Q: This project with Jeff Sarge (host of NYC's 'Reggae Schoolroom' show), what became of that? A: Yeah, Jeff Sarge I do some t'ings for, he even release one song or somet'ing, but no really get behind it, yunno. I don't know, I guess Jah must have some kinda thing there for me somewhere, somehow. I release these things to the people. So far it seems like all the most success in terms of having the music out there with Coxson than anybody else. For this last album I deal with this guy and nutten happen all now. Q: Right, your 'The Builder' album. A: Him have another label, Tan-Yah recording label. Q: Tell me more about that album for him, it's a lot better than the Gussie P album as I hear it. A: Just a rush fe get the album done an' mixed. After I man go Jamaica to record all a the basic drum and bass track dem, all by myself, run up and down to studio fe the get things done, pick each musician dem how me wanted and all that, and come back a America and do some overdubs and t'ing, him just rush it fe get the music done and mix, and to me that music no really mixed fully either how me really want fe hear the songs mix and all that. Beautiful instruments were like hidden under the other, the mix no come out too big. It's like him just release and jus' leave it alone, man. Him don't get behind it with no promotion or nutten, just leave it out there. Right now that's a very good album and the man just... Right now I go look for the masters dem and it's like him give me pure run-around, ca' I man need the masters dem fe remix it and don't give up 'pon that. It's so much different t'ings I've been through. I figure seh this dread ya now as a Rastaman now, him na deal with music correct. And it's just a next one again, yunno, 'cause right now him na deal with me, him just a give me pure run-around and we talk and me tell pay out, he na do nutten with the t'ing. Him give me a dry remix. Me go do over the jacket and get the things properly presented and through that can get it manifest. We had a fifty-fifty agreement, verbal agreement, and dem time I forget the masters dem and him tell me him not available and all things, bredren, that a get me really highly upset right now. I look fe get the things... try to see if I can go a Jamaica or somewhere and try to see if we can get it mixed properly, and give it another try. It's still not the masters I have all now. Q: This album was put out circa '99? A: Somewhere there, bredren. Q: I seem to remember a small advertisement of the album in The Beat at the time. A: Yeah, even The Beat, man. Beat love it, y'know.

Q: It was just a tiny little ad, and then you didn't see the album anywhere again. There is the necessity of promotion as you say, it just disappeared after a while without trace. A: Them bredren have other priorities, yunno, them prefer to... When them start in the music business them have to take it all the way deh, humble yourself and deal with a man right. It's like him come like one a dem t'ing seh dem man a some (inaudible) or one of dem t'ing deh. Over all the weekend now, him cyaan be reached on a weekend, so I have to check him during the week until me tired of try go check him, from early morning an' t'ing, and mek him call me again is a next t'ing - can't mek it bredren, yunno. This album is an album whe me walk up and down with dem tape deh. Him might put the money inna it, but I man labour, seen. Put all a dem works 'pon this, so I don't see the reason why him cyaan bring the masters dem inna my hands, you see me? I could've done run off the mixes and all that, have that for myself, but I can't do all kinda t'ing deh. I just deal with righteous deals and bring the t'ing dem come, and now the man gwaan like seh, well, him no turn over it for I man to remix it, you see. Them cyaan do nutten, them no waan do nutten. So wha' you t'ink dem t'ing deh look like? So you see how man get nuff gunshot and get killed, yunno, and nuff t'ings inna this biz, beca' them frustrate people. Me have children, five children me haffe deal with, my bredren. I go out deh now and work for people, after I have my musical career whe me sacrifice for years and try to mek sure say, t'ings can be OK. You see me? Q: Right. A: I tell the I, star, them man ya now just put me inna different state of admonishment (inaudible). A long time I hear and understand seh, this music business ya, a business whe you have to go out with guns and becoming like more and more that I man a see, yunno. More and more me see that as a reality.

Judah Eskender Tafari (Photo: David Corio)

Judah Eskender Tafari & Tony Screw (Photo: David Corio | www.davidcorio.com)

