Roots & Culture Sale 220 Items

2021 press

master bag

master bag

master bag

One from three killer top shelf pieces of late '80s singjay style, reissued for the first time ever in the original '87 mixes, from master tapes.

"One of a pair of absolute killer late '80s singjay reality tunes, originally released back to back on one notoriously rare 12 inch. Despite being from '87 these tunes have a wicked mid 80s style "live digital" sound with a band on the rhythm. These tunes were produced in Jamaica by Delroy Francis for his Claypot imprint. Delroy is better known as the producer behind the Park Heights label and record shop, one of Brooklyn's foundational players in the record biz. This batch of releases kicks off a long planned program of Park Heights productions, featuring as always rarities and previously unreleased tunes. These Nuthead tracks are recut from the mixdown master tape, the original '87 mixes for maximum pressure; a previous reissue of these tunes from a decade ago featured new mixes done at that time."

A cover of Heatwave's moist mellow soul with a euphoric arrangement. Cassandra's slightly mature and languid voice is also irresistible. The flip side is a cover of "Why", a well-known masterpiece from the early days of Beres Hammond. Harold Butler's soulful reggae is sublimated into a wonderful lovers' rock.

Features the roots veteran Prince Alla, school mate of producer George Nicholson. "Can't Fool I" has Alla voicing over a killer rhythm cut at Channel 1 with the Revolutionaries back in 1978, at Tasha's first ever recording session. Finally voiced and mixed again over 40 years later, to great effect. The flip side "Easy Skanking" has Alla in fine style over a great new rhythm licked by Danny Bassie of Firehouse Crew and long time Channel 1/Tasha associate, the one and only Barnabas. Both sides previously unreleased.

The A-side "Get Up Natty" was cut at Channel 1 in the mid '80s with the Gifted Roots Band, like much of Tasha's best material. It is released here for the first time. The B-side features a new tune, recently recorded, with Icho still in fine voice, over a tuff new rhythm licked by Danny Bassie of Firehouse Crew and long time Channel 1/Tasha associate, the one and only Barnabas.

This killer double sider is the first release of the stunning “Bookie Man - What’s Wrong With You”. It was previously released as a blank label only in 1968 and was wrongly credited to The Bleechers. On the B side, “Bookie Man” is a completely different song,and it is a rare and brilliant track in its own right. It is also the first time the two “Bookie Man” songs are featured together on a 7inch.

About THE Bleechers

The Bleechers (Leo Graham, Wesley Martin, and a third singer known only as Sammy) were a Jamaican harmony trio who formed around 1968, when they performed some studio work for producer J.J. Johnson. The Bleechers are better known though, for a series of outstanding singles they recorded with famed producer Lee "Scratch" Perry a year later, including the ultra-rare smash hit "Come Into My Parlour" and the brilliant "Check Him Out", both featured on this EP. Sadly no album was ever completed. Surprisingly, the Bleechers are also famous for tracks they did not do but got credited for… The 1968 incredible “What’s Wrong With You”, their first track on an Upsetter blank is actually not performed by them at all but by the Race Fans!!! And the 1969 “Pound Get A blow” also on an Upsetter blank is in fact a song by The Soul Twins. A well-known and explicit track by The Bleechers is the shocking “Ram You Hard” released on the Pama ‘s Punch sublabel in 1969 under the incredible name John Lennon & The Bleechers, where they explicitly describe what's about to happen to a poor young lady: "I ram you hard/To make you feel alright," says the main line repeatedly… Risqué indeed! Even with these few standout tracks, the band lacked any proper recognition at the time. After disbanding, Leo Graham carried on recording for Lee Scratch Perry as a singer and he wrote a handful of great songs such as the lovely “Want A Wine” in 1972 and the amazing “Black Candle” in 1973. Finally, another track Graham recorded for Perry "Voodooism” gave its name to an anthology of Perry-produced Black Ark rarities some 30 years later…

About This Exceptional Release

These two outstanding tracks were released separately on the Upsetter label in 1969: first “Come Into My Parlour” on TMX 202, followed by “Check Him Out on TMX 330. Lee Scratch Perry wrote and produced both songs. “Come Into My Parlour” was also featured on the Trojan’s Tighten Up volume 2 LP that year also!

“Come Into My Parlour” has never been repressed since. It is impossible to find in good conditions and is in great demand.