violin in reggae songs.....
Natacha.Loinger
I recently aquired a very good song from King Chubby on the Supreme label.
The title is What's the world coming to.
This is the first time I'm listening to a reggae song with violin as the
main instrument. I was really impressed by that and tried to remember if I
had already heard songs with violin but no.
My question is double. First, are there some "good" violin players in
reggae, and second why is this instrument so rarely used...?
If someone wants I could put a little part of this song on the Internet.
Best regards,
Natacha
grolsch
"Natacha.Loinger" <Natacha...@wanadoo.fr> wrote in message
news:9e82t8$d8i$1...@wanadoo.fr...
A lot of string instruments were dubbed on to UK releases of tracks in the
early 70s for 'pop' appeal. Young Gifted And Black, Let Your Yeah Be Yeah
and others including my own personal favourite Young Generation by The
Heptones.
The violin players you ask about were probably members of the Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra or similar.
Respect
Gordon
Lee O'Neill
> I recently aquired a very good song from King Chubby on the Supreme label.
> The title is What's the world coming to.
> This is the first time I'm listening to a reggae song with violin as the
> main instrument. I was really impressed by that and tried to remember if I
> had already heard songs with violin but no.
I don't have access to my collection to check right now, but doesn't "The
Tide Is High" feature a violin obbligato behind John Holt's vocal? Apart
from that, I can think of lots of songs with string sections but very few
with a solo violin.
Lee O'Neill
CC
Shalom (1999 I think) has a great string backing too.
It's more common than you thought maybe :)
CC
zavla
I Roy's "Blackman Time" for some more violin. There is also a version of
"The Drifter" with violins.
roland z
Natacha.Loinger <Natacha...@wanadoo.fr> wrote in message
news:9e82t8$d8i$1...@wanadoo.fr...
Matty
Just checked my copy of this and the strings are an addition to the original
track, dubbed over in the UK, along with the female backing. The Jamaican
version would have sounded more like the B-side, "Live as One" originally
though I've never heard Junior Byles' version of it, only the Heptones.
This was common around that time in the UK following a successful series of
string overdubs on (for instance) Bob and Marcia's "Young Gifted and Black",
plus some Pioneers UK material originally 'stringed-up' when it was
recorded. Bob and Marcia's "Young Gifted and Black" was released in the UK
without strings on Escort, but was quickly withdrawn when Trojan showed they
had title to it, and substituted by a cover version recorded by Denzil and
Jennifer.
If you're into strings (I quite like 'em), look no further (!) than John
Holt albums on Trojan - "Sings For 'I'", "1000 Volts of Holt" and (not quite
so good) "2000 Volts of Holt".
Solo violins also feature occasionally in reggae (there was a thread on this
before about 2 years ago), and a megafantastical example would be Justin
Hines "Sinners Where You Gonna Hide" and it's flip on UK Ocean, produced by
Duke Reid.
There is also a crazy Jamaican violinist who pops up every so often on ska
records and does some pretty wild things - can't think of any titles right
now, but listen out ! Other more knowledgeable RMR'ers may be able to give
you fine examples.
Matty
"Natacha.Loinger" <Natacha...@wanadoo.fr> wrote in message
news:9e82t8$d8i$1...@wanadoo.fr...
RDonnart
of the times, it's all the more unfortunate that the original "stringless"
versions are sometimes difficult to come by. there used to be a guy called
raymond who played violin on some skatalites tunes in the 60's. as for today,
maybe american people should check an extra cool band from boston called
Pressure Cooker (they do ska, rocksteady and even rub a dub), their second cd
has just been released, has a few groovy songs w/ a string quartet, definitely
a great album !!
raggamurphy
> Hi Natacha,
>
>
".
>
> Solo violins also feature occasionally in reggae (there was a thread on this
> before about 2 years ago), and a megafantastical example would be Justin
> Hines "Sinners Where You Gonna Hide" and it's flip on UK Ocean, produced by
> Duke Reid.
>
"One".
Also Prince FAr I has a track with some truly off the wall fiddeling
but I will have to go through some digging before I can name it.
