Tell me which one o' them a trouble? Are the good
Techniques ~ are the general now."
In reggae's constant reappraisal of its sources the incident of a single rhythm suddenly predominating on the dancehall circuit and remaining in vogue for as much as a year and often even longer has been a feature of the music since the 1970s.
Early examples chronicle the Studio 1 sessions originally utilised by Alton Ellis for 'I'm Just A Guy and his 'I'm Still In Love With You', which enjoys great favour around the time the two sevens clash, eventually providing a worldwide hit for Althea & Donna in the guise of 'Uptown Top Ranking'. Others have included the Sound Dimension instrumentals 'Real Rock', 'Drum Song' and 'Full Up' from the same studio, the latter finally evolving into Musical Youth's astonishing 'Dutchie'. The sound systems have skanked to untold versions of 'Shank I Sheck' since the early '80s, numerous adaptations of the horn fanfare and familiar bassline which signifies the 'Never Let Go' rhythm, a series of 'Swing Easy' and 'Skylarking' and 'Peanut Vendor' riffs. At the beginning of this year Waterhouse producer Prince Jammy introduced what has since become known as the "sleng teng" after its original incarnation as Wayne Smith's 'Under Me Sleng Teng', which has spawned a further glut of variations, with reportedly more than 80 different vocal cuts in the possession of Jammy alone.
The latest exhumation concerns the famous Techniques 'Stalag 17' instrumental, reworked intermittently in the past but given sudden impetus by Tenor Saw's wildly popular 'Ring The Alarm', also produced by Techniques (Winston Riley) and backed by the original rhythm. Tenor Saw's has been a meteoric rise from obscurity to main attraction with Sugar Minott's Youthman Promotion sound system set, which has carried the swing in Jamaica throughout the summer, and 'Ring The Alarm' is his biggest record to date.
In its wake arrive two new albums from Jamaica this week, with all ten tracks of the respective sets devoted to variations on thr 'Stalag 17' theme. Both of them vehicles for upcoming artists working the dancehall genre.
Out of Chancery Lane, 'Original Stalag 17-18 And 19' (Techniques) appears to have assembled the cream of the current Youth Promotion breed. As well as the Tenor Saw effort, there is Sugar Minottt himself with 'Jah Jah Rule' and another of the sound's rising stars, the much touted though previously unheard on wax Yami Bollo, who details
'When A Man In Love'. Other relative newcomers are Admiral Tebet with 'Trouble To A Man' and Little Kirk accommodating the rhythm to the tune of Tina Turner's 'What's Love Got To Do With It'. Of the more established names Michael Prophet extols Techniques on 'Room Full', a rare Brigadier Jerry excursions asks 'What Kind Of World' and Lloyd Hemmings reappears from the blue with 'Ragamuffin Soldier'. The set closes with the Techniques All Star band and 'Stalag 17' itself.
The other LP is 'Stalag 17 Super Version Excursion' (Jammys), a reworking of the rhythm in electronic style pace "sleng teng". This naturally features the principals of Prince Jammy's own sound system and opens with Patrick Andy's declared 'Come Fe Mash It', followed by another singer with his star in the ascendant Nitty Gritty on 'Good Morning Teacher', while the ever present Wayne Smith weighs in with 'Come Along' and Pad Anthony voices 'Ease On Down The Road'. Newcomers number Super Black with 'We Rule', Don Angilo with 'Fe Me Daddy', one Youthman castigating ''Mr Boss Man' and Eccleton Jarrett on 'Give Thanks And Praise'. Hornsmad Dean Fraser blows a 'Sax Excursion' of the rhythm and Prince Jammy himself mixes down a 'Rub A Dub Version' of the same.
Penny Reel
