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Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-Tober 31, 2020: Jah-loween Monster Bash!

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Greetings ghouls ‘n’ gals!

<All trix, no treats!>

Smile Jamaica loves Jah-loween. Here is the Monster Menagerie from the Ark-ives:

  • Anti-christ/Mark of the Beast/666 – 7
  • Bats – 2
  • Bermuda Triangle – 1
  • Black magic – 9
  • Cemeteries & graveyards – 7
  • Demons – 6
  • Devil, Lucifer, Satan – 59
  • Dungeons – 6
  • Duppies & Jumbies (Jamaican ghosts) – 14
  • Exorcist – 1
  • Frankenstein – 5
  • Ghosts – 19
  • Halloween holiday – 5
  • Haunted houses – 2
  • Hell hounds -1 
  • Loch Ness Monster – 1
  • Monsters – 4
  • Mr. Brown who rides around Trenchtown in a motorized coffin – 2
  • Mummies – 2
  • Obeah (Jamaican Black Magic) – 13
  • Skeletons – 2
  • Undertakers – 3
  • Vampires, Dracula and soap opera vampire Barnabas Collins – 63
  • Voodoo – 5
  • Werewolves – 4
  • Witches – 4
  • Zombies – 14

By my Liberal Arts math, that tallies up to over 260 Jah-loween gems. Plus all my horror soundbytes and movie trailers. (New additions in between the horrorfest such as The Exorcist, Planet of the Vampires,nNight of the Living Dead,  Phantasm).

All mixed into one bubbling cauldron of grimness. Perfect for this era of The Covid. I don’t listen to a lot of new Reggae releases but next year I’m sure to add some ghouly Covid delights.

There was once upon a time when I ‘n’ I never said a word and only played station ID’s during the 3 hours. It was truly 180 minutes of drum, bass and Afternoon of the Living Dead.

But since this is Smile Jamaica, I ‘n’ I tell you some stories to embellish the tunes:

  • Annie Palmer – the evil Jamaican wife of a slave plantation owner who used to whip her slaves mercilessly and continued to haunt them after she died

<Annie Palmer; 26 sec.>

In Jamaica police informers were referred to as Vampires:

<Vampire = informer; 27 sec.>

Peter Tosh always felt there were hell hounds on his trail. One night he was paralyzed from the forces of a demon. He prayed to Jah to save. Jah told him, “son, use the word and you will be as free as a bird.

That word? Bumba klaat. In Jamaica, that is as rude as saying Mother F’er in the US. Bum for vagina. Klaat = cloth. Rastas want nothing to do with their queen’s “monthly visitor”. So the epithet shocked the duppy (Jamaican ghost) out of Peter’s soul.

<Oh Bumba Klaat; 1 min. 22 sec.>

And how about the corpse who put a transmission, engine and four wheels on his coffin to terrorize the denizens of Trenchtown ghetto. His names was Mr. Brown.

<Mr. Brown rides around in a coffin; 21 sec.>

curse, Bobbylon

Smile Jamaica Jah-loween Monster Bash, 10/31/2020 Annotated Playlist: 85 sec.

Set 1:

  • Ini Kamoze – Hole in the Pumpkin; Shocking Out (RAS) ’87 3 Hours of Jah-loween
  • Scientist – The Voodoo Curse; Rids the World of the Evil Curse of the Vampires (Greensleeves) ‘81
  • Black Uhuru – Anthem; Anthem (Island) ‘83
  • Ijahman Levi – Devil Disciple; Forward Rastaman (Jahmani) ‘87
  • The Toyes – Monster Hash; The Toyes (CD Tunes) ‘96
  • GG All-Stars – Haunted House; 12” (GG’s Hit!)   ‘78

Set 2:

  • Crucial Bee – Mark of the Beast; Just a Sting (All-Starr) US Virgin Islands vinyl
  • Sinead O’Connor – Vampire; Throw Down Your Arms (That’s Why There’s Chocolate & Vanilla) 2005 Devon Irons cover
  • The Ethiopians – Obeah Book; Slave Call (Rohit) ’74 Obeah – Jamaican black magic
  • Ghetto Priest – Dungeon; Vulture Culture (ON U Sound) 2003 Singers & Players cover
  • Clint Eastwood & General Saint – Talk About Run; 12” (Greensleeves) ’81 UK duppies in the cemetery

Set 3:

  • Lone Ranger – Annie Palmer; Barnabas in Collins Wood (Wave) ’79 JA vinyl: Jamaican witch/ghost
  • Pablo Gad – Blood Suckers; Blood Suckers (Celluloid) ‘78
  • Chalice – Back Weh Evil Forces; Stand Up! (CSA) ’85 UK vinyl
  • Sky High & the Mau Mau – Cemetery Robbery; Origination (Sky High) 70’s
  • Moses – When the Vampire Comes to Your Neighborhood; 12” (Wackies) ’82 Bronx
  • Leo Graham – Voodooism; Magnetic Mirror Master Mix (Anachron) 70’s Dutch vinyl; Lee “Scratch” Perry prod’n

Set 4:

  • Capleton & Big Youth – Mark of the Beast; I-Testament (Def Jam) ‘97
  • Jimmy Cliff – Satan’s Kingdom; I am the Living (MCA) ’80 US vinyl
  • Easy Star All-Stars feat. Mikey General & Spragga Benz – Thrillah (Easy Star) 2012 Michael Jackson/Vincent Prince
  • Carl McDonald – Satan Soldiers on the Run; 12” (Makdon) ’87 Brooklyn 

Set 5:

  • Peter Tosh – Oh Bumba Klaat; 12” EP (Rolling Stone) ’81 UK fight off demonic possession
  • David Lindley – Werewolves of London; Very Greasy (Elektra) ’88 Warren Zevon cover
  • Pluto & Trinity – Vampire Year; Ire Mas Rockers Carnival (Top Ranking) ’81 FL vinyl
  • Laurel Aitken – Witchdoctor from Amsterdam; Eskapade en France (Blue Moon) ’90 Fr. Vinyl

Set 6:

  • Future Pigeon – The Mummy; Echodelic Sounds (Record Collect) 2005 SoCal
  • Dennis Brown – Black Magic Woman; Black Magic Reggae (Trojan) ’72 Fleetwood Mac/Santana cover
  • Don Carlos – Night Rider (In Danger); Deeply Concerned (RAS) ’87 DC vinyl
  • The Wailing Souls – Face the Devil; Face the Devil (Jah Guidance) ’81 JA vinyl
  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – Mr. Brown; Black Magic Reggae (Trojan) ’70 rides around in a coffin

 

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-ly 21, 2018 (Podcast & Playlist): Happy Birthday Haile Selassie!

