Spooktaculars From The Past - 2008-2009

The Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular 2008

1.     King Horror – Dracula Prince of Darkness

2.     Herman’s All Stars – Nightmare

3.     Flip Kay – Duppy Bawl

4.     The Graduates – Dark Shadows

5.     Dillinger – I Thirst

6.     GG Allstars – Vampire Rock

7.     Joe White – The Monster

8.     Jackie Paris – Run For Your Life

9.     The Crystalites – Alfred Hitchcock

10.    Count Lasher – Font Hill Duppy

11.    Eastwood & Saint – Two Bad DJ

12.    Johnny Ringo – Frankenstein

13.    Lone Ranger – Barnabas Collins

14.    Lone Ranger – U.F.O.

15.    Dennis Brown – Black Magic Woman

16.    Errol Brown – Black Cat Version

17.    Blue Rivers – Witchcraft Man

18.    Dynamites – Phantom

19.    Count Owen – Back to Back

20.    Sir Lord Comic – Lon Chaney

21.    Sound Dimension – The Thing

22.    Denzel Laing – Beware of the Vampire

23.    Scientist – Vampire Initiative

The Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular 2009

 

1.     Mikey Dread – Pre Dawn Dub

2.     Jackie Mittoo – Hot Blood

3.     Murphy Romeo – Ghost Affair

4.     Lloyd Charmers – Bone Yard Skank

5.     Windew Hayes – Haunted House

6.     The Upsetters – Touch of Fire

7.     Dennis Alcapone – Duppy Serenade

8.     Bag-O-Wire – Creeper

9.     Busters All Stars – Seven Duppy

10.    Carlton Livingston – Are You Afraid

11.    Pampidoo – Ghost Buster

12.    Aston Barrett – Duppy Conqueror

13.    Ernie Smith – Duppy Gunman

14.    Boris Gardiner – Darkness

15.    The Revolutionaries – Rigor Mortis

16.    King Horror – Frankenstein

17.    Levi Williams – Duppy Jamboree

18.    Dub Connection – Jamaican Hammer Horror

19.    Massive Dread – Vamps on the Corner

20.    Roland Alphonso – Devil’s Disciple

21.    Sancho – Chase Vampire

22.    Captain Barkey – Vampire

The rest will follow soon...

Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular 2013 - Track Nine - The Haunted Room

For our ninth track in the Spooktacular we're sticking with another ska scorcher from Prince Buster and his All Stars... a little tune called "The Haunted Room."  Nothing too haunted in this room except for the firetruck siren sound effects that runs throughout... maybe a better title would have been "Two Alarm Fire In The Haunted Room" but that would have just been too obvious.  So in lieu of actual creepy sounds on the vinyl I've taken the liberty of adding plenty for your enjoyment.  

When doing the mix I came to the realization that I have used these haunted house sound effects, taken from the aptly titled Horror Record from the Johnson Smith Novelty Company and sold in the back of comic books in the early 1970s, nearly every year but, they tend to work so well I couldn't resist!  The werewolf howling, the incessant screaming, the rattling chains, the ghostly theremin noises and that sadistic elfish laugh have become classic Halloween material for me.  Around this time I also got to thinking... does anyone really pay that much attention to what I've got going on in the background?  I found myself mixing the sound effects with so much precision and care that I thought it was really a shame to hide it beneath the music.  If anyone wants a copy of the Spooktacular minus the music, as a continuous sound effect bed suitable for scaring the trick or treaters on Halloween, let me know and I'll post it on the blog.  

But enough about that... "The Haunted Room" was originally pressed on the UK-based Blue Beat label in 1965, my copy is a white labeled repress that I bought from a guy in England last October.  Regardless, it's a great tune that I know you'll enjoy!  Have a great weekend folks - see you Monday!

Prince Buster's All Stars - The Haunted Room

Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular 2013 - Track Eight - Hard Man Fe Dead

This is another top-notch tune that has been waiting patiently in the Spooktacular bin for many years and is finally getting the much-deserved recognition it so rightly deserves!  The eighth track in our fearsome foray into Jamaican spookiness is "Hard Man Fe Dead" from Prince Buster and comes to us from a 1964 7" on the Prince Buster label.

