Blue Beat Singles Collection vol.2 & vol. 3

Most people associate the SKA phenomenon to the TwoTone ska revival of the late 70s lead by The Specials, Madness and Bad Manners, or even more incorrectly to the chequered alternative brigade of american punk bands from No Doubt to Less Than Jake, well... time to get E-DU-CA-TED.

Before some of you start complaining that there aren't many real skinhead tunes on this collection, I must remind you that I'm only attempting at combining information about the Blue Beat label single releases of music predominantly coming from Jamaica in the early 1960s. So all you rude girls and boys, get up on your feet and start stompin' around looking for what is available by the original artists, as the majority of compilation labels like Heartbeat and Sanctuary and continued repackaging on the Trojan imprint are quite likely to satisfy most fans of the genre.

Here I've tried to make a collection from the tracks I've collected over the decades and tried to limit the total time to leave room for the missing tracks, [yes I was thinking C-90s myself!] -please remember this project really welcomes your comments and participation as it appears an interminable labour of love.

These early releases [1960-61] were largely up tempo boogie rhythms or the slower doo-wop inspired R&B songs popular at the time, but as you listen you'll start recognising the tempo changes and the influences that created the SKA style, as well as the character of individual musicians, vocalists and producers, so listen keenly, read between the lines, it all started from here.

Blue Beat Singles vol.2

BB15 - Easy Snappin’/Going Home - Theo Beckford w/Clue J & The Blues Blasters

BB16 - Time To Pray/Love You Baby - Mellow Larks/Basil Gabbidon

BB17 - Muriel/Silky - Alton & Eddy/Clue J & His Blues Blasters

BB18 - Lover Boy/Oh My - Derrick Morgan & Duke Reid's Group

BB19 - Till The End Of Time/What Makes Honey - Chuck & Darby/Duke Reid's Group

BB20 - Baby What You Done Me Wrong/Go Pretty Baby Go - Bobby Muir

BB21 – Shockin’/Blue and Sentimental - Lynn Hope

BB22 - Railroad Track/Tell Me Darlin' - Laurel Aitken

BB23 - Cool School/Joker -Chuck & Dobby/Duke Reid's Group

BB24 - Dukes Cookies/I Wanna Love - Duke Reid's Group/Jiving Juniors

BB25 - More Whiskey/Parapinto Boogie - Laurel Aitken/Lloyd Clarke

BB26 - Tonk Game/Hob-Nobbin’ - Hank Marr

BB27 - Midnight Train/Anytime Anywhere - Errol Dixon

BB28 - Mash Mr. Lee!/Help Me Forget - Bryon Lee & Dragonaires/Keith Lyn & Dragonaires

BB29 - Rock Baby/Let's Sing The Blues - The Wiggans

Theophilus Beckford's Easy Snappin' has to be the epitome of the Old School Jamaican Blues ultimate tune: the line-up of musicians under the auspices of newcomer producer Sir Coxsone Dodd constitutes the Blues Blasters and features Roland Alphonso alongside Trenton Spence's Band. An even bigger hit in 1960 than Boogie in my Bones or Dumplins, first on Worldisc and then on the Coxsone label it was hailed as the first of all the new music to be the recorded on the tiny caribbean island a good two years earlier. From the same stable The Mellow Larks, lead by Basil Gabbidon & Lloyd Robinson [still with Clue J and Trenton Spence Group and featuring Alphonso] bring us gospel and love ballads and along with Alton & Eddy's Muriel the band pick up the pace with a rousing instrumental Silky which features Ernest Ranglin, Roland Alphonso & Rico Rodriguez and what appears as the first ska syncopation between Ernie and Cluett . You can hear how young gun Sir Dodd was starting to get noticed since the crowning days of Duke Reid in the late 50s. But the Duke had Derrick Morgan: a flick of the switch brings us Lover Boy and back to the days of the Kingston dances when you would follow your ears and the best tune [King Edward's Sound System had renamed the tune S-Corner Rock, and appropriated it as their theme on the corner of Spanish Town Road]. Reid delivers hit after hit, peaking with Chuck & Darby’s Till the End of Time and one buzzin' instrumental where you can almost imagine the Skatalites idea gelling for the first time. Bobby Kingdom & The Blue Beats -apparently Laurel Aitken protégé Bobby Muir was taped in London, W11- give us a blast of boogie-billy, then a cruise liner goes by captained by Lynn Hope -a Caribbean saxophonist whose major output consist of groovy easy instrumental blues recorded for King and Aladdin in the US. The great Laurel Aitken gets us back on the right track with Reid’s Band. But hey, drop your books! Cool School delivered by Chuck & Darby [Chuck Josephs & Dobby Dobson] and its companion b-side Joker earn the producer/composer his crown. Yet more bliss is dished by The Mellow Larks, Derrick Harriot's early vocal chariot. The next instrumental consolidates the embryonic Skatalites into a force to be reckoned with, no need for a vocal, finally Laurel Aitken calls for More Whiskey to mend a broken heart and Lloyd Clarke gambles all the money into the night with the inspired Parapinto Boogie. Hank Marr provides another horny groovy interlude with some happy keyboards and after some home-grown boogie with Errol Dixon we're back to JA thanks to an electrified Byron Lee & the Dragonaires, and finally, courtesy of Edward Seaga for WIRL, it's The Wiggans turn to take it away.

