Throughout the seventies
The African Brothers would record numerous sides, many of which would mash
up the dance every time they hit the deck. By the end of the decade all three
members had started carving out successful solo careers and the group folded
without ever recording a full length album. Most the songs on this compilation
have never been released on CD and have rarely been heard outside of Jamaica.
‘Lead
Us Father’ reveals a ‘diamond in the rough’ quality to the recordings
and opens the album with strong horn vocal harmony lines backed up by subtle
binghi percussion. An upful intro. to this wicked album. The pure seventies
skank that is ‘Torturing’ is followed by it’s
awesome original dub version. A trick that is employed on only two other tunes
on the album. It works particularly well here with its sweet guitar lines,
walking bass line and upful riddim. Other highlights include the title track
‘Want Some Freedom’ which judging by it’s slightly
distorted recording quality is one of the rarer cuts probably lifted from
an original vinyl platter. This does nothing to distract attention from this
rare master piece, which is already captivating the dancefloor. A particular
favorite of yours truly is ‘Practice What You Preach’
both for it’s message and driven riddim. A message for all the hypocrites
of the world. Also the hypnotic charm of the slow paced and thoughtful ‘Things
And Time’ is another winner and playout favorite. ‘Righteous
Kingdom’ stands out for its strong flute melody, subtle Nyabingi style
percussion and call and response vocal parts. Lastly ‘Lead
Us Dub’ closes the album in fine upful style. What a shame there’s
probably not a lot more recordings from this unique vocal trio in existence.
Title : LIVACATION
Label : SCOOPS
Format : 12"
Scoops
is the new home grown label set up and run by Steve Vibronics
this the first release on label has four cuts on a super strong riddim produced
by Steve. Cut one Livacation voiced by Tena
Stelin tells of how in these difficult times we all need to look
deep in ourselves to find Jah deep within. Cut two is a truly uplifting
melodica cut from Vitamin M. Joyous and strident
this cut does not disappoint. M’s melodica rides the crest of the upbeat
riddim in fine style. Somewhat confusingly cut three is also listed as ‘Livacation’
even though it has a completely different lyric. "
I remember when my son was born and I held him in my arms. I never thought
that the day that he might face such harm. ‘Cause the pressure on the youth
these days, it’s not like when we were young. We used to settle our fights
with fists but nowadays them a run for their guns" A
great lyric delivered
by a new name ‘Madu’. Cut
four : The dub version is the most Vibronics
style cut. Full of deep fx’s and mid sweeps with Madu’s vocal being thrown
around the room. All topped off with pounding kicks snares. This platter
is already popular on the roots and dub dancefloors and will preside in
my playout box for a long time to come. Wicked !!
Artist : VARIOUS ARTISTS
Title : A DUBBERS
GUIDE
Label : DUBHEAD
Format : CD / DOUBLE
VINYL
Another weighty compilation
from the U.K dub Specialist label Dubhead.
Using the tried and tested successful formula of mixing known names and
introducing new acts along the way. The artist running order takes in
a lot of what’s most happening on the current U.K dub steppers scene including
The Bush Chemists, Love Grocer, Urban Dub, The Disciples,
Aba Shanties ‘The Shanties’, William The Conqueror, Twilight Circus and
Dubclash. A Dubbers Guide opens in fine style with ‘Jah
Come To I’ from Mungo Hifi, ( check
their awesome Wickedness ten inch single,
also out on Dubhead ). True dubheads will
lap up Dubclash’s ‘Fire The Chalice Of Dub’
and Twilight Circus’s fx laden ‘Mega
Steppers’ which closes the album in deep sub bass and strident
style. Other highlights include the futurist dub vibes of Urban
Dubs ‘War ( In Dub ) and The Shanties ‘The
Rising Of The Sun’ a tune perfect for those big sound system dances.
All in all a quality contemporary dub album which will be a welcome addition
to any self respecting dubbers collection.
Top
Tune : Goldmaster All Stars : Push Harder
The most deep in dub outing I’ve heard yet from the Goldmaster posse.
