Duff Guide to Ska Fast Takes: The Piseógs "Limestone Rock" and The Prizefighters "Take Threes"!

(Reviews by Steve Shafer)

Hopefully, you've already been introduced to The Piseógs via Happy People Records' terrific global ska comp Rudies All Around, Volume 2 (their track "Don't Grow Up," from their debut EP Mental Space Invader's Ball, is a highlight). If not, you should know that they're a fantastic traditional-leaning ska and rocksteady band from Sligo, Ireland (whose sound is a mix of The Trojans and Bim Skala Bim) and they've issued a new, you-shouldn't-miss EP titled Limestone Rock (Digital, self-released, 2021). It's a subtle but profound concept EP of sorts with songs about pride, sin, and death--with limestone's symbolism working on many levels. Limestone, of course, makes up about 65% of Ireland's land mass (and was formed by ancient coral reefs hundreds of millions of years ago when the region was submerged under warm ocean waters); it was the building material used for many medieval cathedrals and churches; and when you burn it, its yields lime, which is poured on dead bodies to help cover the smell of decay and hasten decomposition (plus the title is a nod to many of the famous Jamaican riddims, like "Rockfort Rock" and "Real Rock"). 

The EP opens with a sweet cover of Justin Hinds & the Dominoes' classic "Higher the Monkey Climbs" ("...the more he expose"), which is about the dangers of not leading a humble and righteous life (key line: "He that exalts himself shall be abased/Grief always comes to those who love to brag the most"). The beautiful, if resigned, "Up She Flew" is about the death of a female French Resistance fighter during the D-Day/Operation Overlord invasion of Normandy who previously had been in a romantic relationship with an Allied paratrooper. One of the lyrics refers to Sainte-Mère-Église, the first town liberated from the Germans, where many paratroopers were shot as they descended into the hell of war (part of the town was on fire and lit up the night sky), or their parachutes were snagged in trees or utility poles (and they were shot). Most famously, one American's parachute was caught on the town's church spire and he pretended to be dead for several hours (the Germans eventually discovered he was alive and imprisoned him, though he later escaped and rejoined the US troops and the fight to liberate Europe). The song's also about the inevitability (and commonplaceness) of death and loss; the struggle to lead our lives in circumstances when we have little agency; and grappling with the fact that we'll never have answers or be able to give meaning as to why some things happen.

From paradise on high
We fell out of the sky
Fires were burning bright
You know down there there ain't no why
It's all a lie

There's no blaze of glory
When it's time to say goodbye
She don't have to see your sorry ass
As you sit there wondering why

However, despite it all, the narrator is sure that she ends up going to Heaven ("up she flew").

I happen to keep a record in my head of all my wrongs, so "Tally Your Sins"--where we're urged to take a look at our imagined written log of sins--resonates. Of course, accepting responsibility and seeking forgiveness are the only way forward ("Secure no happy future where you can escape/The past keeps tagging along/Running riots inside your head/'Til you admit you were wrong"). "Blackthorn Shuffle" is a cheery (and ironic) instrumental; in Celtic mythology, the Blackthorn tree has been associated with overcoming strife, the Celtic goddess of winter Cailleach, witches/witchcraft, and a Christian belief was that the Devil would choose his victims/followers by pricking them/drawing their blood with a blackthorn thorn). The terrific reggae instrumental "Ghost Beat" features some great echoey percussive sounds that conjure images of unseen spirits making their appointed rounds, while "Limestone Rock" is lovely ska instrumental that pays tribute to the island that's their home and the stone it provides to build the structures that have helped give meaning and purpose to countless lives over the years. 

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Minneapolis' wonderful ska/rocksteady group The Prizefighters used some of their pandemic lockdown time to record a series of truly excellent short live performance videos shot in a recording studio (they can/should be watched here, here, and here), which they've also released as a nine-track digital album titled Take Threes (Digital, self-released, 2021). It features renditions of tracks from their most recent--and really superb--studio album Firewalk (which I reviewed here), plus a haunting ska version of Trini Lopez's "What Have I Got of My Own." I've never had the chance to see/hear The Prizefighters live, but desperately want to now, as they've clearly got the goods live!

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Duff Guide to Ska Fast Takes: The Prizefighters "The Prizefighter Beat" b/w "A Fistful of Credits"

Self-released
Digital single
2020

(Review by Steve Shafer)

The awesome new single from Minneapolis' The Prizefighters--"The Prizefighter Beat" b/w "A Fistful of Credits"--has an interesting back story to it. "The Prizefighter Beat" was one of the band's first, never-quite-finished compositions from back in 2006 that was occasionally broken out for encores over the years when they were out of other songs to perform. At some point, this band theme song became a sort of inside joke between The Prizefighters and some of their oldest, diehard fans, who would shout out requests for it during gigs. But The Prizefighters just never got around to completing/polishing up the track and committing it to tape.

