THE UPSETTER REVIEW  PLAY MR MUSIC  10in  PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED BLACK ARK RARITY!!

 

THE UPSETTER REVIEW  - PLAY MR MUSIC / KING SCRATCH - DREAD LION (ALTERNATE JAMAICAN MIX)

 

2014 ROCK A SHACKA (JAPAN) 10inch

News flash ! From your Upsetting Station, we bring forth a brand new musical vibration, shocking the nation with incredible anticipation: we are we are extremely proud to announce our first re-issue from the vaults of the mighty Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, this time taken from the heyday of the Black Ark Studio, two deep and heavy tracks displaying the most noteworthy elements of Upsetter wizardry. ‘Play On Mr Music,’ by the Upsetter Revue featuring the Heptones, the Congos and Junior Murvin, has long been the Holy Grail for roots reggae connoisseurs―a song often dreamt of, but never gaining an official release, until now. The result of an impromptu studio jam, captured on celluloid for Jeremy Marre’s Roots Rock Reggae documentary in May 1977, the track celebrates the undeniable pull of Perry’s musical artistry, with both musicians and onlookers enhanced by the uplifting qualities of a spliff. With the Heptones’ rousing harmony given extra depth by backing from the Congos, the rhythm is given its melodic anchor by bassist and bandleader Boris Gardiner, rhythmically tied to the pounding of foundation drummer Mikey Boo. And we’ve got Robbie Lyn on the keyboards and Junior Murvin picking out some intricate guitar licks, seated on the studio floor, to counter-balance the treble spectrum. Roping everything together with heavy swathes of trademark phaser and delay is the mastermind himself, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, with one of his magnetic mirror master mixes, dubbing the track to oblivion, and back again. The flipside is a rare alternate mix of the Upsetters’ ‘Dread Lion,’ a song that had an unusual genesis: saxophonist Dean Fraser came to the Ark in 1975 to record ‘Concrete Castle King,’ which he sang as vocalist, for the song’s composer, guitarist Lloyd ‘Gitsy’ Willis, who had been a member of the Wailers backing band during their formative period with Perry. The song was recorded at the Ark with bassist Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett, drummer Robert Stevenson, who had been playing with Fraser and Willis in Sonny Bradshaw’s band, along with Willis on guitar, Fraser on tenor sax, and Calvin ‘Bubbles’ Cameron on trombone. The resulting track was influential on the Jamaican underground, leading to popular cover tunes by Dennis Brown and Junior Reid, but its minute issue on Willis’ Black Explosion label meant the original never achieved much in the way of sales. Nevertheless, the following year, Perry resurrected the original rhythm for the stunning ‘Dread Lion,’ featuring the Heptones on choral voices, augmented by vocal and percussive interjections from Perry himself, and a new flute melody by Egbert Evans. The rare alternate Jamaican mix presented here allows us to hear the tune in a whole different light, giving another glimpse into the Upsetter’s ceaseless creativity.

 

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1st LP/12in/10in £8.00 then £2.00 per additional LP/12in/10in then £1.00 per additional 7in/CD   or if no LP/12in/10in in order;   1st 7in/CD £4.00 then £1.00 per additional 7in/CD   If total value of goods exceeds £20.00 then Royal Mail INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED service is required at an additional charge of £5.35