Hope every one had a Merry Christmas or whatever Sky Deity you give thanks & praise to
Greetings,
Jump straight to the Jah-cember 27, 2014: Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive
<Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives sends seasons greetings to the Sky Deity of your choosing; 8 sec.>
Praise Anu! Smile Jamaica’s favorite sky god. Sumerians
***
Snuck away for a combo birthday/Christmas/cratedig with my family. Jah-buqureque, New Jah-xico. Flu shot ahead of time. Feeling good when everyone else in the vicinity had the crud.
Fly back, Friday AM the day after Christmas. Decided why not end the year, last Ark-Ive of 2014, with an All Vinyl Black Wax Attack.Yes I! Selah!
3 things that make Cabin Fever bearable: a roaring fire, burning a spliff, Irish coffee and the sound of vinyl pon your turntable
<Nyquil cocktail for 3 hours on air>
2 hour fog delay. Everyone cooped up on a non-moving tin can. Six in the Morning. Right there on the tarmac. Babies crying, everyone sniffling, coughing and wheezing.
Get back to the Ark-Ives, immediately start inoculating myself: Zicam for the Zinc; Nyquil just in case. Ate two oranges for the Vitamin C. Whatever…..
<One extra present after Christmas. Can’t hear the cue speaker on where to drop de needle pon de record with a massive head cold; 35 sec.>
All Vinyl Show. Had to crank the cue speaker to hear where to drop de needle pon di wax
Smile Jamaica’s Lessons in Deejaying: Why They Call it the “One Drop”
Similar to the Radio Board at KRCL. VU Meters on the top. Bump the red, don’t peg the red. Otherwise cipped signal feedback on the listener end. Speaker volume (cue, monitors, headphones) to the right. Higher the slider, the louder the gain (volume) over the air, if Track Button is lit, aka “hot”
Radio Studio setup 8 Tracks: 3 CDs, 2 Turntables, 1 Microphone, 1 Computer. Any sound on a “hot” track goes over the airwaves.
1 CD for my Dub Album of the Week
If a deejay wants to sample a portion of a song without that song going onto the airwaves, he puts the Track into “cue” mode
The cue speaker is on a different, internal sound channel within the mixing board. Separate from the Tracks that go over the airwaves. The deejay hears those “live” Tracks over the studio’s monitor speakers.
Had to turn the cue volume up to 11 to hear where to drop the needle on the vinyl, back-cue (reverse direction) on the Turntable till dead silence. This is where the next song starts on beat 1 – hot on the air. The One Drop!
Eyes and Ears in synch when you drop di needle pon de record! Searching for the One-Drop
Here’s the nitty gritty on Smile Jamaica’s Year-End Vinyl Blowout! (Jah-cember 27, 2014; 1 min. 55 sec.)
Rarities/Vinyl Only classics out of the Ark-Ives
Roots Dawtas
Seven Leaf, 4 down, 46 to go.
<Smile Jah-pocrypha: Skilers want to be in their cars, heading home in time to hear the Smile Jamaica 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement>
Prince Far I – Jamaica; Jamaican Heroes (Trojan) ’80 UK, boxing theme
1983 Rock Steady reunion. Sleeper classic from the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives Black Wax wing
Set 2: Roots Dawtas
Judy Mowatt – Mr. Dee Jay; Mr. Dee Jay (Ashandan) ’81 JA
Maxine Miller – How Many Times; Showcase (Wackies); ‘80 NY early Bob Marley doo wop lovers rock
Sophia George – Tenement Yard; Tenement Yard (Winner) ’86 JA
Marcia Griffiths – Feel Like Jumping; At Studio One (Studio One) JA
<Reggae History Lesson: Judy and Marcia, 2/3 of the I Threes; 17 sec.>
Hey Mr. Deejay, play that song for me
Set 3:
Jackie Mittoo – Eleanor Rigby; Jackie Mittoo (United Artists) ’78 Los Jah-ngeles, Collie-fornya; Beatles Hammond B 3 cover
Heptones – Soul Sister; Legends From Studio One (Trench Town) ’72 Allen Toussaint New Oreans soul cover
The Gaylads – Little Candle; Vision of Reggae (Tamoki Wambesi); Roy Cousins prod’n best of
Gregory Isaacs – Night Nurse; 12” (Island) ’82 Roots Radics on the riddims
Keyboard wizard minor key vibe on The Beatles classic.