Recently, one of The Prizefighters' friends who's been a fan of the band since their earliest days (and has been one of the people yelling loudest for "The Prizefighter Beat") was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. So, in support of their friend, The Prizefighters finally put the finishing touches on "The Prizefighter Beat," recorded it, and have released it as a benefit single on their Bandcamp page--100% of the proceeds will be donated to The Sladjana M. Crosley Fund for GCT Research, a zero-overhead organization dedicated to the eradication of ovarian cancers.

"The Prizefighter Beat" is a terrific, spirited vintage ska cut (featuring sweet upright piano and trombone solos) that is essentially about having a great time dancing to live ska music (and you'll have a hard time resisting the urge to grin and move your body to this riddim!): "People get ready, we're in for a fight/Don't need no gun, no you don't need no knife/Listen to me, this is all that you need/Fire in your soul and the soles on your feet/Let's get a bit rocking (yeah, yeah, yeah!)/Everybody moon stompin' (yeah, yeah, yeah!)/Let's get a bit movin' (yeah, yeah, yeah!)/Everyone gets groovin' (yeah, yeah, yeah!)." With a song like this in your corner, surely you can't be defeated! The b side is the wittily titled "A Fistful of Credits," a fantastic, spot-on spaghetti Western reggae take on the theme song to the "Have Gun--Will Travel"-ish "Star Wars" universe series "The Mandalorian." (Somewhere out there, Jason Lawless is smiling.) Hopefully, both of these tracks will make their way to vinyl some day--they're more than worthy of it!

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The Duff Guide to Ska Summer/Fall 2019 NYC Ska Calendar #7

The magnificent Beat

Friday, August 2, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

The Prizefighters, The Pandemics

The Kingsland Bar and Grill
269 Norman Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
16+

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Sunday, August 4, 2019 @ 12:00 pm

The Shipwrecks, plus DJ Alexander Orange Drink

Riis Park Beach Bazaar
Jacob Riis Park
within Gateway National Recreation Area
16702 Rockaway Beach Blvd
Queens, NY
Free/All ages

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Friday, August 16, 2019 @ 6:00 pm

The Slackers

Rocks Off Concert Cruise
The Liberty Belle Riverboat
Boards Pier 36, 299 South Street
New York, NY
$35 in advance/$40 day of show
21+

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Saturday, August 17, 2019 @ 8:00 pm

Subway to Skaville presents The Hempsteadys, Stop the Presses, Joker's Republic, Love is a Fist, plus DJ Ryan Midnight

Otto's Shrunken Head
538 East 14th Street (between Avenues A and B)
New York, NY
No cover, but bring cash for the tip jar for the bands!
21+

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Wednesday, August 21, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Bedouin Soundclash

Webster Hall
125 East 11th Street
New York, NY
$29.50

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Saturday, August 24, 2019 @ 12:00 pm

Beat Brigade, plus Future Punx DJs

Riis Park Beach Bazaar
Jacob Riis Park
within Gateway National Recreation Area
16702 Rockaway Beach Blvd
Queens, NY
Free/All ages

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Wednesday, August 28, 2019 @ 8:00 pm

NY Ska Jazz Ensemble

Iridium Jazz Club
1650 Broadway
New York, NY
$25/all ages

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Friday, August 30, 2019 @ 8:00 pm

The Skapones (UK), The Pandemics, Ensemble Calavera, plus DJ Ryan Midnight

The Kingsland Bar and Grill
269 Norman Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
16+

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Wednesday, September 11, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

The Selecter w/special guest DJ Rhoda Dakar (Bodysnatchers/Special AKA)

Gramercy Theater
127 East 23rd Street
New York, NY
$29.50/16+

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Friday, September 20, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

The Toasters, Beat Brigade, Catbite

The Kingsland Bar and Grill
269 Norman Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
16+

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Saturday, September 21, 2019 @ 8:00 pm

Lee Scratch Perry and Subatomic Sound System, The Far East, DJ 2Melo

Industry City Courtyard 1/2
(Food Hall Entrance)
238 36th Street,
Brooklyn, NY
$25 in advance/$32 day of show
21+

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Thursday, September 26, 2019, doors @ 6:00 pm/show @ 8:00 pm

UB40 (Robin Campbell, Brian Travers, Jimmy Brown, Earl Falconer and Norman Hassan, Duncan Campbell, Martin Meredith, Lawrence Parry and Tony Mullings)

Sony Hall
235 W 46th Street
New York, NY
Tickets: $39.50 in advance/$45 day of show
All ages

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Saturday, October 2, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

Five Iron Frenzy, Mustard Plug, Mephiskapheles

Gramercy Theatre
127 East 23rd Street
New York, NY
$26.50 in advance/$30 day of show
16+
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Duff Guide to Ska Fast Takes: The Prizefighters!

