In this section we will be posting special Tribute's to artists that have left us
Tribute To The Late Great Barry Brown
"WCTD spotlights the career of popular and prolific singer Barry Brown. His heyday was in the late seventies at the dawning of the dancehall era. All the sound systems of the day would feature a selection of Barry’s tunes and he was a regular around the many Kingston studios, cutting great records for all the top producers.
Barry Brown worked extensively with Bunny Lee for many years as well as working with newer producers like Sugar Minott and Linval Thompson. His Channel One output continued his run of success into the eighties, with the mighty “Far East” perhaps being his biggest and most popular record with dance-goers.
He even tried his hand at self production, and this yielded more great music but was less of a success commercially. He continued to record extensively with hits produced by Junjo Lawes, Niney and Clement Dodd at Studio One, but as the years continued other singers rose to the top leaving Brown struggling to make a living as a singer.
We salute Barry Brown here with a mix of some of his finest records, a guest appearance on David Rodigan’s sound, as well as a rare live concert recorded just a year before his untimely death in 2004.”
Barry Brown Mix
Barry Brown Live With David Rodigan Sound System
Barry Brown Live Paris 2003
TRIBUTE TO DADDY I ROY
We are honoured to present to you a tribute to the late great I Roy.. We give to you some of his great tunes, some rare recorded examples of him live and direct on sound system and a recording of David Rodigans Kiss FM tribute...
Thank you so much for all the fantastic music you gave us Mr Reid, may you be in a much better place R.I.P..........
David Rodigan’s Tribute To I.Roy broadcast shortly after his tragic death on 27th November 1999
David Rodigan Gossips, Off Dean Street, Soho, London December 1982
“David Rodigan’s reggae session at Gossips Club, Soho around Christmas time 1982 had a very special guest passing through. Rodigan’s long time associate Papa Face warms the crowd before handing over to the legendary I.Roy. Here’s a rare chance to hear laying down his lyrics over original Studio One riddims. Rodigan draws classics like Real Rock, Swing Easy, Bobby Bobylon, Party Time while I.Roy and Face rock the Rub A Dub Party till closedown.”
Who Cork The Dance I Roy Selection
01 General
02 Jah Lion Jungle
03 Message From The Top
04 Set The Captives Free
05 Live Up Jah Man
06 Tripe Girl
07 African Descendants
08 Hooligan
09 Straight To Prince Jazzbo's Head
10 Radical Music
11 Black Man Time
Turbotronic Bugs Bunny Lawn, Port Maria, St Mary 1982
Featuring: Jim Kelly, Branno Ranking
Selector & Owner: I Roy
“Branno Ranking confidently announces that Spanish Town sound Turbotronic are ready to take on anyone in a “Fist To Fist Rub A Dub” clash. Owner and selector I.Roy introduces Jim Kelly as the roughest deejay and he proceeds to mash up Bugs Bunny Lawn with some great lyrics with Branno alongside him. Sadly in this portion of an all too short, but entertaining, recording there are no dubplates but Michael Prophet’s tunes are the order of the day”
Turbotronic Hi Fi Spanish Town 1982
Featuring: I Roy, Echo Minott
Selector & Owner: I Roy
"Considering the length of I.Roy's sound system career, starting in the late 60's, throughout the 70's and into the 80's, actual live recordings with Roy on the microphone remain scarce. But here is I.Roy at the controls of his own Turbotronic disco, a heavy sound with 2000 watts of stereo.
From the start, over Don Carlos " Dice Cup", he shows that he's absorbed the deejay styles of the new generations and combined it with his own pioneering classical style.
Turbotronic wasn't afraid to mix reggae with funk and soul and Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing" gets the full I.Roy jive talking treatment. After riding a further funk excursion it's "Rockers Time" with the "Heavenless" riddim where Roy then hands over to Echo Minott, a singer who was to become popular on the dancehall circuit. His "Saddest Day" is sung over "Entertainment" and he shows he can deejay as well. It's so good to hear I.Roy's lyrical skills in a dancehall environment, and in the absence of any seventies tapes, this sound tape stands as a testament to the great talent of I.Roy."