Set 4: Seven Leaf Herbal Vinyl Set
<Seven Leaf Set Livicated to Rockers International from WNMC, Traverse City, MI; Reggae Radio in town skiing; 45 sec.>
<Revelations 22:2 – The Healing of the Nations; 30 sec.>
Jacob Miller – Healing of the Nations; Reggae Greats (Mango) ’84 US: Seven Leaf Set: Revelations 22:2 “the leaves were used for medicine for the healing of the nations”
<Cannabis History Lesson: Jacob Miller; 24 sec.>
Barrington Levy – Sensimelea; Poor Man Style (Trojan) ’82 UK
Pioneers – Feeling High; Greatest Hits (Trojan) ’76 UK
I Roy – African Herbsman; African Herbsman (Joe Gibbs) ‘ over Johnny Clarke – African Roots ’81 JA
Carlton Livingston – 100 Weight of Collie Weed; 100 Weight of Collie Weed (Greensleeves) ’84 UK
<Don’t go 55 inna 35 with 100 Weight of Collie Weed in your vehicle; 12 sec.>
Read your Bible!
Set 5:
Krieger-Densmore Reggae Bonanza – Kinky Reggae; 12” (Rhino) ’83 Marley cover by ½ The Doors
<Smile Jamaica’s brush with Ray Manzarek, The Doors; 58 sec.>
Yellowman – Strong Mi Strong; 12” (Columbia) ’84 Bill Laswell mix
<Smile Jamaica: Your college for musical knowledge!; 3 sec.>
Jump straight to the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive Edition: Jah-cember 6, 2014. Annotated Playlist below
Tis the season to smoke collie! Fa la la la la la la dee dah. Smile Jamaica wishes you a Merry Christmas or substitute Sky Deity of your choosing. Praise Anu!
<Jahs-mas in Jah-cember; 7 sec.>
Here is my Gift to you: A Mutant Dub Christmas!
<Christmas Day 2014: Smile Jamaica Presents: 3 Hours of Mutant Dub. Online only Mixcloud Digital Dubplate; 27 sec.>
Celebrating 25 Years of Reggae Radio with the Best of Smile Jamaica: CD Edition
<Records come from vinyl; what are CDs made of? Aluminum? 5 sec.>
Jump straight to the Jah-vember 15, 2014 Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive. Read below for the Tracklist
I pulled 50 tracks from my early days of Reggae collecting (1986-1990). Then I put those 50 in chronilogical order and started juggling the Disks from 4-7 PM.
Essentially: I am trying to recreate what my first show would have sounded like: Jah-tober 1989: Smile Jamaica.
Prince Buster – Nyabinghi drums from 1967. Earliest selection from Smile Jamaica’s Top 50
<Best of Smile Jamaica 25 Years High-lights; 77 sec.>
Probably the first time in a decade no Black Wax on Smile Jamaica
<Vinyl Free edition; first time in a decade; 17 sec.>
Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-vember 15, 2014: Best of 25 Years.
Annotated playlist (soundbytes, Reggae History Lessons, photos, captions.)
25 years of the Red, Gold and Green. Africa: Red (blood); Gold (riches); Green (harvest)
Set 1:
Black Uhuru – Solidarity; Anthem (Mango) ‘84
<Anthem: The album that made me a Reggae fanatic; 29 sec.>
Jah Shaka Meets Aswad – Addis Ababa; In Addis Ababa Studio (Jah Shaka) ’84: Dub Album of the Week; 15 sec.
