Quick apologies for the long in-between posts. I will reciprocate with musical love to the internet massive. One thing, there’s no such thing as ‘Dubday’. Although it’d be nice won’t it? People walking around humming and throwing a few licks into the air with their portable samplers and guitars. Instead of using verbal conversations, people would communicate with echoed out horns, piano licks, and Augustus Pablo-stylee melodica riffs. How awesome would that be?

So today is sunday (October 25th_10/25, 2009), and later this afternoon from 2pm to 7pm at 1836 East 4th St in Long Beach, Dj Fraze and I will be hosting our generic-named event called Reggae Sundays at The Pike. Generic only in name, but not in sound, which is the opposite if I may add. We think it’s important to keep it generic in that sense, because there’s so many different genres within reggae itself, that we can’t keep it tied down with a specific language. But I did title today’s blog post-promo with “Dubday”, because we’ve created a Top-5 selection podcast of classic reggae-dub music. Without further delay, (sorry I’m a bit chatty), here are some essential tunes from the producers in popular reggae-dub: (click for more track information)

I’ve been wanting to do this not-so-heavy tribute for Mr. Isaacs “The Cool Ruler”, because he was not able to show up at the Hollywood Bowl’s annual Reggae Night festival this year due to sickness. Sometimes we have to recognize how hard it is to work as a musician, but even worse as a reggae musician, that they don’t necessarily get the same financial benefits as the American kind, know what I mean? That being said, Gregory Isaacs had been around for a LONG time, and to see him perform at this age has to be commendable, at least. In honor of the people who wanted to see and hear him play at the Bowl, I’ve compiled some B-sides of his to fill in that “missing gap”. If you’re a fan, I’m sure you already have his greatest hits, so why bother to post the tried-and-true? This is the man who practically created the ‘Lover’s Rock’ genre, and some of you love birds wouldn’t have been able to whisper sweet nothings to each other without his tunes playing in the background. The transition he’s gone through over the years has been amazing, literally not having skipped a beat…until now. Hence, the tribute. Cheers.

You can find some of these tunes on Mr. Isaacs’ 1998 compilation release, “Sinner Man” on Recall Records.

- CLO

This may be a little late to post as a ‘New Year Mix’, but hey, its never too late for FREE, quality music. So trying to come off right in the new year, and to spread positivity around (because we all need it), we here at the Best Kept Sound present you hot-off-the-vinyl-presses of 7″ dancehall madness with a U.K. stylee (Nice up England, and especially cats in Brixton, Brighton, Leeds, Newcastle Upon Tyne, and South London who are always pushing it). 

This track list consists of a short evolution of reggae artists from the mid-1980s downright to late 2008 (hence the New Wave reference). It almost has a seamless transition when the melodies, guitar riffs, and basslines from today’s artists are really looking deeper into the past (ie. Jackie Mittoo’s Evening Time riddim), adding a phatter & fuller sound from today’s complex machines, sounding less digital and more analog along with softer, Lover’s-Rock-like lyrics complimenting with a dash of fast-chat machine-gun-grit. 

Tracklist:

1. Tony Tuff - Deliver Me @ 0:00:00
2. Spiritual & Alborosie - Marathon @ 1:48:09
3. Mr Vegas - Must Come A Road @ 4:27:64
4. Nylon Version @ 7:16:18
5. Richie Spice - Serious Girl @ 8:18:41
6. Morgan Heritage - In love With You @ 9:58:68
7. Taurus Riley - Start A New @ 11:44:34
8. Fall In Love Version @ 13:26:29
9. George Nooks - Hey Girl @ 14:09:59
10. Anthony B, Ken Booth, Mr Vegas - When I Fall In Love @ 16:00:71
11. Delly Ranks & Fiona - Close To You @ 18:40:33
12. Gyptian - This Love @ 20:34:69
13. Frankie Paul - Draw Out @ 21:29:00
14. Jr X - Change Dem Heart @ 22:29:72
15. Asher - Rise @ 23:41:31
16. Beres Hammond - Feel Good @ 25:14:49
17. Peter Huningale - This Is Life @ 27:19:40

 

 Nu Wave To Nu Skool [30:40m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (54)

Wait for it.

> But don’t wait too long. This friday (not saturday), July 18th, 2006, will be our last blast off at Suzuran. Come early and we’ll surprise you with some musical gems. See you soon.

Thanks to all the heads that came out and supported. I think we’ve got something going here. Come back again next month, for some even wilder sh*t!