Blue Beat Singles vol.3

BB30 - Carolina/I Met A Man - The Folkes Brothers &Count Ossie's Group

BB31 - Now We Know/Nights Are Lonely - Derrick Morgan & Eric Morris

BB32 - Miss Rubberneck Jones/Way Down Yonder - Titus Turner

BB33 - Jack & Jill Shuffle/Little Lady - Theo Beckford

BB34 - River Jordan/I Live and I Love - Clancy Eccles & Herman

BB35 - Leave Earth/Wigger Wee Shuffle - Derrick Morgan & Clue J

BB36 - Over The River/Hip Rub - The Jiving Juniors

BB37 – Lover’s Jive/Wicked and Dreadful - Neville Esson & Clue J

BB38 - No More Wedding/Lite Of My Life - The Mellowlarks & Clue J

BB39 - Do Du Wop/Love My Teacher - Chuck & Dobby & Aubrey Adams

BB40 - Bar Tender/Mash Potato Boogie - Laurel Aitken & The Blue Beats

BB41 - Creation/Lonely Robin - Lascelles Perkins with Clue J & His Blues Blasters

BB42 - Lonely Boy/I'm Going Back Home - The Charmers Hersang & His City Slickers

BB43 - Sinners Weep and Moan/Get Drunk - Owen Grey with Hersang & His City Slickers

The Folkes Brothers’ Oh Carolina has to be the main track that embodies the cocktail of flavours that constitute the essence of Jamaican music of the last 50 years. Cecil Bustamente, after learning the ropes with Coxsone hired a studio as Prince Buster commanding Count Ossie andj his Warrickas from the hills near Kingston town and literally saw the seed for the Jamaican diaspora. A hit in JA in 1961 catapulted Buster to the top of the game with the main Kingston Sound Systems.

Eric “Monty” Morris was to be one of the most talented and loved vocalists this side of Jackie Opel, here he shares the limelight with Derrick Morgan on a couple of early recordings by Smitty for the Hi-Lite label in 1959.

Georgia peach Titus Turner delivers a couple of rompers courtesy of Federal which are followed by a flood of Coxsone productions that dominate this volume: all backed by the steady double bass of Cluett Johnson and either Drumbago’s jungle rhythm or Arkland Parks’ accent on the snare they give Ernest Ranglin, Roland Alphonso and cohorts a wide palette to space and experiment. Every track from here on is a wonder: the excitement of each live take in glorious mono comes to light as you listen. Time often stands still as you listen to this stuff...you have been warned.