Prince Buster – Chubby; Original Golden Oldies vol. 2 (Blue Beat) ’67; nyabinghi drumming
Bunny Wailer – This Train; Blackheart Man (Mango) ‘76
<Woody Guthrie’s – This Train; 25 sec.>
Burning Spear – Red, Gold and Green; Marcus Garvey (Mango) ‘75
<Significance of Red, Green & Gold; 45 sec.>
The Diamonds & the Upsetters – Talk About It; Open the Gate (Trojan) ‘75
Michael Rose meets Sly & Robbie. This album started a 28 year journey into Reggae & Dubwize
Set 2:
<Smile Jamaica used to air at 1pm when I started in ’89; 28 sec.>
Jacob Miller – Keep on Knocking; Who Say Jah No Dread (Greensleeves) ‘75
Judy Mowatt – Black Woman; Black Woman (Shanachie) ‘76
Dillinger – Ragnampiza; Bionic Dread (Mango) ’76; 17 sec.
Max Romeo – Smokey Room; War ina Babylon (Mango) ’76; 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement; 17 sec.
Peter Tosh – Till Your Well Runs Dry; Legalize It (Columbia) ’76; William Bell cover
<Blues Reggae hybrid; 10 sec.>
Set 3:
<Smile Jamaica Best of 25 Years; 15 sec.>
Junior Murvin – Roots Train; Police and Thieves (Mango) ‘77
I Roy – Tiddle le Bop; Heart of a Lion (Virgin Front Line) ’78 nursery rhyme
Wailing Souls – Jah Give Us Life; Very Best of (Greensleeves) ‘78
<First song back after being in the hospital; Nov. 2012; 35 sec.>
The perfect song after surviving 5 days in ICU with blood poisoning and six weeks off air to recover. Blessings
Set 4:
<Saturday Volunteer History on KRCL 90.9FM: 120+ years of Radio volunteering; 23 sec.>
Earl Zero – Please Officer; Visions of Love (Epiphany) ’79 herbtune
<4 down, 46 to go!; 10 sec.>
Errol Dunkley – A Little Way Different; Darling Ooh (Attack) ‘79
Itals – Don’t Wake the Lion; Early Recordings (Nighthawk) ‘79
<Tiger loose in Eurodisney; Paris; 11 sec.>
As if the ticket prices at Disneyland weren’t bad enough. Tiger on the loose. Not looking for Mickey or Minnie
Set 5:
<Smile Jamaica Best of 25: From 50 cuts to 33 gems: diamond ruff; 13 sec.>
Bob Marley & the Wailers – Forever Loving Jah; Uprising (Tuff Gong) ‘80
<When Bob Marley CD’s were first released; 54 sec.>
The Beat – Mirror in the Bathroom; I Just Can’t Stop It (Go Feet!/IRS) ’80 2 Tone ska
Linton Kwesi Johnson – Fite Dem Back; Forces of Victory (Mango) ’80 UK dub poet
<Skinhead shoelaces: Red laces – anti-Racist skins; White laces – Racist skins; 37 sec.>
When Island finally got around to releasing the Marley catalog on CD, I took part of my student loan check and bought every one: From Catch a Fire to Rebel Music. Ronald Reagan was a great supporter of the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives via the Pell Grant and Loans. Give thanks!
Set 6:
<Smile Jamaica: 25 years of Bass in ur Face! 18 sec.>
Rita Marley – One Draw; Big Blunts vol. 1 (Tommy Boy) ’81 herb tune
Dennis Brown – If I Had the World; Foul Play (A & M) ‘81
One draw. Draw is a verb. To inhale, draw, smoke from a smoking utensil or spliff. Probably comes from draft. As in pour me a draft of Heineken while I take a draw off my spliff. 4 down, 46 to go!