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Livicated to the World’s First Hippie

<Happy Birthday to the World’s First Hippie – Haile Selassie I>  68 sec.

Greetings,

  • Ras Tafari Makonnen: The Head Creator
  • Haile Selassie I: Power of the Trinity

<Power of Jah Trinity; 27 sec.>

  • Negusa Negast: King of Kings; 30 sec.
  • Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Elect of God, Ever Living God, Earth’s Rightful Ruler

<Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah; 13 sec.>

Without this little short man (Selassie was 5 foot 2) Reggae consists of love songs, novelty records and pop and soul covers. This is the heart of Smile Jamaica.

Rastafari gospel love songs to His Imperial Majesty from the Rastas. In Jamaican, when Nationalist hero Marcus Garvey was recruiting blacks to return to Africa, he prophesized: “Look to the east where a black king will be crowned. That will be the signal to load up the Black Star Liner (as opposed to the Titanic passenger liner White Star Line) to go back to Africa

<Garvey’s prophecy; 63 sec.>

Marcus Garvey: Look to the East, where a king will be crowned leading all blacks back to Africa

From that moment the movement grew from the impoverished in Jamaica who wanted a black Jesus not a colonial white Jesus. Selassie was the reincarnation of Jahova (Jah).

He ruled in Ethiopia until the communists in the hinterlands took advantage of corrupt Selassie courtiers who refused to acknowledge famine in the provinces. Selassie was deposed and most likely murdered in the basement of his Imperial Palace in 1974.

<Selassie’s downfall; 30 sec.>

I call myself a Rasta enthusiast or empathizer and even a Sumerian Fundamentalist like myself, is powerfully moved by such beautiful musical devotion that we will hear on this Ark-Ive Podcast.

Haile Selassie – July 23, 1892.

bless, Bobbylon

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: July 21, 2018: Happy Birthday His Imperial Majesty; 95 sec.

Smile Jamaica: 30 Years of Rastafari Gospel love songs

Set 1:

  • Naturalites – Picture on the Wall; Rub a Dubble vol. 1 (CSA) ’86 UK – 3 hours for Haile Selassie – July 23, 1892
  • Roots Radics/Bunny Wailer – Roots Raddics; Dub D’sco vol. 1 (Solomonic) ’77 JA vinyl Dub Album of the Hour
  • Ras Michael & the Sons of Negus – Ethiopian National Anthem; Movements (Dynamic) ’78 JA vinyl; nyahbinghi style drumming

<National Anthem of Ethiopia; 23 sec.>

  • Black Uhuru – I Love King Selassie; Tear It Up” Live (Mango) ’83
  • Chalawa – Jah Collie Weed; Capture Land (Green Weenie) ’78 Can. vinyl 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
  • African Princess – Jah Children Cry; 12″ (Jah Shaka) ’85 UK vinyl comp
Royal flag of Ethiopia

Set 2:

  • Keith Hudson – I Broke the Comb; Rasta Communication (Greensleeves) ’78

<The Old Testament Nazirite Vow and Dreadlocks; 84 sec.>

  • Sister Carol – Jah Is Mine; Black Cinderella (Jah Life) ’84 on McCartney/Jackson Girl is Mine
  • Peter “Roots” Lewis – Jah Is My Salvation; Wicked Roots (Reggae Retro) 2000
  • Hugh Mundell – That Little Short Man; 12″ (Rockers International) ’78; Selassie was 5 foot 2

Set 3:

  • Jacob Miller – False Rasta; Don’t Give Up Your Culture (Moll-Selekta) ’77

<Beware the Follow Fashion Dread; 47 sec.>

  • Judy Mowatt – Many Are Called; Black Woman (Shanachie) ’76
  • Aswad – He Gave the Sun to Shine; New Chapter (CBS) ’81 UK
  • Ranking Trevor – Give Thanks and Praise Unto Jah; 12″ (Greensleeves) ’78 UK to Heart & Soul
  • Augustus Pablo – Chant to Selassie I; East of the River Nile (Shanachie) ’78 Dub Album of the Hour

Set 4:

  • Cedric Myton & the Congos – Where He Leads; Face the Music (VP) ’81
  • Burning Spear – Jah Is My Driver; Farover (Heartbeat) ’83
  • Daweh Congo – Jah Is My Shepherd; Human Rights & Justice (Roots & Culture) 2000
  • Hortense Ellis – Jah Mysterious Works; Women in Reggae (Shanachie) ’75 extended

Set 5: Vinyl Is Vital

  • Leroy Smart – Jah Jah Forgive Them; Live Up Roots Children (Striker Lee) ’85 UK
  • Clint Eastwood – Whip Them Jah Jah; Step It in a Zion (Third World) ’78 UK
  • Michigan & Smily – Jah Ruled Over I; Step By Step (Hitbound) ’82 Brooklyn
  • Jah Malla – Jah Love; Jah Malla (Modern) ’81 US – children of Reggae players in JA

<Jah Malla: songs of Reggae players: Val Douglas, Roland Alphanso, Ernest Ranglin, Sylvan Morris; 30 sec.>

  • Zema – Selassie; Zema (Melchizedek) ’86 So Cal female singer
2nd gen Reggae group