"Hard Man Fe Dead" tells the tale of a man who won't stay dead.  Unlike a domestic house cat that only has nine lives, this cat has ninety-nine lives!  What makes this song so distinctively Jamaican, aside from the smoking hot ska beat,  is its reference to nine-night which is a funerary custom practiced throughout much of the Caribbean.  Nine-night, which is rooted in African tradition, was originally an extended wake that lasted for nine nights and where friends and loved-ones would gather at the home of the deceased to share condolences, sing hymns and eat together.  But, as time as passed, this tradition has become less mournful and more celebratory.  These days attendees don't just arrive with sad expressions and heart-felt remembrances, they arrive with food, drink and music.  

It is believed that on the ninth night, right before the bodies procession to the church service the next morning, that the spirit of the deceased will pass through the party, gather food and say their final goodbyes before continuing on to its final resting-place.  Customarily the food (usually fried fish, bammy and 100 proof rum) are set up under a tent and must remain undisturbed until after midnight when the spirit has eaten their fill.  It is also customary that the bed and mattress of the deceased will be turned on their side against the wall in order to discourage the duppy from staying around and encourage them to proceed to the grave.

Buster touches on many of these funerary traditions in "Hard Man Fe Dead" and makes it a worthy and educational addition to the Spooktacular!

Prince Buster - Hard Man Fe Dead

Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular 2013 - Track Seven - Creeping Version

Up next in the Spooktacular is a little tune by the Upsetters called "Creeping Version" which is the b-side of "The Creeper,"  a Charlie Ace & The Upsetters single from 1971 on the Upsetter label.  This is that good ol' fashioned organ-heavy early reggae sound that I feel lends itself so well to spookiness!  The tune coupled with a good b-movie trailer makes for some fine listening.

The Upsetters - Creeping Version

Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular 2013 - Track Six - Mr. Brown

 Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the hell outta the original Mr. Brown, recorded by The Wailers in 1970 under Lee "Scratch" Perry's tutelage and with one of the most sinister sounding backing tracks ever put on record, but today's tune is pretty cool nonetheless!  But before we get to the listening part of today's post I'm going to take this opportunity to do a refresher on the back-story behind the music by quoting, with a couple factual corrections, from what I wrote here on Distinctly Jamaican Sounds in October of 2005...

"In 1969 or ’70 the Wailers who were working with Lee Perry at the time, caught wind of a strange story involving a John Crow, which is the Jamaican term for a buzzard. This "crow" was somehow given the name “Mr. Brown” and the story went that he had been observed traveling around Kingston on a coffin on its way to the cemetery. Days later the same buzzard, wearing a shirt and tie, was seen in a courtroom. The general populace was scared stiff thinking that the evil powers of obeah (or black magic) had been unleashed and had even gotten to the point that many were afraid to leave their houses at night. The story was even reported in the Jamaican newspaper the Daily Gleaner and added more fuel to the fire.

The lyrics were mostly written by Glen Adams, the keyboard player in Aston “Familyman” Barrett’s Hippy Boys. Max Romeo of “Wet Dream” and “War Inna Babylon” fame was the Hippy Boys’ vocalist but I digress… The Wailers thought the subject matter would be appropriate material under Lee Perry’s slightly psychedelic control and recorded it. It was originally released on 7” single and because Lee Perry sold the rights to all the material the Wailers recorded over that 2 year period it’s available on hundreds of Bob Marley “Greatest Hits” cassettes and CDs you can pick up at a local gas station near you."

So let's get to the music!  This version of Mr. Brown is ripped from the b-side of a 7" by Raheem DeVaughn & Ludacris called "Bulletproof" on the Pirate Records label, from France.  Bulletproof is nothing to write home about by the remix of Mr. Brown sounds pretty damn sweet! 