A wicked tune which drops hard with great urgency. With horns aplenty,
bubbling old school keys & a driven riddim making this a play out must
have.
Runner
Up : Mungo Hifi : Jah Come To I
Dubhead show
their confidence in their latest signing by opening the album with Mungo
Hifi and Brother Cultures truly inspirational ‘Jah Come To I. A fine style
laid back summer vibed stepper.
Artists : DUB ZONE
Title : STAMPER DOCTOR
Label : TEAMS
Format : CD / LP
The
latest 'Teams' label compilation is gathered
in by producer, singer and lyricist Mike
Brooks. Mike has been in the reggae music business for over 25
years. He established the Teams label with long time friend Patrick "Jah
Lloyd" Francis in 1969. Mike was a recording artist at the centre
of Jo Jo Hokum’s Channel One studio at Maxfield
Avenue in Trenchtown , birthplace of
the "Rockers" sub genre of conscious lyricism
and militant rhythms. It was at Channel One
that Mike Brooks really made his mark both
as a producer, laying rhythm tracks with the studio’s famous session band
'The Revolutionaries' , whose rhythm section
was Sly and Robbie.
Stamper
Doctor is strictly inna dubwise showcasing Mike and the cream of
Jamaica's reggae family- Stamper Doctor brings forward riddims young and
old from the heavyweight rhythm crews of Mafia and
Fluxy, The Revolutionaries' axis Sly and
Robbie as well as Roots Radics
and Soul Syndicate. Stamper Doctor features rhythm tracks
that have previously been heard behind such luminary artists as Dennis
Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Burning Spear, Prince Far-I and
Black Uhuru.
A
crucial vinyl platter and C.D. for all selectors old and new out there
Smart Monkey
Click
here for our Mike Brooks Interview
Artists
: VARIOUS ARTISTS
Title:
BLUE FLAME DUB VOL 1
Label
: SOUL FIRE
Format
: CD
Eleven
track
digital dub fused grooves and roots fresh from Osaka, Japan.
New school Japanese digital dub fusion compiled, produced and
engineered by Takeshi Hav. This
album is the first compilation from the Soul
Fire scene and is a great reflection of the 2k Japanese
dub scene. That incorporates old school dub reggae vibes as
espoused by the ever present Mr Lee Scratch
Perry. What it may lack in lyrical direction it makes
up in the collective imagination of these small studio set ups.
A great introductory album for a new label. Destined for chill
out rooms everywhere.
Top
Tune - Equalizer : 7-7-6 Dub
An awesome techno roots rock rocker
Runner
up - Bam’s Memory : Drum Weed
Laid back chillage at it’s most horizontal.
Smart
Monkey
Artists
: JOHNNY OSBOURNE / SUGAR MINOTT
Titles
: FIRST CHOICE / SONGS FROM THE HEART
Label
: BLACKWACKS
Format
: CD
What
strikes you first when you put either of these albums on, is the quality
and upliftment contained in the riddims. Minotts
opening ‘Dangerous Minds’ will have your
dance floors filling for sure, with Sugar telling
us to beware of false teachers and the "wolf in
sheep’s clothing". Osbournes opener
entitled ‘Babylon’ welcomes us on board
with a heavy heavy one drop riddim with Johnny singing out ina fine
style "Longtime Babylon try to take Rasta for
fool".
The
reason I've reviewed these two together is the amount polarity's between
the two albums. Both are released on the Wackies
imprint ‘Blackwacks’ both albums feature veteran J.A
singers ( voicing over contemporary roots riddims ) who have always
traded equally in the ‘Reality’ and ‘Lovers’ lyric.
As you’d expect from a release associated with New York’s ‘Wackies’
label all the riddims drop tuff and don’t over crowd their vocalists
considerable talents. I’d site Babylon, Show Us
The Way, Three Gunmen, Heaven & Earth and Different Strokes as
the top tunes from Osbourne’s ( Sugar Minott produced
) First Choice album. With Dangerous Minds,
Bad Bwoy, Easy No Man, Love & Understanding and
Mr Politician being the choice cuts on Minott’s From The Heart.
