This post and its accompanying mix, originally published here in May of 2007, has got to be one of the most-requested re-ups of any mix I have ever done... unfortunately, it wasn't as easy as uploading the MP3 and posting a link, all of my previous mixes, with a few exceptions, are stuck on a dead external hard drive. So, instead of just chalking it up as one of the compilations lost to history, I recreated the mix and added 5 additional tracks! Hope you enjoy this blast from the past!
The first harmonicas were originally manufactured and sold in Vienna
Austria in the early 1820's... but going back that far and covering its
history that concisely would take me about a week to even get up to
speed about the topic I want to discuss here, so let's fast forward 100
years to the 1920's to make a little easier on ourselves.
The
initial harmonica recordings were intended as "race records" for black
audiences in the southern United States. Early records featured the
harmonica either solo, paired with guitar or as a part of a jug band;
who performed a combination of Appalachian, early Memphis blues (before
it was officially recognized as the blues) and ragtime. But at this
stage in its development the "mouth organ" was still considered to be a
novelty.
Of course when the harmonica sprouted wheels
and took to the road, migrating alongside the country blues from the
Delta and headed to various northern cities in the U.S., it began to
take on a life of its own. Musicians like
Sonny Boy Williamson,
Little Walter and
Slim Harpo just
to name a few, emerged as true giants of the "harp" and it would be
impossible to argue that their contributions weren't crucial in creating
the techniques and skills that produced the distinctive sounds that
will forever be synonymous with the blues itself.
The harmonica remained a popular instrument in blues throughout the 40's, 50's and even into the 60's, with players like Paul Butterfield,
even though the electric guitar was coming to prominence and quickly
replacing the mouth harp's role in blues. Concurrently the harmonica
even gained a place of prominence in the folk movement, with artists
like Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan and cross-over blues influenced rock
groups like the Rolling Stones and Canned Heat.
But
here's where we go South, on the globe that is, with the little
harmonica history lesson...what preceded its emigration to Jamaica is
not known. Little is written about the harmonica in Jamaican music so if
I get anything wrong factually, let me know... in most cases I'm just
going with a couple reference sources and my ear alone.
The harmonica was used often in rural acoustic mento
alongside the main components banjo, guitar, saxophone, bamboo
clarinet, rumba box and percussion. Since I'm nothing more than an
virtually uninformed fan of mento music I'll defer to Michael Garnice's excellent Mento Music website for his observation of harmonica's place in mento...
"It seems to be a rule that if a mento song features harmonica, it would be a fantastically upbeat recording."
It
seems interesting to note that while the harmonica was being used for
upbeat quick tempo songs in Jamaica, in the U.S. it had shifted from
being exclusive to records intended for a small single race specific
audience into a genre whose subject matter obviously required a slower,
sadder, moodier style. This quick tempo trend in Jamaican music lasted
well into Jamaica's independence in 1963 and merged into the new sound
of ska that took the island by storm that year and for quite a few years
after. The harmonica was used in early ska to power the rhythm,
punctuate the uptempo riffs and to occasionally provide a jamming solo.
This was the one era in Jamaican music that the mouth harp would almost
sound commonplace, so it would be far too easy to pick 15 ska tunes and
call it a day. Believe it or not I'm not taking the easy way out... not
today at least. Read on...
As ska transformed itself into rocksteady
the harp was still used sparingly but as the tempo slowed, so did the
playing. When reggae emerged, the harmonica was being used to add a
bluesy touch to an occasional roots era recording... not all but most;
the spirited playing in Toots & The Maytals
"Reggae Got Soul" would definitely shoot holes in that assumption.
Oddly enough the instrument had in fact somehow connected with its blues
counterpart in American music and, in my opinion, was used with fairly
great success.
So in order to avoid losing
anyone else who might have made it this far, I'll get to the music. When
I put together this mix I dug up a bunch of songs, 15 to be exact, that
featured harmonica and strung them together in the mix in no particular
chronological order. You'll hear ska, some rocksteady,
some Studio One and of course some roots era reggae. In the track
listing I've researched, as well as I could with the lack of printed
information, about who is actually playing the harmonica on the featured
tracks. Unfortunately many of the players names have been lost to
history or just not included on the back of album covers or inside liner
notes.