Sir Coxsone Outernational London 1982
Featuring: I Roy, Papa Ranking, Bikey Dread, Wandan
Operator: Gappy Dread
“Passing through on Sir Coxsone Outernational sound is a special guest all the way from Spanish Town, I.Roy, who announces himself with a classic old time introduction “Mic check, microphone test 1,2”. His rhyming skills always set him aside from most deejays and here his lyrics simply flow over the Mighty Diamonds “Unruly Pickney” and Dennis Brown’s “Have You Ever”. Sir Coxsone’s deejays are good too especially Bikey Dread who rails out against the lyric pirates. Gappy Dread drops the storming “Wolf & Leopards” riddim and this coaxes I.Roy back to the control tower to voice his big seventies hit “Sister Maggie Breast”
Tribute to Mikey 'Dread' Campbell
“Here’s a recording of the legendary “Mikey Dread At The Controls” radio show. It was recorded Christmas 1978 and it was one of his groundbreaking shows broadcast on JBC Radio, Jamaica. Thanks to Jayman it now runs at the right speed and as far as I know it’s pretty rare.”
R.I.P Mikey
Tribute to Wycliffe “Steely” Johnson
Who Cork The Dance pays tribute to Wycliffe “Steely” Johnson who passed away on the 1st September 2009. An accomplished keyboard player with the Roots Radics Band who played on countless sessions and with touring bands in the seventies and eighties.
He also played a major part in the rise of dancehall music working alongside long-time sidekick Cleveland “Clevie” Browne, together they created many of the new digital rhythms for producers and labels like King Jammy’s, Bobby Digital, Redman Int, Music Works and Penthouse from the mid eighties onwards. Their own Steely & Clevie label promoted the duo’s productions and gave hits to artists like Tiger, Ninjaman, Johnny P, Cocoa Tea, Foxy Brown, Freddie McGregor and many more.
Steely also built up his own sound system Silverhawk to compete in the dancehall arena and here we have an early ‘Hawk clash with Soul Imperial from 1987 featuring an array of supas including future stars Shabba Ranks and Beenie Man shocking out over pure Steely & Clevie rhythms.
R.I.P Steely
Silverhawk vs Soul Imperial – Stanley Park, August Town, Kingston May 1987
Tulloch T, Risto Benji, Prince Junior, Shabba Ranks, Don Angelo,, Jah Thomas, Penny Irie, Beenie Man, Johnny Cool, Junie Ranks, Colin Roach, Power Saw, Little Richie
Selector – Ballsy
Mixer – Steely
Silverhawk Hi Power Montego Bay 1988
Featuring: Brigadier Jerry, Conroy Smith, White Mice, DJ Daddy, Catpaw
Operator: Ballsy
Another fine Silverhawk session, this time with the Cultural teacher Briggy and some great vocal excursions from Conroy Smith and White Mice.
“On 10th July 2010 legendary singer and “Godfather of Dancehall” Sugar Minott passed away in Jamaica, his life tragically cut short at the age of only 54. He was a supreme vocalist, who shined on any form of reggae, whether it be Lovers Rock, Roots and Culture or the good old Dancehall style. His career began as one third of the vocal group African Brothers before branching out solo with Studio One in the late seventies. His run of tunes with Coxsone Dodd launched himself as a new star with hits like “Vanity”, “Give Me Jah Jah”, “Hang On Natty” and “Oh Mr DC”. Almost single-handedly he revitalised the stagnant Studio 1 label, but this was a man on a mission and he moved on. After working with Prince Jammy’s on the album “Give The People” aka “Bitter Sweet” he went into self production with singles “Man Hungry” and “River Jordan” coming out on his newly formed Black Roots label around 1979. Add to these monster tunes like “Hard Time Pressure”, “Every Little Thing” “Bright & Beautiful” and successful albums like “Ghetto-ology”, “Black Roots” and “Roots Lovers” he was now one of reggae’s leading lights.