Theo Beckford, Clancy Eccles, Derrick Morgan, Derrick Harriot’s Jiving Juniors, Neville Esson, The Mellow Larks, Chuck & Dobby, Laurel Aitken, Lascelles Perkins , [Lloyd ‘Perkins’] Charmers and Owen Gray , all collaborated with Coxsone and delivered, from shuffle to boogie, proto-ska and jive blues, the best tunes you could wish for at a dance: if it hadn’t been for that extra ray of Jamaican sunshine within, it could have been as easily have come from the popcorn barns of the Louisiana swamps and been blaring out of an open-top convertible.  Dated 1961 on their UK release on the Blue Beat label, the majority of these sides owe more than a debt to the american balladeers they had been imitating, a few do more than stand out, adding a colourful portrayal of everyday life and subject matter; one rare composition credited to the Mellow Larks with Clue J & His Blues Blasters features Basil Gabbidon utilising  in No More Wedding a quirky rumba with horny accompaniment courtesy of the ubiquitous Alphonso; as he bemoans his decision to cancel the nuptials, he's sadly lost the rose tinted glasses that led him to pen the more optimistic Lite Of My Life on the flip.  At the dawn of Ska Sir Clement was still looking for family appeal with I Love My Teacher where the singing duet of Chuck & Dobby [Chuck Josephs & Dobby Dobson] sound like sweet little angels that have outgrown their short trousers. The flip rolls out the solid backbone  with Aubrey Adams on piano, Arkland “Drumbago" Parks and Cluett  Johnson on the double bass with Roland Alphonso again belting a scorcher of a battle tune, lawn dance style! Mash Potato Boogie was a huge hit for Laurel Aitken with the same proto Skatalites group, credited as the Blue Beats, again released in JA on All Stars, boogieing along very nicely in the bar-room, seemingly packed with people dancing. Rico Rodriguez has also joined  Dizzy Moore and “Erni" Ranglin is grooving away contented. Several drinks later on Bartender the blues is clearly giving way to a glimpse of the ska upbeat. Lascelles Perkins croons Lonely Robin and Creation while the same Blues Blasters build a veritable wall of sound with Rico & Alphonso leading. Still under the wing of Dodd we are treated to the alto voice one young Lloyd Tyrrell, accompanied by Hersang & His City Slickers; credited to the Charmers and also featuring Lonely Boy this is Jamaican 24 carat gold also thanks to Ernie’s dulcet fretwork. I'm Goin' Back slows the pace to a crawl but we’re finally treated to a smash hit for Coxsone back in JA. Sinners Weep is a parting masterpiece has the band cooking like never before: Owen Gray is masterfully prophesising eternal damnation for all sinners on one side while he’s high on the flip side, Get Drunk is all rocking and rolling and jive for the booze, like he’s making you accomplice of the wildest ride on the other side of the sax… watch out, baby, you ain’t never coming back!  

LINKS IN COMMENTS

  

I’m trying to publish the next couple of volumes in this series but I’m missing the following tracks:

Donna by The Blues Busters BB 055 – this is the Coxsone produced version and not the later version recorded with Byron Lee & the Dragonnairs.

Luke Lane Shuffle BB 056 Rico & His Blues Band – Buster Wild Bells produced, this is the version Buster All Stars feat. Don Drummond Lloyd Knibbs

Chuck & Dobby Running Around BB 059 Duke Reid produced, Duke Reid's Group

Derrick & Patsy - Baby Please Don't Leave Me BB65 b-side to Let The Good Times Roll –

Bobby Muir & The Blue Beats - Brand New Automobile/Spanish Town Twist - BB77 Bobby Kingdom Melodisc