(Reviews by Steve Shafer)

There sure are some mighty sweet vintage rocksteady and ska sounds on The Prizefighters' superb new album Firewalk (CD/digital/cassette/LP, Prizefighter Sound System/Jump Up Records, 2019), which are clearly influenced by rocksteady greats like Alton Ellis, The Gaylads, The Heptones, Slim Smith, Delroy Wilson, etc. and The Skatalites (though they're a bit more organically raw, like Japan's Ska Flames--see The Prizefighters' boss instrumentals "The Accolade," "Bebop Rocksteady"--an incredible cover of one of Yoko Kanno's soundtrack compositions for the Japanese animated sci-fi TV series "Cowboy Bebop"--"Kashmir Rock" or "Mars Rover," amongst others). But all of this bright music doesn't really mask The Prizefighters' white hot outrage at the increasingly dismal state of affairs in America (they hail from the heartland: Minneapolis, MN). "Temper Running Hot" comments on the police's disgracefully hostile and violent (at times deadly) treatment of black Americans--sung in manner close to a stage whisper, but seething at the injustice of it all: "They only want to chat/with the hammer back/Violence in the street/and the country road/Each breath could be your last/as the sirens flash." "Along for the Ride" calls out people who casually associate with those in racist or fascist groups, but may not be really committed to their twisted cause, with this warning: "Are you on board, or just along for the ride?/Life's too short to choose the wrong side...Oh, you keep such bad company/Either way, you'll have to pay for their crimes."

Then there's The Prizefighters' stellar anti-racist track "Stop Them," which was written in direct response to the white nationalism/supremacy unleashed and supported by the overtly racist policies and messaging of Trump and his wretched administration--and, as the band puts it, is "less a protest song and more a call to action" for all good people to unite and collectively counter this bigotry and hatred of everyone not white, Christian, right-wing, and male. "Stop Them" is the ideal fusion of relevant socio-political message with move-your-body music (and very much in the tradition of 2 Tone). This cut is super-sing along-catchy and rightfully uncompromising in its anti-racist/fascist stance, much like The Special AKA's "Racist Friend" or Linton Kwesi Johnson's "Fite Dem Back." Check out these lyrics (which ding both Trump and his daddy's beloved Klan):

Now the fascists are back in town
Marching through our streets
Now their jester wears the crown
They keep popping up like weeds
We've gotta put them back in the ground
And hang out their sheets
They will never never never stop
Until we stop-a stop-a stop-a stop-a stop them

On a more uplifting note, album opener "Just Let the Music Play" encourages unity--both racial and economic (as in trade unions)--and doing what you can to enjoy life, stay inspired, and survive in an unforgivingly dog-eat-dog, Ayn Rand-ian capitalist society ("We'll stand united, there's nothing we can't do/We'll keep on fighting and aways will stay true"). While the album closes with "Firewalk," whose lyrics--"When the ground gets too hot/You must do the firewalk--suggests that these dark days are a trial by fire of sorts, a test of one's faith, fortitude, and courage. How we behave towards our fellow human beings and the tough choices we make under duress will reveal our true moral character, forge bonds between people of good will, and shape how one's life will be evaluated come judgment day.

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Duff Review: The Prizefighters "Stop Them"

Digital single
2019

(Review by Steve Shafer)

Minneapolis, MN's Prizefighters have recently released the fantastically potent anti-racist/fascist single  "Stop Them" in advance of their new album Firewalk, which is being issued from Jump Up Records on CD and cassette tomorrow (and vinyl at a later date). This song was written in direct response to the rise in white nationalism that has been unleashed/supported by the policies and messaging of the Trump administration over the past two dark years--and, as the band puts it, is "less a protest song and more a call to action" for all good people to unite and collectively counter this bigotry and hatred.

"Stop Them" is the ideal fusion of relevant socio-political message with move-your-body music (and very much in the tradition of 2 Tone). This vintage-sounding rocksteady track is super-sing along-catchy and rightfully uncompromising in its anti-racist/fascist stance, much like The Special AKA's "Racist Friend" or Linton Kwesi Johnson's "Fite Dem Back."

Check out these lyrics (which ding both Trump and the Klan):

Now the fascists are back in town
Marching through our streets
Now their jester wears the crown
They keep popping up like weeds
We've gotta put them back in the ground
And hang out their sheets
They will never never never stop
Until we stop-a stop-a stop-a stop-a stop them

The Prizefighters have sounded the alarm. Let's hope the people hear it.

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All proceeds from the sale of The Prizefighters' "Stop Them" single are being donated to the J20 Legal Defense Fund, to help pay the legal fees of those who were arrested while exercising their freedom of speech/right to protest during the Trump Inauguration Day protests on January 20, 2017 (J20) in Washington, DC.

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Duff Review: The Prizefighters "A Musical Knockout in Three Rounds" Series of 7" Singles!