He was equally at home performing on stage shows or on a sound system. His first love was always the dancehall, sneaking out of his house to the sound system lawn located just next door. He was frequently heard on all the top sounds of the day, sounds like Killamanjaro, Gemini and U.Roy’s mighty King Sturgav. Sugar had made his home in England in the early years of the eighties and had had great success with the Lovers Rock style to which his vocals were particularly suited. But by 1983 it was time to return to Jamaica to put into place his Youth Promotion community project. His vision was to help the underprivileged ghetto youths gain a foothold in the music business by giving them knowledge, training and guidance, all free from the rip off producers that Sugar and others of his generation had to endure. His Youth Promotion sound system was like a university of music with entertainers graduating with honours.
The hits continued to flow over the years with groundbreaking tunes like “Herbman Hustling”, “Dancehall We Deh”, “No Vacancy” and “Rub A Dub Sound”, all bonafide classics and all guaranteed to cork the dance. Sugar was always in demand for stage shows all around the world, from America through to Europe and in the far east, especially in Japan.
Sugar Minott never forgot his roots and was enormously popular everywhere. When listening to him performing on a sound tape you could always hear the buzz of excitement his presence would create, both from the crowd and the respect from his fellow entertainers. He was a highlight on a recent King Sturgav session showcasing many of his classics alongside Charlie Chaplin, U.Brown, Little Twitch and the rest of the crew.
A wonderful singer who leaves us with a vast amount of musical gems and will be missed by so many. “Simple As That”
Sugar Minott.
R.I.P.
Jayman & Andrew send our condolences to Sugar’s family and friends.
“I was lucky enough to see Sugar Minott performing in Liverpool in December 2009 and he was in fine form. I had last seen him at the inaugural UK Reggae Sunsplash at Crystal Palace London 1985 when he did a short but blistering set, backed by Sly and Robbie, with a manic “Herbman Hustling” being a stand out moment . I had to wait another 25 years to see him live again and he eventually arrived in Liverpool and did the full show. He was supported by his old spar Tony Tuff and they came together near the end to do a great version of “Torturing”.On this never to be forgotten night, I lost count of the number of classics he sang, the way he expertly controlled the band and was a joy to see and hear. Sugar Minott - Dancehall singer supreme.”
Andrew
Dave Kingston and Beth Lesser’s personal tribute to their friend.
“This news hit very hard in our home yesterday. Reggae music has lost a true champion whose recorded works will live on, but that is only one part of his legacy. The world has lost a decent, caring person, who stood tall like a giant because of what he did for others around him. My wife and I will remember him for as long as we live, and forever be indebted to him for the kindness he showed us.
Sugar's Kingston base at 1 Robert Crescent is only a stones-throw from RJR-FM (Radio Jamaica Rediffusion), but in the mid 80's, you could find more reggae music activity going on in his yard then you could on RJR's airwaves. His sound system, Youth Promotion, was almost always strung up in the yard, and local youths would try lyrics on the mic with hopes of carrying some of that evening's entertainment. Sugar's family all held working positions that varied from cleaning the sound amps and boxes to manning the front entrance gate. Everyone had something to do with maintaining "Youth Promotion", which was more than just a geographical location, a record label, and a sound system.....it was a mind-set and mantra, a way of living.
My girlfriend and colleague Beth Lesser and I used to visit his yard regularly because it was a happening place, and always looked forward to these visits because of the vibes. It was a pure music yard, and perfect for conducting interviews for the magazine (Reggae Quarterly) and radio show (Reggae Showcase). You might see a young Yami Bolo plucking out a song on the guitar, or Jah Stitch, the sound's selector, cleaning records in the shade. Artists were always passing through, even if they weren't recording for Sugar, because the vibes were so nice. You often heard people say that Sugar has "the vibes", something that isn't easy to understand without meeting the man, but very apparent if you did.
