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Greetings,

Reggae Radio for 31 years. I am a fundamentalist when it comes to how I program Smile Jamaica

No digital for I ‘n’ I. I play LPs, 7″ vinyl, 12″/10″ vinyl singles and CDs. I don’t care to learn your virtual deejay software. Let it be a mystery. As I tell my nieces and nephews: I put the “old” in Old School.

Vinyl is sleek and beautiful. Large size album covers tell a visual story. CDs are smaller and more functional. You would think more durable too.

KRCL has two turntables and three CD players. I was juggling some Wailers Family Tree. Hoped to debut a Peter Tosh bootleg: NYC ’81. Pop the CD into a tray. Cue it up. Fade Studio One Wailers vinyl….remote start the disk.

After 20 seconds the CD started looping back to the beginning. WTF? I usually always have a disk in the tray in case of sonic malfunction. This time I was caught dry. I fumbled for a Bunny Wailer CD and recovered.

30 seconds of dead air on Radio? Is the equivalent of an hour to the listener. It is the worst screw up a deejay can make outside Carlin’s seven dirty words.

No worries. I keep a trusty cloth in my kit to wipe down CDs. Bunny fades and Peter 2.0 segues. Same thing: 20 seconds and loop, loop, loop.

So all I could say was BUMBO KLAAT

Listen to Peter describe what is Bumbo Klaat

<Bumbo Klaat; 96 sec.>

In Jamaica, a bumbo klaat is a vulgar derivative of  the American femine hygiene product. In the U.S. the vernacular, “Are you on the rag?” Would be “Oh bumbo klaat” in Jamaica. But times ten in offensiveness.

I could be wrong on this but: In England “fanny” or “bum” refers not to the buttocks, as Americans assume, but the vagina.

So a sanitary napkin translates in Jamaican patois turns as “bum” cloth. Which elides to bumbaclot. As in cloth/clotting effect of the material.

That word however, is a YUUGE expletive in Jamaica. Like imagining saying MOTHER FUCKER in church or a staff meeting.

Peter, the Malcolm X to Bob Marley’s Martin Luther King, was always willing to push the buttons of the Babylonian shitstem against the Crime Minister and the House of Represenathief.

As an anti-authoritarian curmudgeon myself, I always love the “in your face grit” of Tosh. Even his violent death was in tune with dark forces that haunted him.

So for him to release a love song duet with Gwen Guthrie, called Nothing But Love b/w Oh Bumbo Klaat on the flip? That’s the kind of fuck you attitude I’m talking about!

For Peter, paralyzed by a psychic vampire during the night, he called out to Jah: “What do I do?” His Imperial Majesty telepathed to him the statement: “Son, use the word!”

OH BUMBO KLAAT

“Now I am free as a bird.” Selah!

bless, Bobbylon

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-gust 3, 2019 Annotated Playlist; 77 sec.

Set 1:

• Wayne Jarrett – Saturday Night Jamboree; Chip In (Greensleeves) ’82 UK
• Sly & Robbie – Indiana Jones (Paragons); Raiders of the Lost Dub (Mango) ’81 US vinyl dub album of the hour

<Sued for copyright infringement>

• Afro Omega – It’s On the People; CD Single (Afro Omega)
• Jimmy Cliff – Third World People; Club Paradise Soundtrack (Sony) ’86
• Carlton Livingston – Chalice in Mind; Crucial Reggae (Mango) ’82 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
• Tristan Palmer – Joker Smoker; 12″ (Greensleeves) ’82 UK herbtune

Set 2:

• Misty in Roots – Wandering Wonderer; Chronicles (Kaz) ’94/’89
• Hortense Ellis – Breakfast in Bed (Horns Mix); I’m Still in Love With You
• Tony Curtis – Leave the Collie Alone; Leave the Collie Alone (Cou$ins) 2006  herbtune
• Culture – Black Rose (Stand Up and Fight); Production Something (Heartbeat) ’79
• Tapper Zukie – Raggy Joey Boy; 10″ (Mobiliser) ’82 UK picture sleeve

Set 3: Best of Smile Jamaica 29+ Years

• Dr. Alimantado – Johnny Was a Baker; Best Dressed Chicken in Town (Keyman) ’75 
• Rasheda – Mr. Roots Man; Roots Daughters (Ariwa) ’88
• Earth Last Messengers & Black Disciples – Hypocrites + Brezensky Dub; Jack Ruby Hi Fi (Auralux/Clappers) ’80

Set 4:

• Ken Boothe – In the Summertime; 70’s Reggae Hits (Sanctuary) ’70 Mungo Jerry skiffle cover
• Barry Brown – Be Careful; General For All General (Hitbound) ’84 herbtune
• Simone – Mr. Right; Inner City Roots (Crazy Joe) 2005
• Prince David & the Dubiterian – Jah Will Never Let Me Down; 10″ (Moa Anbessa) 2008 Jah-talian militant stepper

Set 5: Vinyl is Vital

• Lion Zion – Gas Guzzler;  Reggae in America (House of Natty) ’76 Oakland; Lee “Scratch” Perry prod’n
• The Marvels – Think; Reggae Treasure (Upper Class Records) ’81 UK Aretha Franklin cover w/ female vox
• Milo – Hell Is On Fire; Positive Movement (Rooney) ’89 Ft. Lauderdale
• Charlie Chaplin – Naw Lef Me Chalwa; Red Pond (Tamoki Wambesi) ’82 UK herbtune
• Blues Busters – I Shot the Sheriff; Phillip & Lloyd (Scepter) ’75 NY
• Dub Specialist – Why Oh Why Version; Version Dread (Heartbeat/Studio One) Dub Album of the Hour; Studio One dubs

Set 6: Wailers Family Tree

• Bob Marley & the Wailers – Lonesome Track; Marley, Tosh, Livingston & Associates (Coxsone) ’82/’66 JA vinyl

<Bob Marley train song; 82 sec.>

• Bunny Wailer – Rat Race; Hall of Fame (RAS) ’95 50 songs for Bob’s birthday
• Bob Marley/Bill Laswell – Burnin’ & Lootin’; Dreams of Freedom (Axiom) ’97 ambient rmx
• Peter Tosh – Oh Bumba Klaat; Honorary Citizen (Columbia/Legacy) ’81
• UB40 – Present Arms in Dub; Present Arms in Dub (DEP) ’81 Dub Album of the Hour

Set 7: : Rockers do Reggae Set

• Taj Mahal – Desperate Lover; Mo’ Roots (Columbia) ’74 Bob Andy cover
• Hot Chocolate – Confetti Day; Every 1’s a Winner (RAK) ’78 UK soul/rock
• Garland Jeffreys – Midnight Cane; Garland Jeffreys (Collector’s Choice) ’73 single: NYC biracial rockers
• Pretenders – Private Life; Pretenders (Sire) ’79

Set 8: Mutant Dub Roots Dawtas

• Alpha & Omega feat. Nishka – Bind Us Together; Safe in the Ark (A & O) ’94 UK trance dub
• Hollie Cook – Turn It Around; Vessel of Love (Merge) 2018 UK
• Dry & Heavy feat. Likkle Mai – Don’t Make the Children Cry; New Creation (Green Tea) 2002 Jah-pon
• Dao – Had Gedam; Essential Bombay Lounge (UBL) 2006 Hindi
• Dayjah Meets the Disciples – Storm Clouds; Storm Clouds (Third Eye) ’96 UK