After the introductory riff from
Sonny Boy Williamson's "Mighty Long Time," just to set the proper mood,
we kick things off inna Jamaican style with one of my all-time favorite
uses of harmonica regardless of genre. The song is called "Some Like It
Dread," from Big Youth's Dreadlocks Dread album on the Virgin
label and it features the uncredited harp playing of someone who might
be none other than Jimmy Becker - Becker performed for quite a few names
in the late 70's early 80's period including Big Youth, Black Uhuru, Prince Alla, Gregory Isaacs
and Dennis Brown. No matter if it is Becker playing on this, or someone
else, the harmonica adds a new dimension to the entire album that makes
it one that never seems to grows old!
Next up in the
mix is Keith Hudson and whether you love his singing style or hate it,
we're focusing on the bluesy harmonica riff courtesy of William Brown,
that runs throughout the track "Like I'm Dying." This track is taken
from Hudson's 1975 album Torch Of Freedom on the Mamba label and the harp makes this sound more like blues with a bass line and not just another roots reggae song.
Taking a trip across the Atlantic to England for the next tune we've got Barbados born Dennis "Blackbeard" Bovell and a song called "Shi-cago" taken from his compilation CD called Decibel - More Cuts And Dubs (1976-1983) available on the Pressure Sounds label. Aside from working alongside reggae legend Linton Kwesi
Johnson for close to 30 years he has also produced a variety of other
genres of music which may explain his incorporation of varied elements
in his reggae/dub work. The harmonica on this track is most likely
provided by accomplished jazzman Julio Finn who also does the work on LKJ's
"Street 66" which appears later in this mix. Aside from playing the
harmonica, Finn has written a book about black European poetry called
"Voices Of Negritude" and also one about blues music called "The Bluesman:
The Musical Heritage Of Black Men And Women In America." Nonetheless
this is a smooth track which reviewers have described as having a "sunny
day feel" and I would agree but... my biased ears are always
unintentionally looking for something a little more meaningful beneath
the surface whenever the harp is involved.
Next up
we've got a nice example of the use of harmonica in ska. This one is
called "I Go" by Prince Buster and a Millie Small which
comes from the album called Fly Flying Ska originally released on the Bluebeat
label in 1964. I would say judging from Buster's history and lack of
concise credits on this album it might be a safe to assume that harp is
courtesy of Charles "Charly" Organaire. Organaire, who came to age in musically at the famed Alpha Boys School performed with countless ska acts such as The Skatalites, Derrick Morgan, Bobby Aitken, The Wailers, etc. and recorded for Coxsone, Beverley's and Duke Reid just to name a few.
The fifth song in the mix, featuring the confirmed harmonica of Jimmy Becker, is the track "There Is Fire" from Black Uhuru's 1980 album Sensimilla
released on the Island label. Rhythm courtesy of Sly & Robbie
and a nice bluesy accompaniment this makes for a good taste of Black Uhuru at its finest.
Bob Marley & The Wailers are next with the track "Talkin' Blues" from the 1974 Natty Dread album. Bluesy harmonica on this song are courtesy of American born Lee Jaffe
who was a true renaissance man - a performance artist, a film maker, a
photographer and a harmonica player. He met Bob Marley in New York in
1973 and for the next three years traveled and toured with the then
upcoming band, photographically documenting ever move they made and
eventually recording with the band. Jaffe
eventually parted ways with the Wailers in 1975 due to the negative
influence of the Wailers manager Don Taylor, but speaking about him
could be a post all to itself so I won't go there. "Talkin'
Blues" is one of my current favorite Marley tunes and it has a lot to
owe to the definite blues influence not only in the title itself but in
the almost melancholy tone of Jaffe's low-key style.
Next up, with a little rocksteady groove, are the Supersonics and the track "Rocking Soul" from the 1996 Heartbeat compilation CD called Run Rhythm Run: Instrumental Scorchers From Treasure Isle.
Again there is no definitive credit for who performed the prevalent
wailing harmonica throughout but my guess would probably be Charley Organaire since he did spend considerable time recording with Duke Reid.
The late harmonica great Roy Richards (1941-2007) follows it up with the song "Another Thing" from the Soul Jazz Studio One Funk
CD. Aside from blowing a mean mouth organ, Richards was an accomplished
singer and drummer and unfortunately passed away 3 days ago on May 28th!
