Sanctuary Records Group - Trojan
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Trojan Ganja Reggae Box
Released
on 21 July 2003.
The widespread use of ganja by
Jamaican acts during the mid-seventies and early eighties is clearly
illustrated by the 50 tracks on this set. From DJ to Dub, Roots to Dancehall,
the theme inspired countless Reggae acts, from leading figures to lesser
lights. Even if the week is not your thing, this comprehensive collection of
collie-themed tracks is sure to leave you feeling high. |
Taking aside the subject matter this is a general
meandering through Jamaican output from about 1970 through to 1985.
Consequently al the different nuances and styles are in evidence from late ska,
early reggae through toasting and a great preponderance of roots. Many of
thegreat voices are in evidence from Marley downwards.
Of the early cuts it is odd that one of the great
cuts is an instrumental Lloyd Charmers and Ishan Cut. Whizzing through in
chronological order and picking out a few cuts of major interest we can first
(or is that second now!) home in on Glen Brown's Collie and Wine with great
vocals. Bob's early and best cut of Kaya is included which on this album is the
first track that leads to roots and rastafarianism.
Heavy dub and toast of the best kind came
around1971 , 1972 with the Roy's , Youth and all dem followers – Jah T's Lick
the pipe, and Youth's own half ounce. Slightly more bouncy was Clancy Eccles'
call Ganja Free. Hit wise Rupie Edwards Feeling High skanga hit the top.
One of the great voices of reggae is Horace Andy
featured on Better Calley, complete with the heavy dubversion by the Aggrovators.
Johnny Clarke's infectious Collie Dread. Another track that is a bit different
yet still retains a great feel is Bush Weed Contrash by Bunny and Ricky, though
it sounds different to my vinyl version – different cut I guess.
One of my favourite albums of a type from the mid
70's was Tappa Zukie's MPLA, which featured the wonderful Chalice to Chalice.
Another voice I seem to be rediscovering and liking a lot is Cornel Campbell,
back to 1977 for A Hundred Pounds of Collie, with a track similar in style to A
hundred ponds weight by – it escapes me, one of the vocal groups, Diamonds
maybe , Culture. This leads to the thought that there probably are a million
and one other tracks that could have been included , and would have been
equally as good as the 50 that got through. We'' into thaat late 70's mellow,
dubby reggae, carnival festival dancehall beat, you can feel the outdoors in
one respect, or the stack of bass speakers in another, on something like Linval
Thompson's 'I Love Marijuana' and Big Joe toast, and then kicking into Ranking
Dread.
More Horace Andy opening CD3 as we head to the
80's when the dancehall was a bit more jumpy to the likes of Ina Komoze (who
isn't featured here but could have been) and a proficient and distinctive
Barrington Levy. We git his Collie Weed and Sensimelia. Lesser known but great
vocally was Mikey Brooks on Sensi Man
3-CD
SET |
DISC 1 (KUTCHY
SKANK): |
Herbsman - King Stitt
& Andy Capp |
Ganja Plane - The
G.G. All Stars |
Ishan Cup - Lloyd
Charmers |
Collie And Wine -
Glen Brown |
Free The Weed - Joe
Gibbs All Stars |
Kaya - Bob Marley
& The Wailers |
Kaya Version - Bob
Marley & The Wailers |
Lick I Pipe - Carl
Murphy |
Lick The Pipe, Peter,
Part 4 - Jah T |
Pass The Pipe - The
Observers |
Herb Tree - Aston
‘Family Man’ Barrett |
Ganja Free - Clancy
Eccles |
Kutchi Skank - The
Upsetters |
My Jamaican Collie -
Max Romeo |
Feeling High - Rupie
Edwards |
Half Ounce - Big
Youth |
Herb Vendor - Leroy
‘Horsemouth’ Wallace |
DISC 2 (A HUNDRED
POUNDS OF COLLIE): |
Better Calley (aka
Better Collie) - Horace Andy |
Calley Version - The
Aggrovators |
Bring The Couchie
Come - The Reggae Crusaders |
Coutchi Dub - Niney
& The Soul Syndicate |
Ganja - Joe White |
Collie Dread - Johnny
Clarke |
Ashanti Ganja Dub -
Leslie Butler |
Free The Weed - Rupie
Edwards |
Free The Weed Dub -
Rupie Edwards All Stars |
Bush Weed Contrash -
Bunny & Ricky |
Callying Butt - The
Upsetters |
Chalice To Chalice -
Tappa Zukie |
A Hundred Pounds Of
Collie - Cornell Campbell |
I Love Marijuana -
Linval Thompson |
Jamaican Colley
(Version) - Linval Thompson |
Smoke Marijuana - Big
Joe |
Marijuana In My Soul
- Ranking Dread |
DISC 3 (MARIJUANA IN
MY BRAIN): |
Collie Weed - Horace
Andy |
Marijuana - Sly &
The Revolutionaries |
Marijuana In My Brain
- Dillinger |
Herb - Sly & The
Revolutionaries Collie Weed - Barrington Levy |
Collie - Sly &
The Revolutionaries |
Scientist Ganja Dub -
Scientist & The Roots Radics |
Sensimilea -
Barrington Levy |
Cannabis Dub -
Scientist & The Roots Radics |
The Great Collie Herb
- Derrick Morgan |
Babylon Don’t Touch
My Sensi - Neville Brown |
Babylon Don’t Touch
My Sensi Dub - Neville Brown & The Roots Radics |
Sensi Man - Mikey
Brooks |
Ganja Baby - Clint
Eastwood |
Kaya - Ronnie Davis |
Sensi For Sale - The
Tufftones |
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