CHANT DOWN BABYLON with Jesse I
106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia
February 18 > 2006 

AL CAMPBELL - Going The Wrong Way (Phil Pratt Thing: Pressure Sounds)
CARLTON & THE SHOES - Me and You (Love Me Forever: Studio One)
BOB ANDY - My Time (Song Book: Studio One)
WAILING SOULS - Slow Down (Square Deal: Studio One)
THE TENNORS - Run Come (Rock Steady Classics: Nighthawk)
THE CONGOS - Fisherman (Heart of the Congos: Blood and Fire)
JAH LION - Wisdom (Columbia Colly: Island)
FREDDIE McGREGOR - Jah Help The People (Thompson Sound 7")
EEK A MOUSE - Lonesome Journey (Wa Do Dem: Greensleeves) --req
MELBOURNE SKA ORCHESTRA - Rockfort Rock (live recording 2004)
STEEL PULSE - Makka Splaff (Handsworth Revolution: Island) --req
ASWAD - Behold (Hulet: Island)
IJAHMAN LEVI - Jah Heavy Load (Roots of Love: Melodie)
MIDNITE - Double Speak (Let Live: I Grade) --req
MIDNITE - YHWH (Jah Grid: I Grade)
MIDNITE - Kindread (Let Live: I Grade)
QUEEN IFRIKA - Life (Flames promo)  --req
AKON - Locked Up remix (Champion Sound 7")
MARLON ASHER - Ganja Farmer (Carribean 7")
GENTLEMAN, BARRINGTON LEVY, DADDY RINGS - Caan Hold Us Down (Confidence: Four) --req
TANYA STEPHENS - Gangsta Move (Creation Music 7") --req
ANTHONY B - Guard By Selassie (Annex 7")
SUGAR D - Memba Dat (JR 7")
JR KELLY - Far From Jah (Mixing Lab 7")
LUCIANO - Cool and Settle (Mixing Lab 7")
GEORGE NOOKS - Swell Headed (Mixing Lab 7")
JAH MASON - Things To Do (Mixing Lab 7")
JAH MASON - Money Dem A Run Dung (Flames 12")

CHAT PON RIDDIM: Umoja Love and Unity on Blood and Fire

CHANT DOWN BABYLON with Jesse I 106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia February 11 > 2006 Highlights include the brilliant new album Jah Grid from Midnite and I Grade… plus more on Nap’s Passion riddim… the Rose Apple riddim on Ice Berg… and the wicked new dancehall riddim Chakra on KBC. BIG YOUTH & IRIE DARLINGS – Beat Down Babylon (High Times 7″) LITTLE ROY – Righteous Man (Matador 7″) HEPTONES – My Guiding Star (Impact 7″) AUGUSTUS PABLO – Java (Impact 7″) LINVAL THOMPSON – Blood Gonna Run (Thompson Sound 7″) –req DESMOND YOUNG – Warning (Fe Me Time 7″) BIG YOUTH – Wolf In Sheeps Clothing (Natty Cultural Dread: Trojan) BIG YOUTH – Conquering Sound (Chant Down dubplate special) MICHAEL ROSE – Born Free (Chant Down dubplate special) –req THIRD WORLD – Jah Glory (96 Degrees In The Shade: Island) BLUE RIDDIM BAND – Feeling Soul (Alive in Jamaica: Flying Fish) –req MIDNITE – Before I Lose My Strength (Jah Grid: I Grade) MIDNITE – Royal Habits (Jah Grid: I Grade) TURBULENCE – Repatriate (Ice Berg 7″) NORRIS MAN – Hold Your Own (Ice Berg 7″) SIZZLA – Show A Little Love (Ice Berg 7″) PERFECT – World Trade Center (Ice Berg 7″) CHRISINTI – Joy (Nap 7″) RICHIE SPICE – Babylon System (Nap 7″) LUCIANO – Rooted and Grounded (Nap 7″) BASCOM X – Warriors and Thugs (Nap 7″) CHUCK FENDER – Material Things (Nap 7″) TURBULENCE – Vampire (Nap 7″) CAPLETON – Burn Dem (Nap 7″) CAPLETON – Purge Dem (KBC 7″) WARD 21 – Puff Puff Pass (KBC 7″) MR VEGAS – Beat Drop (KBC 7″) CHUKKI STARR – Can’t Stop It (KBC 7″) DETERMINE – Kings of Kings (Uplift 7″) CECILE – Praise Mi God (Kings of Kings 7″) WARRIOR KING – Judah (Hold The Faith: VP) MIDNITE – My Joy (Jah Grid: I Grade) TERROR FABULOUS – Jah Works (Chant Down dubplate special)