Q: You became seriously fed up after a while? A: Fed up in one sense bredren, but listen, man, my faith is strong inna this, that's why you hear me tell you say me a ask him fe give me my masters dem an' go do me t'ing, me no fed up, man. Me still have strong faith inna this t'ing ya, ca' me a say listen now: jus' give me the t'ing and mek me go do my t'ing, y'know. You see me? A whole lotta push me around, push me around. And those who have the album love it, some figure seh the people cyaan find it in a record store or nutten. It's just a situation whe it's in the air, me not too love that, man. Q: What struck me about the album was that it was so melodious, some nice guitar playing on it for example. A: Me a tell you, man, me put me heart inna the t'ing, man. Why people sacrifie, people don't even get pay fe certain t'ings or help us, ca' this bredda him hardly spend nutten, man. Now the man dem a gwaan like seh, well, it's a trust, it's a trust situation whe me have me own music. Me write and produce, all him do is just a lickle financing business. It a hurt me, man, it hurt me right now. But me no fed up bredren, y'know. It hurt me in terms of how people should get things right, 'cause me is humbleness, yunno. Not to say me cyaan be a warrior too. Q: Hope you can sustain the vibe there, the strain about this? A: That's how I uphold it my bredda, I try my best. I have my job and try to uphold it. Yeah man, perseverance fe real. Up to now me no really approach the wrong level yet, yunno. Q: What about this tour you did, I believe it came about around '96 or the year after? A: I come on a tour with Bob Andy inna England there, y'know.

Bob Andy (Photo: David Corio) www.davidcorio.com

Judah Eskender Tafari (Photo: Tim Barrow)

Q: How did that come about? A: Mmm, how did that come about again...? Q: When we spoke in January you mentioned someone called Simeon being involved in one way or the other? A: Right, but him na have nutten fe do with settin' up that. This was organised through a sistren in England, she a work for Bob Andy. I think she do him books and papers and everyt'ing... Q: You mean Janis (Punford)? A: Janis, yeah. Jove Records or something like that? Q: Yes, that's right, Jove and I Anka. A: Mmm. But she did really arrange that. Now this youth Simeon now is a next failure again, ca' him supposed to take care of my album in England, but all that never go nowhere. So, I tell you man, nuff people a go feel it. Me and him jus' bruk up relationship. But anyway, through that the touring never really work out, but it work out OK. I man did take him on that, I feel seh, well, him a good bredren, y'know. Q: How was the shows? A: I find the concerts them was OK, some a them could have been more attended. But for the most part it was OK, yunno. It was pretty cool. It was a promotional t'ing for me more than anyt'ing else, it wasn't really a monetary gain. Some people got to see me and such. But right now bredren I jus' waan get back kickin' again. Right now a bredren dem a go organise and try a lickle t'ing which with the help of the Almighty God will work out, 'cause I man have life and health and strength. No matter what I no give it up, you see me?

CCB: in the middle Judah Eskender Tafari

CCB: on the right Judah Eskender Tafari

Q: Good. What about CCB (aka the Cannabis Cup Band), what is the work you've done with them so far? A: Yeah man, CCB still deh deh, we just go and do four shows for NBC the other day, on a private t'ing, a private party in Bermuda, play for people on a yacht. Q: Bermuda? OK. A: Yeah. It's just so that CCB is another t'ing again whe them na too work on a regular basis, so we cyaan even rely 'pon that fe survive. But we do a few t'ings in Amsterdam, we go Amsterdam every year. This year I don't think we're going to Amsterdam though. Q: You knew that your Studio One album ('African Blood') was ready for release even as far back as '79 with a sleeve and everything finished, but for some reason Coxson didn't bother to put it out, as we all know now. A: My album? Q: Yeah. A: Yeah, I don't know, yunno, and like I say if I no keep no communication to let me know what's up. But right now for the most part, me just look fe move on forward, y'know wha' I mean? Q: Sure. Soul Jazz will put out a Studio One album titled 'Studio One Disco Mix' with extended versions of some 7" releases and some original 10" and 12" singles. 'Rastafari Tell You' will be on it. A: OK. Where you get all them information deh, man? Q: (Laughs) Keeping the eyes open. A: So that's one of my music inna the pipeline now? Q: Check it if you could, in November, when they will issue this one. A: So this is how, this a come from Studio One again? Q: Yeah, but Soul Jazz in England are responsible for the release. A: Yeah, I'll make some enquiry and see what's up, man.

Q: But you know about Heartbeat's inclusion of 'Rastafari Tell You' on the 'Best of Studio One' anthology? Mid eigties, I don't remember exactly when but somewhere around that time. A: Yeah, them do that. Heartbeat, yeah. I know them have a kinda deal dem with Coxson, but through them only deal with Studio One I no hear nutten from them 'pon a official level. I guess the artists is always left out of all a these t'ings, y'know. Q: Residing in New York, you went over to Coxson's shop to see what he was up to? A: I check him a couple of times. Q: Did he ever say anything about the album again? A: Him give me no reason about the album, him tell me nutten about it, no album coming out or nutten. As far as I remember him tell me him no like it, him probably mention like him want us to go back to the studio and do some t'ings and all of that, which I no interested in, yunno. Q: It seems like he have almost two albums there to put out? A: Yeah, yeah. But him never do that. There's still many more songs, man. So just a look forward into the future still, what the Almighty have in store. I just want to go forward bredren and jus' gwaan go through fe really survive, yunno. The race is not for the swift nor the battle for the strong, but for those that can endure until the end, y'know. Yeah, a so me see it.