Set 7:
<25 Years!; 13 sec.>
Toure’ Kunda; E’mma; E’mma Africa (Celluloid) ’81; Senegalese West African reggae
<Weaponized Ebola got loose in West Africa? 18 sec.>
The Selecter – Celebrate the Bullet; Celebrate the Bullet (Chrysalis) ’81 2 Tone ska w/ Pauline Black on vox
Culture – Lion Rock; Lion Rock (Heartbeat) ‘82
<Put HIM on the currency: Lion Rock; 13 sec.>
Gregory Isaacs – Night Nurse; Night Nurse (Mango) ‘82
Summer of 2014: ISIS, downed Malaysian airliner, Gaza and ebola all happened in the same week. Google weaponized ebola. Conspiracy theory? No, conspiracy fact!
Myself (KRCL vet since 1988); Brian Kelm blues savant since 1980 and Renee and Dawn, Drivetime Imposters, 2002-2008 talk about how we got involved at KRCL.Your station that rules the nation!
Radioactive was KRCL’s listener call in show that ran from 2003 Labor Day until summer 2012.
I did the very first hour long interview on Labor Day 2003. The show was born from the 3 hour call in we did on Smile Jamaica when the 2003 March Iraq Invasion went hot. No music. Just listeners calling in with their thoughts on the war and me talking about Middle East politics which I have two college degrees in.
I probably did 400 interviews. Nick Burns, who was there the nearly nine years the show aired, interviewed us on our history at KRCL. Nice.
Radioactive Progressive Interviews. Sept. 2003 – July 2012. I did 400 of them: Howard Zinn, Amy Goodman, Ralph Nader
That Black Uhuru album above pretty much lit the fuse on nearly three decades of collecting, listening and promoting Roots Reggae and Mutant Dubwize.
25 years of Reggae Radio on Smile Jamaica.
Since Jah-tober 1989: krcl.org 90.9FM SLC
So to celebrate that legacy I am going to try and recreate what my first Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive show might have sounded like: Jah-tober 1989.
Now I am going to do the same with those antique aluminum by-products things which can serve dubble duty as a drink coaster:
Best of 25 Years of Smile Jamaica: All CDs.
Rare that I don’t bust out any Black Wax, but today I’m going through what I was deep into, Roots and Dubwise, back in the mid 80s (Oct. 1986 is when I first touched down on Black Uhuru – Anthem) up until 1988 when I started early mornings on KRCL (3 o’Clock Roadblock) and then primetime Saturdays on Smile Jamaica: Jah-tober ’89.
Dub Album of the Week: Early addition to the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives
So I spent the week jotting down tunes and artists that I would have really played in the first two years of being on air. Year 1: 3 o’Clock Roadblock, learning how to do radio. Then a little more than a year later doing Saturday Afternoons to a bigger and loyal Salt Lake Reggae audience on Smile Jamaica.
Wailers Family Tree: Bob (Uprising); Peter (Legalize It); Bunny (Blackheartman); Marcia – Naturally; Judy – Black Woman; Rita – One Draw
Heavy Roots: Spear, Culture, Israel Vibration
Seven Leaf: Rita, Max Romeo
2 Tone Ska: The Selecter and The Beat
Deejays and Dub Poets: LKJ, Mutabaruka, I Roy, Dillinger
Early addition to the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives
So I get 3 hours and that means about 33-35 songs. I pulled 50 and then put them in chronological order. (As a Librarian I have a database of my music.) “Year” is one of my data entry cells.
From the earliest (1967) Prince Buster to 1990 (African Head Charge). Tune in to see how it all sounds.
bless, robt
Smile Jamaica live every Saturday 4-7 PM Mtn. Time:
Ark-Ive. Here on Smile Jamaica blog; without commercial interruptions
Twitter: SmileJ_KRCL for live alert and stream upload/blog posts
When Island released the entire Marley LP catalog on CD, I bought every one on the first day of release. Graywhale CD – SLC. Thanks to Ronnie Raygun’s student loan program.
