Rocksteady

I´m trying to prolong the summer feeling, by still playing this year´s summer album on my turntable: "Studio One Rocksteady. Rocksteady, soul and early reggae at Studio One" (Soul Jazz Records 2014).

Rocksteady, being a musical bridge between ska (slower and more soul influenced than ska) and reggae, was hugely popular in Jamaica for a couple of years in the mid 1960s.

This is a fine collection of beautiful songs with among others Marcia Griffiths, The Heptones, Jackie Mittoo and Dennis Brown. Full track list over here.

Great liner notes by Lloyd Bradley (author of "Bass Culture. When reggae was king").

Mirror To The Soul

OK, I might have had too much sun the other day, but I came out of a record store with a double vinyl album of rhythmic fun from the Caribbean!

This is usually not my kind of stuff, but still, it is great fun! Experts on the area might have something to say on the selection of songs (please comment), but at least to an amateur like me "Mirror To The Soul. Caribbean Jump-Up, Mambo & Calypso Beat 1954 - 77" (Soul Jazz Records 2013) seems close to perfect.
Click right here for a list of artists and songs.

Jump-up, calypso and mambo it is, but also with traces of reggae, ska and jazz.

I have to admit I fell for party songs like Lord Brynner´s "The queen sings calypso" and Fabulous McCleverts´ "Don´t blame it on Elvis", and not to forget Lord Flea´s nods to jazz in "Calypso be bop".

It seems like you may buy several versions of this release (CD, CD-box ?, double vinyl), with or without download codes, and +/- a documentary on the Caribbean 1920 - 1972.
The documentary is a selection of what seems like news clips, and contains little music.

"Don´t blame it on Elvis
for shaking his pelvis.
Shaking the pelvis has been in style
ever since the river Nile".

Murder Weapon

Tricky´s new album "Mixed Race" will be released by Domino in September.
Here you get the video fro the first single: "Murder Weapon". Dance like a butterfly!
Echo Minott´s original here.