Judah Eskender Tafari

Q: You mentioned to me this spring about doing something with Ansel (Cridland) of the Meditations? A: Yeah, Ansel waan me come a Europe the other day, come a France with him and do some back up vocal, come up inna me yard and take all me credentials and me lickle passport and gwaan with everyt'ing, ca' me no really a go travel. Is like the last minute and them change them mind bredren, all these people, them jus' a test me faith, y'know. Q: You did something for Sister Carol too, a tribute to Studio One. A: Mmm. Yeah, y'know, voice some songs for Carol. Did some tour with her and play guitar and we go Colombia an' t'ing like that. So, she's cool, Sister Carol. She just a try same way jus' like I, no negative t'ing with Sister Carol. Yeah. Q: How did you end up in the States in the eighties, how did you find life there? A: Yeah, I just come and try seh, well, make a difference inna me life. But I figure if I come to America I would get some real opportunities, musically. But is just same struggle over here, struggle hard. Q: I'm sure a lot of people lost track with the name Judah Eskender over the years, you go and come, try and fail like so many others, and such is the business. What would you say to those wondering what happened to you and your remarkable talent over the years, with some perspective on what's been happening throughout your career. A: Well, right now for those who hear I man and still wondering what's up with me, you as a man who publish books or whatever, web magazine, just let them know seh Judah Eskender Tafari is still here alive and kickin' and just waiting on for the right people to work with, and the people dem will always hear my music, y'know. So for all those who really interested in my art, just be patient and I man will be coming, with the faith of Jah. Give thanks.

Judah Eskender Tafari (Photo: David Corio) www.davidcorio.com

Roots music has produced many outstanding talents over the years but seldom such a strongly tuned voice as Judah Eskender Tafari. With more of his recordings turning up on CD these days there must be an increasing audience and wider appreciation out there for his works. Hit me if I'm wrong? I find it hard to believe it isn't. Just one listen to 'Jah Light' and you are caught, full stop. 'Danger In Your Eyes', his take on Tyrone Evans and the Paragons' classic, was the latest one ('06) to enter a compilation, 'Studio One Rub A Dub' (Soul Jazz), even though it saw release after many years out of print in the vinyl only 'Studio One Lovers' bootleg at the end of the nineties. Prior to this 'Rastafari Tell You' graced the 'Studio One Disco Mix' CD (Soul Jazz again) and is also included on the reissued and extended 'Best of Studio One' (Heartbeat). And as mentioned during this interview, a Winro boot out of Italy once again made 'Just Another Day' available, but from the wrong end of the stick. Unfortunately it didn't force Mr Dodd to take it into his own hands and bring the track to his printing mill before he passed, but it is now in the hands of Mrs Dodd to make sure that it will come out from the right source. And as far as I know, 'Never Conquer', one of the Eskender's very best sides, has never seen a second pressing since those days. So what is the conclusion we make from all this? Probably that the little we have released from Studio One so far is way too little in the case of Judah, and we need to get the 'African Blood' album on the market in a not too distant future. Judah deserves it, the musicians participating in the project deserve to be heard for their contributions, and the audience deserves to hear it after all those years. It is ridiculous to hold back this album much longer than it already has. It is a crime against history that it hasn't come out yet, and it should've been in the racks more than 26 years ago if the business was right. It is definitely a commercial value in releasing it, regardless what the Studio One camp may say. If not then it just shows the lack of connection the label has with its audience. Wise up, Studio One posse, and take this to the printers now; we will all benefit from it. Judah's effort on Gussie P's imprint is another matter, and was met at the time of release with high expectations but didn't quite fulfill what most of us had hoped it would be, even though it is definitely not a bad record.

Since the release Gussie has put out a couple of remixed 45's from the album on the Recession Beater label. But 'The Builder' (Tan-Yah) fulfilled those expectations some years later, and is a very accomplished set. Great work of musical art, and I don't quite agree with Judah on the mix. It stands fine as it is. Unfortunately it is nowhere to be found if you are interested, and that's a big shame. Hopefully the artist will find a good company to work with so we can get it out there again, among other things. One of Judah's best kept secrets is to be found on a pretty obscure album by the One Vibration band. At the end of their debut CD, a decent effort in itself but no way near the Eskender's contribution, he shows up in the most rootical of performances on a bonehard riddim with 'Peace'; a poignant and urgent message in these very turbulent times of great tension and conflict between countries and interests, and directed at parts of mankind which still refuse to accept that out of many, we are all one. Judah Eskender Tafari website : www.myspace.com/judaheskender Cannabis Cup Band website : www.cancupband.com

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Article: Peter I (Please do not reproduce without permission)