Pirate Records - Mr. Brown Remix 

Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular 2013 - Track Five - Duppy Gunman

Short and sweet today... Duppy Gunman, was originally written and recorded by Ernie Smith in 1974.  A couple years back I posted an interview with Smith that appeared on the Jamaica Gleaner's website telling about the real life inspiration behind the song.  This is the version recorded by Inner Circle, of Bad Boys fame, also in 1974.  Inner Circle's rendition has a bit of a, dare I say, "country twang" but holds true to the original.  This one comes from the 7" on the Trojan Records label.  Enjoy!

Inner Circle - Duppy Gunman

Spooktacular's From The Past - 2006 & 2007

After a bunch of requests I have decided to provide links to the Spooktaculars from yesteryear... a couple at a time as time allows...

The Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular 2006

 1.   Scientist – Blood on His Lips

2.     Lord Kitchener – Love in the Cemetery

3.     The Crystalites – Blacula

4.     The Wailers – Mr. Brown

5.     King Horror – Loch Ness Monster

6.     Early B – Ghostbuster

7.     Soul Brothers – Voodoo Moon

8.     Lone Ranger – Annie Palmer

9.     The Revolutionaries – Escape From Hell

10.    The Flames – Scare Him

11.    Lone Ranger – Barnabas Collins

12.    Yellowman – Mi Kill Barnie

13.    Scientist – Night of the Living Dead

14.    The Vulcans – Dracula

15.    Peter Tosh – Dracula

16.    Bobby Aitken – Vampire

17.    Upsetters – 10 til 12

18.    Lone Ranger – Frankinstine

19.    The Aggrolites – Grave Digger

20.    Leo Graham – Voodooism

21.    The Wailers – Duppy Conqueror

           The Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular 2007

 1 .     The Crystalites – Ghost Rider

2.     Dillinger – Duppy Boasty

3.     Joe Gibbs Allstars – Midnight Movie

4.     Lord Jellicoe – Zombie Jamboree

5.     Harry J Allstars – Jack the Ripper

6.     Johnny Organ – Bewitched

7.     Eastwood & Saint – Talk About Run

8.     Pablo Gad – Bloodsucker

9.     The Upsetters – Vampire

10.   Derrick Morgan – Father Killam

11.    Lone Ranger – Grave Yard Skank

12.    Lone Ranger – Barnabas Collins

13.    Skatalites – Reburial

14.    Dennis Alcapone – Mr. Brown’s Coffin

15.    Nitty Gritty – Duppy Come Again

16.    Black Art – Vampire (horns)

17.    Dave Barker – Dr. Jekyll

18.    Elroy Bailey – Moving Creatures

19.    Prince Buster – Ghost Dance

20.    Chin – Woman Ghost Fool Man

21.    Peter Tosh – Vampire

            22.   The Chuckles – Darkest Night

The rest will follow soon...

Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular 2013 - Track Four - Midnight Organ

"Good midnight to you."  It's with that innocent introduction that we are thrown into the next track of the 2013 Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular "Midnight Organ" by Basque Dub Foundation.  Basque Dub Foundation, or BDF as they are commonly called, is a studio project of Spanish-born producer Iñaki Yarritu, started in the early 1990s.  Unlike many bands of the era, BDF has strayed away from the digital sound that has become so omnipresent and stuck with a sound that remains firmly rooted in the distinctive reggae vibes of the 60s, 70s and 80s.  The Hammond organ driven "Midnight Organ" is no exception and is taken from the flip side of a 2009 General Levy's track "Life Hard," a 7" on the Heartical label.

This smooth track coupled with the hypnotic invitation by the Young American Mystic Cult of Horrors makes for some great Spooktacular material.  Have a great weekend folks, see you Monday!

