RIP Johnny Moore OD

Posted on August 18th, 2008 by JJ Loy.
Categories: obits.

Sad news in my inbox last night.  Yet another original member of The Skatalites has passed away.  Read the obit in the Jamaican Gleaner, here.

TRUMPETER JOHNNY ‘Dizzy’ Moore, a founding member of the Skatalites band, died on Saturday at the age of 69.

Moore succumbed to cancer at a friend’s home, said musicologist.

Herbie Miller, who knew the musician for more than 30 years. Moore had been ailing for some time and was recently discharged from hospital.

Miller hailed Moore as the “most creative thinking musician of the ska period”.

Moore is the sixth member of the legendary band to die. Trombonist Don Drummond, keyboardist Jackie Mittoo, saxophonists Tommy McCook and Roland Alphonso and Jerome ‘Jah Jerry’ Hinds predeceased him.

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Mikey Dread - RIP

Posted on March 17th, 2008 by JJ Loy.
Categories: obits.

I must admit that I didn’t know anything about Mikey Dread when I heard that he died on Saturday. That is until I received this obituary, through Joey Altruda, which testifies to the power of one DJ:

Mikey Dread, gone from the control
Hailed as one of reggae greatest innovators
By Basil Walters Observer staff reporter
Sunday, March 16, 2008

Radio disc jock Mikey Dread is dead. He succumbed to a brain tumour late yesterday afternoon at his family home in Connecticut, USA at the age of 54. Born Michael Campbell in Port Antonio, Jamaica, he distinguished himself as an extraordinary studio engineer and presenter at the now defunct Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) where he came to prominence in the 1970s as “The Dread-the-Control Tower”, the name of the late night show he presented at a time when reggae music was scoffed at by many.

Mikey Dread… hailed as one of reggae’s greatest innovators and original radio engineers/technicians, the past student of Titchfield High School, in 2006 celebrated the 30th anniversary of the night programme which he started at the JBC, and revolutionised the after midnight shift making it into the most popular slot on radio, by playing strictly dub music. This innovation is seen by many musicologists as the antecedence of dancehall as we now know it.

Upon leaving the JBC, Mikey Dread ventured into recording and scored with a number of releases such as Weatherman Skanking in combination with Ray I, Barber Saloon, Love the Dread, as well as albums such as Dread at the Control, Evolutionary Rockers and World War III. Over time he attracted the attention of British punk rockers, The Clash, who invited him to produce some of their music, the most famous of which is their single Bankrobber, and contributed to several songs on their 1980 album, Sandinista. Mikey Dread also toured with The Clash across Britain, wider Europe and the US.

He also worked closely with producer Trevor Elliot to launch musical career of singer Edi Fitzroy, who was then an accountant at the JBC. As the news of his passing surfaced yesterday, the Sunday Observer got comments from a number of persons in the media and the music fraternity, all of whom hailed Mikey Dread as a significant contributor to the development of Jamaican music. “His (Mikey Dread’s) work, is not only national or regional, but also international,” former JBC’s journalist Leslie Miles noted. “It spanned the world scene and made Mikey a pioneer broadcaster for playing dub music, and also redefined aspects of radio, especially night time radio” Miles, who is now head of news at Bess FM, also spoke of the struggle Mikey Dread faced at the conservative JBC. Music consultant Colin Leslie pointed out that the consequence of the “fight” he received from the management was putting him on at night, but that backfired.

“Remember he is a Portlander, so I always appreciated the fact that we shared the same alma mater (Titchfield High School), that is something I’ve always cherished and I hold him in high esteem. Although he was ahead of my era, he was somebody who laid an awesome foundation and was very unique and highly respected,” was how Richard “Richie B” Burgess of Hot 102, remembered Mikey Dread.

“We were at JBC together, and in those days when he started at the JBC dreads weren’t popular on the air. The powers that be in management really gave him a fight,” Ali McNab told the Sunday Observer.

“Michael Campbell, is someone who revolutionised radio in Jamaica when there was still an anti-Jamaican sentiment regarding music and culture. In terms of the emerging dancehall, it was Mikey Dread who popularised it on radio. Although it was late night, he still managed to popularise dancehall music and bring it to the masses,” was the perspective of Dennis Howard who also worked on JBC Radio, in the post-Mikey Dread era.

