Missing Mr. Music (LSP RIP)
The Upsetter Revue / King Scratch – Play On Mr Music / Dread LionLabel: Rock A Shacka – DBUP 001Vinyl, 10", 45 RPM, EP, Japan, Feb 2014
The Upsetter, Lee "Scratch" Perry, died on August 29th. The man was a giant in the history of Jamaican music, but should also be seen as one of the originators that opened the door to most modern music. A handful of Jamaican producers and engineers developed ideas and techniques that realized the potential for the producer and recording studio to become the artist and instrument. They took the Jamaican "version," reusing a musical backing track, and pushed their experiments in dub until they had invented the remix. It's hard to imagine the path to hip hop, dance music, electronica and more without their contributions.
This relatively recent release of much older Lee Perry recordings is one of a handful of Scratch related odds and ends I was feeling inspired to listen to, record and share. Like Scratch's previous appearances in these pages, this is definitely not his "greatest hits" or most important records. Just some bits that I enjoy (and you might not have heard) out of a 60+ year legacy that seems to never run out of corners to explore.
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In 1977, some British filmmakers visited Jamaica to shoot a documentary about the island's music scene. Their trip took them to the Black Ark, the studio that Perry had built behind his Kinston home in 1973. The Ark provided Perry time for his experiments in the mix, the rapidly growing Rastafari movement a space to express, and scores of artists the opportunity to record their greatest works. Equipped with some key pieces of new studio gear (purchased with the money flowing in as some of his records found a UK and international audience), Perry developed a remarkably distinctive sound. You know a Black Ark recording when you hear it and in ten years left an incredible legacy of recordings. The Ark's almost mythical status was further cemented in 1983 when, to exorcise evil spirits (and maybe the music industry), Perry burned the studio down before leaving Jamaica. But you couldn't see what was around the corner as the cameras rolled in '77.
The highlight of the Roots Rock Reggae documentary has to be the scene with Scratch in the mixing booth, at work with his house band, The Upsetters and some of his greatest vocalist collaborators. The Heptones, The Congos, and Junior Murvin all recorded classic records at the Black Ark, but watching them harmonize together (with Murvin sitting on the floor playing guitar and Scratch energetically bouncing across the controls) is a special treat.
The song they perform in the documentary was a mystery for years. Play On Mr. Music appeared to be something they quickly wrote for the cameras and is heard in bits and pieces during their scene of the film, but it never turned up on records by any of the artists involved. I have no idea how the tapes from that day finally turned up almost 40 years later, but in 2014 the Japanese Rock A Shacka label issued this 10" record, made up to look like as if it was a an old Emidisc acetate that might have been cut in the studio.
Credited to the Upsetter Review, side A is given to the nice long mix of Play On Mr. Music they recorded that day in '77. The novelty of a new Black Ark recording that teamed up some of my favorite singers wasn't lost on this nerdy record collector. But I think what I really love about this track is its simplicity. Scratch produced some of his biggest hits and creative breakthroughs in that studio, many of them militant, almost mystical cultural statements. The lyrics here may be frivolous compared to the epic political and religious battle cries of those years, yet the Black Ark sound is still fully in place: booming drums and bass up front; strange phasing effects; murky, mysterious, half buried sounds in the mix; swirling, almost psychedelic guitar and piano. Perry's vision, his ear for a melody and his ability to bring out something something special in so many different artists held true whether recording roots reggae, instrumentals, a pop song... or a track that was probably bashed out on the spot to perform for an English tourist documentary crew.
The B side predates it's flip by a few years and works Perry's studio magic to a very different effect. An alternate mix of Dread Lion from the classic Super Ape album (1972), features "King Scratch" singing and chanting over the throbbing bass and floating melodica (and flute?) lines of a dense Upsetters rhythm. It all comes together with dramatic effect. Play as an antidote for anyone who primarily associates reggae with major key songs about peace, love or happy birds- the song is actually menacing.
The Upsetter, Lee Perry, was full of contradictions. This record nicely captures a few of their musical expressions. RIP.
When I went to download King of the MP3, I found Dread Lock's Music / The Chalise Blaze (JA 7 vinyl). I grabbed the FLAC instead but thought I'd let you know. & I guess I shold have started with a great big THANKS.
ReplyDeleteOops. Sorry about that! I guess that's when happens when you try to squeeze in a late night post before the work week starts (but you know your ass should be in bed). Should be fixed now if you want to download or stream the MP3 version.
DeleteI hope you enjoy!