Set 6: Wailers Family Tree

  • Peter Tosh – Iziabeher (Let Jah Be Praised); Legalize It (Columbia) ’76
  • Bunny Wailer – Rasta Dread (Natty Dread); Hall of Fame (RAS) ’95 50 tunes for Bob’s 50th Birthday
  • Rita Marley – Good Morning Jah; Who Feels It Knows It (Shanachie) ’80

<Rita encounters Haile Selassie; 81 sec.>

  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – Conquering Lion; One Love Peace Concert: Kingston, JA 4/22/78
  • Dub Specialist – Fire Coal Version; Version Dread (Studio One/Heartbeat) ’75 17 Dub Shots From Studio One

Set 7:

  • Cymande – Rastafarian Folk Song; Cymande (Sequel) ’74 UK – World’s first hippie
  • Aisha – One God, One Aim, One Destiny; True Roots (Ariwa) ’95
  • Winston Jarrett – Selassie Is the Chapel; By the Rivers of Babylo (Shanachie) ’95 comp: cover of the Orioles Crying in the Chapel
  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – Selassie Is the Chapel; Rebel Box Set (JAD) ’66

Set 8:

  • Alpha & Omega – Who Is the Ruler; Watch and Pray (A & O) ’89 UK vinyl trance dub
  • Doctor Alimantado – Chant to Jah; Born For a Purpose (Greensleeves) ’75
  • Johnny Osbourne – Jah Promise; Truths & Rights (Studio One/Heartbeat) ’80
  • Misty in Roots – How Long Jah; Live at the Euro Countervision (Kaz) ’79
  • Bim Sherman – Lamb of Judah; Bim Sherman Meets U Black and Horace Andy in a Rub a Dub Style (Original) ’79
  • Wailing Souls – Jah Gives Us Life; Very Best of (Greensleeves) ’78
The first song I played after being off air for six weeks with a blood infection/Sepsis that landed me in Intensive Care

Words of Wisdom:

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives Mar. 24, 2018 (Stream + Tracklist) – Plant the seeds to harvest the roots!

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Greetings,

Winter in our rear view. Time to plant your garden! First pleasant Saturday in March I will lead off a Smile Jamaica with Monty Montgomery and his song Seeds. 13 sec.

For I ‘n’ I, Winter has been a harvest. I have spent my weekends in my Ark-ive sorting out several thousand 7″ 45’s . Pulling titles out for my theme sets: herb, Halloween, Roots Dawtas, Wailers Family Tree, Reggae covers, etc.

I collected baseball cards as a kid. Flipping 45’s took my back to my youth. I am up to letter O for Johnny Osbourne

I give you a serving of 7″‘s in this Ark-Ive edition: Reggae covers of Soul & Rock; 27 sec.

I also feature the second addition to the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives of tens of thousands of pieces: vinyl – LPs, 7″, 10″, 12″; cassettes and CDs.

  1. Peter Tosh – Wanted Dread & Alive (Christmas ’81) – thanks Mom!
  2. Musical Youth – Youths of Today (Spring ’83).

As a youth growing up in North Central Montana. I had to drive from my hometown, Fort Benton (1500 people) to Great Falls. 40 miles away.

I would shop at the local record hut (Eli’s or Budget Tapes & Records). Usually I would buy a piece or two of vinyl: Led Zeppelin, Ramones, Police, Rolling Stones. But I usually also bought a cassette for the hour drive home.

That was how I acquired the smash novelty hit of 1983. A group of ex-pat Jamaican kids living in the UK who turned the Mighty Diamonds herb tune, Pass the Kutchie into a song about going hungry: Pass the Dutchie.

<Musical Youth, #2 in the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives. Before I knew about Smile Jamaica; 84 sec.>

Among all the synth rock and New Wave of the early 80’s, a cute Reggae toasting jam ruled the airwaves.

Alas, in Great Falls now if you want to buy a CD or record your only hope is Wal-Mart or Target.

Ahh, the forlorn memories of a cratedigger who’s world of record shopping is fading away.

Forward ever, backwards never

bless, Bobbylon

Also where I purchased my first pot pipe

Smile Jamaica Annotated Playlist: March 24, 2018; 82 sec.

Set 1:

  • Monty Montgomery – Seeds; Seeds (Fusion) Atlanta vinyl
  • Dub Specialist – Luanda Dub; African Rub a Dub (Studio One) ’80 JA vinyl dub album of the hour
  • Freedom Singers – Train Is Coming; Denzil Dennis – Me Nah Worry (Trojan)
  • Junior Byles – Fever; Curly Locks (Heartbeat)  ’72 cover of Little Willie John/Peggy Lee
  • Lorna Asher – Leave Them; Straight to Your Heart (Twinkle) ’99
  • Black Uhuru – Satan Army Band; Love Crisis (Greensleeves) ’77
  • Barrington Levy – Under Me Sensi (Ganjaman Mix); 10″ (MCA) ’93 green vinyl 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
Time to plant your seeds for your Roots harvest to grow!

Set 2:

  • Yellowman – Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt; Nobody Move Nobody Gets Hurt (Shanachie) ’83 Request
  • Tchiya Amet – Natural; Rise Again Truth (Milky Way) ’99 Chicago female African-American/Native American
  • Bunny Wailer – Want More; Hall of Fame (RAS) ’95 Bob covers for 50th birthday
  • I Roy – Rootsman; 10″ (Observer Gold) ’75 JA

Set 3: Best of Smile Jamaica 28 1/2 years

  • Musical Youth – Pass the Dutchie; Youths of Today (MCA) ’82 

<No Kutchie pipe for 10 year olds: Dutchie = Dutch pot; 31 sec.>

  • Marcia Griffiths – Peaceful Woman; Steppin’ (Shanachie) ’79
  • Wailing Souls – Stop Red Eye; Very Best of (Greensleeves) ’83
  • Gayladds – Peculiar Man; Understanding (Tamoki Wambesi) ’79
  • Sly  & Robbie – Plastic Dub; Overdrive in Overdub (Sonic) Dub comp of the hour
Dis generation rules the nation, wif VERSION!

