This collection includes many of the most collectable recordings of the Boss Reggae era. As a collection of Joe Mansano’s early recordings it includes a large number of recordings new to CD. Joe moved to London from his native Trinidad in 1963 and soon made his mark as one of the UK’s leading West Indian salesmen. Five years went by and Joe’s reputation was such that he was head-hunted by Trojan Records to manage one of their key record shops. Joe had his record shop in Brixton and it soon became the place to purchase Reggae in London. From this and with his finger firmly on the country’s musical pulse, he made the move into record production. His talents as a salesman were surpassed and from 1968-1970 his productions were issued on Trojan’s Blue Cat, Juke and Joe subsidiaries and became particularly popular with Britain’s skinhead fans. This 3CD collection includes the complete collection of Joe’s products from the golden age of Reggae including his seminal album ‘Brixton Cat’ from 1969. One takes a look at a selection of the included tracks.
DISC ONE : BRIXTON CAT
1. SINCE I MET YOU BABY – Joe’s All Stars. This tune has been recorded on numerous occasions in several styles and here we have an organ-led instrumental with the usual Joe Mansano chug-along rhythm track. Delroy Wilson and John Holt gave the tune a vocal and the original recording came from Ivory Joe Hunter way back in 1956. 5. THE BULLET – Rico & Joe’s All Stars. This is a fast-moving instrumental with trombone as the main instrument. Although this does go around-and-around it is nevertheless a foot-tapping gem at 3mins 14secs. 8. SUGAR SERENADE – Joe’s All Stars. This is another fast-moving sound and has some fine organ and trumpet work and has a quirky rhythm track. Again it is hard not to get the feet-tapping on this. 10. BRIXTON CAT – Dice The Boss. The original title for this was ‘Brixton Cat Big And Fat’ back in 1969. This comes as hard-core Reggae and starts off with a spoken intro that comes in at times throughout. It has a fast-moving rhythm track with organ prominent that helps to make this a fine track and the title of the original album and this collection. 12. FUNKY REGGAE (PART 1) – Rico & Joe’s All Stars. Fast-moving rhythm track on which Rico shows off his trombone playing talents. This appeared also on the album ‘Trombone Man – Rico Anthology 1961-67’. 14. HONKY – Rico & Joe’s All Stars. This comes slightly slower than previous tracks and has Rico upfront on, as usual trombone. This is an infectious sound and a vocal version of this was recorded by Girlie & Jomo with the title ‘African Meeting’
BONUS TRACKS
15. RETURN OF THE BULLET – Rico & The Rhythm Aces. Starting off with a bullet sound and a scream before moving into a fast-moving trombone led instrumental. Not that different from the previous track ‘The Bullet’, as one might expect. 15. LIFE ON REGGAE PLANET – Joe The Boss. This comes with a spoken vocal over a fast-moving rhythm track. Trombone once again is the main instrument and if you are a fan of the talk-over sound then you will not be disappointed. 21. THE ACCUSED – Joe The Boss & Rico. This comes again with a talk-over vocal with more great trombone from Rico. The rhythm track comes mid-tempo and the original recording included in brackets, The King Of Sounds.
DISC TWO
1. HOT LINE – Rico & Joe’s All Stars. This comes with a trombone-led rhythm track and Rico shows off all his talents. This is a mid-tempo number that is catchy and is a real Boss Reggae sound. 3. MUSICAL FEET – Pama Dice. As one might expect this comes with a talk-over vocal on a mid-tempo number. Organ and trumpet feature and overall it is a good sound. 6. DRACULA PRINCE OF DARKNESS – King Horror. Weird opening before this becomes a mid-tempo sound with a talk-over vocal at various times throughout. This was a track on the album ‘Loch Ness Monster’ released by Trojan records in 1970 and King Horror was presumably Lord Davey, Laurel Aitken did vocalise for the lord when he was not available for the recording session. 9. HIGHER AND HIGHER – Josh & Joe’s All Stars. Yes, this is an instrumental version of the Jackie Wilson UK hit from 1967. The rhythm track comes organ led and the tune lends itself well to the Boss Reggae genre. 11. GUN THE MAN DOWN – Dice The Boss. Coming from 1969 it starts with a spoken intro before moving into a fast organ instrumental that gets the feet tapping. 14. BEHOLD – The Critics. On the original recording it was The Critics and The Nyah Shuffle and this is a vocal sound that was also recorded by The Blues Brothers in 1965 as a Ska recording on Island Records. Again the trombone is top-notch and it is a very pleasing recording. 16. SINCE I MET YOU, BABY (vocal) – Paula Dean. Another recording that originally has The Nyah Shuffle performing the backing tack. On this we hear Paula Dean, who one knows nothing about, with a young sounding vocal on which she does go off-key from time-to-time. The trumpet on this gives the rhythm track some variation along with some organ. Delroy Wilson and Johnny Clarke also recorded the song. 19. SHE CAUGHT THE TRAIN – Ray Martell. Starting off with an organ lead intro before becoming a mid-tempo sound. The vocal is good and the lyrics are clear and it compliments the overall recording. Martell is a new artist to me even though he did record sounds on various labels, one being the Sioux label, formed in 1971 by Ray Price. 21. SKINHEAD REVOLT – Joe The Boss. We return to the talk-over genre on this mid-tempo sound and trombone and organ give the rhythm track some variation. Nothing special about this, just another pleasing Boss Reggae recording, from 1971.
