Emotional Rescue and Jamwax end their Capo Disco series by returning to Glen Adams and his cover of Bob Marley’s classic. The early 70s Lee Perry produced original raw sound is taken to the disco reggae dancefloors of the early 80s with a bottom heavy jam, while his Capo Crew works a killer dub flipside. 
“Fussing & Fighting” was originally released on the 1971’s Soul Revolution album and for many came during the pinnacle of Bob Marley & The Wailers output, before the smoothing out of their sound during the later “Island” years. Whichever, the guidance and collaboration with Perry transformed the Wailers from a successful Ska / Rocksteady group towards a visionary, conscious, crossover phenomenon. Perry’s in-house band, The Upsetters, lent so much to this early period, the brothers Aston and Carlton Barrett creating a perfect drum and bass bedrock. With Glen Adams on organ, the original version known simply as is an incessant, rumbling message and in that light, Adams return to it over a decade later makes justified and righteous sense.
Actually released on both Capo Disco and Marley’s own Tuff Gong, Adams’ vocal marries a disco-dub and guitar groove, dropping, in the latter half, right down to tambourine into perfectly stretched Discomix. Things get even more laid out on “Mad Blank” aka the version. Riding the desk, “Capo” lets each instrument time and space, dropping to just a kick and dubbed piano before slowly coming back with hats, guitar and then when the bass comes, the Gospel purity of dub reggae shines, all before the teasing fade calls for a rewind. Rest and rise, Glenroy “Capo” Adams.

Emotional Rescue and Jamwax return to Capo Disco with the first ever-official release of a holy grail of the Caribbean disco sound. Fully licensed and remastered especially for this release, there is no now requirement for badly pressed rip offs. While little is known about the Crashers, all leads point to an incarnation of the revolving “house” band of Glen Adams. As often the case, the floating nature of Jamaican born labels, rhythm sections naming and renaming to fit occasions was endless.  Running out of his Brooklyn studio, the otherwise known Outerlimits, Capo And The Crew or even possibly Crashers, the swinging reggae meets funk grooves are apparent. Led from the desk by label owner, producer and writer, Glenroy Adams and co created a 12” that covers bases in one release.
While funk bass, chopped guitar, harmonica and vocal harmonies created the Caribbean flavours of Flight To Jamaica, they cloud Capo’s closest assent to the disco sound he was tapping in to. As NYC shifted towards the fresh block party sounds of hip-hop it should be remembered those early parties were in essence disco and funk records cut up, looped and rapped over.
With the over-used grail tag worthy of the A side alone, the flip itself has become a funk-bomb that pushes dealer prices to the heavens. Featuring the unknown Lamour on vocals, it’s as much the female harmonies, slap bass and guitar solo mixed with stabbing piano and drum breaks that make this short, but sweet ‘skank’ a worthy collectors item in it’s own right.
While Capo Disco was just a yearlong sub label, the breath of style, optimism and intent is obvious. As an archive mission, Flight to Jamaica being removed from the bootleggers hands is justified, but sitting in the middle of 3 killer 12”s rewinds of Glen Adams vision, it should be seen in a broader spotlight. 

Third and final Alimantado related seven to drop this week. Backed with Peter Tosh, "Mary Lou" and "A Little Melodica" are actually bonus DJ cuts of Jimmy London's "A Little Love". Released in 1973 it's a little earlier than most of Alimantado's output and is more traditionally ska sounding in nature. Recorded and produced at Randy's studio and written by Winston Thompson. On the flip Peter Tosh gets busy with the reggae-flute aka the melodica as "A Little Melodica" flips the riddim in a sea shanty flavoured instrumental! Amazing!

Another from Alimantado's vaults. This one released on Vital Food in 1977 and produced by Linval Thompson. The mood is more roots than the jump up riotous reggae that is "Best Dressed Chicken..."-era. On the flip he's joined by The Rebels for a tasty instrumental / dub version which emphasizes that rootsy groove and the thick dread encompassing the musicians. Top stuff.

Reissue of this massive reggae tune from the funkiest chicken - Doctor Alimantado. Originally released in 1977 it epitomizes the scratchy off-beat guitar pattern and the deejay style vox that Alimantado popularized so well. A huge crossover tune with Don Letts' punks due to its rebellious message and serendipitous release date. A tune of two parts, across both sides of the 7" the vocal delivery carries on through both parts as opposed to a dub or instrumental version that would often be the norm.

The one-and-only, heroically self-determined, best-dressed chicken, straight to the head of all intolerance and bigotry. Recorded at Channel One in 1977, after a Kingston bus driver swerved to put the young Rasta in hospital. In London, the record’s popularity with punks was a big leg-up for the fledgling Greensleeves label. The musicians who played on the record did so without payment. You have on this heavyweight vinyl four tracks that are all as good as each other. Dub, roots and heart warming lyrics for all. This is a limited, anniversary edition on Tado’s own Keyman imprint.

