SKARRA MUCCI - RETURN OF THE RAGGAMUFFIN

Jamaican born artist Skarra Mucci is being hailed as one of the hottest live dancehall artists in Europe, after a string of recording, featuring and dub plates on the local and international scene and charts.

One of the most versatile singers of his generation, he has applied himself to Soul, Gospel, Reggae-Dancehall, Rap and R&B, this incomparable talent with his endless lyrical flow and creativity makes him quite unique and has lead to him being titled the “Lyric Millionaire”.
He has performed around the globe and has shared stages with many top artists of various genres and his interaction with his audience is described as being “unbelievable” and “spontaneous” with a voice that “touches your soul” making him “an artist everyone should see at least once in their lifetime”.

Skarra Mucci has worked with some of the best producers in Europe and recorded hundreds of singles including hits like: ‘Emmer No’, ‘Rhymes After Rhymes’, ‘Bounx It Pon Me’, ‘Mad Again’, ‘Without Love’, ‘Higher Grade’, ‘Danger, Never Change’, ‘Sunshine’, ‘All My Life’ and many more. In March 2007 he released his debut solo album “Rise & Shine“, followed by “912“ a.k.a. “Hot Like Fire” in 2009 and a crossover Hip Hop album in 2010 called “Skarrashizzo".

He is now back with his 4^th offering RETURN OF THE RAGGAMUFFIN which contains 16 tracks built to make ya move produced by the likes of Bizzari, Oneness and Weedy G Soundforce all of whom have made an excellent job of the riddims which include both originals and re-licks to give you the best of traditional, veteran Dancehall DJ style in an Old-school meets Nu-school mix to create the freshest reggae and dancehall sounds around.

Bambú Station

Bambú Station was founded in 1996 by the impassioned lead singer Jalani Horton. It is a Virgin Island roots reggae band, hailed by many as “bringing the glory of the roots age to modern time.” After years of performing live, Bambú Station established its own recording studio and recorded and released its first album ”Congo Moon” (High Rotation Records, 1999). From the album the popular song “Heathen Fun”, was selected for a two-CD remix compilation entitled “Walking on Pennsylvania Avenue”, a major relief effort for children with AIDS in Washington, D.C. (www.opensource.com).

In 2000, Bambú Station independently released the critically acclaimed single “Amadou Diallo” in memory of the New York slained West African immigrant. The band personally presented the single to Diallo’s parents at the 2001 Anniversary of the March on Washington.

In May 2002, Bambú Station reached global acclaim with their invigorating compilation “Bambú Station presents: Various Artists – Talkin’ Roots I” (Mt. Nebo Records). This groundbreaking album immediately charted worldwide, generating international praise from music critics and radio DJs, and was selected as “Compilation of the Year 2002” by Ireggae.com and won several music awards.

With the release of their album “One Day” in 2003, The Beat Magazine, Reggae Reviews, Urban Ambience Journal and countless other reviewer’s dubbed Bambú Station’s “One Day” as one of the most significant albums of the modern reggae scene. By the years end, with all the attention garnered,“One Day” was selected as “Album of the Year” by both the DC Annual Reggae Awards and Creation Steppin’ Radio. Additionally, the D.C. Annual Reggae Awards selected “One Day” as “Song of the Year 2003” and Bambú Station as “Producer of the Year 2003.” Fans, writers and industry experts all continue to praise the album as “classic”, “very powerful”, and “one for the ages. “

Since its first tour in July 2004, Bambú Station's fan base has exploded beyond measure with every album and tour. Their Talkin' Roots Tour 2004 was the first ever tour of a group of Virgin Island reggae artists on the U.S. mainland. The band also released "Talkin' Roots II," headlined at the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival and toured the U.S. mainland solidifying their soul-stirring brand of music.

Through its Bambú Station Foundation, the band assists in fund-raising efforts, lectures, benefits, awareness campaigns and other proactive efforts to positively impact the lives of families, with a focus on children.

In November 2006, the prestigious Strathmore Music Arts Center in Bethesda, MD (www.strathmore.org) selected Bambú Station for its Artist In Residence Program, the first reggae band to be selected. The band performed to capacity audiences, conducted a workshop and debut the single “Bonded Together.” Bambú Station has since performed throughout Europe, Israel and the Caribbean and Pacific Islands. Bambú Station just released their latest album, “Children of Exodus” read more at......... 

