Last Sweat Lodge was our best yet! Big shout to DJ Beto for coming through and throwing down with me, Geko Jones and Atropolis. I had a blast. The next one is approaching quickly and I am super excited to announce that we’ve got Brooklyn’s own Dre Skull as our guest. Dre Skull runs the Mixpak label and just produced an amazing record with Vybz Kartel. Kartel is to me one of the best and most interesting artists in dancehall music right now and I cannot overstate how impressed I am with Dre for his role in creating Kingston Story, their album. Read all about it at Taliesin’s post here. On the night your’s truly Matt Shadetek, Geko Jones and Atropolis will be raising the temperature with your favorite tropical sounds so come dressed to sweat.
It’s hard not to be jealous that Dre Skull has pulled off such a fucking dope coup as getting “Kingston Story” completed and out today. And by jealous I mean so happy and excited for him, the mixpak crew, and Adi. Full page coverage in the times(remember you can just turn off Java to get over your monthly limit), Hot 97 rotation, an eloquent Rolling Stone interview, and the fader cover. All without any real PR budget. Talk about zeitgeist surfing. I already told you the album was dope when I heard most of it, mostly completed, at Big Yard between sessions with Dre. I went to Kingston feeling so Gully- but I left with a rain-check appointment with Styles to get Gaza across my neck. BUT NOW YOU CAN KNOW FOR YOURSELF. BUY THE THING.
When DA’s digital guru, Taliesin, asked me to do a regular post on sound system culture, it wasn’t long after we attended the pre-funeral celebration for Cyril Braithwaite. So it makes perfect sense to start a series about sound systems with a focus on “Count C”, a foundation soundman who was shelling it down before dancehall, before reggae, before ska…
Cyril Braithwaite ca. 1960
In a recent Jamaica Gleaner article (for the Japanese translation click here), writer Howard Campbell refers to me referring to the recently passed sound system operator Cyril “Count C” Braithwaite as an “unsung hero” in Jamaican popular culture. Looking back, I have to clarify that his praises have been sung from Ken Boothe to King Sporty—both of whom claim Count C as their mentor. It’s just hard, I believe, to adequately sing the significance of a soundman who never left his community in over 60 years. The ephemeral nature of a few quotes and newspaper articles do not do justice to the lasting influence of a man like Cyril Braithwaite. Indeed, sound men like Count C don’t just shake the earth with sound, they shake the status quo with their social and cultural power.
Count C cemented his status in his West Kingston community, and in Jamaican music and cultural history, when he launched the Count C Sound System in 1947. Radio was nonexistent and, even when it did arrive in Jamaica in the late 1950s, few in West Kingston could afford either the box or the pay-as-you-go service. In times like these a sound man like Count C really was royalty. His was a small sound (a few horns and an over-sized, 5ft+ speaker, familiarly called a ‘house of joy’), but he was tough. Count C would never back down from a challenge, even when Duke Reid and the “big dogs” arrived on the scene.
Almost more than the music, it was Count C’s commitment and connection to his West Kingston community that stands out. Cyril Braithwaite was born in the 1920s into a family residing in Back-O-Wall, the West Kingston area which became the center of Jamaica’s nascent political power struggle during the transition to independence. Back-O-Wall was subsequently razed in 1963 to make way for the Tivoli Gardens housing scheme. Cyril Braithwaite died January 26, 2011, a resident of 6 Wellington Street, just a stone’s throw from Tivoli. (Indeed, when the Wednesday night/Thursday morning street dance, Passa Passa, used to be held just outside Tivoli on Spanishtown Road, Count C lived so close he could claim to have attended every single one.) Decades after Back-O-Wall was transformed into Tivoli Gardens, the infamous focus of the manhunt for Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke for much of 2010, current residents still find themselves in a struggle with authorities despite the passage of time and the fact that Dudus was caught last June.
Storm Saulter is one of Jamaica’s most prominent young film-makers . With the panoptic gaze of interchangeable dancehall djs staring down from Digicell and Lime Tv advertisements, the hype cycle of radio and the frantic rotation of fashion and dance moves you couldn’t be blamed for not realizing that Kingston has a thriving if limited independent arts scene. The best and brightest all seem linked to Edna Manley – but Storm actually finished up film school in the states. After seeing his latest video for Tarrus Riley, and sitting in on a press screening of his full length Better Mus Come I sent over some questions about Jamaican politics, the challenges of independent film making and what drove Storm to leave behind the opportunity and infrastructure of Los Angeles.
T: You were born in Jamaica, but went to film school and worked in Los Angeles, given how limited the Jamaican film industry is, why return to the island to work?
S: It seems better to start a movement and build it from the beginning than to be just another person trying to make a statement in the same space as thousands of others trying to do the same thing. We are defining new Caribbean cinema with the work we are doing now. Lots of young people (and a few older ones) in Jamaica and the region are seeing filmmaking as a real and exciting possibility for them right now. Better Mus’ Come is the beginning of a real movement.