'From The Hearts' backing is provided mostly
by Minott himself &
Lloyd 'Bullwackie' Barnes playing most of the instruments. They
deliver a selection of tuff yet accessible, modern conscious Dancehall
/ Roots riddims. Minotts Bad Bwoys vocal
is similar in feel to the Eek A Mouse classic
‘Weh Do Dem’. Easy No Mans uplifting summertime vibes
will work perfectly upon the sound, providing plenty of opportunity’s
to get up and skank. On Osbournes First Choice
as well the aforementioned Babylon we also
have the pounding Three Gunman which is
set to a jumping Three Blind Mice riddim. Different
Strokes hopeful message of people living together in Love Peace
and Harmony is particularly poignant in these times of global conflict.
For
this writer the balance of lovers to reality lyric is stacked a little
too heavily toward the former on both of these albums. However they
still contain all the way tough riddims which are always strident and
pounding. If you’re a fan of both reality and lovers lyrics these are
the albums for you.
bimble@freeradicalsounds.com
Artist
: NUCLEUS ROOTS
Title
: NUCLEUS
ROOTS
Label
: PJP
Format
: CD
Wonderfully
uplifting modern conscious roots set firmly in the UK setting. Through
the bands hard gigging schedule this album has already sold over six
thousand copies and yet they still can’t secure a distribution deal
here in the U. K. This album is currently being distributed outta France
and imported back into the UK Crazy!!
The
album affectionately known as ‘The Brown One’ opens with ‘One
Good Night’ dealing with the broke pocket life of the U.K job
seeker set to an uplifting riddim. The following ‘Fools
Paradise’ with its bubbling keyboards, fanfaric horn lines
drops heavy with the lyric dealing with the ‘Fools
Paradise’ that is the life of the coke fueled gunman. ‘Still
Here’ a definite highlight of their live shows provides balance
in the lyrical department with its tale of survival against adversity
set to an upful and jubilant riddim. The heavier dub workouts here
are reserved for the albums final five tracks of which ‘Giving
Dub’ and ‘Dreader Dub’ have a
Tassilli Players feel, though with a little more earthiness . 'Tech
Dub' is a bubbling horn led groove out. ‘Calling
Dub’ features a wicked analogue acid b-line and ‘Militant
Dub’ closes the album on an up tempo pull out the stops mode.
An essential release which manages to capture most of the energy found
at a Nucleus Roots live show, which in itself is some feat. Killer.
Title
: IN DUB
Label
: PJP
Format
: CD
'In
Dub' Takes up from where 'The
Brown One' left off. There is definitely evidence of advances in the
bands production techniques since their last offering. Making for an even
fuller and more rounded feel to their sound. ‘In Dub’
is an album of dub versions of songs that will feature on their forthcoming
‘Universal Love’ album which is due out in 2002.
‘Back Again Dub’ opens the album with an extended
intro made up of skanking keys and horn lines setting the tone for the b-line
to drop for a truly horizontal version of this favorite from their live set.
Other highlights include ‘Long Road Dub’ with
it’s Iration Steppas style digital b-line and vocal snatches ricocheting round
the mix. Also the industrial strength one drop of ‘Tuned
In Dub’. "
You Are Tuned To The Mighty Sounds Of The Nucleus Roots Outernational, Do
It Jah" !!
Artists
: HORACE ANDY
Title
: DANCEHALL STYLE
Label
: WACKIES
Format
: CD / LP
Mr
Horace Andy has voiced over a fair few tracks in his time On 'Dancehall
Style' his pleading staccato phrasing was a gift in the hands of Mr
Lloyd 'Bullwackie' Barnes and Horace even
weighed in with some of the bass and guitar work. Vocally Horace lets rip
with fresh stripped down versions of 'Cuss Cuss'
and 'Money' as well as the unifying themes of
'Stop The Fuss' and 'Lets
Live In Love'. His later collaboration with Massive
Attack begins here with the original version of 'Spying
Glass'. It's swirling organ sounds introduces Horaces lament toward
inner-city living. If you haven't got this record yet it is about time that
you asked yourself why not. Crucial.
