CHANT DOWN BABYLON with Jesse I
106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia
January 8 > 2005 

Taking a look at the best 7" singles of 2004, with a run down of the 
top 5 dancehall riddims, and the top 15 new roots tunes.  Please note
that this is totally subjective, but does take into account crowd 
response both in the local Melbourne dancehalls, and on radio...


TOP 5 DANCEHALL RIDDIMS OF 2004:

1. No 1 Punjabi (African Love)
2. Red Alert (South Rakkas)
3. Big Up (Taxi)
4. Stepz (Renaissance)
5. Gaula Gaula (Reggae Vibes)

It was very hard to put these in any order, as there was no single 
stand-out riddim for me in 2004, and a lot of the riddims that were
big in yard over the last year didn't do it for me personally.  
Honorable mentions: Makatak on Penetentiary only just missed out on 
a place, and although wicked, the Bubble Up on 40/40 was simply released
too late in the year to have any impact on 2004. Other riddims worth a 
mention include Wassy Wassy on Orizen, Banjo on Size 8, Spanish Fly on 
Big Leauge, and Snypa on Boot Camp.


TOP 15 NEW ROOTS SINGLES OF 2004:

1. I WAYNE - Living In Love (Gibbo)
2. JR GONG - Jamrock (Ghetto Youths)
3. MORGAN HERITAGE - Uncomfortable (Big Yard)
4. RICHIE SPICE - The Way You're Living (Pow Pow)
5. RICHIE SPICE - High Grade Inna Mi Chalice (Dirtworx)
6. CAPLETON - Ton Load (Digital B)
7. FANTAN MOJAH - Hail To The King (Down Sound)
8. JAH CURE - Longing For (Don Corleon)
9. RICHIE SPICE - Marijuana (5th Element)
10. FREDDIE McGREGOR & ASSASSIN - Youth Well Cold (Penthouse)
11. JR KELLY - Rasta Should Be Deeper (Hi Score)
12. TURBULENCE - It's So Bright (Star Trail)
13. TURBULENCE - Love Her Forever (Pow Pow)
14. I WAYNE - Can't Satisfy Her (Loyal Soldiers)
15. FREDDIE McGREGOR - Coming In Tough (Digital B)

Honorable Mentions:  
Bushman & Morgan Heitage - Try (Digital B)
Ras Shiloh and Gentleman - Blessing From Jah (Digital B)
Lutan Fyah - Bits and Pieces (Pow Pow)
Natty King - Mr Greedy (Insight)
Anthony B - Higher Level (Rashanco)
Norris Man - Life Style (Dirtworx)


Finally, the playlist itself, in order:

BURNING SPEAR - Door Peeper (Creation Rebel: Heartbeat)
JAH MASON - Keep It As It Was (Reggae Vibes 7")
VYBZ KARTEL - Ride In (Reggae Vibes 7")
WARD 21 - Sitting On Chrome (Reggae Vibes 7")
SEAN PAUL - Legalize It (Renassaince 7")
CECILE - Hi Five (Renassaince 7")
ASSASSIN - Idiot Ting Dat (Renassaince 7")
CAPLETON - Or Wha (Renassaince 7")
WAYNE MARSHALL - Big Up (Taxi 7")
DEGREE - D'Music (Taxi 7")
BOUNTY KILLER - No More Suffering (Taxi 7")
SIZZLA - Only Takes Time (South Rakkas Crew 7")
DETERMINE - Hands Off (South Rakkas Crew 7")
PREDATOR - Mad Sick (South Rakkas Crew 7")
CAPLETON & CHRISTOPHER - The Levels (African Love 7")
ELEPHANT MAN & PINCHERS - Needle Eye (African Love 7")
NADIA & ISHWAR - No 1 Punjabi (African Love 7")
FREDDIE McGREGOR - Coming In Tough (Digital B)
I WAYNE - Can't Satisfy Her (Loyal Soldiers)
TURBULENCE - Love Her Forever (Pow Pow)
TURBULENCE - It's So Bright (Star Trail)
JR KELLY - Rasta Should Be Deeper (Hi Score)
FREDDIE McGREGOR & ASSASSIN - Youth Well Cold (Penthouse)
RICHIE SPICE - Marijuana (5th Element)
JAH CURE - Longing For (Don Corleon)
FANTAN MOJAH - Hail To The King (Down Sound)
CAPLETON - Ton Load (Digital B)
RICHIE SPICE - High Grade Inna Mi Chalice (Dirtworx)
RICHIE SPICE - The Way You're Living (Pow Pow)
MORGAN HERITAGE - Uncomfortable (Big Yard)
JR GONG - Jamrock (Ghetto Youths)
I WAYNE - Living In Love (Gibbo)