Lloyd Flowers & Ricos Rhythms - Lovers Town BB 088 Duke Reid's JA Reco

Blue Beat Singles Collection vol. 01

BB01 - Boogie Rock c/w Heavenly Angel - Laurel Aitken & The Boogie Cats
BB02 - Dumplins - Byron Lee & Dragonaires c/w Kissing Girl - Buddy Davidson w/ Byron Lee & The Dragonaires
BB03 - Manny Oh! c/w When You Tell Me Baby - Higgs & Wilson with Ken's Comets
BB04 - Lollipop Girl c/w Dearest Darling - The Jiving Juniors with Duke Reid's Group
BB05 - My Heart's Desire c/w I Love You - The Jiving Juniors with Duke Reid's Group
BB06 - Worried Over You c/w Everything Will Be Alright - Keith & Enid
BB07 - Fat Man c/w I'm Gonna Leave You - Derrick Morgan with Trenton Spence & His Group
BB08 - Cutest Little Woman c/w Running Around - Owen Grey with Kenneth Richards & His Band
BB09 - Album Of Memory c/w Why Did You Leave Me - The Magic Notes with Kenneth Richards & His Band
BB10 - Jeannie Is Back c/w If It's Money You Need - Laurel Aitken
BB11 - Send Me - Keith & Enid c/w People Will Say We're In Love - Trenton Spence & His Group
BB12 - Don't Cry c/w I Pray For You - Derrick Morgan & The Ebonies
BB14 - Judgement Day c/w Yea, Yea, Baby - Laurel Aitken & The Harmonisers



London, 1960, a grey post-war scenario poised on an economic boom, cold and smoky - yet, with the collapse of the British Empire, still inviting to a host of newly acquired races and cultures forever destined to influence and mutate its future.
At a time when radio was omnipresent, Croatian immigrant Emile Shallit had been busy for a few years with MeloDisc, one of the UK's first independent record labels, a laudable and risky enterprise, as no other station but the BBC would be broadcasting popular music until the secon half of the 60s, and "Auntie" was mainly churning out light orchestral and easy listening music. Shallit literally created his own market at the beginning of the decade, with the invaluable help of Siggy Jackson, by founding Blue Beat, a new label showcasing the pioneering work of the producers and musicians of the Caribbean.
This was to be an immediate success as up until this time only a few Jamaican folk recordings had surfaced in Britain, mainly on MeloDisc, Starlite and Calypso labels. It was serendipity and a matter of right place, right time: in Jamaica, thanks to the pioneering spirit of Chris Blackwell and few others at Federal Studios, then the only recording venue on the island, where producers had just begun venturing in the recording of some pretty faithful copying of the American R&B styles. As they had been interested in maintaining their popularity achieved via sound system showcases and radio shows first cutting dub plates and soon limited runs of 45rpm records -import juke blues had been king throughout the 'fifties- thus initiating the great Jamaican vinyl era.




Shallit, despite his willingness to invest in the vinyl medium, didn't exactly have his finger on the pulse of the music scene, but, if you weren't deaf, there was an undeniable buzzing little show of hands around the streets of London's Soho, where you'd hear skiffle mingling with import blasts of rhythm n' blues, the real rock n' roll, definitely not the BBC, who at the time only played light music, vocal and instrumental, classical and orchestral, while pop and what you'd call rock n' roll was still strictly white.
While the immigrant population from the West Indies was establishing itself mainly around the Brixton, Notting Hill/Shepherd's Bush and Hackney areas of London, Shallit's new imprint would soon become its undeniable voice. Recording in the Capital and getting records cheaply into the little stores, markets and corner shops where an established buying public, nostalgic and proud of its roots, could buy both new and licensed recordings from Jamaica pressed in the UK, thus steering the company into the new decade while establishing a new sound that, although initially derivative of its transatlantic counterparts, became so distinctive that managed to cross over to the youth of the nation... a whole genre was named after the label that was successful enough to notch over 400 single releases [45RPM, 7" singles, the black ones, no, smaller, smaller.. push-out centre...hmmm...] in seven years or so...this was Blue Beat.



