REGGAE RUNNINGS -- 20 December 2006

By Jesse I

 

Big news on the touring front this month, with confirmation that singer Luciano will be here in January. Also known as "the Messenger", Luciano was a crucial part of the new-roots resurgence that Jamaica experienced in the 90s, and remains one of the most important artists in contemporary reggae music. Accompanying him will be Mikey General (a top-ranking cultural singer in his own right) and legendary selector Ricky Trooper. While some will no-doubt be disappointed that Luciano won't be backed by a live band on this tour, Trooper's presence makes up for it for me. Jamaican soundsystem Killamanjaro was a veritable killing machine during the 90s with Ricky at the helm, and since leaving the sound in 1999, he has built his own Sound Trooper into an outfit to be feared. Though we won't be seeing the hardcore clash side of Trooper on this tour, rest assured that this won't be some incompetent record-label DJ fumbling with CD players as we saw on one high-profile reggae show earlier this year. As well as playing the Big Day Out, Luciano, Mikey General and Rocky Trooper will be playing a side-show at The Espy on Saturday 27th January.

On the local front, it's all about New Years Eve now, and the More Fire NYE bashment at Brown Alley. Featuring over 20 different selectors and MCs across two levels, this could be the biggest lineup of Melbourne reggae talent ever seen on one night - and will definitely be one of the biggest parties of the (new) year. The roster includes Chant Down Sound (with Damajah and Traffik), Natty Sistren Sound, Troublemaker, Andy Ites, Housewife's Choice, Nukc, Tempa, Redbelly, Nich Power, Night Nurse, Toola, Unity Sounds, Humdrum, Papa Stylee, Krazy Dayv (Byron Bay) and more - for further info and pre-sale tix check out www.chantdown.com

Looking into 2007, the first big session on the horizon is also at Brown Alley - More Fire #67 on January 13. Residents Chant Down will be joined for this one by Bass Bin Laden, Troublemaker, So Fire, Monkey Marc, and Ras Kev. It's worth noting that apart from the one-off new years bash, More Fire has returned to the old regular second Saturday of every month - nice to have some consistency again after several months of jumping around.

TOP 20 ROOTS SINGLES OF 2006

It's the time of the year for "best of" lists, so here we go... This is totally subjective, but does take into account crowd response from the local dancehalls, as well as radio requests and sales at Higher Level records. Note that I haven't included more than one tune on a particular riddim, so some big tunes won't appear where edged out by another. I should also mention that it was really hard to rank these - there were no clear standouts like last year's "Welcome To Jamrock" and the top 10 could be mixed up in pretty much any order and still seem right.

1. CHUCK FENDER - Gash Dem (Juke Boxx 7")
2. AL BOROSIE - Herbalist (Forward 7")
3. TURBULENCE - Ital Stew (Tads 7")
4. MARLON ASHER - Ganja Farmer (Caribbean 7")
5. KING KONG - Ethiopia (Massive B 7")
6. BEENIE MAN - Politrix (Free Willy 7")
7. CAPLETON & ROD TAYLOR - His Imperial Majesty (Reggae Fever 7")
8. RICHIE SPICE - Gideon Boot (Digital B 7")
9. COLLIE BUDZ - Come Around (Epic 7")
10. ANTHONY B - Stop Fight (Soul Vybz 7")
11. ANTHONY B - Uprising (Soul Vybz 7")
12. LUTAN FYAH - Love Selassie I (Fireponrome 7")
13. QUEEN OMEGA - Judgement (Special Delivery 7")
14. JAH CURE & FANTAN MOJAH - Dem Nuh Build Great Man (Down Sound 7")
15. RICHIE SPICE - Babylon System (NAP 7")
16. SIZZLA - Chant Them Down (In The Streetz 7")
17. MIDNITE - Trodding On (Lustre Kings 7")
18. TURBULENCE - Burn Bad Mind (Marrigold 7")
19. ANTHONY B - Reggae Gone Pon Top (Tads 7")
20. QUEEN IFRIKA - When Will It Cease (Hi Score 7")

Honorable mentions: Midnite's "Hymns" on Lustre Kings, Natural Black's "Never Quit" on Ice Berg, Lutan Fyah's "Bloodstain" on High Fence, Lutan Fyah's "Too Blessed To Be Stressed" on Secky Wonder, Queen Ifrika's "I Music" on Fashozy, Mutabaruka's "Bring The Fire" on Taxi, Natural Black's "Love Rastafari" on Shagrilla, Anthony B "Drop It" on Vocieful.

TOP 10 DANCEHALL SINGLES 2006

I wasn't so impressed with dancehall in 2006. Personally I think it's a bad sign when a selector-turned-artist like Tony Matterhorn starts having #1 hits with basic dance tunes, but it was good to see newcomers like Busy Signal and Movado earning a place in the top tier.

1. CHAM - Ghetto Story (Mad House 7")
2. STEPHEN MARLEY, DAMIAN MARLEY, BUJU BANTON - Traffik Jam (Ghetto Youths 7")
3. ASSASSIN - Good Over Evil (Mad House 7")
4. CAPLETON - City Lock (African Star 7")
5. CAPLETON - Purge Dem (KBC 7")
6. ASSASSIN - Gully Sittn (Zero G 7")
7. BUSY SIGNAL & MOVADO - Full Clip (Daseca 7")
8. BUSY SIGNAL - Too Much Gun (H20 7")
9. BEENIE MAN - Gooda (Forward 7")
10. DING DONG - Badman Forward Badman Pull Up (VP 7")

Honorable mentions: Hot This Year riddim on Tuff Gong (was huge in 2006, but was actually a revive riddim!), Cashley on Cashley, Sick on Pure and Clean, Red Bull and Vodka on Pure Music.