Basque Dub Foundation - Midnight Organ

Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular 2013 - Track Three - Wolf Out Deh

Lee "Scratch" Perry and the Upsetters were true masters of churning out a spooky sounding instrumental reggae tune in the late 60s.  There was something about the minor key organ in so many of those tracks that just lends itself well to being dark and foreboding.  But Perry's explorations of spookiness were not limited to his pre-Black Ark period, quite the contrary!  Some would say the era beginning in 1973 and ending with the Ark's untimely demised in 1979, is when the real scary stuff came to the forefront.  And we're not necessarily talking about just Halloween appropriate tracks, we're talking about top-notch recordings and sessions with many of reggae's top artists whose end result was frighteningly perfect.  

For those who don't listen to reggae or know anything about the mad genius that is Lee "Scratch" Perry they are truly missing out on some of the greatest music ever produced, bar none!  What made the Black Ark productions so enchanting and so amazing, even by today's standards, is the sound of the Black Ark itself.  Now I'm not musically trained, I took piano lessons when I was a kid and after nearly three years of tearful practice and general disdain my music teacher told my parents they were wasting their money, so it would be next to impossible for me to exactly pin-point what it is that makes it sound so good.  It has something to do with the reverb, echo and effects that Perry put on each individual component of the music that makes it sound otherworldly.  Which works as a perfect segue into today's track...

Lloyd & Devon, Lloyd Robinson & Devon Russell, who had previously recorded as part of the vocal group The Tartans in the late 60's, had a couple hit songs in the early reggae era before going on to record and release "Wolf Out Deh" for Scratch in 1977.  This track coupled with the trailer from the 1961 Hammer Films classic "The Curse of the Werewolf" will give you a nice taste of lycanthropy Jamaican style.  It comes from the original 7" on the Black Art label.

Lloyd & Devon - Wolf Out Deh

Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular 2013 - Track Two - Night Owl

I hope you've gotten time to digest the little morsel I sprung on you yesterday and are ready for another heaping serving of spookiness... this is one that has been festering in the bin for nearly four years and now I finally have the opportunity to blow off the dust and get it into the mix.  "Night Owl" by Hubert Lee & The Clarendonians, is the 1972 reggae take on the doo-wop tune "Nite Owl" originally recorded by Tony Allen & The Champs in 1955, and to be honest with you, the reggae version is far more listenable than the original... but hey, I may be biased.  Not necessarily spooky subject matter going on because "Night Owl" is about a love gone wrong but it works well with our theme, besides, they can't all be blood and guts can they?  This little jewel was lifted from a 7" on the High School label.

Lee & The Clarendonians - Night Owl

Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular 2013 - Track One - Slaughterhouse Five

And away we go!  We're jumping into 2013's slimy Spooktacular with both clammy feet!  We start our month-long distinguished anthology of spooky tunes with a little dub number from Prince Jammy entitled "Slaughterhouse Five."  This is definitely not to be confused with Kurt Vonnegut's book of the same title because it has that downright evil vibe that lends itself well to being prime Spooktacular fodder.  Taken from the flip side of Lacksley Castell's "What A Great Day (It Will Be)" 12" on the Sufferers Heights label from 1979 and I'm sure you'll dig it, if you'll pardon the pun.

Prince Jammy AKA King Jammy (born Lloyd James, Montego Bay Jamaica, 1947) got his start in the music business building amplifiers and repairing electrical equipment before starting his own sound system in the late 60s.  Jammy worked alongside the undisputed King of Dub, King Tubby, at his studio in Kingston before he started his own studio.  The rest they say is history because Jammy went on to become Jamaica's greatest digital reggae producers and is still very much active today.

Prince Jammy - Slaughterhouse Five

Are you ready?! The gory details...

Ah, so it's you again, dear readers!  You have undoubtedly returned to my humble spot on the web, Distinctly Spooky Jamaican Sounds, to see what spicy morsels I have prepared for this month-long celebration of all things that go bump in the night... despair not my friends, you will not be disappointed!

This is the eighth year for the Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular and I couldn't be more delighted to be teetering on the edge ready to take another plunge!  For those who are returning for yet another October, welcome back!  I'm sure you will be pleased with the end results of the new Spooktacular!  And for those of you venturing into the dank dungeon of spooky Jamaican music for the first time, I bid you a warm welcome.