In this first chapter we can detect the ingredients for most of what is to come in the quest for the roots of Jamaican music as it appeared in Britain in the 60's.
From the first release the accent is on replicating the latest American rock n' roll teen craze: Jamaica's greatest early export, a very young Laurel Aitken dishes out two slices of juke box gold: the lively Boogie Rock and the doo-wop infused ballad Heavenly Angel, both accompanied by the Boogie Cats courtesy of Jamaican label Downbeat and produced by Ruddy Abrahams. Byron Lee & the Dragonaires were ubiquitous in the record world perhaps because their leader knew what the white audiences wanted, although they are undeniably one of the prime examples of a ska big band, their sound was polished and versatile, supplying back-up to countless vocalists in the studio as well as at festivals or on TV...but that was yet to come. In 1960 they served Dumplin's [sic] dished with Lee's trademark Fender Jazz bass sound [the first electric bass guitar on the Island, fruit of many a show at the posh hotels where the In Crowd would party to the exotic sounds] while on the flip Buddy Davidson takes the helm for another rocking showpiece.
Produced by future Prime Minister Edward Seaga, Joe Higgs & Roy Wilson's Manny Oh! had been out on W.I.R.L [West Indies Recording Label] two years earlier and features many of the session players of the island, including Alpha School star pupil Rico Rodriguez. While bridging the gap between gospel, roots and pop with its unsettling handclapping and Hallelujahs, this was one of the first Jamaican-recorded non-mento discs, adapting American R&B and doo-wop, yet retaining the percussive patterns that would lead to reggae in the space of a decade .

A major producer on the horizon was the colourful Duke Reid, playful gun-toting arch-rival of Sir "Coxsone" Dodd, who'd found in Derrick Harriott's dulcet vocals, adorned by the close harmonies of the Jiving Juniors, the perfect counterpart for his super grooving group, the tightest in the land [most of the embryonic Skatalites in fact] and equally loose a collective which included anyone who wouldn't argue with the liquor dealer, armed or not, about his penchant for love songs. Keith Stewart & Enid Cumberland, with S L Smith at the controls began singing many duets as Keith & Enid, first Everything Will Be All Right, cheekily accompanied by Studio One mainstay Trenton Spence & His Group who soon retiled Roger & Hammerstein's People Will Say We're in Love into Trenton's Hop for a flip, while Derrick Morgan voiced the first of many confrontational classics in Fat Man, with its erstwhile dismissive b-side telling of a love gone wrong: I'm Gonna Leave You.
Owen Gray, equally at home with Kenneth Richard and band in the hands of Smith, also tells of the delights of the chase, while the Magic Notes were a doo-wop styled vocal group with a distinct DIY feel. Still, Laurel Aitken's rocking swagger was in demand and licensing two sides from Regal guaranteed another minor hit, enough for Blue Beat to improve the pressings that would gradually get commissioned out to Philips and similar, according to requirements. Of course Jamaican producers were finding their feet in the singles market and Blue Beat was not the only imprint to release some of this decade's early genius, you will find further releases by all these artists released in parallel on Melodisc,Ska Beat and Fontana, while Blackwell also soon would initiate his Island imprint, all this way before Trojan became a contender.

More sides were licensed in to keep a pace in the releases, from the listeners point of view records were becoming sought after for their low price, reliable quality and entertainment value, as the artists were not yet performing in Britain. Quality indeed, Derrick Morgan with sweet voiced backup by the Ebonies gets all pleading, we sample Studio One sounds via Theophilus Beckford with Cluett Johnson, Blues Blasters and the great Alton Ellis debuting with Eddy Parkins, The Mellow Larks's pleasant boppin' doo-wop, Monty Robinson & the legendary Cyclones and round off with a slam of Duke Reid's finest early outings utilising the vocal talents of Derrick Morgan and harmony duo Chuck & Dobby [Chuck Josephs and Dobby Dobson with Aubrey Adams & band], the poker is in the instrumental.

Happy listening, more soon. [please find the password in comments]

P.S: You may soon notice a couple of gaps in the discography sequence, well...there will be gaps because I still haven't found all the tracks that were released, however BB 013 was not issued, while later some tracks were released twice with a new cat# and others are still just impossible to find. After decades of research, I've not yet known anyone who had the complete set of all the Blue Beat singles in playable condition. These things are very rare and too many different copyright owners have resulted in all this work to be unavailable for nearly 50 years, virtually impossible to repackage commercially, only a few are now out on the respective artists' collections. Look out for these vocalists, musicians and producers as they shaped via these grooves so much of what we now know as Blue Beat and more generally original SKA.

[*] I'm missing this track! Higgs & Wilson & Kens Comets feat. Rico Rodriguez "When You Tell Me Baby" UK BB 003 originally on W.I.R.L. and most likely a Sir Dodd [Coxsone] production. Anybody able to help?