A Dennis Alcapone – Teach The Children
B Dennis Alcapone – Wake Up Jamaica
After recording several tracks for Keith Hudson in 1970, Dennis Smith transitioned to Coxsone Dodd’s Studio One and chose a new stage name. He became popularly known as Dennis Alcapone. His work with Dodd was compiled into his debut album, Forever Version. Producer Duke Reid then engaged the deejay for a string of singles in 1971 and 1972, including Number One Station, The Great Woggie, Musical Alphabet, and Teach The Children. The latter, using the riddim from John Holt’s Sister Big Stuff, was first released in Jamaica in 1971. The original 7″ single featured Tommy McCook All Stars’ (7-11) Seven Eleven on the B-side. Under the title Teacher Teacher, the song appeared on the 1971 LP Guns Don’t Argue, which was released in the UK by Trojan Records.
In the 1960s, American vocalist Wanda Jeanne Vann recorded various singles as Joya Landis for Jamaican producer Duke Reid whose attention she had caught. One of these, the 1968 tune Moonlight Lover, was reimagined as a deejay version in 1973. Renowned deejay Dennis Alcapone, recognized for his unique half-sung delivery and high-pitched exclamations, infused his style into the Landis track. The reworked version, named Wake Up Jamaica, is featured on this double A-sided reissue.