I started this little foray into exploring the dark underbelly of this music which is often equated as being relaxed and mellow to prove a point years ago... the point is simple...  Jamaican music, in all its incantations (mento, ska, rocksteady, reggae, dub, dancehall, etc.) is just as multifaceted as any other genre of music and is more than capable of touching on subject matter far removed from the stereotypical themes that one usually associates with these songs and the artists that perform them.  This goal, coupled with my love of Halloween and for all things scary, created this project eight long years ago and I haven't stopped digging for spooky tunes since.  The countless hours I spend searching for obscure and dark Jamaican songs is an obsession that keeps me busy year-round and it has definitely become more than just a project it has become a true labor of love.  Plain and simple, I love Jamaican music and Halloween with every ounce of my being and I hope that my adoration and respect shows.

But enough about that, here's how this works... I post a new downloadable track each weekday during the month of October complete with a write-up and customized pre-code horror comic book cover graphics (thanks again to my buddy Roger Wilkerson)... you simply download the tracks, assemble them in order on your device of choice and they will combine to create a continuous mix of eerie Jamaican tunes resplendent with creepy sound effects, b-movie radio trailers, snippets from vintage Halloween records and recordings, etc. running throughout.  It's that simple!

So starting Tuesday, at midnight no less, we begin 2013's Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular!  I hope you'll return every weekday this October and most importantly enjoy the time you spend in the moldy, festering crypt that is Distinctly Spooky Jamaican Sounds!  Let the festivities begin!  Mwuhahahahahahaha!

Coming Tuesday...

R.I.P. Prince Jazzbo - 1951-2013

I just heard of the passing of Prince Jazzbo this morning and I felt as if I wanted to step-up and pay tribute to a truly great DJ. 

Prince Jazzbo, born Linval Roy Carter, September 3, 1951 in Clarendon Jamaica, got his start recording for Coxsone Dodd's Studio One in the early 1970s.  He went on to record for other producers, including Lee "Scratch" Perry and eventually started his own label Ujama.  I posted years ago about the duel he had going with fellow toaster I-Roy in the mid 70s and it is one of my favorite chapters of reggae's history.  But I'm not going to go into that today...  I'm keeping the bio short and sweet because I know there are a lot more reputable sources for factual information and I wanted to keep this mix somewhat timely.

I put together a mix of some of my favorite Prince Jazzbo tunes and it was the best way I could pay tribute to a man whose music I've always enjoyed and admired.  Give it a listen!

What you'll hear...

1.  Mr. Funny Man (Brisco 7")
2.  Natty Passing Through Rome (Ital Corner LP - Clocktower)
3.  Crab Walking  (Studio One 12" Discomix)
4.  Penny Reel (The Upsetter Selection CD - Trojan)
5.  Imperial I (Pepper Rock LP - Studio One)
6.  Donkey (Get Tonight Brother LP - Clocktower)
7.  I And I (Kick Boy Face LP - Third World)
8.  Weakheart Drop Dead (Reggae's Fire & Water LP - Clocktower)
9.  Pepper Rock (Pepper Rock LP - Studio One)
10.  Mr. Harry Skank (Dubble Attack LP - Greensleeves)
11.  Fool For Love (Choice Of Version LP - Studio One)
12.  Wood & Stone (Step Forward Youth LP - Live & Love)
13.  Apollo 16 (Pepper Rock LP - Studio One)
14.  Gal Boy I Roy (If Deejay Was Your Trade CD - Blood & Fire)
15.  I Bust In The Name of Jah (Step Forward Youth LP - Live & Love)

R.I.P. Prince Jazzbo

spooktacular?

I checked the calendar this morning and came to the realization... Spooktacular?  Who's up for another one?

More music coming... eventually

Hope everyone is doing well... just had to share this pic...