Set 4:

  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – Punky Reggae Party; CD Single (Tuff Gong) ’77 Lee “Scratch” Perry prod’n

<Bob hails the punkers who played Reggae before they took the stage; 93 sec.>

  • Groundation – Young Tree; Crucial Reggae From Outside Jamaica vol. 3 (Skank)  ’99 comp.
  • J.C. Lodge – Hurricane; Lunatic Soundtrack (Mango) ’91
  • Omar Perry & Carlton Livingston – Daily Bread + No Answer; 10″ EP (Deep Root) 2008 UK militant steppers
No boring old farts

Set 5: Vinyl Is Vital

  • Peter Tosh – Pick Myself Up; Dealing With the Shytstem (bootleg) Roxy, Los Angeles – 11/5/82: Vinyl is Vital Set
  • Urban Jazz Ritual – Ear Crazy; Zulu Compilation (Zulu) ’84 UK – dub poetry
  • Dub Syndicate w/ Lee “Scratch” Perry & Akabu – Dubaddisababa; Echomania (ON U Sound) ’93 UK; Akabu is female harmonies
  • Ethiopians – Obeah Book; Slave Call (Rohit) ’77 Franklin Lakes, NJ – Obeah is Jamaican folk magic

Set 6: 7″ Jamaican Jukebox 45s – Reggae does Rock & Soul

  • Paul Davidson – Midnight Rider; 7″ (Hometown) ’75 Can. (Gregg Allman)
  • Big Youth – Dock of the Bay; 7″ (Move & Groove)  ’73 JA (Otis Redding) 
  • Bruce Ruffin – Ooh Child; 7″ (Beverley’s) ’71 JA (Five Stairsteps)
  • Donovan Carless – Be Thankful For What You’ve Got; 7″ (Giant) US (William De Vaughn)
  • Mikey Dread – Dread at the Controls (Dread at the Controls) ’79 Dub Album of the Hour

Set 7:

  • The Wailers – Pass It On; Burnin’ (Tuff Gong) ’73 livication to a listener who passed away
  • Dry & Heavy feat. Likkle Mai – New Creation; New Creation (Green Tea) 2002 Jah-pon mutant dub w/ female vox
  • Equators – Feelin’ High; Hot (Stiff) ’81 UK ska, herb tune
  • Dubble – South Side Dub (Dub Tunnel) 2012 UK mutant dub

Set 8: Mutant Dub

  • Hollie Cook – Angel Fire; Vessel of Love (Merge) 2008 UK dubstress
  • Thievery Corporation – One; Lebanese Blonde CD Single (4ad) ’98 Fr. EP
  • Beat Pharmacy – Cape Town; Earthly Delights (Deep Space) 2005 South African
  • G.T. Moore – King David’s Dub; 10″ (Jah Works)  ’95 UK

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-nuary 27, 2018 (Stream + Tracklist) – 9 down, 41 to go!

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#Berniewouldhavewon

Vermont – the GREEN STATE makes it 9 down, 41 to go!; 90 sec.

  1. Collie-rado
  2. Washington
  3. Jah-laska
  4. Jah-regon
  5. Collie-fornya
  6. Jah-vada
  7. Jah-suchusetts
  8. Maine
  9. Vermont
  10. DC* not a state

Smile Jamaica Annotated Playlist: Jah-nuary 27, 2018; 80 sec.

Set 1:

  • Blue Riddim Band – One Love, One Heart; Restless Spirit (Flying Fish) ’81 St Louis band, vinyl
  • Peter Tosh – Brand New Second Hand; Peter Tosh and Friends (Upsetter) ’70 Lee “Scratch” Perry prod’n
  • Desmond Dekker – Reggae Recipe; Israelites (Trojan) ’73 dubble disk Best of
  • Hollie Cook – Superfast; Twice (Mr. Bongo) 2014 UK dawta of Sex Pistol
  • Thievery Corporation – Passing Stars; It Takes a Thief (ESL) 2010 best of w/ female vox
  • Dubblestandart feat. Devon D – We All Have to Get High; Immigration Dub (Collision) 2007 Jah-strian: 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement
  • Leroy Smart- Love Me Tonight; 12″ (Channel One) ’83
  • Earl Chinna Smith & High Times Players – Selassie Dub; Musicians & Friends (Corner Stone) JA vinyl dub album of the hour

Set 2:

  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – Guiltiness; Exodus 40 (Tuff Gong) ’77 June: live in London at the Rainbow Theatre
  • UB40 feat. Sister V – V’s Version; Baggariddim (Virgin) ’85 female dj to Version Girl
  • Tapper Zukie – Stop the Gun Shooting; MPLA (Virgin Front Line) ’76 dj to Horace Andy’s Skylarking
  • Joe Axumite – Simple Little Woman; 10″ (Wackies) ’79 Brooklyn

Set 3:

  • Bunny  Wailer – Three Little Birds;  Hall of Fame (RAS) dubble disk of Bob Marley covers
  • Etana – By Your Side; I Rise (VP) 2014 JA female singer
  • Black Uhuru – Boof’n’Baff’n’Biff (Filla Brazilia rmx 2); Dancehall Queen (Island Jamaica)
  • Chalawa – Natural Mystic Dub; Exodus Dub (Micron) ’77 Can. dub album of the hour
50 Bob Marley/Wailers covers

Set 4:

  • Samia Farah – Du Signe du Lion; Many Moods of (SAM) 2008 Fr.-Tunisian dubstress
  • Michael Rose – Ganja Bonanza; Happiness (Heartbeat) 2004 Best of; Herbtune
  • Dub Syndicate – 93 Struggle; 10″ (ON U Sound) ’93 UK picture sleeve update of Prince Far I tune