CHANT DOWN BABYLON with Jesse I
106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia
January 1 > 2005 

Welcoming in the new year with pure reggae music!  Taking a look back
at the top 5 new reggae releases of 2004, getting through some requests
from the last couple weeks, and finishing up with something special in 
the second hour - an hour-long excerpt from Chant Down Sound's live 
session "Fully Loaded" at Deep 11 back in August.


JESSE I'S TOP 5 ALBUMS OF 2004:

1. MIDNITE - Ainshant Maps (Afrikan Roots Lab)
2. MIDNITE - Scheme of Things (Rastafaria)
3. PRINCE MALACHI - Runaway Slave (Jet Star)
4. CHUKKI STARR - True Guidance (Ariwa)
5. GROUNDATION - We Free Again (Young Tree)

HONORABLE MENTIONS:  Chuck Fender "Better Days" on Jet Star deserves 
recognition, but I can't help but think of this as a 2003 album due to
most of the big tunes being released last year. Turbulence's "Hail To 
The King" from late 2003 stands as his best full album so far, and only
just missed out, as did Jah Mason's "Most Royal" on Jah Warrior. 
Capleton's "Reign of Fire" and Anthony B's "Powers of Creation" also 
would have been contenders if they weren't so inconsistant.  Tanya 
Stephen's "Gangsta Blues" was good, but disappointing given the superior
material she released on 7" this year.


Now to the playlist itself:

MIDNITE - Praise Jah (Scheme of Things: Rastafaria)
GROUNDATION - Suffer The Right (We Free Again: Young Tree)
CHUKKI STARR - Gwaan Dem Ways (True Guidance: Ariwa)
PRINCE MALACHI - Runaway Slave (Runaway Slave: Jet Star)
MIDNITE - Lianess (Scheme of Things: Rastafaria)
MIDNITE - Livity (Ainshant Maps: Afrikan Roots Lab)
MIDNITE - Drought (Ainshant Maps: Afrikan Roots Lab)
FRANKIE PAUL - Tidal Wave (Powerhouse 7") --req
JAH CURE - Love Of My Life (Ghetto Life: VP)
THE CONGOS - Solid Foundation (Heart of the Congos: Blood and Fire)


CHAT PON RIDDIM: Midnite's "Intense Pressure" on Rastafaria

CHANT DOWN BABYLON with Jesse I
106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia
December 18 > 2004 

Highlights included unreleased Determine... the Lava Ground riddim
on Loyal Soldiers... the Jah Jah Crown riddim on Forward records...
and a small subscriber drive that brought in 20 new subscribers to
PBS...

DAMAJAH & SECRET MASTERS - Freedom Chant (The Lost Dub Tapes: Inertia)
THE WAILERS - Satisfy My Soul (Roots of a Legend: Trojan)
MAX ROMEO - War Ina Babylon (War Ina Babylon: Island) --req
PRINCE JAZZBO - Dreadlocks Corner (Dreadlocks Corner: Black Wax)
JUNIOR DREAD - Sufferer's Heights (Arkology: Island) --req
PABLO MOSES - Blood Money (Revolutionary Dream: Shanachie)
JOHNNY CLARKE - Blood Dunza (A Ruffer Version: Trojan)
GEORGE McKAY - Money Money (Dancehall Explosion: Trojan)
SISTER NANCY - One Two (One Two: Techniques)
ANTHONY RED ROSE - Gimme The Weed (Taxi 7")
LARRY MALUMA - Warrior (Makani Angu: Safari)
GROUNDATION - Music Is The Most High (We Free Again: Young Tree)
MIDNITE - Birthright Is The Ticket (Jubilees of Zion: Rastafaria)
AGENCY DUB COLLECTIVE - Back To Roots (prerelease promo)
DETERMINE - Take A Stand (unreleased Mista Savona production)
ROOTBOUND SYSTEM & MISTA SAVONA - Words (unreleased riddim)
BASCOM X - Just One (Loyal Soldiers 7")
CHUCK FENDA - God Is My Witness (Loyal Soldiers 7")
I WAYNE - Lava Ground (Loyal Soldiers 7")
PREZIDENT BROWN - Let It Be Known (Forward 7")
AL BOROSIE - Jah Jah Crown (Forward 7")
SIZZLA - Woman I Need You (Da Real Thing: VP)
GENTLEMAN - Dem Gone (Journey To Jah)
ANTHONY B & WYCLEF - Lighter (Untouchable: Togetherness)
SEAN PAUL - Legalize It (Renaissance 7")
ASSASSIN - Idiot Ting Dat (Renaissance 7")
CAPLETON - Or Wha (Renaissance 7")
MIDNITE BRANCH I - Bombs Away (He Is Jah: Rastafaria) --req