COOL RUNNINGS

With a career that spanned twelve years including the entire 1980s, Cool Runnings were one of Bristol's longest lasting bands, yet their failure to gig beyond the West Country or release anything more than their lone twelve inch single means that they are also one of the City's best kept musical secrets. Originally formed in Weston-Super-Mare by Keyboardist Mark Tuck and Guitarist George Condover, they immediately relocated to Bristol and recruited various local musicians including an experienced and talented singer, Winston Minott.

Although “Robin Hoods Of The Ghetto” was their solitary release, the band regularly recorded material throughout their career and fortunately thanks to the foresight of George and Mark in holding onto various master tapes, Bristol Archive Records are able to release the band's self titled debut album “Cool Runnings”.

They've selected a dozen tracks recorded between 1983 and 1985 at various local studios, and a couple of live tracks, to give an idea of why the band were so popular in person. Although their music leans towards the more mellow end of the market, (Lovers Rock), music ideally suited to Winston's soulful voice, the band were more than capable of writing good roots tunes, five of which are featured including the excellent “We Must Go Home”, “Children Of Zion” and the previously released “Robin Hoods Of The Ghetto”. Winston Minott had spent many years touring all over Europe with soul band The Invaders and many songs showcase his vocal talent, but a particular highlight has to be “Playhouse” an alternative recording of which can be found on “The Bristol Reggae Explosion Volume 3”.

Perhaps proper management would have seen Cool Runnings achieve the success and wider exposure that their combined talents and unique take on reggae undoubtedly deserved. Now twenty years after the members went their separate ways, Bristol Archive Records have filled in another missing piece of the City's musical heritage with a band whose music fits perfectly with their name, Cool Runnings.

Tracklisting:

We Must Go Home

Playhouse

Children Of Zion

Give Me Some Interest

Robin Hoods Of The Ghetto

Lawman

You Can’t Pay Me

Is This For Real?

Permanent Diet

There You Go

Sunshine – Weep Willow Weep

Last Train

Cool Runnings - ‘Cool Runnings’ available as CD and Digital Download on Bristol Archive Records

Nazarenes - Meditation

The Nazarenes, brothers Noah and Medhane Tewolde who were born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to parents of Eritrean descent before later settling in Sweden, are back with their first album since 2008s “Rock Firm”.

“Meditation” is built around roots reggae ideals with pop sensibilities and tinges of rock added for good measure. It’s an album that flows gracefully from the album titled opener with its serene guitar work and sung in both English and Amharic, that pays homage to their homeland of Ethiopia and their Eritrean roots all the way to the swaying, self-explanatory, album closer ‘Love Jah’.

To read a full review on this album visit......

Joshua To Jashwha - 30 Years In The Wilderness

From the beginning of Bristol Archive Records involvement in documenting Bristol's neglected reggae heritage they've wanted to release an album that showcases the great talent of one of the local reggae scene's mainstays, Joshua Moses.

Unfortunately, Joshua has no copies of the many recording sessions he has done in the years since his first session in 1978, and so it has taken more than eighteen months of painstaking research and the pursuit of numerous leads to gather together the fifteen tracks on “Joshua To Jashwha – 30 Years In The Wilderness”. The result is more than worth any effort involved on their part and is as strong a debut album as anyone could wish for, guaranteed to create a buzz among reggae fans worldwide.

The tracks on this album were recorded between 1978 and 2003 yet prior to Bristol Archive's involvement the only tracks to have been previously released were the very scarce “Africa (Is Our Land) and it's dub counterpart “Home”. The former, included on the “Bristol Reggae Explosion 1978-1983” and both tracks were reissued on a very limited 12” in February 2012. The only other track to have previously seen the light of day is “Rise Up”, first heard on “The Bristol Reggae Explosion Volume 2”. Again they have included it's dub counterpart and again released a very limited edition 12” alongside “Africa (Is Our Land)” in February 2012.

The other 11 tracks were recorded over a period of twenty years and include a trio of live recordings, but all the tracks have one thing in common, they are all roots tunes of the highest order and Joshua being a multi talented musician has created the music with as much skill as the lyrics. Having dealt with repatriation with “Africa (Is Our Land)”, we move on to “House of Dread”. One of the highlights of Joshua's live shows in the early eighties, it welcomes all of humanity to embrace Rastafari in universal unity, although there is the caveat that the rich may not be welcome.