Set 5: Vinyl Is Vital

  • Bankie Banx – Remember Bob; Sooth Your Soul (Redemption) ’82 Anguilla Bob Marley tribute
  • John Clarke – Wasn’t It You; Visions of John Clarke (Wackies) ’79 Brooklyn
  • Jimmy Cliff – Satan’s Kingdom; I Am the Living (MCA) ’80 US
  • ILive – Build I Up; Jah Guide (Out of Many, One) ’90 Oakland – female vox
  • Junior Brown – Warriors; Hits From the House of Shaka (Jah Shaka) ’85 UK best of 12″ mixes
Sat. Feb. 3 from 4-7 PM Mtn. Time – Smile Jamaica’s Annual Livication to Bob Marley. KRCL.org; 90.9FM SLC

Set 6: Best of Smile Jamaica 28+ Years

  • Judy Mowatt – Joseph; Black Woman (Shanachie) ’76 Bob Marley tribute; Joseph the Biblical Prophet; 18 sec.
  • Cocoa Tea – Jah Made Them That Way; Rocking Dolly (RAS) ’83; take on Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature”
  • Burning Spear – Fittest of the Fittest; Fittest of the Fittest (Heartbeat) ’83
  • Don Carlos – Living in Harmony; Prophecy (Blue Moon) ’84
  • Lincoln Thompson – Love the Way It Should Be; Vortex Dub (Orange Street)  ’89 Dub Album of the Hour

The Prophet Joseph leading his people out of bondange. As Bob Marley did the Rastas out of Babylon – Judy MowattSet 7:

  • Toots & the Maytals – Beautiful Woman; Lunatic Soundtrack (Mango) ’81 country reggae/’91 film
  • Fathead – Gi Mi de Music; Live at Aces (Joe Frasier) ’82 live in the club herbtune
  • Mighty Diamonds – Stoned Out of My Mind; Stand Up to Your Judgement (Hitbound)  ’78 Chi-lites soul cover
  • Webcam Hi-Fi feat. Naima – Jah Jah Love; 10″ (Tube Dub) 2007 Fr. mutant dub w/ female vox
You’ve got country in my reggae!

Set 8: UFOria – New Jerusalem

<Revelation 21 – the New Jerusalem spaceship; 81 sec.>

  • Brentford Road All-Stars – Moon Ride; Downbeat the Ruler (Heartbeat/Studio One) instrumental
  • Derrick Morgan – Moon Hop; Original Reggae Recordings (Trybute) ’69
  • Nina Hagen – UFO; Nunsexmonkrock (CBS) ’82 Germ.
  • Kingman + Jonah  feat. Claudius Linton – Star Wars; Sign of the Time (Sunking) 2008
  • Roots Radics – Flash Gordon Meets Luke Skywalker; Scientist & Jammy Strike Back!  (Greensleeves) ’82 dub
  • Audio Active – Space Children; We Are Tokyo Space Cowboys (ON U Sound) ’94 Jah-pon
  • Tena Stelin – Sun + Moon; Sun + Moon (Dub Venture) ’92 UK
1,440,000,000 acre size spaceship – New Jerusalem. Revelation 21

Words of Wisdom:

 

 

 

 

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-nuary 13, 2018 (Stream + Tracklist) – The Good Son!

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The Healing of the Nation

Greetings,

<Digital story on my parents’ excursion into Medical Marijuana; 1 min. 46 sec.>

As an amateur missionary for the benefits of medical marijuana, I had been relaying the story of my parents’ excursions into Seven Leaf pain relief on the past two episodes of Smile Jamaica.

My parents just became snowbirds from Northern Montana to Sun City West, Arizona

Christmas 2017 in the homeland

My Mom has knee pain, anxiety and sleep issues and my dad: neuropathy, back pain and carpal tunnel issues. Last week I told the story about taking my Dad in to get a Medical MJ card.

<Medical Marijuana for Ma and Pa; 90 sec.>

Took a week to get the card, and I was back in Utah. So they went to the dispensary and had a little shopping spree

  1. pain relief pills
  2. topical CBD ointment
  3. pain patch

Because they bought so much and were first time customers, they got a free vape pen. And bought a 4 to 1; CBD to THC cartridge.

Better than Walgreens or CVS

Long story short: they call me for guidance on how to work the vape pen. Trial and error and voila! My parents are vaping like Bob & Rita Marley.

And hour later I get another call….”We’re not feeling anything.” I said, you got the stuff that doesn’t “feel”.  Oh. Ok.

Last Sunday I call and looks like Mom wants to try a little more kick to her healing regimen. Why not? It’s medicinal and legal.

Last Friday my sister texts me: Mom and Dad just had a toke!

Me: Cheech & Chong!

Sis: 

Me: 

I had a listener call me after I told this story and we got into a discussion about having parents who are sick of the pills, cost and side effects of the Pharmaceutical Industrial Complex

Once the (recent) stigma of weed is overcome through the relief of daily pain and social anxiety, cannabis reclaims its rightful place in our 10,000 year history of the Seven Leaf plant.

Revelation 22:2King James Version (KJV)

In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

As I concluded my reasoning with the caller on the benefits of cannabis for our parents, he said, “You know Robert? You’re a good son.”

And I said, I really want my parents to enjoy their retirement pain free and unencumbered by the daily pill regimen they are currently under. However, I am definitely taking my vape pen with me on my next visit to Sun City West.

A little dab will do ya!

Bless, Bobbylon

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Jah-nuary 13, 2018 – Annotated Playlist; 1 min. 20 sec.