DISC THREE
1. TRIAL OF PAMA DICE – Lloyd, Pama Dice & Girlie. This is a somewhat strange number on which ‘The Court Is In Session’ and Pama Dice is called to stand trial. This comes as a talk-over with all three artists taking turns on the talk-over. The rhythm track is catchy although it does not go anywhere, Lloyd is Lloyd Price but know nothing about the other artists. In its way this is a good sound, from 1970. 3. SON OF AL CAPONE – Joe The Boss. Another talk-over sound on which trombone leads the rhythm track. This comes mid-tempo and again has a go nowhere backing, it is nevertheless a complete Boss Reggae sound and a good one at that. 5. SMALL CHANGE – Girlie. The backing is organ led with Girlie on a talk-over sound. Not the most riveting recording but listenable. Girlie also recorded for Laurel Aitken and vocalised as Laurel & Girlie, Dice & Mum. 8. SCHOOLDAYS – The Critics. This comes mid-tempo and the vocalists do a fine job over an uncluttered rhythm track that comes with organ. It is again a pleasing Boss Reggae sound and at 1min 54secs is long-enough. 9. DON’T PLAY THAT SONG – Delroy Williams. Here we have an artist one has heard of and this is a cover of Ben E King’s hit recording. Delroy has always come up trumps on his vocals and this is no exception. He is joined by a female backing chorus and the rhythm track is punchy. On the original recording the vocalist was joined by The Reaction and the track can be found on Trojan’s ’35th Anniversary Box Set’ released in 2003. 12. THE INFORMER – Dice The Boss. This comes as a mid-tempo talk-over sound on which the vocalist gives a very sparse performance over a rhythm track the does nothing but go around-and-around. 15. BRIXTON FIGHT – Pama Dice. Once again we have the performer on a talk-over sound that comes with some organ on a slowish rhythm track. We hear the sounds that were used on Ska recordings and as talk-over tracks go this is a good one. Released in UK on Reggae label in 1970. 19. FRAGILE – The Cimarons. Here we have one of the UK’s top Reggae outfits on a fast instrumental that comes organ led. On one pressing of this one see’s that this is also credited to The Hot Rod All Stars. Overall this is nothing special just another passable Boss Reggae Sound. 20. TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY BABY – Clive Williams. The vocalist comes as one who will no doubt be unfamiliar to many Reggae fans and here he covers the Bobby Vee UK/USA chart hit, doing a fine job. The rhythm track comes punchy and on the backing we hear The Heat Wave, again not one of the more known of backing outfits. 21. IN LOVING MEMORY – Dice, Rico & The Heat Wave. Originally this recording came with Don Drummond in brackets behind the above title. As one would expect it comes with full-on trombone from Rico and some talk-over at times. The overall sound is catchy, it was a B side on release and came out in UK on Revolution label in 1969.
CONCLUSION
Congratulations to Cherry Red Records on releasing this Boss Reggae collection and including the ‘Brixton Cat’ album that one failed to purchase on its original release and how many other Boss Reggae fans failed to obtain a copy. It has been well over half a century since the original album and other tracks have been available and this release comes with many top releases in the Boss Reggae genre. Fans of this music will be taken back in time to the era when this genre was hailed by the Skinhead population. This collection comes, as always well packaged and includes valuable information. Boss Reggae was good way back and is still a good genre for any Jamaican music fan. It can be purchased direct from Cherry Red Records for £22 99p and is well worth it.