Round 1: "One Thousand Words" b/w "Lost at Sea"
Round 2: "No Use Crying" b/w "Night Breeze"
Round 3: "Cold Shoulder" b/w "Sukeban"
Prizefighter Sound System
2013
Series of vinyl 7" singles

(Review by Steve Shafer)

The Prizefighters' "A Musical Knockout in Three Rounds" delivers sweet vintage ska, rocksteady, and early reggae sounds via a series of three 7" vinyl singles--each of which features different and beautifully designed retro label art (plus, the paper sleeves are hand stamped with the image of the boxer from the label on Round 3). Like many recent ska projects in the US, these singles came to fruition through crowd funding (full disclosure--I was one of this projects supporters), which seems to be one of the more viable means for independent bands not to lose their collective shirts in the process of pressing up and selling recorded music. (I also like to think that doing vinyl-only releases helps cut down on illegal file sharing; I know, it's still possible to make a digital file off a vinyl record, but it's kind of a hassle and probably discourages the less determined file sharers from posting pirated music on the internet.)

The ace musicians in The Prizefighters have been championing 1960s-era Jamaican music in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area for over six years now (yes, there is a Minnesota ska scene!). Their 2011 self-released debut CD, Follow My Sound, was recorded and produced by the great King Django. Then Chuck Wren of Jump Up Records picked up the CD for national distribution and liked it so much that he pressed up a limited edition vinyl edition of the album with alternate versions, mixes, and even a dub by Anthony of The Drastics (both the CD and LP are available from Jump Up here). The Prizefighters also have been a part of Jump Up Records' "Jamaican Oldies Weekends" in Chicago; their chops scored them the enviable spot of backing Stranger Cole last November, as well as Roy Panton and Yvonne Harrison this past March. In October, they're backing Roy and Yvonne once again at the Montreal Ska Festival (which also includes One Night Band, Big D and the Kids Table, The Slackers, Green Room Rockers, Inspecter 7, Rude City Riot, Mad Bombers Society, Expos, Kman and the 45s, and more).

Like most Jamaican pop music from the early 1960s, The Prizefighters' tracks are mostly concerned with matters--conflict, mostly--of the heart (though, whether this was on purpose or not, as the singles progress from ska to early reggae, the band begins to address other topics--mirroring how Jamaican music increasingly addressed oppression, inequity, and other transgressions, as it moved toward roots reggae).

The first single, Round 1, features "One Thousand Words," a sprightly ska track that has the singer coming to the conclusion that it's time for him to stop banging his head against the wall: "So, I tell you the truth/You laugh in my face/How much of my time are you willing to waste?/I tried and I tried to make you mine/I'm not going to waste any more of my time." "Lost at Sea" hauntingly conveys the loneliness and heartache of separating from someone ("Where are you?/I can't find your face in the crowd") and losing your bearings in the process.

Round 2 shifts into rocksteady mode, with the really lovely "No Use for Crying" (and its gorgeous vocal harmonizing) that offers this sound advice: "No use crying for someone/that doesn't cry for you/Man, you've to let her go/You've been trying for so long/She ain't crying for you/Man, you've go to let her go!" The flip side is a fantastic, organ-drenched instrumental version of "No Use..." titled "Night Breeze."

Round 3 enters early/skinhead reggae territory (and the subject matter of the songs starts to venture further afield). "Cold Shoulder" reveals an awareness of conflict and injustice beyond the personal level: "These are troubled times we're living in/but it's not just me and you/We've got to learn to work together now/and some day we'll break on through/But sometimes it gets so hard/It feels that all that I get and all that I do/is just the cold shoulder from you." "Sukeban" has nothing to do with romance--it's just about a bad-ass girl (according to the band, sukeban means "delinquent girl" or "female gang leader" in Japanese). It also happens to be a terrifically frenzied instrumental, where the organ and guitar riffs seem to vie for musical turf and supremacy--and it may just be the best track of the bunch.

We ska fans on the coasts sometimes tend to pay less attention to (or even dismiss!) ska bands from most points in between--and we do this to our own detriment. So, ignore The Prizefighters' first-rate singles at your own musical peril. You've been warned.

(All three of these singles are available for purchase from The Prizefighters here.)

Another Ska Crowd Funding Project to Back: The Prizefighters' "A Musical Knockout in 3 Rounds!"

If you've been reading this blog with any frequency, you already know I'm a big advocate/supporter of crowd funding as the model that ska bands should utilize in this age of rampant, illegal file sharing for pressing up vinyl and/or CDs and delivering it to those fans who still want and value tangible recorded music.

So, here's a new crowd funding project from The Prizefighters that is very worthy of your hard-earned cash. I've already made my pledge, so I'll be receiving all three Prizefighters 45s (more singles to play at Electric Avenue!), their new CHema Skandal-designed t-shirt, stickers, and a badge!

(The text below is from their Indegogo page.)