CHANT DOWN BABYLON with Jesse I
106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia
February 4 > 2006 

Paying respect to the late Melodian's vocalist Brent Dowe... 
Plus an interview with Big Youth recorded in Kingston, August 2003...
Also, the Murderer riddim redone as Burn Dem on King Lion, and Darker
Shade of Black on Fat Eyes...

BRENT DOWE - Down Here In Babylon (Black Ark Singles Selector: Ascension)
MELODIANS - Rivers of Babylon (The Harder They Come: Island)
MELODIANS - Swing and Dine (High Note 7")
BRENT DOWE - Leaving Babylon (Morwell Esq 7")
BIG YOUTH - Moving On (Black Ark 7")
BIG YOUTH - Ace Ninety Skank (Giant 7")

BIG YOUTH - Screaming Target (Screaming Target: Trojan)

BIG YOUTH - The First Big Youth (Fe Me Time 7")
BIG YOUTH - Marcus Garvey (Dreadlocks Dread: Virgin Frontline)
THIRD WORLD - Roots With Quality (Reggae Ambassadors: Island)
THIRD WORLD - Feel A Little Better (96 Degrees In The Shade: Island)
TANYA STEPHENS - Just One (Fat Eyes 7")
NATTY KING - Nine Months (Fat Eyes 7")
TERROR FABULOUS - Keep It Real (Fat Eyes 7")
LUCIANO - Palaving Spree (King Lion 7")
TURBULENCE - Nice To Know You Care (King Lion 7")
BUSHMAN - Outside Yourself (King Lion 7")
NORRISMAN - Goodness In Man (King Lion 7")
CAPLETON - Put It Down (King Lion 7")
JR REID - Live In Love and Unity (Black Roots 7")
RICHIE SPICE - Tek Yu Mind Offa Me (Purple Skunk 7")
GARNETT SILK - Christ In His Kingly Character (Digital B 7")
KYMANI MARLEY & AL BOROSIE - Burning and Lootin (Forward 7")

CHANT DOWN BABYLON with Jesse I
106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia
January 28 > 2006 

A strange show... halfway through a set from Mikey Dread
and Terry Gad of the UK soundsystem Channel One, a power surge
took PBS off air for over 30 minutes, ironcially while a tune
called "Jah Power" was playing...  when power resumed, I let 
Mikey Dread select for the rest of the show, pure roots music... 

MAX ROMEO - War Ina Babylon (War Ina Babylon: Island)  -=req
BOB MARLEY - One Cup of Coffee (Songs of Freedom: Island) -=req
BOB MARLEY - Duppy Conqueror (Songs of Freedom: Island)
BOB MARLEY - Mr Brown (Songs of Freedom: Island)
CORNEL CAMPBELL - Jah Jah Mi No Born Yah (Be Thankful: Attack) -=req
BIG YOUTH - 6 Dead 19 Gone A Jail (Microphone Attack: Blood and Fire)
I ROY - Step On The Dragon (Observer 7")
CAPLETON - Time of Decision (Observer 7")

CHANT DOWN BABYLON with Jesse I
106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia
January 14 > 2006 

Highlights included the brilliant "Passion" riddim on Nap... Gibbo's
Hard-Times-esque "Love Life" riddim... the "85" on Mad House... and some 
Chant Down dubplates ahead of the first More Fire dance for 2006...

