ID: Jasper of Turntable Lab

TITLE: 5 Man Army
ARTIST: Trinity, Dillinger, Al Cambell, Wayne Wade + Junior Tamlins
LABEL: Oak Tree 1983

A strange kind of disco opening gives way to a heavy dancehall roots sound and chanting by the five man crew. They do the Burning Spear "brrr-oop oop" behind lots of vocals with a serious drum and bass leading the way. Produced by Dillinger on a label I've never seen before, I got this at the same time as the Danny Clarke. It's a rare thing these days to even find any pre-80s original press reggae stuff in New York, but once in a while a good collection floats into the stores. Gone in days though and then nothing anywhere. Where the hell did it all go?

TITLE: Babylon Trap Them
ARTIST: Danny Clarke
LABEL: Wild Flower 1975

I picked this up because I had seen some Lee Perry productions on the label and it was cheap. Turns out to be an amazing tune but like most of these, I know next to nothing about it or the artist...but I guess that's what makes most of these for me. I don't know shit about them and I think they're good. Produced by "Highlander." You know who that is right?

TITLE: Grey Beard/Preasure Locks
ARTIST: ?
LABEL: Observer mid 70s

This one I really have no idea on. I guess it's just Niney and them in the studio bugging out. On the "Grey Beard" side it's a slow riddim with a guy chanting over and over again "ah gwoof em gwaaf, ah gwoofm gwaffm." The Pressure Locks side reveals a more uptempo version of the same beat with a guy chanting "ah zoogie zaygie, ah zoongie zang zoogie zaygie" the entire time. You keep thinking it's going to break but it never does. That said, the Grey Beard side is my favorite with the stripped down dub and gruffer "ah gwoofm gwafm" vocals. One of the strangest 7" I've ever come accross, found in the used bookstore that used to be across the street from our store. Never found much, but I miss being able to go in that place.

TITLE: Hello Carol
ARTIST: Gladiators
LABEL: Supreme mid 70s

I'll be honest. This one I threw in here just for the cool Supreme label, a subsidy of Studio One. Of course "Hello Caroll" is great but it's all about that logo.

TITLE: A Message to the Ungooly
ARTIST: Jah (Niney?)
LABEL: Observer mid 70s

This one has no artists or title listing, like a lot of old reggae 45s and 12"s. Makes looking for stuff that much more of a pain in the ass' and sometimes that much more rewarding. This one happens to be "Message To The Ungodly," a great tune with a similar vibe to "Blood and Fire." Pretty sure it's the man himself on vocals. Heavy rockers sound and the slightly funky version on the flip.

TITLE: Darling Ooh
ARTIST: Errol Dunkley
LABEL: Opportunity late 70s

I'm not sure why I like this record so much right now. It's a weird one I guess. Errol Dunkley: weird name, weird voice, and a strange effect through his songs. I don't know much of his stuff, but he's one of those singers that's been around forever (started at Studio One of course). This 45 features a small dub track at the end of side one and a deejay version on the b-side by soundalike "Hugh Roy, Jr." It's basically just him chatting straight over the Errol Dunkley track and it's surprisingly good. Maybe I just dig the hand writing on the label.

TITLE: Mr. Finnigan/Fire Bunn
ARTIST: Big Youth
LABEL: Observer early 70s

Big Youth killing it with two different tunes over loose versions (some vocals intact) of "Blood and Fire," bunning up the Pope on one side and somebody Mr Finigan on the b-side. This "fire bun them" stuff has been going on forever. Capleton has it going out of control these days with news reports of youths setting fires all over the Carribean. That fire shit makes people crazy. Excellent production from Niney and chatting to match from the man with the gold teeth.

TITLE: Jah-O Jah-O
ARTIST: Gladiators
LABEL: TR late 70s

The infamous "Jah mutherfucking Oh" as people who know Rea know it'. This record has to go up for the simple fact that Rea's been asking me for it for about three years every time I talk to him. "Just sell me fucking 'Jah Oh' Jasper'. Why not? C'mon man' I don't have anything to trade'. I'll give you 40 bucks and a shoebox full of random 45s'" I'll never sell it to him just on principle now. Its been too damn long Justin. Just give it up and you might find it in your mailbox sometime. Another classic tune by the Gladiators though with Trinity's "Economic Crisis" on the b-side over the version.

TITLE: Johnny (Too) Bad
ARTIST: The Slicker
LABLEL: Panther early 70s

I'm a sucker for the labels, old original things that have passed through time Cool Panther label for one of my all-time favorite cuts. Been hooked ever since I saw the Harder The Come with Jimmy Cliff listening to this in the little bicycle repair shop. Something about "Walking down the road with a ratchet on ya waist" got me I think. That's a bad word: ratchet. Nice harmony too. This was a Jamaican ebay auction, used to be able to get lots of beat up classic 45s cheap that way. Now I'm tired of the conditions. This one is pretty decent for like $2.31 though.

TITLE: The War is Over
ARTIST: Freddie McKay + Jah Lloyd
LABEL: GG's mid 70s

I been feeling Jah Lloyd again lately. I don't think I've ever really heard anything weak off him (check Columbia Colly lately?) and this is no exception. Alvin Ranglin on production provides a smooth horns led instrumental track and dubbed Freddie McKay vocals for Lloyd to step it out a jungle. This could be Rea's next burning desire.