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The Prizefighters
A Musical Knockout in 3 Rounds

There were no computers, no air-conditioning, just the hot hum of the reel-to-reel churning through the 95 degree heat. Just like how the tape rolled through the sticky air of Jamaica in 1964, The Prizefighters found themselves transported to that golden era, cooped up in a Minneapolis recording studio in the Summer of 2012. The goal was to record a trio of 45s, each platter serving as a continuation of the “rusty-dusty” sounds called ska, rocksteady, and reggae.

Using 100% analog equipment, The Prizefighters tracked six new tracks, the ska scorchers “Lost at Sea” and “One Thousand Words,” rocksteady laments “No Use Crying” and “Night Breeze,” and early reggae standouts “Cold Shoulder” and haunting instrumental “Sukeban” (hear samples of each song in the video below). You can literally hear the heat and thick air pouring through your headphones as each track spins away. The Prizefighters utilized vintage Jamaican recording techniques to achieve a sound so authentic there would be no question that these new tunes belong in the oft-overlooked canon of Jamaican music history.



Who are The Prizefighters?

The Prizefighters have been at the top of the Twin Cities ska scene for the past six years, playing all across the Midwest bringing the sounds of young Jamaica to the masses. They self released their debut album Follow My Sound in 2010 and saw Jump Up! Records pick it up and help release the special edition vinyl LP in 2011. Recently, The Prizefighters have had the honor of working with Jamaican legends Stranger Cole, Charlie Organairre, Roy Panton, and Yvonne Harrison, serving as the primary backing band for Chicago's Jamaican Oldies Weekends. A Musical Knockout in 3 Rounds! will be the first 45rpm releases from The Prizefighters.

What You Get

This record series highlights brand-new recordings from The Prizefighters, released on the format most appropriately suited for vintage Jamaican music: 45rpm vinyl. In addition to the vintage production style and soul put into every tune, each of the three records features unique label art designed with a 60s Jamaican aesthetic, released on the band’s own Prizefighter Sound System label. This is the real deal, folks, and The Prizefighters have pulled out all the stops to deliver an authentic listening experience to fans of vintage Jamaican muzik the whole world over. You had better act fast if you want a piece of these platters, though. Each release will be limited to 500 copies, and once they're gone, they're gone for good!

Not only is this a chance to get your hands on all records in the series before they're officially released, you'll have the opportunity to score some really choice swag. This is the first time we've ever set up a true mail-order store, so if we've never come to your town here's your first chance to pick up our merch.

We're launching new t-shirts designed by the multi-talented CHema Skandal! (check out his work HERE), new stickers, test pressings of each record, and a truly one-of-a-kind high quality DVD of our performance with Roy and Yvonne from Chicago's Jamaican Oldies Weekend. For you high rollers, check out the perks we're offering, such as The Prizefighters VIP card, granting you free admission to all Prizefighters shows for an entire year! Check out all of the reqard packages to find one that puts you in a dancing mood.

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Jamaican Oldies Weekend No. 2: Eric "Monty" Morris and Roy Panton and Yvonne Harrison!

Jump Up Records celebrates the beginning of its 20th Anniversary by creating Jamaican Oldies Productions, a partnership with Mayne Stage to bring vintage Jamaican vocalists to Chicago every three months!

Following on the heels of the smash first Jamaican Oldies Weekend (with Pat Kelly and Stranger Cole) in November, comes the second edition with Eric "Monty" Morris backed by the Soul Radics (and Detroit's finest rocksteady crew 1592 opening) on Day One (Friday, March 1st), and Roy Panton and Yvonne Harrison backed by The Prizefighters (and Pittsburgh's The Pressure opening) on Day Two (Saturday, March 2nd). Limited discount two-day passes are available here.

Day One (Friday, March 1): Eric "Monty" Morris backed by the Soul Radics with 1592 opening

(From the Jump Up Facebook Event page:) Eric "Monty" Morris is considered to be one of the foundational artists of Jamaican ska, starting as the original vocalist for The Skatalites, later duetting with Derrick Morgan, Roy Panton, Patsy, and Prince Buster, and creating a prolific string of early 60s Jamaican chart hits, including "What A Man Doeth," "Money Can't Buy Life," "Into My Garden," "Enna Bella," "Humpty Dumpty," "Sammy Dead," "Solomon A Gundy," "Strongman Sampson," "Oil In My Lamp," and "Penny Reel."

Morris grew up in Kingston's Trench Town and like many singers of the 50s, he could be found at sound system dances and at talent contests including the famous "Vere Johns' Opportunity Hour." In 1961, he recorded a medley of nursery rhymes as "Humpty Dumpty," providing vocals to Drumbago Parks All-Star Band's shuffling beat. The song proved a phenomenal success and is regarded as pivotal in the progress of Jamaican music, introducing the emphasis on the half beat in comparison to earlier local recordings, which simply mirrored American R and B, creating something rhythmically unique: ska.