KNOWLEDGE - Chant Rastaman (Stumbling Block: Tamoki-Wambesi)
KNOWLEDGE - Chant Rastaman Version (Wambesi 7")
CORNEL CAMPBELL - I'm A Man (Double Top: Tamoki Wambesi)
THE ROYALS - Pick Up The Pieces (Wambesi 7")
DELROY WILSON - False Rasta (Truths and Rights: Heartbeat) --req
JACOB MILLER - False Rasta (Who Say Jah No Dread: Ras)
DAWEH CONGO - Jah Is My Shepard (Human Rights and Justice: Roots and Culture)
ILLIE P - Love Selassie I (Twinkle Brothers DJ Selection: Twinkle)
BIG YOUTH - Lion's Den (Deeper Roots: Twilight Circus)
THE ITALS - Time Will Tell (Solid Roots 7")
GROUNDATION, DON CARLOS, CEDRIC MYTON - Freedom Taking Over (Hebron Gate: Young Tree) --req
DEZARIE - Wait On Jah (Culturellenium 2: Sound V.I.Zion)
MIDNITE - Excellency (Culturellenium 2: Sound V.I.Zion)
MIDNITE - Dry Bones Live (Assini: I Grade) --req
CHRISINTI - acapella medley (Chant Down special)
CHRISINTI - Joy (Nap 7")
RICHIE SPICE - Babylon System (Nap 7")
TURBULENCE - Vampire (Nap 7")
CAPLETON - Burn Dem (Nap 7")
I WAYNE - Life Service (Gibbo 7")
RICHIE SPICE - Uptown Girl (Gibbo 7")
NATTY KING - Outta Road (Gibbo 7")
CAPLETON - That Was The Day (Gibbo 7")
WARRIOR KING - Judah (Hold The Faith: VP) 
SIZZLA - Kings of the Earth (Xterminator 7")
BABY CHAM - Ghetto Story (Mad House 7")
PINCHERS - Desperate Scenario (Mad House 7")
ASSASSIN - Anywhere We Go (Mad House 7")
JAH MARCUS - Leave Chant Down Alone (Chant Down dubplate special)
STEVE CULTURE - Some More (Chant Down dubplate special)
ANTHONY B - Warrior (Chant Down dubplate special)
YAHADANAI - Rise (One Atonement: I Grade) --req

CHANT DOWN BABYLON with Jesse I
106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia
January 7 > 2006 

Taking a look at the best 7" singles of 2005, 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, radio requests, and
record sales at the Higher Level record shack...

--

TOP 5 DANCEHALL RIDDIMS OF 2005:

1. Kopa on Black Chiney
2. Applause on Jah Snowcone
3. Bounce on In The Streetz
4. Black Rain on Kinky
5. Smarties on Bread Back

Honorable mentions:  Forbidden Dance on Danger Zone, Sleepy Dog on 
Steelie & Cleevie, Concubine on Rich House, Migraine on Penthouse.

--

TOP 15 NEW ROOTS SINGLES OF 2005:

1. JR GONG - Jamrock (Ghetto Youths 7")
2. RICHIE SPICE - Gideon Soldier (Rootdown 7")
3. TURBULENCE - Notorious (THC 7")
4. FANTAN MOJAH & SINGING FLASH - Rastafari Is The Ruler (Lion Vibes 7")
5. KHARI KILL - Picture of Selassie I (Massive B 7")
6. TONY REBEL - Why (Irie Ites 7")
7. SIZZLA - Unity Is Strength (Pure Music 7")
8. JAH CURE - The Sound (Danger Zone 7")
9. PERFECT - Giddimani Questions (In Touch 7")
10. WARD 21 - Worldwide Connection (Bad 2000 7")
11. CAPLETON - Speak Your Mind (Ras I 7")
12. NINJAMAN - Mad Again (Jammys 7")
13. TURBULENCE - Doesn't Really Matter (Down Sound 7")
14. RICHIE SPICE - So Much Trouble (Master One 7")
15. MORGAN HERITAGE - How Come (Don Corleon)