T: The space you work in is shared by a bunch of other young filmmakers- can you tell me a bit about the space, who is there and how you all came to work together. What is the ethos and purpose of New Caribbean?
S: I share an office with my brother Nile Saulter, Joel Burke, and Michelle Serieux. We are all filmmakers and we collaborate on all our projects together in different capacities. Directing, Producing, Cinematography, Editing, Writing. Our office is at 10a West Kings House Road, Perry Henzell’s home and production office during the creation of “The Harder They Come”. We share the property with a number of Directors and Producers. Ras Kassa, Ras Tingle, Jay Will. It is unquestionably the home of Jamaican filmmaking.
For more on New Caribbean Cinema go to www.newcaribbeancinema.com
T: Both the Tarrus video and Better Mus Come seem to deal with a similar type of historical amnesia- the way that systems of power attempt to limit certain types of information and stories in order to be able to continue propegating themselves. How do you see your work in creating new historical narratives or re-examining power?
S: Better Mus Come has had such an explosive impact in Jamaica because it is telling a story that we all know of, but we never knew the details. We would hear our parents speak of the 1970’s, The Cold War era, when Kissinger came to Jamaica and threatened Michael Manley and Jamaica with annihilation if we didn’t step away from Cuba. The beginning of this gang war tradition. There is a reason we were not taught this in school, so that events like the Tivoli massacre would seem like a new development that needed to be solved using brutal force by the Police and Military. But this is not new, it has only evolved from the same source. I guarantee you that many more of these ‘hidden’ stories will be told by this generation of filmmakers. And to be able to do so is empowering to the artists and the people.
READ THE REST OF THE INTERVIEW AFTER THE JUMP Read the rest of this entry »
And all February I’ve been listening to Grace Jones’ version from 1980.
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“My girl yuh no… boring / gwan wine bend over touch your toe ring” – Busy Signal
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File this one under things that make me happy. Busy Signal is in top form and Washroom deliver a gorgeous reggae flavored dancehall riddim entitled Bad Suh. I’ve been starting my sets with this one recently and also playing a few other cuts on the riddim including the Tifa and Voicemail. People in my Prospect Heights neighborhood may have been confused to see a tall red bearded man gesticulating and shuffling his way through the black grimy snow on his way to the subway to the sound of hot dancehall in his headphones. Anti-winter music.
Dre is one of Sharon’s (endless) nieces and nephews calling “Auntie Sharoooon” through the Solid office. He also runs Shockwave Inernational. They just dropped breaking point Vol. 3. I was driving with Timberlee to the re-opening of Kartel’s nightclub The Building last night and she kept pulling up on Mavado’s “Stullesha” which I hadn’t heard before and serves as a follow-up of sorts to long distance anthem “Stulla” – it’s on Stephen’s “Winnings Riddim” which is just perfect. I was trying to remember the name of the tune this morning when Dre linked me on FB to the DL of Breaking Point- BOOM. Not everything’s perfect though and I’m guessing most people will get annoyed at the break in mix that comes about two thirds through the mix. In my imaginary Jamaica, sessions never went off to Rhihanna or Nelly. But thats the real world music- so if you can bare through another teach me how to Dougie lesson- grab the untracked version. If you want to do some selective editing grab the tracked version.
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grab the whole riddim pack c/o DZ HERE. Below are a few photos from a Baby Cham, Bounty Killer, Tanto Blacks show in Portmore last Friday.
Matt Shadetek returns to “minimalist grime principles” this week with the killer Dutty House EP! Check out the addictive “Wonton Garden” riddim (which refused to die and here in its official/proper release) + the recent refix of Blak Ryno’s “Nuh Tek Talk” on Eddie Stats’ essential weekly roundup of heaters Ghetto Palms.