At the beginning of the Jamaican music industry, singers received a single fee for their studio performance, thus motivated singers like Morris recorded for anyone and everyone who would pay. He voiced for the best producers, including Prince Buster, Byron Lee, Sonia Pottinger, Vincent Edwards, Duke Reid, and Clancy Eccles, and repeatedly topped the Jamaican charts. But it was his massive Byron Lee hits "Sammy Dead Oh" and "Oil in My Lamp" that got him invited to perform at the 1964 New York World's Fair as part of a three-hour "Ska Spectacular" with an esteemed group of musicians that included Millie Small, Jimmy Cliff, Prince Buster, and Byron Lee and The Dragonaires.

Unfortunately, ska failed to capture the imagination of the American public at the time, and the "Wild West" mentality of the Jamaican music business left him short of the financial rewards gained by some of his peers. Even with late 60s productions by Clancy Eccles and Lee Scratch Perry under his belt, Morris did not survive the transition to rocksteady and reggae very well, retiring from the music business in 1970 when he emigrated to the United States.

Time heals all wounds, and since Morris' legend was still strong in the memories of the US Caribbean community, he was tempted back in 1988 to record for the Washington, DC Kibwe label. In 1999, Morris saw a triumphant return to Jamaica after three decades for the Heineken Star Time oldies concert series. Ten years later, Morris' son teamed up with singer/producer Sadiki to create The Living Legends Collection, his first-ever, full-length album bearing re-cuts of his original hits. In 2003, his song "Enna Bella" was used in the soundtrack of the Jim Jarmusch film "Coffee and Cigarettes," plus his songs appeared on many ska and reggae compilations issued during the 80s and 90s ska revival, including Ska Bonanza, Ska After Ska, More Intensified and the Byron Lee and Dragonaires Dynamite Ska collection.

To call Monty an overlooked name in Jamaican music history is truly an understatement; the man is still to receive the true recognition he is due. Jamaican Oldies Productions are extremely proud to present this living legend in Chicago, backed by the Soul Radics from Tennessee. Detroit rocksteady champs 1592 gets the night started right.

DJ Chuck Wren, Triton Soundsystem, Darren Reggae, and Feel The Rhythm DJs spin your favorite Jamaican oldies--strictly on vinyl. All this plus vendors selling original Jamaican vinyl, hand screened concert posters, Jump Up Records' massive merch table and much more.

Ticket info: Tickets on sale soon via Manye Stage website: www.maynestage.com. Tickets are $25. This is an 18+ show. There will be a limited amount of two-day passes available for $40, so if you know you're coming for the weekend, snatch these up quick!

There will be a pre-party at Delilah's Chicago on Thursday, Feburary 28th. DJ Chuck Wren opens up his regular night (Chicago's longest-running ska/reggae monthly at 18 years) to an all star cast of in town and out of town DJs from 9:00 pm to 2:00 am.

Day Two (Saturday, March 2): Roy Panton and Yvonne Harrison backed by The Prizefighters with The Pressure opening

(From the Jump Up Facebook Event page:) There were many popular Jamaican duos singing love ballads in early 60s: Stranger and Patsy, Keith and Enid, Alton and Eddie, Derrick and Patsy, Jackie Opel and Doreen Shaffer, and Lord Creator and Norma Fraser, just to name a few. But perhaps the greatest duettist of them all was Roy Panton, who started recording in the late 50s with Stranger Cole and Eric "Monty" Morris, duetted with a young Millie Small, and produced a plethora of ska/rocksteady recordings with Yvonne Harrison that rode high on the Jamaican charts during the early 1960s. These powerful recordings touched the hearts of many and drew much inspiration from the black American duo Shirley and Lee. Focusing mostly on themes of romance, many of these duet recordings acted as a springboard to catapult singers into successful solo careers.

Millie Small was one such atrist, who as a teen sang alongside Roy Panton at Clement Coxson Dodd's Studio One. Roy and Millie had a hit with "We’ll Meet," which stayed at #1 in the Jamaican charts for six weeks. The success of the duo's debut disc spurred Dodd to accelerate their output over the ensuing months, including "Never Say Goodbye," "There'll Come A Day," and "You're The Only One," among their most popular works from this period. Yet while Roy and Millie were fast becoming one of the island's leading acts, financial recompense from their recorded work remained meager, so in early in 1963 the pair switched to Lindon Pottinger's Gay Disc Records spawning the popular "Oh Shirley" and "Marie," the latter becoming one of the biggest-selling Jamaican singles of that summer. That same year Prince Buster produced "I'll Go" b/w "Over And Over" and as the disc climbed the national radio charts the fate of the island's popular duo were being determined elsewhere.

In 1963 Chris Blackwell brought Millie Small back to Britain, and the rest shall we say is history...