Set 1:

  • Soul Syndicate – King’s Highway; High Times All-Star Explosion (Alligator) ’85 Chicago blues label
  • Winston Edwards – Natty Dub; Natty Locks Dub (Studio 16) ’74 UK vinyl dub album of the hour 
  • Bad Brains – I and I Survive; Rock For Light (Caroline) ’83
  • Rupie Dan and Jennifer Gad – Blazing Fire; Solid Foundation (Flag) ’92
  • Carlene Davis – The Harder They Come; Reggae Sunsplash ’81 – Tribute to Bob Marley (Elektra) ’81 Jimmy Cliff cover
  • Dub Syndicate – Higher Than High; 10″ (Lion & Roots) ’98 UK 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement

Set 2: Wailers Family Tree

  • Peter Tosh & the Wailers – 400 Years; Peter Tosh & Friends (Upsetter0 ’70 Lee “Scratch” Perry prod’n

<400 Years  – The Middle Passage; 35 sec.>

  • Bunny Wailer – Forever Loving Jah; Hall of Fame (RAS) ’95 Bob Marley covers
  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – Natural Mystic; Exodus 40 (Tuff Gong) Live at the Rainbow Theatre, London; June 1977

<Exodus Live inna London June 1977; 46 sec.>

  • Rita Marley – That’s The Way; 12″ (Shanachie) ’80 US picture sleeve

Set 3:

  • Wingless Angels – Inviting You + Shady Tree; Wingless Angels II (Mindless) ’96 Keith Richards, Justin Hinds; nyah drums

<Keith Richards on Smile Jamaica? WTF?; 32 sec.>

  • UB40 – Don’t Break My Heart; LIttle Baggariddim (A & M) ’85 EP
  • King Kong – Unity; Rumble Jumble Life (Massive B) 2005
  • Grace Nelson – Jah Is Real; Ire Hi Fi – Play de Music (Plant Music) 2007 Germ.
  • Lee Perry & the Upsetters – Jah; Black Ark in Dub (Upsetter) ’77 Dub Album of the hour

Set 4:

  • Black Uhuru – Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner; Black Uhuru
  • Bush Chemists feat. Ras I – Borderline; Light Up Your Chalice (Conscious Sounds) ’99 UK mutant dub
  • Super Chick – Bees Man; 10″ (Channel One) ’83
Michael Rose, Puma Jones and Duckie Simpson – The group that got me into Reggae

Set 5: Vinyl is Vital

  • Sister Carol – International Style; Black Cinderella (Jah Life) ’84 Brooklyn
  • Laurel Aitken – Je t’aimerai toujours ( I Love You, Yes I Do!)  ; Eskapade en France (Unicorn) ’90 Fr. ska EP
  • The Specials – Sock it to ’em J.B.!; More Specials (2 Tone) ’80 UK tribute to neoliberal hitman, James Bond
  • Chalice; Dangerous Disturbances; Stand Up! (CSA) ’85 UK
  • Amp-Ech – Living Dead + Version; Against Injustice (Amp-Ech) ’87 JA
Ska praise to neoliberal hitman, James Bond

Set 6″ Roots Dawtas Rockers – Best of Smile Jamaica 28+ years

  • Patti Smith Group – Ain’t It Strange; Radio Ethiopia (Arista) ’76
  • Joan Armatrading – I Can’t Lie to Myself; Walking Under Ladders (A & M) ’81; feat. Sly & Robbie
  • Tom Tom Club – Bamboo Town; Close to the Bone (Sire) ’83; Tina & Chris from Talking Heads
  • Martha Velez – Bend Down Low; Escape from Babylon (Sire) ’76: Bob cover, Bob production, Wailers & I-Three. Lee Perry engineer
You’ve got dub in my proto-punk rock

Set 7:

  • Tapper Zukie – Chalice to Chalice; MPLA (Virgin Front Line) ’78 herbtune
  • Jimmy Cliff – I Can See Clearly Now; Cool Runnings Soundtrack (Chaos) ’93 cover of Johnny Nash 
  • Don Evans & the Paragons – Danger in Your Eyes; Full Up – More Hits From Studio One (Heartbeat/Studio One) ’76 
  • Sis Aesha (sic)  & Robbie Valentine – King Selassie I + Conditions; 10″ (Sip a Cup)  2001 UK
8 down, 42 to go!

Set 8: Mutant Dub

  • Luciano & Sis Sanae – What You Gonna Do Now + Free Jah Children; Abassi All-Stars Showcase (Universal Egg) 2006 UK
  • Alpha & Omega – Solomon and Sheba; Overstanding (A & O) ’92 UK trance dub
  • Dr. Israel & the Brooklyn Jungle Sound System – Afrika Youth; Black Rose Liberation (Baraka Foundation)  2001 Brooklyn
  • Dry & Heavy – Night Flight dub; Meet King Jammy in the Jaws of the Tiger (BSI)  2000 Jah-pon
  • Charlie P & the Dubateers – Lock Me Up + Dub; Hustle (Dubateers) 2011 UK

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives (Stream + Tracklist) July 1, 2017: 29th Anniversary of Reggae Radio!

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Greetings,

Fall of 1986. Moved from Bozeman, Montana to SLC for University. Met a guy in the dorms from Baltimore with a kick ass stereo. CDs were new. I was looking for  a new music form (mid 80’s synthesizers weren’t cutting it for I ‘n’ I). Dabbled in blues and world looking for a sound.

Neal my music pal, played for me a tough looking Reggae group called Black Uhuru. Anthem was the name of the album. On his massive stereo in the cinder block dorm rooms it was like an epiphany.

That’s the sound I am looking for! Went out and bought the LP the next day. (Couldn’t find the CD locally.) That lit the fuse to 29 years of Reggae Radio. 66 sec.

Wasn’t Bob, Peter, Jimmy or UB40. It was Michael Rose, Puma Jones and Duckie Simpson

Wheel it forward to Spring of 1988. The local community radio station ran ads looking for late night volunteers. My roommate and I were in the Pie Pizzeria near the U of U campus. We had both been doing little shows running in the Student Union on something called K-UTE. My show was called Positive Vibration (after the Bob song.)