An excellent year for modern roots, with several non-Jamaican producers 
having a big impact alongside the usual suspects.  Jamrock was undoubtedly 
the biggest tune of the year, despite being released halfway through 2004 
- this song has the honor of being the first tune to ever make it onto my 
list two years in a row, but it was pretty much unavoidable.  Turbulence's 
Notorious and Ninjaman's Mad Again won't fit everyone's definition of roots,
but they were simply too big too ignore, and didn't really fit in the dancehall
round-up either.  Limiting myself to only one tune on a particular riddim 
proved to be even harder than usual this year, with some amazing riddims 
released.  

Honorable mentions:  
Chuck Fender, Lutan Fyah, Jahmali on the Crystal Woman riddim (Rootdown label)
Fantan Mojah, Natural Black, Jah Cure on Seasons (Don Corleon)
Norris Man, Kymani Marley, Chukki Starr on Rose Moet (Pure Music)
Turbulence, Lutan Fyah, Spectacular on Zion (Irie Ites)
Richie Spice, Chuck Fender, Sizzla on Truths and Rights (Massive B)
Queen Ifrika - Living A Lie (Loyal Soldiers)
Gyptian - Serious Times (Frenz)
Marlon Asher - Ganja Farmer (Caribbean Undergound)
Jah Cure - Most High Cup Full (Big Leauge)
Capleton - Recognized (Master One)
Jah Cure & Vybz Kartel - So Free (Vertex)
Fantan Mojah - Don't Bow Out (Veretx).

--

Finally, the playlist itself, in order:

RICHIE SPICE - Babylon System (Nap 7")
SIZZLA - Hear Dem Talking (Breadback 7")
LEEGO - Region (Breadback 7")
WARRIOR KING - I Will Sing (Breadback 7")
NATURAL BLACK - She No Love Me (Black Rain 7")
CAPLETON - Nuh Stop Me (Black Rain 7")
SIZZLA - Too Much Informer (Black Rain 7")
FRISCO KID - Send Dem Come (In The Streetz 7")
TURBULENCE - I've Been Around (In The Streetz 7")
CAPLETON - Dash Weh Dem AK (In The Streetz 7")
CAPLETON - Stray Bullet (Jah Snowcone 7")
TURBULENCE - Need To Know (Jah Snowcone 7")
KARDINAL OFFICIAL & AKON - Kill The Dance (Black Chiney 7")
SEAN PAUL - Straight Up (Black Chiney 7")
SIZZLA - Hot Like Fire (Black Chiney 7")
MORGAN HERITAGE - How Come (Don Corleon 7")
RICHIE SPICE - So Much Trouble (Master One 7")
TURBULENCE - Doesn't Really Matter (Down Sound 7")
NINJAMAN - Mad Again (Jammys 7")
CAPLETON - Speak Your Mind (Ras I 7")
WARD 21 - Worldwide Connection (Bad 2000 7")
PERFECT - Giddimani Questions (In Touch 7")
JAH CURE - The Sound (Danger Zone 7")
SIZZLA - Unity Is Strength (Pure Music 7")
NORRIS MAN - Binghi Man (Pure Music 7")
TURBULENCE - Rasta Livity (Irie Ites 7")
TONY REBEL - Why (Irie Ites 7")
KHARI KILL - Picture of Selassie I (Massive B 7")
RICHIE SPICE - Youths A So Cold (Massive B 7")
CHEZIDEK - Dem A Fight We (Massive B 7")
FANTAN MOJAH & SINGING FLASH - Rastafari Is The Ruler (Lion Vibes 7")
TURBULENCE - Notorious (THC 7")
RICHIE SPICE - Gideon Soldier (Rootdown 7")
JAHMALI - On Our Guard (Rootdown 7")
JR GONG - Jamrock (Ghetto Youths 7")