Smart
Monkey
Artists
: VARIOUS ARTISTS
Title
: BLUE FLAME DUB VOL TWO
Label
: SOUL FIRE
Format
: CD
Osaka,
Japan based Soulfire record label-meister
Takeshi Hav has compiled together another
selection of instrumental dub madness and ambient bliss. This second
album combines new and old school reggae - dub vibes, from Japan, largely
from it’s third largest city, Osaka. Most of the tracks have Takeshi
Hav's production stamp connecting them. Hav’s
skills also extend to his "Soul-fire" crew who both record and play
live. Catch them if you can.
Top
Tune - Echo Chamber : Ruv Bytes
A Perry /Mad Professor induced pounding Rhythm with twisted panned vocal
snatches and lush keyboard stabs.
Runner-up-
Bush of Ghosts : Mexico
A spacious trumpet riffed melodic and haunting skank with a bingi back
beat.
Smart
Monkey
Artists
: VARIOUS ARTISTS
Titles
: RECKLESS ROOTS ROCKERS
Label
: WACKIES
Format
: CD
Produced
by Lloyd ‘Bullwackie’ Barnes at his ‘Sounds
Unlimited’ Studio. Restless Roots Rockers
is an old style seventies dub album of rocking instrumental dubs plus
one vocal cut from Jah Carlos. Showcasing
the talents of the various Wackies studio
combo's including The Reckless Breed, The Sylvesters,
The Bullwackies All-stars and The Soul
Syndicate. The presentation of these dubs is raw with an almost
dry rehearsal tape like quality to them. Which works well on most of
the tunes. You get a feeling for what it must have been like to be there
at the studio, hearing these riddims dropping on to the tape. There
is little or no obvious effects on these strong riddims and I swear
that on some of the quieter passages you can actually hear the hum of
the musicians amps. A wicked album of late night dubs for the true connoisseur.
Top
Tune : Chin Chow.
For it’s catchy guitar lines, dry skank and quality one drop riddim.
Runner
Up : Creation.
A simple and very laid back sax led dub instrumental that closes the
album brilliantly.
bimble@freeradicalsounds.com
Artists
: WAYNE JARRETT
Titles
: BUBBLE UP
Label
: WACKIES
Format
: CD / LP
Again
another lithely voiced vocalist often compared and contrasted to the
man called Horace Andy and to add to the
confusion here he even does some mean covering of some of Horace’s classics.
'Bubble UP’s opening track 'Brimstone
and Fire' sets the biblical tone as it heads into a deeply dubbed
out session in the hands of wackies producers Mr Barnes and Mr Hunt.
Wayne does the near impossible, covering 'Every
Tongue Shall Tell' Jerry Harris's distorted guitar line blazes
a trail through the tune. Lloyd Barnes’s
reverberated production gives this record an awesomely big sound yet
one that remains intimate to the listener.
Smart
Monkey
Artists
: TAKUSHI
Titles
: MELODIC MOODS
Label
: WACKIES
Format
: CD
This
CD drops super heavy weight melodica moods over a variety of riddims
some familiar, some classic and some unheard before this outing. Produced
and released by Lloyd ‘Bullwackie’ Barnes
on his ‘Wackies’ Label outta New York,
USA. Melodica Moods is a high quality production
of space age Melodica cuts of twelve ‘Wackies
Rhythm Force’ riddims. Subtly is the key in this production with
Lloyd Barnes using his finely honed board
skills to present a fully rounded soundscape which is always led by
the super heavy b-lines. Melodic Moods
is a great home listening or driving album with some cuts crossing over
to the sound system playout.
Top
Tunes : Jazz Man Rock.
Which turns out to be a killer recut of the classic Cuss Cuss riddim.
Runner Up : Blessed
Is another subtle treatment of a driving ‘Rhythm Force’ riddim augmented
in fine style by Ras Kushs conga work outs and super melodic melodies.
bimble@freeradicalsounds.com
Artist : TENA STELIN / MADU
/ LIVACATION ALL STARS
Artist
: NUCLEUS ROOTS