CHAT PON RIDDIM: Roots Radics & Bravo "Dub Fi Junjo" on Tabou 1

CHANT DOWN BABYLON with Jesse I
106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia
December 11 > 2004 

Highlights included the Runner riddim on Builders... the Mad 
Sick riddim on Massive B... unreleased I Wayne, Jah Cure and
Vybz Kartel... and the new Sizzla album "Life" on Greensleeves

BOBBY BABYLON - Freddie McGregor (Bobby Babylon: Heartbeat)
JOHNNY OSBOURNE - Can't Buy Love (Truths and Rights: Heartbeat)
DENNIS BROWN - Easy Take It Easy (Studio One 7")
BURNING SPEAR - He Prayed (Creation Rebel: Heartbeat)
LITTLE ROY - Hardest Fighter (Rebel Music: Trojan)
LITTLE ROY - Easy Chair (Tafari Earth Uprising: Pressure Sounds)
PETER TOSH - Igziabher (Legalize It: Columbia)
BLACK ROOTS - Tribal War (On The Frontline: Makasound)
ALPHA BLONDY - Jerusalem (Jerusalem: Shanachie)
NASIO FONTAINE - Apple (Crucial Reggae: Skank Records)
MIDNITE - Love Right (Ras Mek Peace)
DEZARIE - Iron Sharpen Iron (Fya: I Grade)
GROUNDATION & DON CARLOS - Wish Dem Well (We Free Again: Young Tree)
MUTABARUKA - Life and Debt (Life and Debt: Tuff GOng)
SIZZLA - Things Will Be Better (Life: Greensleeves)
JAH CURE & VYBZ KARTEL - So Free (Vertex pre-release)
I WAYNE - More Herb (unreleased)
KING KONG - Legalize It (Massive B 7")
SIZZLA - Keep On (Massive B 7")
ANTHONY B - Freedom (Massive B 7")
BURRU BANTON - Yuh Dun Know (Massive B 7")
ANTHONY B - War Have No Winner (Builders 7")
NORRIS MAN & TURBULENCE - Come Together (Builders 7")
NATURAL BLACK - Journey of Life (Builders 7")
RICHIE SPICE - The Way You're Living (Pow Pow 7") --req
TURBULENCE - Rest A Show (Pow Pow 7") --req
LUTAN FYAH - Bits and Pieces (Pow Pow 7") --req
CHUCK FENDA - For My People (Pow Pow 7") --req
BERES HAMMOND - Fire (Harmony House 7") --req
MIDNITE - Judgement For Sentence (Ainshant Maps: ARL) --req

CHAT PON RIDDIM: "Studio One Dub" on Soul Jazz

CHANT DOWN BABYLON with Jesse I
106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia
December 4 > 2004 

Back in action after having last Saturday off due to the live broadcast 
of the Queenscliff Music Festival.  This week was Live Music Week at PBS,
and joining us for a one-hour live set in Studio 5 was Melbourne's
Higher Heights band, with special guest singer Traffik.  Other highlights
included the Fire Stick riddim on Ice Burg... Mr Tipsy's recut of the
Marcus Garvey riddim, with a wicked new tune by Natty King... the two
new Burning Spear at Studio One reissues... and the first class new album
"We Free Again" from Groundation...