To hear a lot of soloing on the fiddle try the truly tiresome Reggae
Philharmionic Orchestra
DJ Spleece
Not too long ago, a few 7" were put out on a riddim called "Greedy Bug," on
the Sound Box lable (ex: Anthony B - 'Strength to Strength'). Violin over
Nyabingi Drum..... Beautiful!!!
-DJ Spleece (RAW #911)
>===== Original Message From "Natacha.Loinger" <Natacha...@wanadoo.fr>
=====
Old broom
>but I will have to go through some digging before I can name it.
"I Want To Be Loved By Everyone" by Far-I has a nice violin.
----------------------
"You can know a rude chap
By the way he set his cap."
Peter Piper
The violin was an important instrument for early "Jamaican" folk music forms
like the quadrille (actually not Jamaican).
A violin can be heard in a few early 60s ska recordings as well:
A few examples: the Maytals´ "Get Ready", the Skatalites´ "Air Raid Shelter"
and "Below Zero", Tommy McCook´s "Adam´s Apple", "Cow And Gate", "Road
Block" and "Junior Jive".
Brian Keyo writes in the linernotes of Tribute To Tommy on Heartbeat:
"A hendful of Tommy´s first recordings utilite the violin of Raymond, a
veteran of country dances where quadrilles where a must."
Many of the late 60´s string overdubs were made in London by the Johnny
Arthey Orchestra, for example on Jimmy Cliffs "Vietnam", Bob and Marcia´s
"Young Gifted And Black" and on "Love Of The Common People" by Nicky Thomas.
Peter
take the train to SKAVILLE *******************************
for information about cover versions in Jamaican 60s music
************** http://www.skaville.de ********************
Noelle A Kirton
great violin part. Unfortunally I do not have that song sampled on his site
'davidkirton.com' but the album will soon be in stores.
Mark Dorenbaum
Johnny T...very interesting!
....also the Twinkle Brothers have a string oriented album recorded partly
in Poland with lot's of traditional instruments the title escapes me right
now though
....also Max Romeo has a release "Tribu-Acoustica" I believe is the name and
it's quite different...recorded with a group of mostly Italian musicians. It
is a blend of Nyabinghi drumming and folk music instrumentation all with Max
Romeo on vox
....and also check out Fizze "Return of the Peeni Walli Phenomena" on the
LKJ label. Fizze is Suise based and the album includes Dean Fraser,
Rico,Dennis Bovell and many other JA artists alongside European artists
proficient in traditional and folk instrumentation...
Mark
Noelle A Kirton <noelle...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20010521160312...@ng-fq1.aol.com...
Molin Music
Reggae violinist, Tamara on the mainstage. Couldn't find a website for
her, she also plays on Sylvia Tella's version of Bob Marley's
"Turn Your Lights Down Low" on Sylvia's "Tella Like It Is" (Living Room
Records) produced by Sidney Mills (of Steel Pulse)
http://www.livingroomrecords.com
One love,
Anna
Charles-Antoine Caron
Charles-Antoine
Molin Music wrote in message <3B0B35EE...@pacbell.net>...
RDonnart
>Johnny T...very interesting!
yes, johnny was -and probably still is-a memberof the UK ska band The Trojans,
who also play a mix of celtic and JA music, where this instrument fites well. i
saw him w/ lkj too,
guillaume Bougard
Massa Gana" (a soul version whose sound and arrangements are reminiscent of
Smokey Robinson Labi Siffre or Curtis Mayfield) and "Empress Lady"
--
____________________________________________________________________________
______
Guillaume Bougard
TABOU1
tel: + 33 1 53 76 21 30
cel: +33 6 80 61 06 74
fax: + 33 1 53 76 21 34
bj...@club-internet.fr
ThothBoy
and just on a tangent...on occasion Sugar Belly's bamboo sax or whatever he
played can sound a bit like a violin...and I believe he played on a few early
reggae tunes. Check his 'sugar merengue' disc on Studio One to see what I'm
talking about with the similarity to a violin sound.
peace,
dave