And Irie FM’s disc jockey, GT Taylor hailed the late Mikey Dread as a role model. “Reggae music in Jamaica, owes a lot that that brother. He was one man who stood up for reggae in the early ’70s, bringing the music to the forefront. He is one of my inspirations.”

Veteran singer Freddie McGregor attested to the fact that “Mikey Dread was one of the persons fighting the struggle for reggae music. Mikey and I did a lot of shows together over the years. A wonderful brethren”.

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Ska News To Me

Posted on December 13th, 2007 by JJ Loy.
Categories: Ska Online, news, obits.

Here’s a quick rundown of a very busy week in the world of Ska:

After months without any new Slackers bootlegs, a new set hit the internet hit the internet like a cannonball. Recorded in Syracuse, NY on 11.15.07, the set has been dubbed Funk n’ Waffles, after the venue of the same name. I can attest to the live set’s quality, so feel safe clicking here for the .zip file, or here for the original post at Stubborn Records Forum.

Speaking of The Slackers, Dave Hillyard recently posted a very optomistic, State of the Scene-type blog post. What does he say? Ska is making a comeback. But you knew that. Link

This isn’t breaking news, but in light of Hillyard’s positive post, it serves proof of the scene’s recent strength. The popular series of Ska compilations, United Colors of Ska has just released their fourth installment, or 4.0. Much like my recent selections, the UCS folks have been using MySpace as the catalyst for finding new Ska music from around the world. Link

The Holidays are upon us (is Hanukkah really over, already?) and DC Ska is making it easy for you to find the perfect gifts for all the Ska Geeks on your list, with their handy Gift Guide. Link

Go Jimmy Go has gotten into the X-Mas mode, as well, giving us all the gift of a Holiday themed album, Holiday Hell Yeah. Link

Victor Rice is still bustin ass and maintaining his rep as the go to guy for all things Ska. Look for new recordings by Stingers ATX, Buford O’Sullivan, Chris Murray Combo, and Crazy Balhead (feat. Alex Desert, King Django, Steve Jackson, Bucket, and Vic Ruggiero) with Mr. Rice at the mixing board, next year. He’s also involved (to some degree) with a new Skatalites Live DVD.

It would seem that the rumors are sadly true, Lynette Knackstedt, founder and guitarist for Skankin’ Pickle died at the young age of 37. Here is the post where I found out. Here is Mike Parks personal blog post on the subject. And here is an odd turn of events effecting Lynette’s estate.

The other night, my roommate and all around cool guy, Jameson played about 6 Skankin Pickle songs for me and Dira at the 521A. We remarked at how long it had been since we played them. Jameson translated a few Korean lyrics for us. I commented at what a bad-ass guitarist the Pickle’s had. I would later learn that Lynette died sometime that evening. It was an eerie coincidence that my friends and I were missing Skankin Pickle while Knackstedt’s family was missing her.

Sources: DC Ska, Dancin Mood, Stubborn Forums, Asian Man Records, and Do the Dog Skazine

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Ska Online: NPR hearts Jamaican Music

Posted on November 16th, 2007 by JJ Loy.
Categories: Ska Online, obits.


Maybe you are already a fan of NPR. For those of you that aren’t- that’s National Public Radio. Think PBS, only radio. My love of NPR began with shows like Car Talk and This American Life, and has since grown to include the core of Public Radio’s musical programing. Shows like, American Routes and World Cafe offer listeners music and context that steer towards ethnic, traditional and revivalist styles and away from commercial influence.

Links of Interest:

Live Performance:
LIVE NOW: Toots and the Maytals in Concert
Dave Wakeling: Ska and The English Beat
Lily Allen in Concert with The Bird and The Bee
NPR’s All Things Considered: The Slackers
ERNEST RANGLIN

Profiles:
Ska Cubano
Gypsy Punk Group Gogol Bordello in Concert
Fishbone Flies the Black Rock Flag High
Jackie Mitto: Infectious, Philly-Style Soul, by Way of Jamaica
Ska Cubano: A Parallel Musical Universe
Bob Marley’s Music and Magic Endure
Bob Marley and the Culture of Reggae
Music Review: ‘Mento Madness’ from Various Artists
Jamaican Independence Day

Obit:
Desmond Dekker, the ‘King of Ska’
Remembering Reggae Pioneer Coxsone Dodd

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