Mutant Dub World Tour: France, Los Jah-ngeles, Jah-pon, UK
<Praise Jah for Daylight Savings: UFO watching soundtrack>
Roots Dawtas: Pacific Islander duo, Soom T from Scotland; Aisha UK; Canadian dub poetess; Los Jah-ngeles, Collie-fornya, French dubstress
Vinyl is Vital …. rhymes with Ital: Canadiandub poetry, herbage, JA harmony trio, JA deejay; Marley tribute
Wailers Family Tree: Bob last live ’80; Peter at the One Love Peace Concert ’78; Bunny Wailer digital ’86; Johnny Clarke covers Bob inna herbal stylee.
Slaying the Drug War with riddim!
Below is the Annotated Playlist: photos, captions, Reggae History Lessons, soundbytes: Jah-vember 1, 2014 Smile Jamaica
Set 1: Vinyl Seven Leaf Election Celebration Set
<4 down, 46 to go!: Smile Jamaica’s Pot Prediction 75% success rate; 85 sec.>
Aisha – His Imperial Majesty; Daughters of Zion (Twinkle) ’93 UK vinyl
Bush Chemists – Raw Raw Dub (ROIR) 2005, Dub Album of the Week; UK mutant dubbers
Azeem & Session – Big Head Spliff; Dreadfly (Joe Gibbs) ’82 FL vinyl: 4:20 Vinyl Set. 4 down, 46 to go!
Insomniacs hate Daylights Savings Extra Hour bull flop like I hate April 15, Tax Day!
<Daylight Savings Time and Insomnia; 9 sec.>
Jump straight to the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ive: Jah-vember 1, 2014
Greetings,
Jah-loween Recap 2014
Everyone have a good time getting innocent children hooked on High Fructose Corn Syrup? Tsk, tsk. Definitely NOT Ital or Vital
Did any of you folks stream the 12 hours of Jah-loween tunes I gave you? Mutant Dub and Roots Reggae Mixcloud Only shows without me talking. Spooky tunes, horror bytes and movie trailers. Plus 2013 and 2014 KRCL Live Smile Jamaica Monster Hash. Good any time of year!
So check it! I had zero trick or treaters Friday. I must be that house on the block. Too many voodoo sounds and smells emanating from the bowels of the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives.
<That House on the Block: The Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives; 14 sec.>
Trick or Treaters never approach the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives on Jah-tober 31st.
When I was a youth in Montana, Halloween was definitely not as ideal as it is in Utah. Usually you had to walk on snow or have your winter jacket on over your costume.
And you better not give me and my hoodlum friends candy corn or raisins. If you gave out crap candy, you could expect an egg splat on your picture window! Fiya bun candy corn! Fiya bun raisins or nickels! Gimme the fructose corn poison. Droooollllll…..
<Fiya bun Candy Corn and Raisins in my Treat Bag; 18 sec.>
I would rather get a razor blade apple in my Trick or Treat Schwag than ras klaaat candy corn! Fiya bun di candy corn! Reeses, Hershey and Snickers. The Holy Trinity of Early Onset Diabetes!
Vote Tuesday Nov. 4: Tweedle Dum Versus Tweedle Dee.
The saying applies from Jamaica: Same thing for breakfast
<Smile Jamaica’s Pot Vote Election Prediction; 46 sec.>
1. Jah-laska: Ballot Measure 2. Legalization a la Collie-rado and Washington State. Smile Jamaica says: Most likely not going to win
I have seen too many negative polls and only one outlier pro pot result that seemed too good to be true, so it seems suspect. 52% No to 48% Yes, but if millennials don’t show up for the midterm vote it will fall short. Should have waited until 2016 with more robust youth and libertarian turn out. Hope I’m wrong!
2. Jah-regon: Measure 91. Legalization a la Collie-rado and Washington State. Smile Jamaica says: Most likely going to win. Latest polls are encouraging because of the gap between Yes (52%) and No (41%). Could be hurt if disaffected millennials don’t turn up for the midterm vote. Looks promising but not a lock per DC.
3. Washington DC: Not full legalization as in #1 and #2 but you can possess up to 2 ounces of cured bud and be able to grow six plants. Huge YES. Will probably cross over 60% yes. But it’s gonna be a nightmare.