My regular 9 to 5 – Dubspot put together an interesting mini-doc featuring dub pioneer Scientist, who recently dropped an album on Pinch’s Tectonic imprint, talking about the origin and meaning of Jamaican dub and the role dub engineer in sound system culture and 1970s/80s Jamaican recording industry. The video also featured our very own DJ /rupture, composer/electronic musician Badawi, Deadly Dragon Sound System’s Ticklah, and music supervisor Barry Cole. If you’re interested in the topic, and why it’s way much more than an “happy accident” I highly recommend Michael Veal’s Dub: Soundscapes & Shattered Songs in Jamaican Reggae. Check out wayne&wax’s analysis and review of the book + pertinent excerpt below, a little more context -
All the talk of circuits, knobs, and switches can distract one from the fundamental reality that what these musicians were doing was synthesizing a new popular art form, creating a space where people could come together joyously despite the harshness that surrounded them. They created a music as roughly textured as the physical reality of the place, but with the power to transport their listeners to dancefloor nirvana as well as far reaches of the cultural and political imagination: Africa, outer space, inner space, nature, and political/economic liberation. Nevertheless, this book will focus on those knobs and the people who operated them, in order to develop an understanding of the role of sound technology, sound technicians, and sound aesthetics within the larger cultural and political realities of Jamaica in the 1970s. (13-14)
My new EP entitled ‘DUTTY HOUSE’ will be out as an early exclusive Dec. 7th on Juno and everywhere Dec. 14th on Dutty Artz. In advance of it I’m giving away this remix I did of Blak Ryno’s ‘Nuh Tek Talk’. The original is on Chimney Records’ Death Row Riddim. Blak Ryno is an exciting new Dancehall artist who came up under of Vybz Kartel’s Portmore Empire / Gaza movement. He uses a lot of interesting eastern sounding melodies in his singing which sets him apart from the new crop of Dancehall artists coming out to my ears. The original was 120bpm which is a little slower than I’ve been playing lately so I decided to speed it up to 128bpm and add some grimey house beats. I didn’t have an acapella so I actually just took the whole tune and EQd out the bass, adding my own drum and bass parts making it more like a mashup than a true remix. I’ve been playing it for a bit and thought it’d be appropriate to share it in advance of my new EP dropping on Dutty Artz. It’s my first time in a while busting out my distorted kicks and badman lyrics vibe in a while, so fans of Brooklyn Anthem may be pleased.
Friend of Dutty Artz Moon from Lustre Kings invited us to participate in this party to celebrate the screening of ‘Wah Do Dem’ a new film set in Jamaica that’s been generating a nice buzz. I’m excited to participate along with a lot of my favorite people, it’s a family affair. Brooklyn outdoor summer vibes!
BAM, Downtown Brooklyn, corner of Fulton and Lafayette
WAH DO DEM movie premier block party!
featuring performances by Jahdan Blakkamoore, Matt Shadetek & Geko Jones(Dutty Artz), DJ Gravy (Rice & Peas), Jah One Soundsystem, Cool Places Sound, Lustre Kings Productions and SPECIAL GUESTS!
This is a BAMcinemaFEST and FABfest event.
COME OUTSIDE AND ENJOY DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN WITH US AT THIS VERY SPECIAL EVENT!
Voicemail come first on this Style and Swagga medley.
From Dancehall.Mobi:
‘Oneil Edwards, one-third of the popular dancehall group, Voicemail, was reportedly shot multiple times at the gate to his house in Duhaney Park, Kingston, early this morning, and is now undergoing critical surgery at the Kingston Public Hospital. Unconfirmed reports indicate that robbery was the motive, and that he was shot at least once in the head.’
I’ve been playing a lot of Voicemail tunes lately, especially the Style and Swagga version above and I would like all of them to continue making their great music.
Badmen of Jamaica, I would humbly request that you refrain from shooting any more artists, producers, djs or anyone else. If you need to shoot someone please shoot each other and leave everyone else out of it. Thanks.
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I haven’t heard that many tracks from Aidonia; he’s one of those mid to late ’00s dancehall artists you hear about all the time, see his name on countless mixtapes, and probably already heard a bunch of his tunes at parties, but you never actually went out of your way and check for his tunes. That’s until I heard the title cut from Stephen “Di Genius” Mcgregor’s incredible Bad People riddim which completely shifted my view on a couple of vocalists — but more on that shortly. “Heart Is Hers” features Aisha Davis and is produced by Equiknoxx producer/artist collective (who are also responsible producing another impressive Aidonia track titled “Negative.”) This is what dancehall sounds like in post-808s & Heartbreak/weird-emotional-electro-pop-hop era? Dancehall is going in so many different, exciting directions at the moment, and as for this particular type of sound which has been bubbling for the last few years I think it’s safe to point to T-Wayne & Yeezy as references. As Aidonia sings – “Song is too dead/it needs more life – Needs a faster melody/more melody/groove your body…”
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“Amazing reggae flavored harmonies & hotness to warm up the radio & airwaves”
Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor produced the riddim for “With You” — can someone please identify that riddim? Empress I-Klass is a Boston based singer – born of Antiguan heritage. She has been around since the late 1980s performing and singing lead and background vocals in various bands here in the States and in the Caribbean Islands. She opened for Freddy McGregor in Boston in June 2006.
Heatwave continuing to hott up the funky bashment axis. This time with a nice Natalie Storm – now crowned The Queen of Funky Bashment – over Footsteps “Worker” funky riddim. I’ve been playing this riddim a lot in my dj sets for the past few months and it always works, cool to hear Nats on it.
Friend of Dutty Artz Moon from Lustre Kings invited us to participate in this party to celebrate the screening of ‘Wah Do Dem’ a new film set in Jamaica that’s been generating a nice buzz. I’m excited to participate along with a lot of my favorite people, it’s a family affair. Brooklyn outdoor summer vibes!