DENNIS BROWN - To The Foundation (Music Works 7")
BURNING SPEAR - Weeping and Wailing (Creation Rebel: Heartbeat)
BURNING SPEAR - Journey (Sounds From The Burning Spear: Soul Jazz)
CORNEL CAMPBELL - Jah Jah Me No Born Yah (Be Thankful: Attack)
BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS - Concrete Jungle (Roots of A Legend: Trojan)
EEK-A-MOUSE - Ganja Smuggling (Wa Do Dem: Greensleeves) --req
GROUNDATION - Suffer The Right (We Free Again: Young Tree)



LUCIANO - Call On Jah (Great Controversy: Jet Star) --req
HALF PINT - King Selassie (Ice Burg 7")
COURTNEY MELODY - Chukki No Lucky (Ice Burg 7")
ANTHONY B - Tax Man (Ice Burg 7")
BUNNY RUGS - Marcus Garvey (Mr Tipsy 7")
NATTY KING - Natty Congo (Mr Tipsy 7")
RICHIE SPICE - Marijuana (5th Element 7") --req
NATURAL BLACK - Conquer (5th Element 7")

CHAT PON RIDDIM: Groundation's "Dragon War Dub" EP on Young Tree records

CHANT DOWN BABYLON with Jesse I
106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia
November 20 > 2004 

Paying tribute to legendary engineer Errol T... a wicked recut of
the Swing Easy riddim on Dirtworx... the Black Belt riddim on Real
City... and the new album from local artist Larry Maluma.

SYLFORD WALKER - Burn Babylon (Joe Gibbs 7")
I ROY - Fire Burn (Don't Check Me With No Lightweight Stuff: B&F)
IMPACT ALL STARS - Ordinary Version Chapter 3 (Forward The Bass: B&F)
JR BYLES - Heart and Soul (The Mighty Two: Heartbeat)
DHAIMA - Inna Jah Children (Joe Gibbs Revive 45s Vol 1: Rocky One)
NIGGER KOJAK & LIZA - Fist To Fist Rub-A-Dub (Joe Gibbs: Soul Jazz)
LINVAL THOMPSON & U BROWN - Train To Zion (Train To Zion: B&F) --req
PROPHETS & TRINITY - King Pharoahs Plauge (Jesus Dread: B&F) --req
DELROY WILSON - Stick By Me (Striker Lee 7") --req
BURNING SPEAR - Down By The Riverside (Burning Spear: Studio One) --req
CORNERSTONE ROOTS - Reveal Yourself (Soul Revolution: Motherland)
GROUNDATION - Long Long Ago (Young Tree: Young Tree)
LARRY MALUMA - Makani Angu (Makani Angu: Safari)
CAPLETON - Standing Ovation (Reign of Fire: VP)
NORRIS MAN - Life Style (Dirtworx 7")
RITCHIE SPICE - High Grade Inna Mi Chalice (Dirtworx 7")
ANTHONY B - Jah Works (Dirtworx 7")
SIZZLA - Pressure Remix (321 Strong 7") --req
SIZZLA - World Needs Love (unreleased tour bus sessions)
BEENIE MAN - Shower and Power Youth (Wall Street 7") --req
ANTHONY B - Babylon Fi Go Dung (Real City 7")
DETERMINE - Gi Mi Di Fire (Real City 7")
RITCHIE SPICE & SHAGGY - All Night Long (Universal: Heartbeat) --req
NATTY KING - No Giving Up (Golden House 7")
JAZZADOOR - Ghetto Youth (Golden House 7")
DENNIS BROWN & DHAIMA - A True (Joe Gibbs Revive 45s Vol 1: Rocky One) --req

CHAT PON RIDDIM: Joe Gibbs and Errol T's "African Dub Chapter 1"

CHANT DOWN BABYLON with Jesse I
106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia
November 13 > 2004 

Paying tribute to the late Simpleton, who died last Sunday...
Also featuring the new Capleton album on VP... and some indian
dancehall flavors to help celebrate Diwali...