After Millie Small's worldwide smash "My Boy Lollipop," a plethora of albums featuring early Roy Panton duets were released seeking to exploit the young singer's sudden popularity: Millie and Blue Beat issued by Melodisc/Blue Beat, Millie and Her Boyfriends on Island/Trojan, and Ska At The Jamaica Playboy Club on Island.

In addition, the Jamaican starlet was the main focus of a 1965 "Ready, Steady, Go" TV special entitled "Millie In Jamaica," a one-hour show that included contributions from Roy Panton alongside Jimmy Cliff, Count Ossie, Prince Buster, Byron Lee, Louis Bennett, and Lord Jellicoe.

Roy kept busy at this time cutting solo singles, but eventually teamed up with a new duet partner by the name of Yvonne Harrison, who was enjoying solo chart success at the time with "The Chase." As Roy and Yvonne, they had their first hit with "Two Roads Before You" and its flip side "Join Together, and they continued recording for several producers throughout the 60s, performed live with Byron Lee and The Dragonaires on the "All Island Tour," were featured on the first televised show in Jamaica at Kingston's Sombrero Club (which became part of the 1964 documentary "This Is Ska"), and recorded with Tommy McCook and The Supersonics.

Jamaican Oldies Productions and Jump Up Records are proud to present the official North American album release for Roy Panton and Yvonne Harrison's first ever anthology, Roy Panton and Yvonne  Harris with Friends, a collection of 17 rare studio recordings from 1960-1971. Released by Liquidator Music in Spain, these tracks have been cleaned and remastered for the first time, featuring songs performed both together and solo, including collaborations from Eric "Monty" Morris, Millie Small, Annette, and Glen Adams.

Roy and Yvonne will be backed by The Prizefighters from Minneapolis, who will perform a full set as well. They're welcomed back after doing such an incredible job with Stranger Cole last November!
Opening the night will be The Pressure, crucial vintage Jamaican rocksteady from Pittsburgh, PA.

DJ Chuck Wren, Triton Soundsystem, Darren Reggae, and Feel The Rhythm DJs spin your favorite Jamaican oldies - strictly on vinyl. All this plus vendors selling original Jamaican vinyl, hand screened concert posters, Jump Up Records' massive merch table and much more.

Ticket info: Tickets on sale soon via Manye Stage website: www.maynestage.com. Tickets are $25. This is an 18+ show. There will be a limited amount of two-day passes available for $40, so if you know you're coming for the weekend, snatch these up quick!

There will be a pre-party at Delilah's Chicago on Thursday, Feburary 28th. DJ Chuck Wren opens up his regular night (Chicago's longest-running ska/reggae monthly at 18 years) to an all star cast of in town and out of town DJs from 9:00 pm to 2:00 am.

Stranger Cole and Pat Kelly Videos from Jump Up's Jamaican Oldies Weekend #1!

If you couldn't make it to the first amazing Jamaican Oldies Weekend in Chicago a few weekends ago, here are some videos of Stranger Cole backed by The Prizefighters and performing "Crying Every Night"--a soul-reggae cover of The Guess Who's "These Eyes" and Pat Kelly backed by Green Room Rockers and performing The Temptations' "I Wish It Would Rain."

For some background on the Jamaican Oldies Weekend, read the recent Duff Guide to Ska interview with Jump Up's Chuck Wren here.



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More Stranger Cole/Prizefighter videos can be watched here and Pat Kelly/GRR videos can be found here.

Duff Interview: Chuck Wren of Jump Up Records on the Jamaican Oldies Weekend Concert Series

Editor's note: Chuck Wren's essential Jump Up Records is celebrating its 20th anniversary year (wow!) with the kick-off of the Jamaican Oldies Weekend, which is coming up on November 16 and 17th and will feature original JA musicians/stars Pat Kelly and Stranger Cole! So, you'd be best served to take our advice: if you are anywhere near Chicago, you have to do anything and everything you can to attend these concerts and experience live music made by some of the greatest Jamaican musicians still around! You can purchase your two-day pass to the Jamaican Oldies Weekend here.

Thanks to Chuck for doing this interview with us--and for keeping the ska faith throughout the good times and bad for the past two decades.

The Duff Guide to Ska: What inspired you to launch the Jamaican Oldies Weekend concert series—and why did you start with Pat Kelly and Stranger Cole?

Chuck Wren: I wanted to really celebrate the 20th anniversary year of Jump Up in style, not just with one showcase, but for an entire year of shows and releases. And also I have been insanely jealous of the amazing shows the Los Angeles scene has been putting together! There are many people like me in the Midwest that live and breathe this music, but are not at a place in our lives where we can fly somewhere to see a concert. So, I pounded the pavement and made an arrangement with the beautiful Mayne Stage here in Chicago. They believed in my vision to duplicate these shows, with Chicago being the mecca for the Midwest vintage Jamaican music fans. I was also very lucky to assemble a team that includes CHema Skandal, Darren Reggae, Edith Vel, and their Feel the Rhythm DJs. We’re all running around town promoting like madmen.

