PRESSURE DROP!

A new night has emmerged in Sao Paulo with one of Moa Anbessa's frontline soldiers: StranJah. The free weekly event counts on the presence of other sound selectors from Boom Shot, Zion Brothers, and even recently Fepa from Muamba Sound. The Happy Hour like event goes only from 6pm to 11pm and opens its turntables to new upcoming selectors from 6-7:30pm that wish to experience juggling rather than the traditional one turntable + echo box style omnipresent in Brazil. From Rocksteady to today's jams, we fill the rest of the timeline with boom tunes from every era with a tad of Scotch Bonnet Peppa!

PUT IT DOWN!

In August 2008, Welton Irie spent a few days in Sao Paulo - Brazil, performing for the 1st time ever in South America. Thanks to the collaboration between Moa Anbessa Sounds & Dubversao, we were able to offer the Brazilian massive 3 successful events. In this (dark) video you get a hint of Welton's vibe during the 1st night. Although he admitted being a little rusty since he last performed in Europe two years ago, Welton Irie still managed to kick up rumpus!

The next day was a cold one, even for Brazil, and an afternoon show that still manages to attract 200 people or so bubbling to the wicked rub-a-dub versions of Irie's style. You can hear the full session (along with Dubversao selecting before, during and after) at this following link: http://dubversao.com.br/som/sescWelton.mp3

On the last event, alongside Moa Anbessa Sounds selector StranJah, the vibe was ripe with 500+ in the crowd cheering the veteran deejay as he performed a bag ful-a-lyrics over Studio1, Channel One and Dynamite riddims. After 3 days performing Welton Irie was feeling the vibe back on the mic. As soon as we get the recording in hand.. it will be posted.

Jah Cure circa 2001

I was just reminded of one wicked tune that I had forgotten about the other evening when Chad Dubz dropped it at Tuff Tuesdays.
A big tune from the one name Jah Cure. 2001.

Jah Cure (Western Region)
Uploaded by sponk85

Each and every Tuesday is a Tuff Tuesday........

CHANCES ARE!

This is CB from the original Randy's crew at 17 N. Parade, Kingston. A few years back, after I had moved to Brazil, CB told me that he once had met a brazilian that came in the shop in the 80's and that they had built a pretty strong relationship. In fact, the relationship was strong enough that the brazilian gave CB a necklace that he still wears to this day. They somehow lost touch, probably lost phone numbers or changed digits and on my last visit to the island he had asked me to take a picture of the necklace and carry it back with me in case I ever ran into the man or heard anything on his whereabouts.

So I did so and told myself: "what are the chances of that ever happening??". I mean Brazil is a huge country and most of the Sounds are concentrated in Sao Luis, Maranhao, in the northeast part of the splendid land while I dwell in Sao Paulo, just a few thousand miles south of that.

Well it's saturday night and I've had a long week, called a few friends over to listen to some tunes, drink a few geladas (ice cold beers), and have some laughters. Suddenly the question came up; "Anything going on tonight? any sounds anywhere?". None of us had any idea so I decided to jump on the net and check a few local sites for something worth checking out when I eventually came accross this flyer!

It really took me a few minutes to realize: "waiiiiiit a minute... I've seen that name before!" and then it hit me. I started digging thru a box of photos as I was telling friends about this exact story searching for the ones posted above. Since I had made a promise to CB and this was our chance to meet, we packed up and gwaan!

When we reached the dance there was a line outside the venue of about 200 people and you could feel the low ends vibrating on the concrete. After a half hour wait we finally made it in, and SUPER MUSICAL JAH was at the controls claiming that tonight there would be no repeats and that the arsenal was large. However, I don't know if he got lost in his speech or distracted by the folks getting on stage to chat his ears out, but he DID manage to play a chune twice at a 20mins interval and the tunes where pretty "soft", to put it lightely. Then it was the turn of FM NATTY NAYFSON, the 3 times Champion of Maranhao, and what people call the Prince Of Reggae. Just from the very first tune he played it was a Boom! The bass was super criss as the rocksteady chunes flew off his sleeve and that was really key due to the size of the speaker boxes.

Natty Nayfson pulled some dubplates like I've had never heard before, or could have even dreamed of hearing! He did a session with strictly exclusives from Jamaica & the UK that made me think about what rocksteady clashes could have been in the early years. And if that was not enough, he played a special that asked the people to vote for him as best Radiola (Sound) selector with a catchy "punch 4-4-2-2-2!!" (digita quatro, quatro, dois, dois, doiiiiis).

As I was on my way out I complimented Natty and flashed the photo with the necklace on it. He flipped! just as I had predicted he had lost all his contacts and did not know how to go about reaching CB ever again. I blessed him with the number and drove home feeling pretty amazed about the whole evening I must say. This world, is truly small and wonderful. Cherish it!

HENRY JUNJO'S VOLCANO

Here's a full color copy of Sassa's work done for the cover of the infamous book "Reggae Inna Dance Hall Style" by Tero Kaski & Pekka Vuorinen.

Tero & Pekka were responsable for publishing the Finnish magazine Cool Runnings that stopped from circulating in 1984. A year earlier they had taken a road trip to Kingston and had a chance to witness dances of the champion sound at the time: Henry "Junjo" Lawes' VOLCANO HI-POWER! This lead to many interviews with the artists stated on the cover of the publication and gave them a chance to share with the rest of the world 16 pages of color & black/white pictures inna 96 pages Bible!

Yes, I do stress on the word Bible because for any Soundman and/or collector this one deh ya is a mus!!! HUNT!

DENZIL "SASSAFRASS" NAAR

The name is possibly unfamiliar to most but Denzil Naar aka Sassa was the people's promoter back in the days and a wiiiicked poster designer. Over the years I have been trying to track posters of Soundsystem Tapes I own to match the case and the date of the dances in question. Needless to say that it's as tuff as finding mint Kalypso 78's but it still is a very rewarding treasure hunt. Not all posters as are fun as the ones posted here, nor as dynamic, however since I'm pretty much a sucker for Sassa's poster designs I wanted to share with you a few from my personal collection of classic dances. All from 1983. Enjoy!

I LOVE NEW YORK

Just scored big time this past week. I love that more dj's are using serrato!!! You know why??
More records for us!!!!!!

67 murder records for $67!!! Only inna New York!!!