Abstract Index Playlist - November 7/07

No podcast this week - earnest fundraising does not make for repeat listening. What does, however, is this Gladiators collection. As Soul Jazz continues its superb various artists series, Heartbeat is more likely to take the artist profile route.

The Gladiators were a rare group in Jamaica – they were a self contained band. They gained major international notoriety through a series of outstanding albums for Virgin records in the 70s. But like Bob Marley and the Wailers, leader they didn’t start out as a band. Their earliest singles feature the trio of Albert Griffiths, David Webber and Errol Grandison in a classic sound, mixing politics, Rasta sentiment and love in a countrified cocktail. While moderate hits resulted, the quality of the music is excellent. The dub versions are typical Studio One griminess of the era. During the seventies, the vocal lineup changed and the band coalesced around Griffiths guitar and new singer Clinton Fearon’s bass. They became an in-demand session band, and are best represented on their Virgin discs which focus much more on cultural themes. Nevertheless, the third of Studio One Singles devoted to this output is rock solid – sounding way less polished than the concurrent Virgin releases. The snare/digital clap sound on the 12” mix of “Pretending” is worth the price of the disc.

streets of calcutta - ananda shankar (times square)
love is the only god - jimi tenor (ubiquity)
black man's cry - gay flamingoes steel band (crippled dick hot wax)
junio 73 - willie colon (fania)
do it -brotherhood of breath (rca)
underside of a table - drumheller (rat drifting)
par en avant - michel f. cote (ambiances magnetiques)
sad friend - the inhabitants (drip audio)
daxaar - steve reid (domino)
mar sem fin - smaracatu nunca antes (no label)
bailando - psychotropical orchestra (denso)
la policia - infantry rockers (revolucion)
elsa - los destellos (barbes)
muneca - eddie palmieri (mp)
two face - ticklah (easy star)
dil da rog muka ja mahi - gaudi feat nusrat fateh ali khan (six degrees)
music - the dynamics (groove attack)
pretending - gladiators (heartbeat)
every tongue shall tell - wayne jarrett (wackies)