Evildoers come under attack in “Stick It Up” which attacks the hypocrites and parasites, (vampires and old pirates), who have caused so much suffering throughout history. We then move onto “Jah Time Has Come” that skilfully adapts Aswad’s  “Promised Land” rhythm as Joshua looks forward to the coming of Jah and universal justice. Another candidate for the twelve inch treatment is “Suffering Is In the Past” and it's dub counterpart, a tale of life's struggles and overcoming suffering. This is followed by “Rise Up”, Joshua's call to fight oppression and injustice wherever it is found. “Steel” calls for love to triumph over evil. Joshua then proclaims his Rastafarian, Jamaican and African identity in “Bobby Wrong”. “Children Of the Light” and “Nothing To Lose” show Joshua's vocal versatility as he uses a falsetto voice, whilst “Protection” says that if you embrace Jah he will guide and protect you and show you the way. The final track “Distant Guns” introduces a bluesy guitar giving the song a unique and extremely catchy feel as Joshua sings how love will triumph over adversity come judgement day. All the tracks are sung with the utmost conviction, by an artist who truly believes what he sings.

It's likely that if Joshua had been recording in Kingston rather than Bristol he would have become an international star, his music avidly collected and lauded with praise. It may be rather belated, but this release should go a long way towards establishing Joshua's reputation internationally.

The other purpose of this release is to draw a line under Joshua Moses and see him reborn as Jashwha Moses, Jaswha has had many trials and tribulations over the decades and his lonely struggle for musical success has often been an uphill battle. Now with this career retrospective and a new name to tie in with his new, but equally spiritual material, he can hopefully look forward to the success and wider recognition his talents have always deserved.

Joshua Moses -  ‘Joshua to Jashwha – 30 Years In The Wilderness’ released 9th April  2012 on Bristol Archive Records available as CD, Vinyl and Digital Download

WEBSITE: www.bristolarchiverecords.com

The (Fabulous) Counts

American soul/funk group The Counts, originally known as The Fabulous Counts formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1968. The band consisted of Mose Davis (organ), Leroy Emanuel (guitar), Demo Cates (alto sax), Andrew Gibson (drums), Jim White (tenor sax) and Raoul Keith Mangrum (percussion). In a very similar way as many reggae groups of the 60's they started out as both an instrumental headliner and backing band for visiting solo acts to the area. They won much local acclaim this way and so the group cut their first song, on local label Moira Records, "Jan, Jan" b/w "The Girl from Kenya" with producer Richard ‘Popcorn’ Wylie. The single proved a success and hit #42 on the US R&B charts in January of 1969.

"Dirty Red" b/w "Scrambled Eggs", was up next, but although similar to "Jan Jan" passed without trace. Un-deterred the group recorded a full LP ‘Jan Jan’ for Cotillion, produced by Ollie McLaughlin. The LP contained their first two singles in their original form, as well as an altered version of ‘The Girl From Kenya’, two new originals, ‘The Bite’ and ‘The Other Thing’, while the rest of the LP is composed of good, bad and well.... interesting covers, including James Brown’s ‘It’s a Mans Mans Mans World’, Sly & The Family Stone’s ‘Sing a Simple Song’, Young Holt Unlimited’s ‘Soulful Strut’, Johnny Taylor’s ‘Who’s Making Love’ and ‘Hey Jude’.

The LP also contains their and biggest hit single "Get Down People" b/w
"Lunar Funk". This tune peaked at #32 in the R&B chart, while staying there for 9 weeks, in early 1970. It also sneaked into US pop charts at #88.

This was the only LP the band did with Cotillion Records, and in 1971 they moved to Atlanta, Georgia, signing with Westbound Records. After a couple of personnel changes it was decided to drop the Fabulous from the name and it was here that they released ‘What’s Up Front That Counts’, before again moving , this time to Atlanta and ending up on Aware records for their last LP, ‘Funk Pump’ where they finally called it quits in 1976.

2009 saw The (Fabulous) Counts reunite back in that final line up from 1976 of Mose Davis (hammond, vocal), Leroy Emmanuel (guitar, vocal), Demo Cates (saxes, vocal), Jimmy "Junebug" Jackson (drums, vocal) and Jimmy Brown (saxes, vocal). A record, recorded in 1976, but never released because of the band's split was supposed to come out and the band was due to appear on a summer festival tour in Europe and the US, but I have found no details on either of these events coming to fruition.

www.thefabulouscounts.com

www.myspace.com/thefabulouscounts

The (English) Beat

I was a real big fan of The Beat, who formed in Birmingham, England, in 1978, against a back drop of high unemployment, social upheaval and racial tension, and rose to prominence with the arrival of 2-Tone in late 1979. I feel they were very much underrated and it was always The Specials and Madness whom seemed to get all the plaudits. Maybe the throw awayish nature of first single, a cover version of the Motown hit by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles "Tears of a Clown" and the rushed feel to debut album ‘Just Can’t Stop It’ (1980), with its covers of Prince Buster songs meant they were easily dismissed as another band riding on the shirt tails of The Specials. However I think this is harsh and that with some of their b-sides and the follow up album ‘Wha'ppen?’ (1981) they have been up there with some of the best sociopolitical bands going. They did score regularly and well in the main stream charts with songs including “Mirror In the Bathroom", “Hands Off She's Mine”, “Too Nice To Talk To” and “Best Friend”.