Roomie wanted to do 80’s indie. KRCL had plenty of that. But accepted me for late Sunday/early Monday – 3 o’Clock Roadblock (Also Bobness.) Six weeks of training before I debuted July 2, 1988. 84 sec.

Once I got the show, it gave me a reason to begin expanding the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives. Jah forbid, I play the same album two weeks in a row. So I would take my student loan check, thanks Ronald Reagan, bank it in a savings account. And then once or twice a year, drive or fly to the Bay Area and scour the plentiful record stores.

The secret? CDs are half as wide as an LP. So you could fit twice as many, at nearly double the cost, in each rack.

As consumers started selling vinyl for seed cash for CDs, I swooped in and vacuumed up all the great Reggae for dirty cheap. I would get UK albums that sell for $100 on Ebay in 2017 for around $4. I rarely paid more than $10 for an album.

That’s how you get to this three decades later….

The permanent home of the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: June 2017

<Smile Jamaica’s Cratedig itinerary: Reno, Sacramento, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose, El Cerrito, Mill Valley; 26 sec.>

Drive across the Golden Gate Bridge to Mill Valley. Village Music was worth the trip. No longer in business

So on July 1, 2017 – I celebrate 29 years of juggling black wax!

bless, robt

Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives: Annotated Playlist July 1, 2017 – 29th Anniversary All Vinyl Showcase; 85 sec.

Set 1:

  • Zap Pow – This Is Reggae Music; Reggae Rules! (Rhino) ’80 US
  • Alien Dread – Firstlight; Cosmic Dub Clash (Log On) 2009 UK Dub Album of the Hour
  • The Meditations – There Must Be a First Time; Message From the Meditations (United Artists) ’76 US – Lee Perry prod’n
  • ILive – Natty Dread on the Mountain Top; Jah Guide (Out of Many, One) ’90 San Fran female singer
  • Crutches  & D. Brown – Wackie Fence Skank; Java Java Dub (Impact!) ’72 UK studio labrish
  • Desi Roots – Weedfields; Weedfields (Hawkeye) ’80 UK 4:20 Cannabis Service Announcement

<Burning the weed fields killed the Jamaican middle class; 25 sec.>

  • Kojak & Liza – Black Skin; Showcase (Nigger Kojak) ’80 JA
Ronald Wilson Reagan: Funded the Smile Jamaica Ark-Ives – GOOD; Insisted Jamaica burn its weed fields – BAD

Set 2:

  • Soul Syndicate – King’s Highway; High Times All Star Explosion (Alligator) ’85 Chicago blues label
  • I Roy – Commandment II; Ten Commandments (Virgin) ’80 UK yellow, picture sleeve – to Bob Marley’s Heathen
  • Sister Carol – Spidla-Ding; Black Cinderella (Jah Life) ’84 Brooklyn singjay
  • Freddie McGregor – Strange Things; Freddie McGregor (High Times) ’82 John Holt cover
  • Azeem & Session – Sing a Song; Dreadfly (Joe Gibbs) ’82 Miami 
Smokey’s Records – Salt Lake City

Set 3:

  • Bob Marley & the Wailers – Redemption Song; Uprising; Island Vinyl Box Set (Island) 3484 of 10,000 = 9 albums

<Amoeba Records: Berkeley, CA; 90 sec.>

  • Sly Dunbar feat. Althia & Donna – Dance and Shake Your Tambourine; Simply Sly  Man (Virgin) ’78 UK
  • Chalice – Ital Love; Crossfire (CTS) ‘86 JA
  • The Melodians – Get Up and Dance; Irie Feeling (RAS) ’83 DC – reunion
  • In Crowd – Riding High; Roots, Rock, Reggae (Creole) ’78 Fr.
  • Bullwackie’s All Stars – Recording Connection; Black World Dub (Wackies) ’79 Dub Album of the Hour
Took me 15 years to acquire this vinyl box set. Worth the wait!

Set 4:

  • Inner Circle – 80,000 Careless Ethiopians; Reggae Thing (Capitol) ’76

<Ethiopian Communists overthrow Haile Selassie; 29 sec.>

  • Dillinger – Three Piece Suit and Thing; King Pharaoh (Blue Moon) ’84 Fr.
  • Eek a Mouse – Do You Remember; Skidip (Greensleeves) ’81 UK
  • Elaine Taylor – Have a Good Time; Age of Reggae (Twinkle) ’84 UK

Set 5:

  • Black Uhuru – Solidarity; 12″ EP  (4th & Broadway) ’83 US – Little Steven cover

<Anthem remixes>

  • Horace Ferguson – Tranquilizer; Sensi Addict (Prince Jazzbo Music) ’87 JA
  • Purpleman  – The King on His Way; Laserbeam (World Enterprize)  ’83 Brooklyn
  • The Mellows + Gladstone Star Band; Pray to Jah + Give Thanks and Pray; Rite Sound Reggae Story (Jah Live) Fr.
Jamaican mix of the album that made I ‘n’ I a Reggae Fanatic

Set 6:

  • Lone Ranger – UFO; Barnabas in Collins Wood (GG) ’79 JA

<Roswell 70th Anniversary of the UFO crash>

  • Icarus – Talking Words; State of Mind (Russian Roulette) ’82 UK
  • Three Dimension – Undertaker; Roadblock (Nubian)  ’89 UK
  • Nicodemus – Boneman Connection; Sleeping Bag’s Reggae Dancehall Classics (Sleeping Bag) ’80
  • Delixx – Coming in from the Cold Dub; Uprising Dub (Micron) ’80 Dub Album of the Hour: trumpet for Bob’s vox
July 8: 4-7 PM 3 hours of UFOria on Smile Jamaica

Set 7:

  • Azanyah – Praise; “The One” (Path of Light) ’87 Atlanta jazz/nyah hybrid
  • Winston Reedy – Message to Father; Dim the Light (Inner Light) ’83 UK
  • Sandra Cross – Children of the Night; Lovers Delight (Ariwa) 52nd Street soul cover
Black Jazz

Set 8:

  • Dub Syndicate – Walking Jerusalem; Echomania (ON U Sound) ’93 UK
  • The Paragons – Man Next Door; Sly & Robbie: Raiders of the Lost Dub (Mango)  ’81 dub set
  • New Age Steppers feat. Bim Sherman – Misplaced Love; Foundation Steppers (ON U Sound) ’83 UK
  • Clint Eastwood – It Wasn’t Rasta; Love & Happiness (Burning Sounds) ’79 UK
  • Time Unlmited – African Woman; Devil’s Angel (Live Wire) ’84 JA
  • Exuma – Roller Reggae; Universal (Cat Island) ’82 Bahamian singer

Words of Wisdom:

Smile Jamaica Digital Dubplate: Mutant Dub Mash-down 2017!