STAFF COMMENTS

Sil says: Monster 12" with four giant tracks from the Doctor. You can't go wrong with these classic roots tunes.

A great collection of 70s roots tracks from vocalist Dr Alimantado. Recorded at Channel One, Joe Gibbs, Tubby's and Black Ark, with backing from The Aggrovators and a plethora of vocal talent. Apart from the music, which is ace, i've always loved this LP 'cos it's got photos on the sleeve of him messing around in Notting Hill - playing table tennis, pulling an old lady style shopping bag on wheels, jogging in a rasta tracksuit - the funkist chicken in town make no mistake! Originally released in 1981 on Greensleeves, Limited reissue on Keyman Records.

Dr. Alimantado first came to international attention in the 1970s with his singles "Best Dressed Chicken in Town" and "Born For a Purpose." This collection of rarities from the Jamaican toaster includes some of his earliest recordings, like 1969's "No Gwan So", originally released under the name Winston Cool (his real name is James Winston Thompson) and the Lee Perry-produced "Maccabee the Third". Toasts on various 1970s backing tracks (themselves versions of US chart hits like "Piece of My Heart", here retitled Chapter of My Heart", and "First Cut Is the Deepest", appearing here as the anti-street violence "One Trouble"), as well as some confident, eccentric late-'70s Lee Perry productions, make this set essential listening for fans of vintage Jamaican reggae.

Final installment of funky chicken power brought to you by Piccadilly Records April 2018! "Love Is" from 1983 and features such hits as "Stop Yer Fighting", "Mek A Little Move" and "Go Deh Natty". With Alimantado's love of big motorcycles apparent from the front cover, its a decidedly slow pace of living than the hydraulic powered road beast. Recorded by Lee Perry it displays some strong experimental dub elements alongside his idiosyncratic rastaman vocal delivery.

Africa Seven is taking its first trip to Germany... Well Germany via Cameroun. Charlie Kingue Soppo is better known as Charly Kingson, cousin of Manu Dibango and a Cameroonian emigrant in the 1970s. Charly first headed to Paris and then found his way to Munich in 1978. He recorded two albums in his career, "Born In Africa" in Munich in 1978 and "Dance To The Music" two years later in New York.

For this outing we focus on his debut "Born In Africa". It was recorded in Union Studios in Munich with some of the city's finest (and surprisingly funky) session musicians of the day.

The LP opens up with "Nimele Bolo" a trademark Africa Seven sound if ever there was one… early growling analog synths, big stabby brass and afro rhythms. Add in Charlys vocals and it is easy to see why this track was a highlight of our recent African Airways 04 Funk compilation. Next it is time for smooth ballad, "Makakane Masu" and its smooth jazz overtones. Next "Manyaka" the suspenseful string section, octaving keys and percussive horns drive the wah wah guitar and Charlys brooding song.

On the flip side we open up with the rolling bass and swinging brass of lead track "Born In Africa". This track was a single and it's the perfect microcosm of the album elements in one track. It even manages to name check all the big afro musicians of the time. "Nanga Boko" and its big smiles all around for the good time synth-boogie funk. We close off the LP with "Reviens-Moi" a pensive ballad about Charly's forlorn love. He wants her back of course.

After Charly moved on from recording in the 1980s he stayed in Germany, performing in a series of local jazz and funk bands. We tracked him down in 2016 and we really pleased to be re-releasing his debut long player at Africa Seven. It sounds just as relevant (if not more so) in 2018 as it did 40 years ago in 1978.

STAFF COMMENTS

Patrick says: Africa Seven serve up more heat here with Charly Kingson's big bad "Born In Africa", complete with the moog fuelled acid afro disco squelch of Nimele Bolo. Big!

11th studio album from the D.C. based electronic duo featuring artists: Mr. Lif, Sitali, Racquel Jones, Notch, Natalia Clavier, and Lou Lou Ghelichkhani.

The 12 track "Treasures from the Temple" is a continuation from their last album "Temple of I & I", recorded in Port Antonio. Blending their signature sound with classic dub, dancehall, and roots vibes for a modern reggae masterpiece of epic proportions! 

Taking from Jamaica, much of the album features that OG flavour - big basslines, flailing dub fx, redolent horns and skankin riddims! There's plenty of their more familiar downbeat / trip hop joints too, with some more than capable raps provided by a plethora of global vocal talent. A solid and cohesive effort from start to finish, with a real cinematic and dynamic quality that takes the listener on a stimulating journey.