Seven Inches Of Christmas Joy - The Jamaican Christmas Mix 2012

SEVEN INCHES OF CHRISTMAS JOY

TRACKLIST
 1.  Little John - Save A Little For Christmas - Junjo 7"

2.  Roman Stewart - Christmas Affair - Well Charge 7"

3.  Jah Walton - DJ Christmas - Black & White 7"

4.  Don Cornel & The Eternals - Christmas Joy - Moodisc 7"

5.  Barry Brown - Christmas Christmas - Hitbound 7"

6.  Cocoa Tea - Christmas Is Coming - Arrival 7"

7.  Johnny Clarke - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - Total Sounds 7"

8.  Verna Lee Powell - He Is My Santa Claus - Jama 7"

9.  Glen Adams - Xmas Rock - Gem 7"

10.  Trinity - Video Christmas - Thunder Bolt 7"

11.  Silent Choir - Silent Night - Magnet 7"

12.  Niyah & The Sunflakes - Merry Christmas - Sonet 7"

13.  Glen Adams - Joyful Tidings - Clocktower 7"

14.  Mutabaruka - Postpone Christmas - High Times 7"

15.  Tippa Lee, Nardo Ranks, Half Pint & David Brevett - Dedicated To Santa - Studio One 7"

16.  Nigger Kojak - Christmas Style - Joe Gibbs 7"

17.  Norman T. Washington - It's Christmas Time Again - Gas 7"

18.  Owen Gray - Collins Greetings - Collins Downbeat 7"

19.  Cedric Bravo w/Rico & The Four Stars - Merry Christmas - Ska Beat 7"

20.  Leon Danger & Mr. Culture - This Christmas - Hillsman 7"    

Once again I want to thank my friend Roger Wilkerson for putting together the cover art... I gave him an idea and he ran with it!  Thanks Roger!

It looks like the upload server I used is being a pain in the ass so here's a Zippyshare link for those who have been trying to download the mix - Merry Christmas!!

DOWNLOAD LINK - UPDATE 1/3/13

A 2012 Christmas Gift To You!

Something has been missing... I couldn't figure
it out at first but I was thinking about a yearly
tradition that I had abandoned this year and things just didn't feel right.  So, with love in my heart and the intention to provide some Christmas joy for the multitude of people who have expressed their love and appreciation for the Christmas Mixes over the years, I have put together another one.  

Now don't expect to be hearing 25 brand spanking new tracks because I made it clear last year that I had exhausted my efforts to find more Jamaican Christmas music for additional mixes so what I did is the next best thing... I have taken 20 of my favorite Christmas 7" records, mixed them together and threw a bow on it and there you have it... Seven Inches Of Christmas Joy... yeah, I know it sounds a little risque but I promise you nothing inappropriate, it's only the title.  

During the holiday season you hear these horror stories of someone's Aunt Edna repackaging the gift you gave her last year and someone getting their feelings hurt, etc. but this repackaged gift from me to you is shame-free and an hour of unadulterated Jamaican Christmas fun!

I'll post the mix tomorrow, I've got a bunch of things to get done before work today and I'm running out of time... stay tuned!!

The Complete 2012 Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular! Happy Halloween!

For all you lazy bastards who haven't been keeping tabs on the daily downloads or for those who may come across this blog in a last-minute mass consumption orgy of Halloween blogs, I present for your haunting pleasure, The Complete 2012 Jamaican Halloween Spooktacular.  Twenty-one creepy cuts guaranteed to keep you awake at night and checking the closets for the boogeyman... twenty-one spine tingling songs compiled with the express purpose of scaring you silly... twenty-one terrifying tracks to drive you to madness and set your teeth a'chattering... I could go on but I think you've got the point...a very sharp point I might add...

Mwuhahahahahahahahaha!  Happy Halloween!! :)

I also wanted to take this space to thank my pal Roger Wilkerson for putting together the classic comic book covers for each of this years tracks!  He did a great job and I had as much fun seeing the end results as much as you hopefully did.  Roger has a photo blog on Tumblr which is always entertaining, I recommend checking him out!  Be sure to tell him that Reggaexx sent ya!

THE COMPLETE 2012 JAMAICAN HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR