BABYLON BURNING with Jesse I
106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia
5-7 PM > FEBRUARY 6 > 2010

Nuff Bob Marley on his 65th birthday... plus new riddims Breadfruit,
Feelings, Washington DC, and Strange Things back again in a new form
by Irie Ites... also featuring new tunes from upcoming artists JOE and
I Thunder, and a preview tune from Damian Marley & Nas' forthcoming album...

JR ROSS - Bow Down Babylon (I Can Hear The Children Singing: Blood and Fire)
OWEN GRAY - Give Me A Little Sign (Coxsone 7")
THE WAILERS - Put It On (Studio One)
THE WAILERS - Craven Choke Puppy (Tuff Gong)
PETER TOSH - Maga Dog (Joe Gibbs)
THE WAILERS - Screw Face (Tuff Gong)
BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS - Is This Love (Songs of Freedom: Island) --request
BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS - One Drop (Songs of Freedom: Island)
BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS - One Dub (Songs of Freedom: Island)
THE WAILERS - Man To Man (Upsetter 7")
BOB MARLEY - Who Colt The Game (Ascension 7")
THE WAILERS - Satisfy My Soul Jah Jah (Impact 7")
BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS - Ride Natty Ride (Songs of Freedom: Island)
THIRD WORLD - Roots With Quality (Reggae Ambassadors: Island)
BUNNY WAILER - Scheme Of Things (Protest: Island) 
BERES HAMMOND, BUNNY RUGS, CAPLETON - No Crime (In Control: Elektra)
DELLY RANX - Man A Soldier (Washington DC riddim: Breadback)
SIZZLA - Precaution (Washington DC riddim: Breadback)
I THUNDER - Tired Fi Hungry (Big Ship)
TARRUS RILEY - Nobody Knows (Feelings riddim: Don Corleon)
GENTLEMAN - Lonely Days (Feelings riddim: Don Corleon)
JAH CURE - 2010 (Feelings riddim: Don Corleon)
PRESSURE - Coming Right Back (Feelings riddim: Don Corleon)
PROFESSOR - Be Careful (Feelings riddim: Don Corleon)
DETERMINE - Wicked Haffi Fall (Bread Fruit riddim on Fly Roots)
LUTAN FYAH - Overcome Dem (Bread Fruit riddim on Fly Roots)
CHRISINTI - None Like Him (Bread Fruit riddim on Fly Roots)
LUCIANO - Battle Field Warriors (Bread Fruit riddim on Fly Roots)
NORRISMAN - Differences (Bread Fruit riddim on Fly Roots)
STEVE MACHETE - Careless Ethiopians (Bread Fruit riddim on Fly Roots)
TURBULENCE - Just Hold On (Bread Fruit riddim on Fly Roots)
SPECTACULAR - Hungry Society (Bread Fruit riddim on Fly Roots)
BRANDO - Years To Come (Bread Fruit riddim on Fly Roots)
NICO D & JAH MASON - Ruff Times (Tads/Kontractor)
SENA - Strange Days (Strange Things hiphop riddim: Irie Ites)
CALI P - The Champion (Strange Things hiphop riddim: Irie Ites)
PRESSURE - Inna Dancehall (Strange Things hiphop riddim: Irie Ites)
SPECTACULAR - Badda Than Dem (Strange Things hiphop riddim: Irie Ites)
JOE - Sometimes (Equiknoxx)
DAMIAN MARLEY & NAS - As We Enter (Ghetto Youths) 
ANTHONY B - Free Up The General
LUTAN FYAH & I WAYNE - Give Thanks (Very Huge)

BABYLON BURNING with Jesse I
106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia
5-7 PM > JANUARY 23 > 2010

Paying respect to the most significant musician of the rocksteady
era, the great Lynn Tait, RIP.  Also featuring the Aspire riddim
from Silly Walks, the Prison Break riddim from Bassrunner, more on
Head Concussion's Bomb Drop riddim, and new tunes from Capleton, 
Fantan Mojah, Laden, Jr X, Konshens, Busy Signal, and nuff more...

ERROL ALPHONSO - Chant Jah Victory (Jesus Dread: Blood and Fire)
ALTON ELLIS - Girl I've Got A Date (Treasure Isle)
DERRICK MORGAN - Tougher Than Tough (Tougher Than Tough: Island)
HOPETON LEWIS - Take It Easy (Tougher Than Tough: Island)
LYNN TAIT & THE JETS - Only A Smile (Hold Me Tight: Trojan)
THE MELODIANS - Swing and Dine (Hold Me Tight: Trojan)
GAYLADS - Joy In The Morning (Hold Me Tight: Trojan)
LYNN TAIT & THE BABA BROOKS BAND - Magnificent Ska (Ska After Ska After Ska: Heartbeat)
LYNN TAIT & HIS COMETS - Storm Warning (Ska After Ska After Ska: Heartbeat)
JUSTIN HINDS & THE DOMINOES - Natty Taking Over (Rockers: Island)
THE HEPTONES - County Boy (Night Food: Island) --request
COCOA TEA - Buju (Roaring Lion)
PRINCE ALLA - Their Reward (Only Love Can Conquer: Blood and Fire)
DON CARLOS & MILLION STYLEZ - World Crisis (Ink A Link)
SILVER CAT & HERO - Haiti Cry (Drop Di Bass)
WASP - Cry Fi Haiti (Warriors Music)
CAPLETON - Haitians (Tremma House)
FANTAN MOJAH - Tax Invasion (Tremma House)
LADEN - Cyaan Bodda (Seanizzle)
JUNIOR X - Gangster Life (Revolutionary Records)
GENTLEMAN - Lift We Up Deh (Aspire riddim on Silly Walks)
KALI BLAXX - Talking (Aspire riddim on Silly Walks)
PRESTIGE - Equal Rights (Aspire riddim on Silly Walks)
LOUIE CULTURE - Concrete Jungle Rock (Aspire riddim on Silly Walks)
JR KING - Move Out Of Babylon (Aspire riddim on Silly Walks)
REBELLION - Murderer (Aspire riddim on Silly Walks)
LUTAN FYAH - Wreckage (Aspire riddim on Silly Walks)
SUD SOUND SYSTEM & JAH MASON - Comu Na Fiata (Dammene Ancora: Universal)
MICHAEL ROSE - Fight I Down (Prison Break riddim on Bassrunner)
CORNADOOR - We Ain't Leaving (Prison Break riddim on Bassrunner)
FANTAN MOJAH - Hot (Prison Break riddim on Bassrunner)
MILLION STYLEZ - Born In The System (Prison Break riddim on Bassrunner)
GYPTIAN - Better Day (Bomb Drop riddim on Head Concussion)
I OCTANE - This Is Real (Bomb Drop riddim on Head Concussion)
TARRUS RILEY - Talk Is Cheap (Bomb Drop riddim on Head Concussion)
MR VEGAS - We Nuh Beg Freind (Bomb Drop riddim on Head Concussion)
JAH VINCI - Money Dream (Bomb Drop riddim on Head Concussion)
VYBZ KARTEL - Marie (Bomb Drop riddim on Head Concussion)
KONSHENS & DELUS - Chalice Load (Bomb Drop riddim on Head Concussion)
TARRUS RILEY & KONSHENS - Good Girl Gone Bad (Head Concussion) --request
KONSHENS - Original Yard (Subkonshus Music) 
BUSY SIGNAL - Can't Stop Me (Lifetime Records)
SPRAGGA BENZ, STEPHEN MARLEY, SIZZLA, QUEEN IFRICA, JAH CURE - More Life (Salaam Remi)
SIZZLA - Clean Up Your Heart (Jet Star Reggae Max: Jet Star)

BABYLON BURNING with Jesse I
106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia
5-7 PM > JANUARY 16 > 2010

Paying respect to the great Vivian Jackson, a.k.a. Yabby You... 
plus the Blue riddim from Greatest Friends, the Boops riddim by
Juke Boxx... and new tunes from Vybrant, Alborosie & David Hinds, 
Queen Ifrica & Bryan Art, Di Genius, and Agent Sasco...

THE PROPHETS & TRINITY - Chant Down Babylon Kingdom (Jesus Dread: Blood and Fire)
VIVIAN JACKSON & THE DEFENDERS - Love Thy Neighbour (Jesus Dread: Blood and Fire)
VIVIAN JACKSON & THE PROPHETS - Run Come Rally (Jesus Dread: Blood and Fire)
VIVIAN JACKSON & THE PROPHETS - Judgement on the Land (Jesus Dread: Blood and Fire)
VIVIAN JACKSON & THE SONS OF JAH - Jah Vengeance (Jesus Dread: Blood and Fire)
KING TUBBYS - Big Youth Fights Against Capitalism (Jesus Dread: Blood and Fire)
VIVIAN JACKSON & THE RALPH BROTHERS - Conquering Lion (Jesus Dread: Blood and Fire)
THE PROPHETS - Warn The Nation (Jesus Dread: Blood and Fire)
VIVIAN JACKSON & THE PROPHETS - Judgement Time (Vivian Jackson 7")
THE PROPHETS - King Pharaoh's Plague (Jesus Dread: Blood and Fire)
TRINITY & DILLINGER - Jesus Dread (Jesus Dread: Blood and Fire)
MICHAEL PROPHET - Mash Down Rome (Vivian Jackson 7")
TONY TUFF - No Warrior (Vivian Jackson 7")
WAYNE WADE - Man Of The Living (Jesus Dread: Blood and Fire)
MICHAEL ROSE - Born Free (Jesus Dread: Blood and Fire)
VIVIAN JACKSON & THE PROPHETS - Covetous Man (Jesus Dread: Blood and Fire)
TIKEN JAH FAKOLY - Tonton d'America (African Rebel Music)
ALBOROSIE & DAVID HINDS - Stepping Out (VP)
BRYAN ART & QUEEN IFRICA - Murder Dem A Play (Jahchin)
VYBRANT - Ears Hard (Major Links / Tripple T)
NATTY KING - Dancehall Nice (Blue riddim: Greatest Friends)
CHEZIDEK - Judgement Throne (Blue riddim: Greatest Friends)
ZAREB - Bless (Blue riddim: Greatest Friends)
QUEEN OMEGA - Media Corruption (Blue riddim: Greatest Friends)
SPECTACULAR - Burn Di Politicians (Blue riddim: Greatest Friends)
TARRUS RILEY - Children A Pree We (Boops riddim: Juke Boxx)
ROMAIN VIRGO - Live Mi Life (Boops riddim: Juke Boxx)
BUSY SIGNAL - Goverment A Live Luuu (Boops riddim: Juke Boxx)
ASSASSIN - History Book (Boops riddim: Juke Boxx)
CHINO - Phone Gallis (Boops riddim: Juke Boxx)
TIMEKA MARSHALL - Sweet Vibes (Boops riddim: Juke Boxx)
BUSY SIGNAL - Dat Me Love (Boops riddim: Juke Boxx)
ELEPHANT MAN - Whine (Boops riddim: Juke Boxx)
ASSASSIN - Nowadays Boopsie (Boops riddim: Juke Boxx)
SUPERCAT - See Boops Deh (Techniques 7")
STEPHEN DI GENIUS McGREGOR - Cyaan Friends Again (Big Ship)
ASSASSIN - My Story (40/40)
VIVIAN JACKSON & THE PROPHETS - Deliver Me From My Enemies (Jesus Dread: Blood and Fire)

BABYLON BURNING with Jesse I
106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia
5-7 PM > JANUARY 9 > 2010

The annual Babylon Burning year in review, looking at the 
biggest reggae and dancehall tunes of 2009. As always, the Top 
20 lists were aired in reverse order, counting down to the 
number one spot.


JESSE I'S BIGGEST REGGAE TUNES 2009

1. ROMAIN VIRGO - Who Feels It Knows It (Penthouse)
   QUEEN IFRICA - Serve and Protect (Penthouse)
2. ROMAIN VIRGO - Mi Caan Sleep (Penthouse)
3. DAMIAN MARLEY - Holiday (Ghetto Youths)
4. GYPTIAN - Life (Jam 2)
5. SIZZLA - Don't Give A F**k (Jam Strong)
6. BUSY SIGNAL - Beep (Juke Boxx)
   CAPLETON - Acres (Juke Boxx)
7. MONSOON - As-Salaam Alakum
8. I OCTANE - Blood Shed (Don Corleon)
9. LADY G - Ghetto Vibes (House Of Hits)
10. VIDA SUNSHYNE - By The Way (Savona Records)
    SIZZLA - Why Does The World Cry (Savona Records)
11. PETER MORGAN - Warzone (Juke Boxx)
    ASSASSIN - Priority (Juke Boxx)
12. KIPRICH - Changes (Armz House)
13. KHAGO - Caan Cool (Shacoops)
14. CHEZIDEK - Bun Di Ganja (Irie Ites)
15. FANTAN MOJAH - Rasta Chalice (Fireball)
16. QUEEN IFRICA - Dem Never See Di Sign (Penthouse)
17. PETER MORGAN - Be Mindful (Supahype)
18. ASSASSIN - Give Thanks (Big Ship)
19. MILLION VOICE - Humble (Angelo)
20. ETANA - August Town (Freemind)


NOTES AND HONORABLE MENTIONS:

2009 was a year of great change in the Jamaican music 
industry, and I'll forever remember it as the year that the 
Jamaican vinyl industry went onto life support (it didn't 
really die altogether, but it now exists as a shadow of its 
former self). As the industry became almost completely 
digital, some of the older reggae producers dropped out of the 
game - there were no releases at all from labels like Digital 
B, Black Scorpio, Xterminator, Jammys, and 321 Strong for 
example.  While dancehall thrived in 2009, traditional reggae 
roots and culture seemed to decline somewhat, but thankfully 
labels such as Juke Boxx and Penthouse ensured the quality was 
still there.

Other reggae tunes that deserve mention include Beres 
Hammonds' "I Feel Good" (a 2008 released that still gets 
played regularly as we enter 2010), Busy Signal's "Dem Mad", 
"Uniform Bad Bwoy" and "Unfair" (with Peetah Morgan), Natural 
Black's "Africa Me A Reach", Jahmali's "Serious Question", 
Pressure's "Pure Life", Queen Ifrica's "No Bwoy", I Octane's 
"Mama You Alone", Alborosie's "Humbleness", Gyptian's "Eyes On 
The Prize", Nitty Kutchie's "Welcome", Terry Linen's "Holiday 
Inn", Anthony B's "Pressure", Perfect's "Can't Touch Me", 
Demarco's "Pull It Selecta", and the Buju Banton & John Legend 
combination "Can't Be My Lover".


JESSE I'S BIGGEST DANCEHALL TUNES 2009

Please note that I've used a fairly broad definition of 
dancehall here, as the lines between dancehall, hiphop and r&b have
become increasingly blurred...

1. DEMARCO - True Friends (Fresh Ear)
2. G WHIZZ - Life (TJ)
3. JAH VINCI - Prayer (Izes Records)
4. VYBZ KARTEL - Life We Living (Cashflow)
   KONSHENS - Realest Song (Cashflow)
5. BUSY SIGNAL - Hustle (Birch)
6. ASSASSIN - Hand Inna Di Air (Big Ship)
7. MAVADO - Hope and Pray (ZJ Chrome)
8. FLIPPA MAFIA - Foundation Over Hype
9. VYBZ KARTEL - Hustle The Money (Liv Up)
10. CHARLY BLACKS - Rich This Year (Coppershot)
11. VYBZ KARTEL & DI GENIUS - Be Careful (Big Ship)
12. WASP - Unfair (Officer) (WMP)
13. I OCTANE - Work (Don Corleon)
14. BLACK RYNO - Work Hard Everyday (Big Ship)
15. TARRUS RILEY & KONSHENS - Good Girl Gone Bad (Head Concussion)
16. MAVADO - A So You Move (Big Ship)
17. DEMARCO - Death Trap (Payday)
18. DING DONG & CHEVAUGHN - Holiday (Notice)
19. JAH VINCI - Wipe Those Tears (Chimney)
20. CHAN DIZZY - Nuh Sell Out (Head Concussion)


NOTES AND HONORABLE MENTIONS:

I've never found it harder to work out my favourite dancehall 
tunes for a year - mainly because I've never enjoyed dancehall 
as much as I did in 2009. Every year people lament the state 
of the music, but personally I thought it was in great shape - 
not only did I love all the slower hiphop-influenced riddims 
like Mood Swing and Better Life, but all other styles of 
dancehall were represented as well - throwback/old-school 
riddims like School Bell, bouncy riddims like Baddaz and 
Street Bullies, tech-influenced riddims like Tripple Bounce 
and Set Me Free, classic bashment like Good Life and Street 
Team, darker riddims like Sixteen and Clearance, etc.  In 
putting together this list, I had to omit a lot of huge tunes, 
but I guess that's where personal preference comes in.

Looking at honorable mentions… Boardhouse records Clean Sweep 
riddim was huge at the start of the year, but was technically 
a 2008 release, as was the Remand riddim from Not Nice, which 
boasted one of my all-time favourites with Jah Vinci's "Watch 
Yu Friends".  Kartel's "Last Man Standing", released only a 
day or so after Sting 2008 was a huge tune for him at the 
start of the year, but faded out fast as people moved on from 
the subject of his famous clash with Mavado.  Mavado himself 
had numerous big tunes that nearly made it into the top 20, 
including Mockingbird on Fire Link's Street Team riddim, Dem A 
Talk on Chimney's Movie Star riddim, Fall Rain Fall for 
producer Frass (who made quite a name for himself in 2009), 
Can't Take Wi Life with producer Di Genius, and huge gal tune 
Neva Belive You.  Street Bullies and Go Go Club were two of 
the bigger riddims of the year, but I found it hard to single 
out any particular cuts on each, hence their omission from the 
countdown.  Gaza-aligned production crew Not Nice were 
responsible for some of the tunes I loved most in 2009 which 
were the hardest to play to a dancefloor - for this reason 
tunes like Black Ryno's "Heights Of Great Men", Jah Vinci's 
"Money", and the Jah Vinci & Black Ryno combination "Mi Feel A 
Way" missed out simply because I played them far more at home 
than in the dance.  Demarco had a great year, both as a 
producer and an artist.  As well as the above tunes, he also 
connected with "Hustling Forever" for Chimney, "Some A Seh" 
for Youngblood, and "Badmind Energy" with Ding Dong.  Although 
it was definitely a 2008 tune, Kartel & Spice's slack "Ramping 
Shop" was still played heaps (too much?) this year, and the 
Kartel & Indu combination "Virginity" was similarly 
everywhere.  Other tunes deserving of mention include 
Leftside's "She Nah Waah", Teflon's "Jah Has Been There", 
Aidonia's "Evil Head", Tarrus Riley/Demarco/Kartel's "Herbs 
Promotion", Busy Signal's "Caan Buy We Out" and "Da Style 
Deh", Stein's "Easy", I Octane's "Thank You Father", Beenie 
Man's "Gaza Mi Seh" and "Bar Bill", Bling Dawg's "Jamaica 
Jamaica", Chino's "Pon Your Head", Elephant Man's "Sweep The 
Floor", TOK's "No Bag A Man Thing", Bramma & Di Genius' "Some 
People", Kartel's "Love Dem", Mavado's "House Cleaning", and 
Aidonia's "I Like Her" on Equiknoxx's Swagga 
Dagga riddim.

BABYLON BURNING with Jesse I
106.7 PBS-FM > Melbourne, Australia
5-7 PM > JANUARY 2 > 2010

ABYSSINIANS - Forward Unto Zion (Satta Massagana: Heartbeat)
JACOB MILLER - Forward Ever Backward Never (Songbook: VP)
RAS MICHAEL & THE SONS OF NEGUS - None Of Jah Jah Children No Cry (Rastafari: VP)
JR KELLY - Jah Children (Jah Children riddim: Nowtime Sound)
CHEZIDEK - Herbsman Rise Again (Jah Children riddim: Nowtime Sound)
JR KELLY - Lots Of Herb (Jah Children riddim: Nowtime Sound)
VYBZ KARTEL - Marie (Bomb Drop riddim: Head Concussion)
GYPTIAN - Better Days (Bomb Drop riddim: Head Concussion)
I OCTANE - This Is Real (Bomb Drop riddim: Head Concussion)
DON CARLOS & MILLION STYLEZ - World Crisis (Ink A Link)
BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS - Burnin and Lootin (Talkin' Blues: Island) --request
ASSASSIN & BERES HAMMOND - Be Bold Be Strong (Penthouse)
JAHMALI - Cry People (Penthouse)
Tony Rebel - Chant Down Babylon Kingdom (Penthouse)
Fyahkin - Poverty Is At Hand (Penthouse)
Assassin - Have Some Mercy (Penthouse)
Queen Ifrica - Dem Never See Di Sign (Penthouse)
Queen Ifrica - Serve And Protect (Penthouse)
Assassin & Cameal Davis - We Can (Penthouse)
Lutan Fyah - Not A Dollar More (Penthouse)
Romain Virgo - Who Feels It Knows It (Penthouse)
Peetah Morgan - Be Mindful (Supahype)
Kiprich - Changes (Armz House)
Lutan Fyah - Dem A Fake (Armz House)
Torch - Can't Get We Out (Chant Down dubplate special)
Morgan Heritage - Rasta We Seh (Chant Down dubplate special)
Torch - Fire Pon The Heathen (Chant Down dubplate special)
Sizzla - Like Mountain (Chant Down dubplate special)
G Whizz - Life (TJ)
Bugle - Don't Blame Life (TJ)
Black Ryno - See You Again (TJ)
Konshens - The Realest Song (Cashflow)
Vybz Kartel - Life We Living (Cashflow)
Black Ryno - Take Control (Cashflow)
G Whizz - On And On (Cashflow)
Jah Vinci - Wipe Those Tears (Chimney)
Demarco - True Friends (Chant Down dubplate special)
Charly Blacks - Rich This Year (Coppershot)
Demarco - Bees Hive (Payday)
Bugle - Root Of All Evil (Payday)
Mavado - Mama's Love (Payday)
Demarco - Death Trap (Payday)
Esco - Nah Laugh (Payday)
Black Ryno - Badmind (Head Concussion)
Aidonia - Evil Head (Head Concussion)
Vybz Kartel - Never Scared (Head Concussion)
Jah Vinci - Mi Know (Head Concussion)
Jah Vinci - Prayer (Izes)
Erup - Pop Dat (Izes)
Nazzle - Smile Pon Mi Madda Face (Izes)
Konshens - No Money To Give You (Izes)
Mavado & Di Genius - Can't Tek Wi Life (Di Genius)
Vybz Kartel & Di Genius - Be Careful (Di Genius)
Bramma & Di Genius - Some People (Di Genius)
Black Ryno - Work Hard Everyday (Di Genius)
Demarco & Ding Dong - Badmind Energy (Star Kutt)
Chan Dizzy - Nuh Sell Out (Head Concussion)
I Octane - Thank You Father (Cashflow)