Sugar used to ask us when we were planning to get married, and we always responded with "one day we will". Upon hearing this for the umpteenth time, he told us that if we weren't married the next time we visited, he was going to do something about it. We arrived back a few months later, and upon entering the yard, he immediately asked if we were married yet. Upon hearing that we weren't, he quickly left the yard, and then returned stating that he had his mother's pastor all lined up for the job, and that we could have the wedding at Robert Crescent in a few days. That would give him enough time for preparations, which we started discussing in detail. Bishop Reid, from Maxfield Avenue, would do the ceremony at 1:00 PM, and then the sound would play for an afternoon dance. We would then come back for an evening "open" dance that Sugar would keep in honour of the day. It all sounded like a good idea, with every aspect of it feeling more than right.
News seems to travel fast everywhere, but in Jamaica it travels even faster. We soon got a call from Barry G, who we already knew because I did radio link-ups with him, and he asked us to guest on his show the day before the wedding. He commented that many people travel to Jamaica to marry, but this was somewhat different. After that, many people committed to coming to the dance, and they did, the yard was rammed. Yellowman, General Trees, Jack Ruby, Junior Byles (carrying red roses) and many other artists that we met over the years appeared, and some even did some live stuff on the microphone.
On the day of the wedding, we appeared at Sugar's as planned, and the proceedings were about to start in the living room. Bishop Reid conducted the short ceremony, with Sugar grinning ear-to-ear throughout. When it came to signing our marriage certificate, Sugar insisted that he do the honours, and we capped it off with a glass of Apple wine. With the sound all fired-up and ready to play, Jah Stitch started a "sentimental" set, that included The Hamlin's "Soul & Inspiration", Michael Prophet's "Here Comes The Bride", and Marcia Griffith's "Truly". Sugar told Stitch to play the version, and he picked up the mic to do his own sweet rendition of "Here Comes The Bride". It's hard to convey in simple words how overpowering this, and all his gestures were to us.
The dance that evening was fantastic, special in so many ways. About 4 hours were recorded by Stitch on cassette, as well as the afternoon segment, which he gave these to us as a gift the next day. While we also have lots of pictures as mementos, I only wish the day was video-taped. Sugar later told us that he could tell that we were in love, and that people should get married as means of showing commitment.
Some 24 years later, we are still together, and even more in love than before, but Sugar is no longer here. Just a few short months ago we were joking about visiting for our 25th anniversary, and that the youths are all now old.
Many will remember him for his music, which speaks for itself, but Beth and I will always remember his kindness. Whenever I think of Sugar, there are two mental images that I will always carry: one will be of his gapped-tooth, ear-to-ear grin during the ceremony, and the other of how you would often see him emerge in the morning immediately after opening his eyes, and wash his face in chalice smoke, the same way people desperately lunge for their morning coffee. He used to sing passionately about the youth, herb, dancehall, and love itself, and he wasn't joking.
May he rest in peace, and his vibes inspire forever.”