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Greetings,

In the middle of Spring fund drive at your station that rules the nation. So in order to keep fresh roots on the podcast version of Smile Jamaica, I cooked up three hours of my specialty: Mutant Dub.

Requested by a Twitter follower. These are the heavy bass and echo with Jamaican drum ‘n’ bass with modern electronic and echodelia.

Play loud so the bass pulsates!

bless, robt

Princess Leia pon the riddims

Smile Jamaica Digital Dubplate – Mutant Dub Mash-down Playlist:

0-30 min.

  • Thievery Corporation – Let the Chalice Blaze; The Temple of I & I (ESL) 2017 DC herb instrumental
  • Afro Omega – Set in the Sky; Love Emergency (Afro Omega) 2008 SLC dubbers w/ female vox
  • Benga – Light Bulb; Diary of an Afro Warrior (Tempa) 2008 UK
  • Bass Communion – Ghosts on Magnetic Tape IV; Ghost on Magnetic Tape (Headphone Dust) 2003 UK
  • The Herbaliser feat. What What; The Blend (Cuban Blend); CD Single ’97 UK feat. Female vox
Thievery Corporation – Temple of I & I – best of 2017

30-60 min

  • Bentley Rhythm Ace – Do the Christmas Rush (EMI) 2000 UK
  • Chris Joss – Get With It; Teraphonic Overdubs (ESL) 2007 Fr.
  • Black Star Liner – Swimmer; Bengali Bantam Youth Experience (Warner) ’99 UK Hindi-dub
  • Ancient Astronauts feat. Phat Old Mamas – A Hole to Swallow Us; We are to Answer (ESL) 2009 Germ. w/ female vox
  • Audio Active – Happy Shopper; Happy Happer (ON U Sound) ’95 Jah-pon
  • Nightmares on Wax – Da Feelin; Thought So… (Warp) 2008 UK
  • Shantel feat. Angela Palladino; Wow! Experience; Club Guerilla (Shadow) ’95 Germ.
Look to the skies! Do not scoff!

60-90 min.

  • Sub Version – Soul-Jah Boogie; Box of Dub 2 (Soul Jazz) 2007 UK: Dubstep and Future Dub
  • Sandoz – Higher Than That; Sandoz in Dub – Chant to Jah (Soul Jazz) 2002 UK
  • Seinan – Lion; Frequent Flyer Kingston, Jamaica (Kinky Sweet) 2005
  • Seksu Roba – Moon Song; Pleasure Vibrations (Eenie Meenie) 2003 Japanese/Korean duo w/ female vox
  • Kode9 & Space Ape – Sine of the Dub; Dub Echoes (Soul Jazz) 2009 UK dubstep dub poetry
  • Tassilli Players in Outer Space –  Bass, the Final Frontier (Universal Egg)  ’96 UK
Seksu Roba – Sexx Donkey

90 min. – 2 hr.

  • Bill Laswell – Space-Time Paradox; Essential Dub (ROIR) 2007 dub compilation
  • Bassnectar feat. Persia – Kick It Complex Remix; Underground Communication (Amorphous) 2007 San Francisco w/ female vox
  • Tena Stelin – Lion Symbol + Symbolic Dub; Lion Symbol (Jah Warrior) ’99 UK
  • Butch Cassidy Sound System – Brothers and Sisters; Dub Selector 2 (Quango) 2002 Glasgow, Scotland
  • Red I feat. Camoi – Lost in Space; Jahdgement Day (Red I) 2012 Phillippines w/ female vox
  • Spiritual Rez – March of the Reptoids!; Apocalypse Whatever (Spiritual Rez) 2014 US
Bill Laswell – American Dub Pioneer

2 – 2 and 1/2 hr.

  • Black Uhuru – Boof’n’Baff’’n’Biff (Fila Brazillia Rmx #2); Dancehall Queen Soundtrack (Island Jamaica) ’97
  • Up, Bustle & Out – Ascending Sun; City Breakers – Ascending Sun; City Breakers – 18 Frames Per Second (Groove Attack) 2006 Germ.
  • Quadron – Favorite Star; Avalanche (Vested in Culture) 2013 Danish downtro w/ female vox
  • Dubadelic – MIB; Bass Invaders (WordSound) ’98 Men in Black – UFOria
  • Brooklyn Funk Essentials Everton Sylvester – I Got Cash; Make Them Like It (Shanachie)  2000 NYC dub poet rudeness
  • Kid Loco – Cocaine Diana; Kill Your Darlings (Division One) 2001 downtro

2 and 1/2 – 3 hr.

  • Manasseh Meets the Equaliser – Souljah; Dub the Millennium (Acid Jazz)  ’96 UK   
  • Word Sound I Powa – Dungeon of Dub; Live From the Planet Crooklyn (ROIR) ’96 Brooklyn
  • Natacha Atlas – Man’s World; Something Dangerous (Mantra) 2003 Fr. Arabic/Jewish sings James Brown
  • Jeb Loy & the Oil Wells – Things That Made U.S. – Wild Paarty Sounds (Cherry Red/ON U Sound) ‘81
Natacha Atlas: Belgian, Jewish, Moroccan