Although The Beat's main fan base was in the United Kingdom, the band was also popular in Australia, partly due to exposure on the radio station Triple J and the TV show Countdown. They also had a sizable following in North America, where the band was known as The English Beat for legal reasons (to avoid confusion with the American band The Beat) and received strong support from modern rock radio stations such as KROQ in Los Angeles and KYYX in Seattle. They toured worldwide with well-known artists such as David Bowie, The Clash, The Police, The Pretenders, R.E.M., The Specials, and Talking Heads. Members of the band often collaborated on stage with The Specials and in the early 1990s, Roger joined members of The Specials to form Special Beat, which toured and released two live albums. They supported the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and participated in the collaborative recording "Nelson Mandela".


 After the break-up of The Beat in 1983, Wakeling (guitar, vocals) and Ranking Roger (vocals) went on to form General Public, while Andy Cox (guitar) and David Steele (bass guitar) formed Fine Young Cannibals with vocalist Roland Gift. Everett Morton and Saxa formed The International Beat fronted by Tony Beet. Ranking Roger also briefly joined Mick Jones' post-Clash band Big Audio Dynamite and performed at several live shows with the band. However, the band broke up shortly after he joined when its last album was shelved by the record company. Meanwhile, "March of the Swivelheads," an instrumental version of the Beat's song "Rotating Head," was used in the climactic chase scene of 1986's Ferris Bueller's Day Off; the band was listed in the end credits as "The (English) Beat".

In the 1990s, Roger recorded his solo début; a reggae-oriented album entitled Radical Departure. In 2001, Roger released another solo album, Inside My Head, which included traditional reggae and ska with influences of electronica, jungle, and dub. Ranking Roger's son, Ranking Junior, has followed in his father's footsteps. In 2005, he appeared on The Ordinary Boys' single "Boys Will Be Boys" and is a current member of The Beat in the UK.


In 2003, The Beat's original line-up, minus Cox and Steele, played a sold-out one-off gig at the Royal Festival Hall. In 2004, the VH1 show Bands Reunited tried unsuccessfully to reunite the original line-up.
In 2006, the UK version of The Beat, featuring Ranking Roger and Morton, recorded a new album that was mixed by Adrian Sherwood, but it remains unreleased. After Dave Blockhead left the band, he was replaced on keyboards by Mickey Billingham formerly a member of Dexys Midnight Runners and General Public.
Wakeling fronts the US version as the "The English Beat". In 2009, Wakeling toured co-headlining with Reel Big Fish and also discussed plans to release new material in 2009.


Both the UK and USA versions of the band tour frequently and both recently celebrated the 30th Anniversary of The Beat


Original Line-up

Dave Wakeling - Guitar / Lead Vocals

Ranking Roger - Vocals

Andy Cox - Guitar

David "Shuffle" Steele - Bass

Everett Morton - Drums

Saxa - Saxophone

Brand New Releases From Springline On CD

A busy year for Springline with a big release plan on CD, brand new and good for you already available on CD is the brand new second album from London underground roots producer The Manor with a 10 track album entitled 'Foundation' which see's a more musically matured and a more rootsier vibe compared to that of his debut 2 years back, a full promotion of the album is currently running at ComeFiConquer HQ which is Springline's new imprint co/founded with foundation dub engineer Yabass.

Also just released on CD is the brand new album from

Yabass Yaba Radics

entitled

Flash It Dubwise

The third in the 'bootleg' trilogy from Yabass see's his most detailed study of the early eighties dub era

featuring wacky, melodic and sparse dub workouts given a post production mix by Springline's Gibsy Rhodes. A link to the CD can also be found at the Come Fi Conquer Stable

*COMING MAY 1st*

The second album release on CD from Wales' electro dub chill warriors

The David Powell Experience

with their album entitled

Spooky Dub

Keep up to date with SpringlineRecords and ComeFiConquer by visiting the official sites

Springline HQ

Come Fi Conquer