- Dave Kingston (finbar), July 2010
**Thanks to Dave & Beth for allowing us to add this wonderful tribute to the site**
**We will be posting the audio from the wedding soon**
Jayman's WCTD Tribute to Sugar Minott Mix
01 Babylon
02 Easy squeeze
03 Dancehall Style
04 Herbman Hustling
05 Hard time rock
06 Dread a me idren
07 Strictly rub a dub
08 Jah is on my side
09 Nah follow fashion
10 Informer
11 Hard time pressure
12 Mr DC
13 Mr DC (original)
14 Jah Jah children
15 Jahovia
16 Give me Jah Jah
17 Trying to fool I
18 Party time
19 Only Jah Jah
20 I’m no slave (ft Ruddy Thomas)
21 Walking through the ghetto
22 In the ghetto
23 Save the children
24 Rome
25 Two time loser
26 Row mister fisherman
27 Row Row
28 Africa is the blackman home
29 African woman
30 Devil’s pickney
31 No vacancy
32 Be careful
33 World of sorrow
34 Who cork the dance
35 Lovin’ Promotion is wrong (Youth Promotion Live & Direct 85)
36 Vanity/River Jordan Medley (Youth Promotion Live & Direct 85)
37 Wheel & turn me (Cosmic Force Live & Direct 1984)
38 Come on home
39 Hang on Natty
40 Jah Jah lead us
41 All kinda people
R.I.P Sugar
GREGORY ISAACS R.I.P
So soon after the death of Sugar Minott, another legendary reggae artist, Gregory Isaacs has passed away in London aged 59. Hailing from the rough streets of Denham Town, Kingston 14 he began singing in the late sixties but it was in the early seventies that his smooth, yearning style of vocalising really started to register with record buyers. Isaacs freelanced liberally around Kingston’s many recording studios and soon made his breakthrough with hits like “All I Have Is Love”, “My Only Lover” released on his own fledgling African Museum label, and “Love Is Overdue”, the latter produced by Alvin Ranglin, who then issued Gregory’s debut album “In Person” in 1975. His excellent song writing skills in these earlier days tended to focus on romantic themes but as the seventies rolled on and the music turned more militant Isaacs found he was equally adept at crafting unforgettable roots music. Year to year anthems like “Mr Cop”, “Black A Kill Black”, “Babylon Too Rough”, “Motherless Children”, “Slave Master” and “The Border” ruled the charts making Gregory Isaacs a big star in his homeland and beyond. His albums from this period “Mr Isaacs”, “Cool Ruler” and “Soon Forward” consolidated his reputation
As the eighties dawned and the dancehall era was ushered in, Gregory teamed up with the Roots Radics Band to make some of his most enduring music. His two albums for Charisma/Pre, “The Lonely Lover” and “More Gregory” was chock full of classics such as “Tune In”, “Poor & Clean”, “Confirm Reservation” and “Front Door”. On the singles front he hit big with “Wailing Rudie” and the massive “Top Ten”. Gregory was really at his peak now touring the world with the rock solid Roots Radics. Strolling out onto the stage resplendent in three piece suit topped off with a fedora, the “Cool Ruler” would have the ladies eating out of his hands. A move to Island Records resulted in the essential “Night Nurse” with the stand out tracks being “Cool Down The Pace” and the albums title track, perhaps his best known track. His life was often beset with personal struggles and a period of incarceration just after the release of “Night Nurse” came just at the wrong moment for him. The follow up “Out Deh!” detailed his recent troubles as well as showcasing the singles “Private Secretary” and “Love Me With Feeling”.
Gregory then rekindled his association with Augustus “Gussie” Clarke and he released a series of excellent albums over the next few years. These included “Private Beach Party” in 1985 and 1988’s “Red Rose For Gregory” which contained the monster tune “Rumours”. He also teamed up with his friend and his main musical rival Dennis Brown on “Let Off Sup’m” and “Big All Around” . Other notable singles included “Mind Yu Dis”, “Dealing”, “One Man Against The World”, “Off A Mi Fender” and many more. Isaacs was one of the most prolific artists working in reggae and he continued to record both albums and singles for a myriad of producers. For over thirty years he performed concerts and festivals all around the world and continued to draw the crowds. In the last decade his lifestyle began to catch up with him and he succumbed to lung cancer on 25th October 2010.
He recorded for over forty years and was a skilled songwriter and an exquisite showman who had a worldwide appeal. Gregory Isaacs, the “Cool Ruler” was a giant of Jamaican music.
R.I.P Mr Isaacs
Jayman's WCTD Tribute to Gregory, Rootsman Style
01 Mr know it all
02 Motherless children
03 Rock dis yah reggae beat
04 Tribute to Wa De
05 Corn a go bust
06 My heart is aching
07 Dealing
08 Slavedriver
09 Uncle Joe ft Prince Far I
10 Words of the farmer
11 One more time
12 Babylon too rough
13 Never be ungrateful
14 Rock on
All edited into extended versions.
Rums as a continuous mix with FX etc. @320kbs
