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Title Artist Label Format Date |
Album review
The Lost Album-Right Time Rockers U Roy Heartbeat Europe CD 14 - 01 - 2002 |
Tracking list |
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Rating :
from 5 (excellent) to 1 (poor) |
| Vocals : 4 | Ba5cking : 4/ | Production : 4/5 | Sound quality : 4 | Sleeve : 4 |
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"Wake the town and tell the people, cause this musical disc is coming your way,
this is Daddy U Roy." U Roy, aka Ewart Beckford, is undoubtedly THE Godfather of
all modern deejays. He started his career at the tender age of 16 at Doctor
Dickie's Sound System. His career really took off in 1969, while he was the
resident deejay for King Tubby's Hi-Fi sound. There he more than often chatted
over riddims produced by Duke Reid. Amazed by his live performances King Tubby
took him to the studio to cut a few singles for Duke Reid's Treasure Isle label
in 1970. His first release was "Wake The Town.". It rocketed to the top of the
charts. The follow up was the equally brilliant and successful "Rule The Nation",
followed by "Wear You To The Ball" a couple of weeks later. These three sat on
the top of the charts for 12 weeks on Jamaica's 2 radio stations. During the
following years he ruled supreme, taking Jamaica (and the rest of the world) by
storm, lining up hit after hit. In the late 70's he released 4 wicked albums
produced with Prince Tony on Virgin Records. He went on to score further
successes with Tappa Zukie in the late eighties. In the nineties U Roy linked up
with London-based Mad Professor who produced this Jamaican veteran deejay with
considerable emphaty, which led to a highly acclaimed comeback as a recording
artist and live performer. His classic toasting style has proved durable.
His Stur Gav Sound System, which features Top deejays like Ranking
Joe, Charlie Chaplin, U Brown and Josey Wales, ranks among the most
popular in Jamaica and frequently tours the US, Japan and the UK.
In the mid seventies the Jamaican reggae scene was dominated by sounds out of the famous Channel One Studios, with JoJo Hookim and Ernest Hookim as owners, engineers and producers. Their collaborations with the Revolutionaries, a tight studio band centered around the drum and bass sound of Sly and Robbie, were the talk of the town. The new sound was called 'Rockers', a crisp, multitracked, dubbed out revamping of of classic reggae epitomized by hits like 'Right Time' and 'Have Mercy' by the Mighty Diamonds. In early 1976 U Roy came to the Channel One studios, where he recorded some specials, tunes not intended for general release, but for exclusive use in the Jamaican soundsystems. The recordings here were cut for King Attorney Hi-Fi. Eventually much of the material was released in Jamaica on a very rare limited edition lp. However, some years ago this set became available in the US as it was re-issued on CD on the obscure "Soundsystem" label. U Roy used some of the most in-demand riddims of the time, especially tunes from the Mighty Diamonds such as "Them Never Love Poor Marcus", "Right Time", "I Need A Roof", "Have Mercy" and "Why Black Brother Why". Further riddims include "Ali-Baba" and "Dress Back Wicked". The quality of U Roy's vocal delivery is excellent, his toasting, chatting and rapping is relaxed and improvisational. All cuts are delivered over wicked Ernest Hookim dubwise remixes, which adds a special flavor to this set. After 25 years it was well worth the wait as it is a true must have album !
Teacher & Mr. T. |
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