So much of surrounding DC is federal jurisdiction. You don’t want to get busted with a stalk of sensi on Fedland. You’re gonna be under Heavy Manners. Plus in a likely ascendant Republican Congress, DC is going to probably face Congressional roadblocks to any semi-legal implementation.
4. Guam: Joaquin (KC) Concepcion II Compassionate Cannabis Use Act of 2013. Medical Marijuana and the creation of legal dispensaries. Vote would ratify the legislation. Smile Jamaica says: I can’t find any reliable polls but its dependency to Federal jurisdiction makes any implementation difficult.
5. Florida. Amendment 2. Medical Marijuana. Smile Jamaica says: No Chance. Needs 60% to pass. Peaked at 57% and has been trending further down.
Non-statewide, local/county jurisdiction votes Tuesday: Michigan (12 cities), Maine (2 cites), New Mexico (2 counties). Plus something a gwaan in Jah-suchusetts district which I was too foggy to understand.
<Pot Election II; 21 sec.>
Jah-regon Yes on LegalizationJah-laska. Better luck in 2016
<Halloween Holdovers, Never Leftovers: 3 hoursl 62 sec.>
Here is how I wanted to program/select the annual Smile Jamaica Jah-loween Ark-Ives. Reggae and Dubwize celebrating Vampires, Witches, Frankenstein and the rest of the Undead Menagerie. Without me talking. Without any station Ids or advertising.
(Reggae very superstitious, very concerned with good vanquishing evil.) Evil is real and takes a non-human form.
In between the boomshots will be Horror movie clips and other Jah-loween Special effects. Definitely minor key mood music. On these Mixcloud only shows, I want to let the music do the talking.
I cooked this up in my Secret Dubratory and imported tunes from my CD Suitcase of Jah-loween Disks using ProTools. Multi tracked recording with the sound bytes and movie trailers “stitched” into the segues. Then I ran it through a sound app called Smart Gain which was suggested to me to normalize sound across the tunes and bytes for the 3 hours. Just like Dr. Frankenstein put together his creature from hunks of flesh!
Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Since Apr. 2013 I have started to Archive Smile Jamaica shows on Mixcloud. Smile Jamaica Webpage/blog Apr. 2014
My favorite theme shows are the 4:20 Cannabis Service Show and the Jah-loween Show. Probably a thousand Seven Leaf odes and 666Reggae Dubwize Halloween or Jah-loween.
<Wolfman Jack’s garlic advice for your Jah-loween Reggae Jah-mboree; 11 sec.
Radio Deejay Wolfman Jack: Hang some green onions to keep the Vampires away!
I figure you can have some seasonal Roots Reggae and/or Mutant Dub Halloween jams while you have your house party or passing out High Fructose Corn Bombs to the tykes.
Run a speaker from your Hi Fi to your porch. Keep the kids from flaming dogshit or toilet papering your house for giving out stale candy corn and raisins
To keep hooligans from lighting dogshit on your porch, run a speaker feed of the Smile Jamaica Jah-loween Ark-Ives to scare them off
3. Smile Jamaica Mutant Dub Jah-loween; Mixcloud only show. Chopped up in the tomb of my Secret Dubratory: Living Dead Dubwize with horror bytes and movie trailers.
That Online only Dub-loween Horror collage was so much fun I have dug my grave to skin up 3 hours of what I wasn’t able to play last week on Smile Jamaica: Monster Hash.
I will post that Mixcloud Spooktacular: Oct. 30th at the Witching Hour of All Hallow’s Eve at Midnight so you have 24 hours to spin 12 hours of Smile Jamaica Jah-loween; Oct. 31st! Bootiful 15 sec.
curse, robt
Don’t show your eyeteeth, your plastic smile nah work…Michael Rose, Black Uhuru
Smile Jamaica is hosted by Robert Nelson on 90.9 FM KRCL in Salt Lake City, Utah (Saturdays, 4-7 p.m. MT). Ark-ives available weekly here at the Smile Jamaica blog.
Smile Jamaica 