Jamaican Oldies Productions is determined to highlight the careers of Jamaican performers who never quite got the success of a Toots or Cliff, but who have had significant contributions to the history of Jamaican music. I am constantly reminding people that they know songs of Pat Kelly and Stranger Cole, they just forget that they know them! For example, when you tell someone “Artibella” or “Rough and Tough,” people often say, “Wow….that was Stranger Cole?”

DGTS: No judgment here, but why did you decide to go with 60s-era Jamaican artists instead of, say, some of the top ska bands of the 1990s?

CW: I have never been one to take the easy road! Hell, we’re the only label that has stayed active in its 20 years, releasing albums consistently every few months since 1993. We could have easily done that and book 90s acts, but we feel that going back to the roots and celebrating the original music – while these artists are still vibrant and performing – is so much more important.

DGTS: Green Room Rockers are backing Pat Kelly and The Prizefighters are playing with Stranger Cole—is this series also a means to promote and big up local, Midwest ska talent to new/larger crowds?

CW: You nailed it right on the head. These bands have earned their right to play with their idols, and these Jamaican Oldies shows will be the springboard for this to happen.

DGTS: How many people are you hoping to attract over this weekend?

CW: We have modest goals, the club holds 300+ (and is truly a fantastic space!) and we are hoping to pack the place to the gills. We have DJs spinning all night and during the show, plus there will be an afterparty there to keep it going all night. This show is basically a litmus test – it must succeed for me to be able to continue in the future! Do not miss this one, there might not be a next!

DGTS: Which other old school JA artists are you planning to feature in subsequent weekends?

CW: The list is crazy long. Eric Monty Morris, Big Youth, Max Romeo, Roy Ellis, Dennis Alcapone, Dave Barker, Ken Boothe, John Holt, and Derrick Morgan are all in our sights! Then after the solo acts work we can concentrate on vocal trios!

DGTS: The Jamaican Oldies Weekend is part of Jump Up Records 20th anniversary celebration. What other anniversary-related events/releases do you have planned for the coming months?

CW: We will be going back in the catalog and re-releasing some titles on vinyl, with input from our current fans and customers.

New albums from Soul Radics (in two weeks!), Crabs Corporation, King Pepe, and many more! There is an exciting new “mash up” in the works that digs into the classic alternative of the 80s. And there’s a project that’s focusing on 90s Rhythm and Blues and New Jack Swing. After their amazing performance on Halloween night, The Drastics have agreed to perform MJ A Rocker once again! Working on a tour to bring Tommy Tornado, Mr T Bone, and other European Jump Up acts over as one package, probably backed by Eastern Standard Time.

DGTS: Lastly, are there any current or upcoming Jump Up releases that ska fans should be aware of?

CW: Every year I look back at all the stuff we have put out, and I am most proud when we have been able to help new bands get to a new level of exposure. That’s why we started Jump Up in 1993 – we were insanely proud of the Midwest’s caliber of bands and I felt starting Jump Up to release the American Skathic series was the only way to combat the West and East Coast scenes that dominated the press! Looking back, I’d like to say it worked! So with that mindset, we are extremely proud of a couple key titles we released in 2012: The Fundamentals Get Alright! vinyl LP and the Count Kutu and The Balmers 10” LP in our calypso series!

The Fundamentals have that perfect balance of modern third-wave influenced ska, yet still firmly holding on to the traditions of 60s Jamaican ska and American soul. Their interchange between male/female vocals gets me every time. It’s that same type of forward thinking, yet old skool sound that attracted me to Green Room Rockers a few years ago, and also our upcoming Soul Radics release. And what can I say about Count Kutu? Many people thought I was mad (including the band) when I wanted to release a rural mento album from a band from the Philippines – and mostly sung in their native tongue! This band is so authentic that I knew language was not a deal-breaker, in fact it made them unique and exciting. Every time we find a new fan for this band, we sit back and just glow with pride. And we get so much feedback from customers on that release – they can’t believe their ears – they think its Jamaican patois – but it’s Tagalog!

Honestly, we are proud of all our releases. I’ve never stopped doing this because it still excites me, I still have the same insane drive for new music I did years ago. That’s why I am still on the radio, too! The only way this music will survive is if new bands carry on the torch. We need to support these new bands and labels. I don’t understand these so called "fans” that refuse to listen to music after a certain year. They are not keeping the music alive, they are slowly ensuring its eventual death. Not that I will be around then, but I hope my daughter is able to celebrate with pride the Jamaica 100 independence!

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For a taste of what you're in for if you go to the Jamaican Oldies Weekend, check out these two videos I shot of Stranger Cole when he performed at the Bell House in Brooklyn, NY in 2011 ("More life!").