CD Review: King Jammy - King at the Controls

The debate of great dancehall producers must begin with one name. King Jammy. The King of the Dancehall, has ruled the dancehall since the early 80's shift to the ragga/digital style, and to this day is one of the (if not the most) most influential men in all of the dancehall.

So VP Records did a very nice thing in producing this 'project', with 20 strong of the legendary producer's finest and most crucial works and a wonderfully done, nearly hour long, dvd accompanying it. While you can find several well done compilations from the early digital ragga era of the dancehall (particularly Greensleeves The Biggest Dancehall Anthems 1979-82), this is the first that I know of the sort of following just the path of one superproducer, and the producer whom they chose may just be the definition of the term, 'superproducer'.

I can't go on and tell you, like normally, what I might think the 'best' tune here, however, without a doubt my favorite is Wayne Smith's immortal Under Mi Sleng Teng over the equally immortal sleng teng riddim. Then you get into the classics such as John Holt's If I Were a Carpenter, the song so wicked it can make beautiful women dance with ugly man! Of course Junior Reid doing the 'jamrock' riddim with Boom-Shack-A-Lack and doing double duties as the frontman of Black Uhuru on I Love King Selassie.

You also get Admiral Bailey's MASSIVE hit Punani, smooth Johnny Osbourne's Water Pumping, Frankie Paul's smooth smooth I Know The Score, Nitty Gritty Run Down the World. You can go on and on, every song here is a classic and that's exactly why its on this cd.

Another thing you get from a more modern look; Many of the riddims here that you may not have been aware were actually Jammy's riddims you get to see the initial hit from them as it is now more and more propular to revive a classic riddim.

But that's only the half of it.

Also included here is a wonderful DVD with interviews with Jammy's his co-producer, Johnny Wonder and many others, including Ninja Man. Ninja gets into a rather funny 'clash' with Bunny General right in front of Jammy's studio and you get a really interesting look at the very very rich old man still recording JA's finest in one of the most violent ghettos in all of JA, with absolutely no intention of leaving. You get rare glimpses and interviews with individuals such as Tupps, Jammy's selector who had achieved a near mythical mysterious reputation when I was coming up, you watch him as he ever so quietly and carefully work. And you get alot of the King's peers and protoge's talking of the man and his work and MANY of the artists who voiced for him, from Josey Wales to Elephant Man; his peers such as Bobby Digital and Black Scorpio (and nice footage of their clash) and even his wife, the documentary is every bit as good as the cd.

Overall, every dancehall producer from now on out will owe a debt of gratitude to Jammy. Some of the younger and reigning producers of today such as (older)Dave Kelly, Lenky and Vendetta are definitely doing a good job holding it down, but even today King Jammy's work comes with a bit of an edge on the competition, just by virtue of having his logo. Definitely check this one out, for not only good music, but the historical side to the vibes. VERY WELL DONE!

Bramoi for Trini Jungle Juice

========================================

King at the Controls - King Jammy
Release Date: Aug 29th 2006

Track Listings
1. Mr. Landlord - Half Pint
2. If I Were A Carpenter - John Holt
3. Agony - Pinchers
4. Punany - Admiral Bailey
5. Peenie Peenie - Shabba Ranks
6. I Love King Selassie - Black Uhuru
7. Father Jungle Rock - Nicodemus
8. Water Pumping - Johnny Osbourne
9. Boom Shack-A-Lack - Junior Reid
10. Deh Wid You - Super Black
11. Children Of The Ghetto - Cocoa Tea
12. Exit, The - Dennis Brown
13. Run Down World - Nitty Gritty
14. Under Mi Sleng Teng - Wayne Smith
15. She's My Baby - Leroy Gibbons
16. Rock Them One By One - Eccleton Jarrett
17. Let Off Supum - Leroy Smart
18. One Scotch - Admiral Bailey/Chaka Demus
19. Serious Time - Admiral Tibet
20. I Know The Score - Frankie Paul