His influence and soulful playing helped create the ska sound in the
early 60's and his skill is evident in this track. A great song and of
course a timeless Studio One production that makes for some smooth
listening! I'm saddened to hear of his passing...
Linton Kwesi Johnson alongside Dennis Bovell and Julio Finn with the classic "Street 66" taken from LKJ's 1980 album Bass Culture
released on Island Records. I absolutely love this song - such a deep
moody rhythm accentuated with the wail of Finn's bluesy riffs
masterfully woven throughout the strong visual lyrics - fantastic reggae
harmonica at its best! For example...
The room was dark
Dusk howling softly 6 o'clock
Charcoal light
The fine sight
Was moving black
The sound was music mellow steady flow
And man son mind just mystic red, green, red, green
Your scene...
It
just calls for some harmonica! If you've never "Street 66" before
you're in for a some amazing vibes. I get strong vibes every time I
listen to this one!
Up next is an artist
who went by the name of D. Tony Lee. He was in fact Donald Antonio Lee,
brother of producer extraordinaire Bunny Lee and former store manager
for Bunny's WIRL Studios. Tony Lee produced a couple tracks in 1968-69 and this one is called, "Regay Time" and comes from a 2001 compilation CD called Do The Reggay, The Early Reggae Singles on the Westside
label. Tony provided the harmonica solos as well as the vocals for this
lively tune and it provides a nice sampling of reggae in its infancy.
We've got two in a row from Studio One next and as is the case with a lot of Sir Coxsone's
plethora of productions, certain performers aren't given credit on the
album sleeves or in the CD liner notes. The first Studio One track by
the Soul Brothers is called "Hot & Cold" from the 1994 Heartbeat
release called Mojo Rock Steady.
Of course no one is credited with the harmonica work. The second Studio
One track is by an artist by the name of Big Willie and the song is
"College Rock" taken from an album on the Studio One label called Toughest - Studio One Dub
and again it provides no definitive identification of who was manning
the harp. Interestingly "College Rock" was revamped in the early 90's
and became a popular riddim for Donovan Germain's Penthouse label, though minus the harmonica. Best guess who played the harp? Roy Richards(?)
Up
next are Keith Hudson and the Chuckles with a tune called "Melody Maker
Version 2 (Harmonica & Bongo Dub)" from the 2004 Trojan various
artists CD set called The Hudson Affair. "Melody Maker..." is an
instrumental version of "Like I'm Dying" and again most likely features
William Brown again on harmonica.
Sugar Minott
is up next with another Studio One production. This one is the 12"
extended mix of "Oh Mr. D.C." and features some absolutely killer
harmonica work... where you ask? You've got to wait until you get into
the version before you get to hear it. A classic song, a nice solo and
again, no definitive information on who did the work. Best guess is
again Roy Richards (?)
The final track in the mix comes to us courtesy of Toots And The Maytals.
The song is of course "Reggae Got Soul" and originally appeared on the
1976 Island release of the same name. A timeless song with harmonica
riffs throughout by the man Chicago Steve. I really couldn't find any
additional information about Chicago Steve but I'm actually to the point
now that even if I did I wouldn't want to alliterate... this post has
been a bear!
Hope you enjoy the history
lesson... I've tried to be as factually accurate as possible and I know
we started off strong at the top of the playlist and started to falter
toward the end but... as always, if you find anything wrong or if you have plugs for any of the holes I couldn't fill, let me know and I'll be happy to make corrections.
Additional tracks...
1. Nora Dean - Harmonica Dub - Dubbing At Harry J's - 2002 Jamaican Recordings CD - harmonica player unknown.
2. Roy Richards - Reggae Monica - Studio One Swing Easy - 1969 Coxsone LP.
3. Bob Marley & The Wailers - Rebel Music (3 O'clock Roadblock) - Natty Dread - 1974 Island Records LP - harmonica courtesy of Lee Jaffe.
4. Carl Malcolm - Miss Wire Waist - taken from a Various Artists compilation CD whose name has been lost in the shuffle to digitize - harmonica player unknown.
5. Charlie Organaire - The Good You Can - Trojan Rocksteady Rarities CD set - 2004 Trojan Records.
ENJOY AGAIN!!