CULTURE - Chant Down Babylon (Chanting On: Ras)
WAILERS - Stop That Train (Catch A Fire: Island)
BUNNY WAILER - Wanted Children (Protest: Island) --req
JACOB MILLER - I'm Just A Dread 
TRINITY - One Shut
KEN BOOTHE - Who Really Cares
JR DAN - Wise Man
LITTLE ROY - Columbus Ship (Columbus Ship: Copasetic)
MICHAEL PROPHET - Warn Them (Serious Reasoning: Vivian Jackson)
HUGH MUNDELL - Arise and Shine (Arise: Netwar)
INI KAMOZE - Dem Ting Deh (Ini Kamoze: Island)
DEZARIE - Poverty (Gracious Mama Africa: ARL) --req
MIDNITE - True King Dub (Intense Pressure: Rastafari)
MIDNITE - True King (Ainshant Maps: ARL) --req
CAPLETON - Wise Up People (Reign of Fire: VP)
CAPLETON - The Leaders Let The People Down (Reign of Fire: VP)
ANTHONY B - One Spliff (Crystal Ball 7")
SIMPLETON - Coca Cola Bottle Shape
SIMPLETON - Quarter To Twelve
SIMPLETON - Mr Old Nail
SIMPLETON - Nah Watch No Clock (Chant Down dubplate special)
MR VEGAS - Hands In The Air version (In The Streetz 7")
NADIA & ISHVAR - No 1 Punjabi (African Love 7") --req
ELEPHANT MAN & PINCHERS - Needle Eye (African Love 7")
CAPLETON & CHRISTOPHER - The Levels (African Love 7")
MICHAEL ROSE - Short Temper (Happiness: Heartbeat)
GARNETT SILK - Mama Africa (Star Trail 7")
BERES HAMMOND - Come Back Home (Star Trail 7")
JAH CURE - Longing For (Don Corleon 7")

CHAT PON RIDDIM: Yabby U's "Jesus Dread" on Blood and Fire

CHANT DOWN BABYLON with Jesse I
106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia
November 6 > 2004 

Highlights include the tough new Digital B riddim "Clockwise"...
new riddims on First Name and Naciamaj... and a run of classic
singles on the Voclano label...

FREDDIE McGREGOR - Coming In Hot (Digital B 7")
ANTHONY B - Rasta Time (Digital B 7")
WARRIOR KING - Can't Get Me Down (Digital B 7")
WAILING SOULS - Trouble Maker (Soul and Power: Studio One)
GLEN WASHINGTON - Wages of Sin (Dancehall Selection: Heartbeat) --req
THE CONGOS - Fisherman (Heart of the Congos: Blood and Fire) --req
THE HEPTONES - Mr President (Party Time: Island)
JOHNNY CLARKE - Jah Jah Bless Joshua (A Ruffer Version: Trojan)
BARRINGTON LEVY - Shine Eye Gal ext (Hunter Man: Volcano) --req
DON CARLOS - Hey Mr Babylon (Day to Day Living: Greensleeves)
LITTLE JOHN - Dance Hall Style (Volcano 7")
JOSEY WALES - Leggo Mi Hand (Volcano 7")
NICODEMUS - Boneman Connection (Volcano 7")
FRANKIE PAUL - Worries In The Dance (Volcano 7")
TOYAN - Spar With Me (Volcano 7")
WARRIOR KING - Sabbath Day (First Name 7")
BUSHMAN - Higher (First Name 7")
BURRU BANTON - The System (First Name 7")
DON CARLOS - Worlds Most Wanted (Little House Records 7")
QUEEN OMEGA, SIZZLA, CAPLETON - Warning (Green House 7") --req
SIZZLA & SPECTACULAR - All Praises To Jah (Mad Doc 7")
GARNETT SILK - Hard Nut To Crack (Mad Doc 7")
NORRIS MAN - Burn Dem Rails (Naciamaj 7")
CAPLETON - Stepping Up (Naciamaj 7")
LUTAN FYAH - Rasta Better Off (Naciamaj 7")
ANTHONY B - Ivan (Togetherness 7")
FANTAN MOJAH - Hungry (Down Sound 7") --req
NITTY GRITTY - Pansy (Lots of Signs: Black Roots)
SELAH COLLINS - Pick A Sound (Watch How The People Dancing: Honest Jons)
ALPHA BLONDY & THE SOLAR SYSTEM - Yitzhak Rabin (Yitzhak Rabin)

CHAT PON RIDDIM: Dub Syndicate's "Ital Breakfast" on On-U Sound