Diggin' the Roots (RADIO BLOGCAST #4)

We've got a lot of new and old favorites for you on this 4th Blogcast Playlist! A lot of dusty old soulful tunes and legends of the music we all love. From the dub and reggae backing band of 1970s, the groovin' steady beat of the 60s, up to the name makers of the 80s, 90s and the present -we've got it all covered! We're lookin' back to the roots and we're giving 'em all to you as we start off with The Aggrovators' dub hit "Rocking Jamboree". Their sound is out of this world, with crisp one drops and stuttering echoes with that round, bouncing bass that will rattle your room. The rhythms lean more towards the sunny and bright, easy rocking side of reggae, rather than dark and rootsy, it's good times all throughout!

Jacob Miller's version of "Why Can't We Be Friends" had a unique style, using staccato motifs in counter play with the rhythm section and sounding magnetic. Taken from his 1976 album "Tenement Yard". A year after, Miller joined and signed with Inner Circle with their first album Reggae Thing, followed by Ready for the World. Both Albums achieved international acclaim for hard-driving rhythms. Miller is the uncle of the English-born reggae singer, Maxi Priest.

Ernest Ranglin's "On Higher Ground" is another favorite of mine and one of the few musicians to blend jazz and reggae successfully. No words can describe it. Just listnen to this!

When I was just starting out and in the lower stages of gaining interest in music, one of the first musicians that led me to explore various musical disciplines is The Clash. In fact, their album is one of the first record I bought when I was a kid, and the addiction never stopped. Its is so amazing how lead singer Joe Strummer and the rest of The Clash jumped out of the box and experimented with reggae, funk, rap, dub, rock and roll and rockabilly among other roots musics along with punk rock and really does it well. With Joe Strummer's older band, The 101ers, their "Keys To You Heart" track is a fusion of progressive rock and highly polished hint of early waves of British punk. Very notable. Very Joe Strummer. Reminds me of one local song and wondering if its patterned over this one. :-)

Speaking of The Clash, they also covered The Rulers' 1967 hit, "Wrong 'em Boyo" from their 1979 album London Calling. Far from The Clash's "skaish" version, The Rulers' original version is a rootsy Jamaican Rocksteady, less energetic, more relaxed but the bass is heavier and more prominent. You could just imagine how this sound floods the urban ghettos of Kingston carrying a Jamaican countryside experience together with Hopeton Lewis' "Take It Easy" making you shout "Lets do the rocksteady!"

Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and Arthur Conley are some of the best known American Soul singers with lots of hit spots in the Pop and R&B charts. Conley and Redding re-wrote the Sam Cooke song "Yeah Man" into "Sweet Soul Music" and became a massive hit. Wilson Pickett's "Mustang Sally" is one of his well known classics thats so powerful and raw. Raising the roof with his sweaty and intense 60s Soul voice and making your day complete with Otis Redding's "Hard To Handle" is one treat you can't resist.

Even the current bands of today featured here seems to be trying to look back to the roots of their musical influences. This is pointed up by Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong with his 2007 solo album project "A Poet's Life" which was made in collaboration with Hellcat-signed reggae band The Aggrolites. One track from this album is "Translator". With Tim's signature voice backed by loose, punky, infectious grooves, This is shamelessly danceable. Other rootsy delight from today's playlist includes Madness' version of Chase The Devil", from their Dangermen Sessions album. They seem to be having fun in making this album, and surprisingly done it in a sexy way.

So treat yourself to some classic, old school ska, soul, rocksteady and some infectious dub grooves! Enjoy!


RADIO BLOGCAST #4

Rocking Jamboree - The Aggrovators
Dance All Night - Dr. Ring-Ding & The Senior Allstars
Shame & Sorrow - Moon Invaders
No Woman No Cry - Alphanso Stewart
Ranking Full Stop - Special Beat
Sweet Soul Music - Arthur Conley
Bartender - The Rude Boys
Murder - The Radiation Kings
Mustang Sally - Wilson Pickett
On Higher Ground - Ernest Ranglin
I'm In A Dancing Mood - Delroy Wilson
Jamaica Ska - Byron Lee & The Dragonaires
Hard to Handle - Otis Redding
Skinhead - The Loafers
Do the Jerk - Derrick Harriott & The Jiving Juniors
Fire Coal Man - The Wailing Souls
Wrong Em Boyo - The Rulers
The Devil Is Bad - The W's
Why Can't We Be Friends - Jacob Miller
I Chase the Devil - Madness
One Monkey Don't Stop No Show - The Marvels
Take It Easy - Hopeton Lewis
Translator -Tim Armstrong
Sesame Street - Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra
Keys To Your Heart - The 101'ers
Ska Au-Go-Go - Roland Alphonso & The Soul Bros.

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