Boomshots

Tag: Derrick Harriott

  • HEAR THIS: Bongo Herman “Drum of Long Story”

    HEAR THIS: Bongo Herman “Drum of Long Story”

    Mek Rolling Stone Dem Know—Half The Story Has Never Been Told

    Just the other day Rolling Stone published a list of the supposed Greatest Drummers of All Time. Carlton Barrett of the Hippy Boys—a two-man duo comprising him and his brother Aston “Family Man” Barrett, who once backed Scratch Perry at the Black Ark and would go on to tour the world with Bob Marley as The Wailers—and Sly Dunbar of Sly & Robbie fame both made the RS list—ranking at Nos 29 and 65 respectively. Even as reggae fans give thanks for a likkle bit of recognition from a mainstream pub like Rolling Stone, we know that half the story has never been told. No Style Scott. No Horsemouth. No Santa Davis. No Lloyd Knibb. And no Bongo Herman, who sold me a copy of his own CD during a recent pass throug 56 Hope Road. Perhaps the best US$10 I ever spent. Herewith a highlight, throughout which the legendary Mr. Herman beats the skins in a percussive reinterpretation of Keith & Tex’s “Oh It’s a Long Story” produced by Derrick Harriott on his musical chariot. The intro is everything. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Wild Belle’s Reggae Cover Version Megamix: “Summer Tropical Show N°3: Island Soul”

    HEAR THIS: Wild Belle’s Reggae Cover Version Megamix: “Summer Tropical Show N°3: Island Soul”

    When They’re Not Collabing With Major Lazer, They’re Collecting Reggae 45s

    The cover version is a time-honored art form in Jamaica. Pioneering sound system owner turned record producer Coxsone Dodd used to travel to the United States in search of fresh clothes and rare vinyl to play on the mighty Sir Coxsone’s Downbeat. As his focus changed from spinning records to producing his own, he would sometimes pick up albums with certain recording artists in mind. It’s no accident that The Wailers’ classic “One Love”—which was first recorded at Coxsone’s Studio One—interpolates large parts of Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions’ “People Get Ready.” Throughout the evolution of dancehall culture there was a strong tradition of karaoke-style reinvention as great Caribbean vocalists refashioned foreign soul and pop songs over the latest riddims out of Kingston. Many of those versions were cut on 45, reverberating back through the minds, bodies, and souls of music lovers in the U.S., Great Britain and beyond. Case in point: Wild Belle. The brother and sister band who collaborated with Major Lazer on the touching tune “Be Together”  also incorporate reggae and Afrobeat into their own music. (Their second album, the follow-up to Isles, drops next month on Columbia Records.) They’re also known for their reggae DJ sets. Today Boomshots premieres “Summer Tropical Show N°3: Island Soul,” an all-45 mix of reggae cover versions curated by Natalie and Elliott Bergman, an avid vinyl collector. Audio Afrer The Jump…
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